Let me just start by saying that I went back and forth about whether or not I wanted to see this movie. I knew it was really heavy and I'm the kind of girl who goes to movies as a pick me up, but I just felt really compelled to see it.
Before I get into the nitty gritty of it all I must give accolades to Forrest Whitaker who produced the film and to Michael B. Jordan (who better get his recognition come award season) and the rest of the cast of the film. It was amazing. It was raw and truthful and did an excellent job of making you feel as if you were a part of the world of the film. All of which were probably responsible for the emotions I felt at the end of the film.
I realize that not everyone has seen the film so I won't give any spoilers. I do encourage you all to see it though. Watching this film made me think of every brown man I know that has been wrongfully arrested, assaulted, and harassed by those whose job description is to "protect and serve." It reminds me of the way my chest closed up when my mom called me and told me that my brother had been stopped an handcuffed by the pigs while dropping his girlfriend off because he matched the description of a black male wearing a hoodie. It reminds me of the countless times that a good friend of mine has had to sit behind bars for doing nothing other than being a black man driving a black car. It reminds me of times where well educated, professional black men have recounted to me the ways they were profiled by the police.
I'm reminded of a coworker who declined the invite to see the film because she's a native of the Bay Area and lived this nightmare and was unable to go to work for 3 weeks because of the riots. I'm reminded of another coworker who says that her significant other's personality reminds her so much of the Oscar Grant portrayed in the film. I'm reminded of Trayvon Martin, Troy Davis, George Stinney, Bobby Hutton, Fred Hampton...the list could go on forever.
It is abundantly clear that the black man is public enemy #1 and we're living in a society where their value is placed on how many baskets or touchdowns they can make. If they can't manage to do that, society makes them free slaves who are robbed of every right that makes them free even after they are free. And if they somehow manage to dodge that bullet and become well educated contributors to this fucked up society, she will try to find ways to break him down and make him feel less than human.
I don't know man...I guess my only question is: How do we stop America from eating its babies?
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