Anyone posting here see this film? If a number of you have, I think it could be a good discussion. It touches on many issues. Seeing the words from James Baldwin are interesting enough:

"I can't be a pessimist because I'm alive. To be a pessimist means that you have agreed that human life is an academic matter, so I'm forced to be an optimist. I'm forced to believe that we can survive whatever we must survive."

But hearing and seeing him speak them at the end of the film makes them that much more powerful. Almost makes me think I'm not really a pessimist.

He does continue in that interview with "What white people have to do is try to find out in their hearts why it was necessary..."

And it's a really good question.

I was reading about this the other day but I haven't seen it as of yet.

Please do. It was fascinating to me, obviously disturbing, but also uplifting in many ways. I'm really curious what people in this weird little universe have to say about it.

I will check that out also. I really liked the movie "Crash". It is about racism in L.A. and how people cant be fit into neat little category's of good or bad.

i think i may have enjoyed crash if it didn't beat you senseless with its overtly blatant message

I enjoyed the movie, and am still thinking about it. I believe my feelings about it are too complex to outline in a message board post. I am somewhat pessimistic about white America's ability, or willingness, to internally address their issues, no matter how much prodding they receive. This movie may do a good job of preaching to the choir, but I wonder if enough non converts will even watch it.

It's a good movie and Baldwin is amazing.

Best few sentences on when someone uses the name word or looks down on black people

http://www.npr.org/2017/02/03/513311...-new-relevance

I'm not sure the white man invented it, or was the sole inventor. I think Africans need to also look into their hearts. They sold each other to the white man. They sold each other to Arabs. While the Western culture was obviously sick in this regard, the African culture helped to perpetuate it. I think we all, as humans, need to look more deeply into our own hearts.

ya that part was great. and also the part about how -paraphrased- by oppressing black ppl, the white ppl become moral monsters and it destroys them too.

.

“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.”
― James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quo....James_Baldwin

I think the point of that quote went a few feet over your head. The fact that some Africans sold other Africans into slavery has nothing to do with how, for example, lots of white people in America started searching google for "n****r Obama" the minute he was elected. Your post is a complete nonsequitor.

No, ive never seen it but it sounds good. Have you seen get out? The only non horror movie i have watched this year is wonder woman.

You gotta be ****ing ****ting me

Is this an exclusively white guilt movie or can my yellow ass get something out of it?

I'm too sick of the white guilt crap to sit through two hours of it. Sorry Fly.

I can recommend some of Baldwin's books, but we know how you are about reading.

I don't read much. I did just buy "the way of Kings", for entertainment.

I would not read anything you recommend.

There's way more than a white guilt trip in this movie, I believe. I also think if you watch it, it might make you want to pick up a book by James Baldwin. The movie is largely about him and his perspective.

I've never read any Baldwin and haven't seen this film, but I've listened to some of his interviews/talks and he seems incredibly good. I really wanted to see this in the theater, but my wife went without me - with her mother - and I let it go and it's gone. Well, I put the DVD on hold at the library.

What book would you recommend?

The Fire Next Time gets the best score on Goodreads.

OMG OMG the word Negro!! That means black people & when you reference black folk nowadays, thats racist!

Why is there no discusion of this travesty!! A time out is not in order here?

Go Tell It On The Mountain and Giovanni's Room are both very good.

She totally deserved it for dressing like that? Really?

its more like she totally deserved it bc her great great great great great great great great grandma dressed like that

Clearly the only people to blame are the great great great great great great great great grandchildren of some bad white people.

You guys just can't help thinking at level 1. I understand. It's not your fault. The white people made you that way.

It's a great movie!!!1!

White supremacy. White supremacy. White supremacy.