First, I would like to express gratitude to the director of the movie 13th, Ava DuVernay for enlightening viewers on the actual history. It is a very informative video on the black community. After viewing it, I was filled with mixed reactions that include anger, sadness, inspiration, as well as repulsion. The film shows the unfair treatment that the African Americans received in a society filled with Whites. Both the White civilians and the law did not respect the Blacks. A good illustration of disrespect is depicted when an officer; George Zimmerman refers to Trayvon Martin, a black man as an asshole on a phone call (DuVernay). As a result, I felt inspired to create a society of honor where all humans will be treated equally despite their race or color.
We can do it today.
The media and the popular society depiction of African Americans, specifically the black males, sway an ambiance of fright and fretfulness to the whites. The headlines are known to portray African American males as savages thus proving that nothing good comes out of them. For instance, a scene where a black man preys on a white woman and sexually abuses her describes African American men as abusers (DuVernay). Moreover, the whites described the blacks as “black Negros,” a symbol of lack of honor.
In conclusion, I profoundly believe that the media contributes to the fright and unease in the white’s ambiance. The reason being, even in the current world, some whites live in fear of blacks hence cannot socialize with them due to the negative influence of the media. Suppose they displayed both positive and negative side of the Blacks, then they would be viewed differently rather than as beasts and criminals. In other words, the media can play a significant role in correcting the segregation that exists amid the white and black community.
- DuVernay, Ava. “13TH.” Netflix Official Site, 2016.