browngeek

Just saw the film Crash. It was intense…in a sort of “eye-opening” way. It deals with racism, stereotyping, bigotry and ignorance. Of course, there is nothing new about this theme. Where this film excels is in its methodical approach in putting these elements in today’s perspective. There are some very obvious cinematic elements in this film, but for the most part its message is real.

Think about it. Are you a racist? You probably answered no. Because thats what you want to *think* about yourself. Reality is that we are all racists, some on the surface (example, rednecks) and for the rest of us, its beneath. But it surfaces more often than you think. Most of the time you are not even aware of it. Whats your reaction when an Asian woman cuts you off on the highway? What do you think when you see Mexicans huddled in the back of a pickup truck? Do you cross the street when you see a group of Black men in the corner? Whats your first reaction when you see a Muslim woman walking on street with a burka? How about when you call Citibank customer service and an Indian answers your call? Or, the Sikh cabbie that dropped you off last night? What do you think when you are riding the elevator with two Eastern Europeans talking in a foreign language?

“Crash” does not deal with the so-called “reverse racism”. What the hell is that anyway. Why is racism only against non-white and reverse racism is on the white? You probably *did not* notice that I never mentioned anything about White folks in my previous paragraph. Like, what do you think of all the White people in starbux or trader joe’s? Somehow we are all trained to think that racism goes outward, away from the White, and if you reverse it, you are looking at the White. Strange.

Racism and stereotyping has become an acceptable consequence of our “melting pot” society. Funny thing is, it does not have to be this way. See this film and open your fucking eyes and mind.