http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRuNcGDPzA8&feature=related
This scene from the Great Debaters is very powerful as it talks about education and how some minorities feel in the past, and in now present day.
Most Hispanic/ Latino families are a tight net family, not wanting their child to leave home. I can recall when I was leaving San Antonio to come to UNI, I distinctly remember my fathers words, just before I got into the U-haul truck to drive away. "Your making a mistake, your going to a white state that doesn't care about you because the color of your skin." My response was "If I don't try, or if I don't take this opportunity how will I ever know, that I can accomplish a goal in obtaining an education, unlike yourself!"
For most of you who do read you my be thinking what and asshole, how can he talk to his father like that. I believe that we should honor our mother and fathers as it say's in the 10 commandments, but you have to look at the big picture. Most parent are supportive of there children, giving them encouragement, and praise and the blessing to do what they feel is right, but I come from a family that really never showed that. I can say in a way that I had to raise myself; from the age of 14, I started working to help in supporting the family (two siblings, and my single father.) Both of my parents did not have the education in which they should have had (mom dropping out in the 8th grade, and my dad in the 4th grade.) There belief is that a man should work to support a family. The reality of it a parent should be the parent and learn responsibility, and a child needs to be a child to learn and develop.
I have not seen this movie, but I really thought that this scene was very powerful. The female character was very nervous starting out, but she really gained confidence quickly. What struck me most about this clip was when they were talking about racial hatred being present, and they were using that as justification for continuing to segregate schools. I find this circular reasoning to be totally confusing. So, because racial attitudes/hatred exist, we should continue to allow schools to be segregated? By keeping the schools segregated, it just justifies and reinforces the racial attitudes, so you're not gaining anything by it. That's what I kept thinking when watching that scene.
Also, this just show that discrimination is ineffective without power behind it. The power to change school segregation was held by white people. It is unequal treatment based on prejudice. I think I will watch this movie since I was intrigued by this scene.
On a final note, I thought I would post this link to one of my all-time favorite movies and books: A Time to Kill. This is the youtube link to the closing argument by the defense. It is a pretty powerful scene, due to all the different issues involved. The trial itself is about a black man on trial for killing the white men who brutally raped and beat his daughter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7f-BgDgpmE
I love this movie, and whenever I watch it I always seem to tear up at the end of that scene, along with others.
I thought this was a good scene to choose for a post. It makes me upset to see that people were saying things about how people aren't "ready" for people to be equal, for all kinds minorities in the United States. Things still aren't equal with African-Americans and Caucasians, same with Men and Women.
I have had these discussions in other classes whether or not equality will ever come? And everyone will truly have justice and equality, like the girl asks at the end. When is that day going to come? Tomorrow? Next week? In a hundered years? Never?