12 years a slave... Critics are already comparing it to Schindler's List

[YOUTUBE]vUQNjfhlREk[/YOUTUBE]

 

A lot of(white)folks don't like to be portrayed as evil. Funny. The evil of slavery and how it affected the relationship of black, Native America, Mexican, and Asian in this country from the beginning to give the white race a four century advantage over everyone is the fact that they are secretly proud of. White privilege began with slavery. And yes, some tribal chiefs in Africa probably did sell their own people for money or goods. These people tell us to get over it. How can we get over it and move on? How can we forget it ever happened? Slavery and the Holocaust are events that cannot be forgotten. And though slavery and the mass murder of people of different faiths have occurred all over the world since time in memoriam. The saying goes, "If you're big enough to do it, you're big enough to own up to it." It does not suggest that I blame the white race for my problems. No. I once knew a couple of people who had ancestors who owned slaves. One, a girl told me that her family, during that time owned slaves and would have saved a fortune before the homestead was destroyed during the Civil war. Another, a guy I went to school with was ashamed of his great, great grandfather, who owned slaves. And when president Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclaimation, ending slavery in the South, he let those slaves who wanted to leave, to give up all their clothes. They were to walk out naked in the wilderness. I was shocked. But he was very sincere in his displeasure with his great, great grandfather. 12 Years A Slave will definitely be in the running for Best Picture. Brad Pitt's production company Plan B is a part of this film.

 

Pass, I'm sure it is a well made movie, but I go to the movies to be entertained not enraged.

 

Will not watch. I've never had this love for seeing black people in bad situations.

 

Same.

They're trying really hard to shove these 'servant' roles into an Oscar win.

I'm not buying it one bit. They can can keep their 'slaves' and 'butlers'.

 

It got a pretty good write-up in the NY Times last week, and it's got my man Chiwetel Ejiofor, so I may have to go see it.

 

I feel that way about media forms like this too.

Are you trying to show the world how terrible slavery is or are you trying to make your race look better by putting down another?

 

P-R-E-A-C-H!

 

Addressing the bolded points:

1. Neither do black folks.

2. And you know this how??? That's an unfair assumption.

3. You're right - people can't say just get over it and act like it didn't happen. However, what is to be gained by continually holding it up and allowing it be a stumbling block?

4. How many people are alive today that can actually own up to being a slaveowner?

I've read many posts like this over the last 2 years and have kept my mouth shut for fear of seeming unsympathetic. (Many here do seem to forget that half the members of this forum are WHITE!) But in my current mood, I'm just gonna spit out what I believe to be the truth from my vantage point: Too many black people want to keep holding the issue of slavery over the heads of white people, even today. I am not responsible for what white people did during the times of slavery. And neither is any white man or woman of this generation. We cannot change what happened and neither can you. So to keep it in the forefront of society's mind accomplishes what? Even if every white person on planet earth banded together in remorse over slavery, would that solve the problem? No. Truth is, nothing will ever make up for that injustice. NOTHING. So when white people say you should move on, many are saying you need to accept that it was a terrible injustice which will never be remedied, but as a black man, you needn't let that be something that dogs you and keeps you from being successful.

My apologies if I offended anyone.

 

Great post! Don't be scurred. Thanks for being honest and forthcoming, we are all adults around here, nobody should be scared to speak their piece of mind around here as long as it's conducted in a respectful tone such as this post.

In regards to "So when white people say you should move on" no, no, and NO. I don't ever want to hear that shit from no on. I'm glad blacks and others continue to keep the great gross injustice on the forefront of American's minds because if it was up to the powers that be... Slavery never happened.

Oops looks like that already started

Texas approves renaming slave trade as “Atlantic triangular trade” in text books

http://blog.sfgate.com/ybenjamin/20...ing-slave-trade-as-atlantic-triangular-trade/

 

I saw a program on PBS a few years ago. It was about a prominent family in New England. How they got their prominence was from the slave trade. They processed the slaves and sent them south with the help of England(before they woke up).The one who was the producer of this program was a member of that family. She went around and interviewed as many family members as she could find and asked about their family. One member was very reluctant to talk about it because it made him feel uncomfortable. But other family members came forward. I am not angry and I harbor no feelings of vengeance toward white people at all. I would not be in this site if I did. As I had once mentioned before, I am on my own journey. No one, be they white, black or others, are going to keep me down. I am neither a villain, nor am I a hero. And I am aware as anyone that everyone's experience is not the same as the person next to you. For years, the black community had wanted justice for slavery. But, instead, the black community got an apology from President Bill Clinton. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing at all. And yes, there is nothing that anyone can do to change what had happened, at least everyone is aware of history. No offense taken.

 

Wow.... I live in Texas but am not surprised I haven't heard about this. The public school system is seriously jacked up but unfortunately I can't afford to send my children to private school and even if I could - there aren't many good secular private schools. This is disgusting .

As for the rest of the post... my (now ex?? having issues) boyfriends made a comment about "my people" ownig slaves. I told him to back that bus up because my people didn't own slaves- we came over in the late 1800's. I also have a hard time commenting on things because I know that there is no way I can ever fully understand as I come from a background where white privlage is very present and alive. Just today I noticed it yet again. I got a flat tire. I just bought a tire myself a couple months ago. Boyfriend went and got me a new one today.
He was charged $16 more than I was from same place for same product.
I won't go a far as saying he was charged more but I will say that I am used to things being discounted because I'm a fairly attractive white woman.
it used to annoy me when he would have me go buy things or contact people for him when he's the one making a lot more money an spending it- but It only took me a few short weeks into our relationship to understand why.

Also - coming from my liberal arts/sociology education and social work background... I do believe a lot of today's socio-economic problems in some black communities (and not just limited to socio-economic ) have foundations from slavery. maybe someday it will be different but I'm doubtful that it will happen before my grandchildren have grandchildren - especially when things like the article about State of Tx Education board are happening.

 

No one tells Jews to get over The Holocaust. But, blacks are expected to just suck it up and pretend like slavery, then Jim Crow and all the institutional oppression that came with and after it does not factor into today's America.

Really?

We'll get over it when it's over. And, as I look at all the news of voting rights suppression, black people not being served at restaurants and masses of anonymous Internet posters who let their true feelings show and vote accordingly, I'd say its far from over.

But, just because racism is acknowledged, doesn't mean it should prevent anyone from achieving their goals. Of course, I don't know anyone who would let it prevent them from doing anything he or she wanted to do. That's just some more right wing BS they like to throw out there to see if it sticks to anyone's shoes.

 

Stevie Wonder mentioned the Texas thing on the textbooks last Friday evening. The story of the happy slaves should be revised.

 

Closed mouths don't get fed speak up people! Nothing to be afraid, it ain't like us black men going to revolt against yall white women lol. Seriously we are family on this board tho, your opinions and thoughts are highly valued.... yeah people going disagree with ya at times but that's life.

I don't feel that your so called white privilege is getting you discounts n such, its your beauty that makes people more willing to cater to you. We all seen dat ass tho :smt080

 

Its probably not fair to either film when comparing them. The media folks who do that are a bit lazy. Yes, both films are based upon true life incidents dealing with people who were able to escape a version of hell on Earth but each film should be judged on its own terms.

Read the book "12 Years A Slave" in 2012 as soon as I learned Steve McQueen was directing and Chiwetel Ejiofor was to be the star. It has been one of the movies I've been looking forward to the most for the past year. All the great reactions from Telluride and Toronto only makes the anticipation greater.

 

I know that for a lot of white people hearing about slavery makes you feel like you're personally being attacked since very few rich white men in fact benefited from the free labor that slaves produced but the system of slavery has greatly benefited you because it created an ideology where your skin allows you freedom and consideration regardless of action where as being black affords the opposite. Slavery is mentioned to give insight into why things are the way they are and to not simply designate blacks as a throw away minority who for some reason just can't get their act together.
I sympathize with the fact that you don't see the benefits your whiteness gives you or maybe you do sometimes but I know that I have had to take a hard look at the benefits my maleness gives me. I don't have to be as cautious when leaving some place late at night, rape never crosses my mind nor does being kidnapped. I rarely think that I need the protection of others to navigate through life and I know for women that's not always the case but it should also be acknowledged that people aren't going to look at you as a threat that either needs to be killed or locked away. Your children go missing and the cops care when ours go missing its chalked up to kids just running away. Slavery is a huge part of American history, its a major reason why the US became a super power in the first place so like it or not its going to come up and subsequently how it made being white such an asset.

 

Yeah. To be fair, it IS texas. They let George W Bush be governor? So, you know, I'm sure this is par for the course.

 

I read the book back in my high school years...and not surprised that this will become a movie. Well, all I know is that it's the perfect set-up for an X-rated rendition entitled, 12 Years Fucking My Master's Mistress

 

I don't feel so much attacked, as I feel like saying "What do you want ME to do about what happened?" I didn't choose to be white any more than you chose to be black. But your other sentence makes a lot of sense. I can understand slavery being talked about in that context. But when some people like to bring it up as the reason that they can't progress or become something great, that slavery is always going to hold back the black community, I have a hard time with that. There are men right here on this forum who have realized great success, accomplishment and happiness despite the history of slavery, maybe (dare I say) even because of it.