Snoop Dogg calls for a boycott

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...gg-urges-roots-boycott-social-media/85158354/

 

Not watching any of the slave, getting stepped on movies/shows.

 

I agree, partially. Ask a random person what they know about black history besides slavery and civil rights and they go silent. There is so much more to black history than enslavement and racial inequality.

No one's making movies about black wall street or the Harlem renaissance. It's always whips and chains for us.

 

Or even that in Africa, eons ago, there were advanced societies where there were large cities with palaces and the like. When white explorers discovered them, they dismissed the fact that black people built and thrived in these cities. So, they reported that there was evidence of a white civilization on Africa.

Hollywood will always cast the black race as comic relief, victims, and villains. Heroes who happens to be black are not considered as realistic because white men do not related to the experience of black people. Hollywood has answered the call for supply and demand.

When I first saw Roots in 1977, I was 11 or 12 at the time. The program was troubling because of the depiction of slavery and the slave trade. What surprised me even more than that was the use of the N-word. It was the same way the other sequels.

It was the first tv miniseries that got a lot of people talking, especially white viewers in the South. I had hoped that Roots would never be remade because the 1977 show made its point and Alex Haley's book became a bigger best seller at the time after its release.

Alex Haley had another story developed into a tv series called Palmerstown, U.S.A., based on Haley's friendship with a white childhood friend. Bill Duke played the father of a boy named Booker T. It was on CBS for a while.

I think that the fascination with slavery is not healthy because it seems like a reminder to black people that slaves are what we were. And a reminder to racist white men of their idea of white supremacy. Hollywood doesn't want to portray the white race as evil, which many white people are not evil.

John Wayne stated that he often met black people who were related to someone who had been a slave. Wayne didn't condone slavery but he did believe in white supremacy in the point that black people cannot be equal to whites in academic and other things. If he is directing a film and the story has a black person in the script, he would hire that person for the role. Yet, he had a huge admiration for Jim Brown.

Here's the question; will anyone watching this adaptation of Roots really pay close attention, or will they be angry because of the revival of this show?

 

Not trying to cast any aspersions on anyone here. But, here is some food for thought;

You never, ever hear Jews say they're tired of hearing about The Holocaust. They put that shit in every movie or TV show they can. Doesn't matter how many movies are made about it. They understand that if they don't keep that fire lit, other races will not talk about it either. Whites love it when we say we're tired of slave stories. That gives them a pass on having to talk about it or accept responsibility for its effect on our people. If we don't think it worth being in the common consciousness, why should they? If we don't tell those stories, they'll tell them for us; in all of their white washed glory.

If one needs proof of what can result from this line of thinking, google the story about some of the newer textbooks and how they labled us, not as slaves, but migrant workers. This is how it starts. This is the beginning of them sweeping it under the carpet. This is how they start to wipe away their stain without cleaning up their mess.

In the meantime the Jews say never forget.
In the meantime the Native Americans say never forget.

Us? Let's forvet about it because it makes us feel bad about ourselves. Let's just sweep that awkward part of our history under the rug because it's ugly and repulsive and degrading. Why? Because that's all we ever see of ourselves in the movies and TV. Thats the only part of our history that ever gets told. Except, thats not true, either.

How many of us made it a point to see The Jackie Robinson Story or Get On Up or that Jessie Owens story? And, I'm not talking about catching it later on cable or Bluray, but seeing it in the theaters on the first weekend when it really counts? Why wasn't Ving Rhames' Rosewood not a spectacular hit? Will we turn out in droves to see the upcoming Birth Of A Nation like we did for Straight Outta Compton or will this fall on the heap of movies we Redbox for $2?

Let's not talk about all of the TV shows lately with black males in the lead. They're almost always cancelled or on the buble of being cancelled because of low veiwership. Are we DVRing these shows and watching them in the first 7 days even if we don't care for the show? Hell, you put it on, mute the sound.and go take a shower or something while it plays so it gets counted.. Hollywood responds to ratings. If black lead shows get good ratings, Hollywood makes more. Simple as that.

Lastly, how can we say something is the same old thing if we've not watched it? I haven't seen the episodes yet, so I can't attest to their quality. But, from what I'm told, this is a much richer story that is more historically accurate than what came before. Not to mention, this version is being told by black filmmakers and producers. That alone warrants an objective viewing.

Turning our backs on these kinds of films seems very short sited to me. Especially, now that we're living in a time where black talent is surging to the fore. Slavery is our history. Period. And, I think every chance to throw it in America's collective face is not only desriable but necessary.

But, hey, the next Straight Outta Compton - clone, Hip-hop film will be out soon enough. I'm sure we'll help make that a smash. Because, those are the important stories our people need to see. Right?

I just don't see how we can complain about there not being alternative black stories when we've not historically supported them when they are made.

 

Agree 100%, Samson1701.

 

I was thinking the same thing....

 

How many of you watched the first season of Underground on WGN? For anyone that doesn't like the typical "slave" movies, then check that show out especially if you plan on seeing the new Birth of a Nation.

 

there is an entire generation that didn't even see the 1rst roots series..

 

You do make a good point. Even though there are other ways to remind America of slavery, through film is probably the best way to remind everyone.

 

Gorath and Samson, you both make polar interesting, thought-provoking points, and l found myself agreeing with both.

I was a child when Roots first aired and while the small racial nuances evaded me, the greater social ramifications of the humanity inequity, did not. My whole family gathered around the TV in the living room to watch ROOTS. In Australia. Glued. Affected. It was that POWERFUL. We never knew of their struggle, their pain, and the slave trade inhumanity. It shocked me.

I caught some of Roots last night and what struck me AGAIN is how proud Kunte was. In the original Roots he was a fighter - in this Series he seems more stoic and reserved...more verbally defiant.
Revisiting Kunte's fighting spirit is a positive thing for me if only because it's a reminder that much of Black America's ancestry comes from Warrior stock and Strong Character bloodlines. This truism should never be overshadowed.

 

Good point. I wasn't saying that we as a people do not forget and give white people a pass for the indignities inflicted on us.

Films like Race, Get On Up, 42 are worth seeing. Red Tails was pretty good, too. It suffered from a script and the fact that they were not heard of in this century.
Rosewood with Ving Rhames wasn't a hit because of John Singleton's decision to make the Rosewood massacre a suspenseful action film than a historical docudrama. He felt that people wouldn't see it if it was faithful to the account.

These films and shows, past and present, are available on DVD and streaming online.

I choose not to watch the new adaptation of Roots because I have already seen the first one in 1977. It was a very important miniseries and it was memorable with memorable characters like Kunta Kinte and Chicken George.


You are forgiven for casting aspersions on me.

 

Was it LeVar Burton who played as Kunta Kinte in the Alex Haley version?

 

As Sampson stated, there is a movement afoot in the U.S. to downplay the history of Black slavery in this country.

What's insidious about it is by implying slavery wasn't that bad and Blacks made it through okay, then Black grievances today are seen as coming from permanent malcontents, and there's no need for Americans to be too concerned about the condition of Black folk or the perpetuation of institutional racism because it really doesn't exist.


Every 5-10 years I think it's a good thing to remind the population at large how we got from there to here as far as race relations.


These are the same folks who want to forever honor the Confederate 'heroes' from the Civil War, but still want to erase from history the REAL reason that war was fought.

No one is saying it's the total responsibility of White people to solve all the ills in the Black community, but to move forward as a society we need to understand in part why we are where we are today.

Slavery ended in 1865, but the prejudice, segregation, racial bias and hatred is still here in varying degrees.

In many ways the South never, ever really changed, even after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

That poison is still in the bloodstream of this country.
Every generation needs to know why since you can bet it's not really being taught in any depth in our high schools.

 

Yes. He played Kunta Kinte in the 1977 version.

 

Exactly.

 

So in reading this thread I was compelled to watch the first episode of the remake earlier this afternoon and although I watched the original series as a child I dont remember much for some reason ( probably because we watched it in school and I wasn't totally paying attention and it didn't affect me in the same way, watching as an adult today).

While I agree it's important to understand the history of American slavery, teaching other generations about the awful stories of slavery, enacted so vividly and with such a tragic pull on our consciences. It's so important to understand the history and the background of the world and see how far we've come (or not; depending on ones perspective).

I also share the thought that the series is a painful reminder of a horrible and despicable time. Hollywood should make it a priority to expand more upon the wonderful achievements in black history and tell those stories we can be proud of.

 

I'm torn in many respects.

I've never cared to watch the original movie, nor will I go out my way seeing this one. We're more than just the past. We're the present and future. It really pains me to see that the entertainment business would be too eager to just simplify the roles of actors of color to merely be historical events, as though that is all we are known as, and to me, I find it appalling. It's more about reaching the masses and gaining profit, and apparently, it's very unrealistic for a black main protagonist to the carry the weight of the world and save humanity for a change...

And yet, movies like this are necessary because people (white people in particular) would prefer to sweep the past under the rug, or simply color it through wordplay. As samson stated, the Jews make sure people don't forget the Holocaust, nor the country as a whole make sure we don't forget World War II, or 9/11. This is all due in part of, the events were elsewhere and not here. And yet, when faced with the ugly history they've created based on bigotry, they prefer to treat it differently - as though we are the ones with the problems. This is why we do have the south revising or diminishing history via wordplay -- because denial is their greatest weapon, as well as population and influence.

America is very quick to confront everything outside the country. And yet, the internal conflicts...they are far too cowardly to address the problems and their reactions are a reflection of their own fears.

 

For years in school, I was taught that slavery was the true reason for the Civil War. Slavery was only half of the reason. The other half were the issues of industrialization and state's rights. I had mentioned this before. Slavery was supported by southern democrats and morally opposed by northern republicans. Slavery was necessary for the southern economy while black people in the north were working and earning money to live on. The Civil War was the only war ever fought by West Point. Cadets and faculty members fought in the war.

Having lived in small towns that have a civil war history, I was aware that while the stories about how things were long ago were unique and fascinating to people who are interested in history, I felt I didn't belong. I was born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, an army base that is home to the 82nd Airborne division. My sister was born there, too. But I was once told that though the base was near the city of Fayetteville, the base was not considered "true" North Carolina. It's a property of the U.S. Government. I can't get away from racism and racist attitudes no matter where I go in this country and the world. I can only walk in faith and seek out the place where I can be me.

I recall after moving to Florida, that I made a conscious decision to speak properly. I felt I had to do this because my mother(who had once wanted to be an English teacher, would make sure that we spoke clearly and properly)corrected us when we spoke. And it was my one and only act of defiance against the South.

 

Need to do both. As one said in this thread... You don't see Jews complaining about holocaust movies so keep showing them but also show how slaves faught back.