As a proud White American I must say that this movie is a powerful structure that requires a tremendous amount of understanding for another culture while swallowing a little pride of my own.
For those who think this movie is racist only proves that more movies like this one need to be made. You can't tell a race of people to just move forward if they are not sure where they come from. You can't just say, "Slavery is over! Now go out and be successful," without understanding the conditioning slavery left behind. Economically and internally. Not to mention when African Americans try to reconnect with their past they are constantly bombarded by some of the same Whites who at times, seem a little bit too concerned with keeping this connection at bay, as if it were a threat of some sort. Meanwhile our toddlers are at school learning about their distant past great leaders like Caesar. Thus, encouraging them to be great leaders. While the black toddlers are learning about slavery and their minor, more modern American accomplishments like the creation of peanut butter or the civil rights movement, making their steps of stride smaller, surviving from day to day, check to check, with hopes of purchasing an apartment or a car as a major accomplishment.
Why are we afraid for African Americans to learn they're history? Is it because there were some Black leaders greater than Whites. Is it because most of our history might be tainted with a lot of lies and cover up? If we Whites really want to be Equal (and not just announce it all the time) then we will encourage more Blacks to become one with their distant past. And if it puts some of Europeans most powerful parts in history to the background then so what? We didn't have a problem when we where in the forefront, so why would it matter now if we're in the background? If we truly aren't racist, it shouldn't matter at all. One thing Hollywood and our school system shows us is that Europeans have done great things. But not all great things. And maybe, not even the greatest. But that in itself proposes a powerful question. What if Africans have done greater things, would we be willing to accept that? The truth is, we all know we won't. Does the psychological scar of racism really cuts that deep?
