Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Exploration 6: Film Review

I thought this film of the civil rights movement was very significant and moving to watch. There were many negative emotions that were brought out when I watched this; emotions such as fear for black society, anger, and frustration at white people and how harsh they treated blacks. To know that not too long ago, about 50 years, society was separated so finely that people of a certain color could not even use the same water fountains as people from another color. It is hard for me to fathom how life would be today if it were still like that. According to Reverand Vivian in the film, the sit-ins and boycott the black citizens made to the city and the merchants made a great impact on the town. The sit-ins continued for 2 weeks and then warnings were given by white people who began to grow angry. The boycott began and within 2 months, 69 cities were involved and 2,000 people were arrested. As I watched the film, it came to my mind multiple times what my choice would be as a white citizen and how I would I choose to treat blacks if I was living during those times. Of coarse I am so strongly against it and the mistreatment of blacks I told myself I would do exactly what some white people were doing as they got on board and joined in on the Freedom Riders. But when I started to see how there were mobs waiting at certain stops ready to kill, it did bring a hesitation to my mind on if I would really have the guts to do that. Though it seems like a simple choice today because we all see eye to eye, at that time, I would be considered the minority if I stood up for blacks and I could be severely criticized for it. In the film there was a white young man named Jimmy and he was the first to step off of the bus to the waiting mob and when he stepped off, it said many of the folks were almost confused and shocked to see a white man sticking up for black people; then they went on to savagely beat him. Later, he states "Segregation must be stopped; it must be broken down. We are willing to accept death and we will keep riding." I thought that Jimmy was very heroic for standing up for something that was affecting him on a much lower level than it was for blacks people. It really put into perspective for me all that black people had to endure during that time just to get an equal chance and respect in life. I really give all those who were brave enough to make a stand credit because they changed our nation for the better.

3 comments:

  1. wow it is very interesting the way you talk about it, and you right everyone have to respect each other.

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  2. I thought what was really sad was when the boy went to both drinking fountains. He went to the one for blacks and the one for whites and then asked why they were separate when the water tasted just the same.

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  3. I really like how you explained everything. All the points you mad I completely agree with! The story about the boy and the drinking fountain, why he didn't understand there were two separate ones when the water was exactly the same. Even though it's a small story, it's such an impact to what was going on in that time period. It really showed you that even little kids were involved and..how unfair is that?!

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