I’ve had parts of this blog in my head for months. As can be seen from the title, it all started with a movie that caught me off guard.
For a team time, my team, aptly named Cosmopolita, went to see Batman vs. Superman.
Originally, I thought I would speak lightheartedly about its lack of plot or character development before ranting about the numerous ways the film offended numerous cultures. I was aggravated, but excited to share my revelation on how drastically detrimental the movie industry is on our generation and our generation’s view of the world.
I spoke about my frustrations for weeks and yet never wrote about it. I think it’s because I couldn’t find the words to say. I didn’t think any would fairly capture the comprehensive harm and pain the movie caused. I didn’t know what approach to take, what angle to come from that would allow my words to share truth, yet also be somewhat enjoyable.
But today, as I was reminded of the blog I never wrote, I didn’t feel any desire to be lighthearted. I wasn’t excited to share my revelation. I was just brokenhearted, hurt, angry, and defeated.
Today a squad member and dear friend of mine told me that she was seriously considering moving overseas. She said it would better, safer. In America black people are getting shot. It was just a couple of sentences, but I knew there was so much more behind her words.
In the last couple days, 2 black American men were killed. One in Minnesota and one in Lousiana. Both without just cause.
Honestly, I had no idea what to say. There aren’t words. There aren’t explanations.
I just sat by her for a while and scratched her back, thinking, searching for anything. I felt the tears trying to flow, but forced them in because it was far from my time to be comforted.
After a good 10 minutes I said the only words that had come to me at all “I’m sorry.” & “I’ll try to raise my kids better.”
How shallow my words were. How little power they have to do anything at all.
It makes we weep with anger that my dear friend has to feel pain about this, that she has to feel fear for the color of her skin. I don’t even want to try to name the emotions or the thoughts that plague our black brothers and sisters. I don’t want to pretend I understand at all. I don’t understand what she feels, what anyone feels.
All I know is that I am heartbroken. I am angry. I am overwhelmed with defeat that we still hold such a hate in our hearts. I am beside myself that some try to deny that any problem exists at all.
I won’t try to unpack or understand on this page, as if such an understanding even exists. And anyway, I know that even my most processed understanding would still be ignorant and have elements of my privilege plaguing it. So I won’t try at all.
Rather, I will share on the one thing I do understand – Hollywood is part of the problem.
I may not have the perfect words or the wisdom to speak about it, but some of it is quite simple.
As I mentioned, my team, Cosmopolita, went to see Batman vs. Superman. It is also important to mention that Cosmopolita was the Fusion team of Fusion squad. We consisted of a Russian, and Costa Rican, a Kenyan born American, a California American, 2 Memphis Americans, and myself, an Indiana American.
It has now been a few months since I have seen this film and therefore lack the recollection to relay all the scenes accurately, but the gist will still be communicated.
Within 2 ½ hours the film managed to cast a negative light on Russia, Central America, and Africa as a whole.
Characters made degrading comments about Russians throughout the film, speaking only of political conflict and implying that the country and its citizens are untrustworthy and dangerous.
There are clips of Central Americans rioting in the streets, wearing masks, burning sticks, and worshiping statues; and while the clips are likely trying to portray Dia de las Muertas (Day of the Dead), it does so in a way that is skewed and presents the whole of Latin America as a chaotic land in need of help and direction.
Then, in possibly the most blatantly ignorant editing decision, the most fearful and violent scene plays with the words Nairomi, Africa boldly displayed across the bottom. The city may be made up, but the less than subliminal message to viewers is that Africa is a place of danger, violence, and poverty and should be avoided at all costs.
Floored….
Honestly, I am ashamed that it has taken me so long to realize what I am sure has been influencing me my entire life.
We turn on a movie to get out of our heads for a little bit, but Hollywood uses those 2 hours to get in them.
We have to WAKE UP!
This stuff is not harmless! It does affect us! It does change the way we relate to each other!
We are being fed hate and disunity and fear!
I could shout in anger and pain and frustration about this fact for hours, but I really just want to make everyone aware.
Up until a few months ago I honestly didn’t know what I was letting into my mind and heart. I didn’t understand that what we see and hear takes root. It affects our thoughts and actions even when we think we are above it.
There is a reason we don’t let kids watch R-rated movies. We don’t want them to see sex or hear harsh language. We are protecting them from those images, those tracts that we know would play over and over in their head and steal their innocence.
I don’t know why we think that once we turn 16 or 18 or whatever mark we put on adulthood, we somehow don’t need to be protected anymore. Do we honestly believe that we age out of being influenced?
Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think Hollywood knows it will affect us. This fear, this hate, it isn’t sold to us on accident. It is bold and intentional, we have just become numb.
It took me sitting next to my friends as the media told them they were less than I knew they were, to wake me up.
