Meeting David Wilson is a brilliant documentary about one person's journey about race in America. David Wilson, upset about struggles of African-Americans in his own community and their inability to overcome systemic struggles, decides to explore his family's roots.
As he does so, he decides to go to North Carolina, visit the church his great-grandfather started, and eventually meet a decendant of his ancestors slave owner (who was white). They are both named David Wilson. Thus the title of the documentary has a double entendre, where the young, black David meets to the other David and himself in the process. So, the story unfolds both as a coming of age story, and as a documentary about race at the same time.
Most moving to me is when the black David Wilson visits the old slave quarters and says, "I am the answer to the prayers of the people who were slaves in this room, living in this place. I am the embodiment of their hopes and prayers (or something like that).
Also interesting is how the two David's, which the documentary builds up to be potential adversaries, end up being friends. One white man, growing up in pre-Civil Rights South, and a young black man thinking about reparations.
I loved the movie, and the thoughts and questions it raised.
The thing that frustrates me in the discussion of this issue on MSNBC afterward, as well as the narrative this story tells, is that the dialogue about race is a black-white issue in America. The story of race in America is much more multicultural than that, and in our discussions about race in America we do not remember the HISTORIC racial issues that are not simply about persons with African linage.
Systemic persecution of Native Americans is equally if not more stunning than those of African Americans. As with Hispanics. Hispanics and Native Americans were historic owners and residents of this land long before Europeans and Africans first arrived in America. We forget that when we narrow the dialogue about race to a black and white issue.
We also narrow white americans into a slave owner history. Several white folks in America are unassociated with that lineage. My father's side of the family were more possibly associated with that sin. My mother's side of the family were immigrants who moved quickly west.
This narrowing also expects other minority groups to fall in line with an African American model of social activism, community organization, and justice-making. The facts are, especially within other minority communities, this model of advocacy is not as indigineous as in is in black communities. I served on a National Board on my denomination where this kind of thing happened, and action was taken on behalf of an offended person despite the Native American man's plea that he simply be supported as he worked with his own process in his community.
Overall, though, it was a good movie, and one that should be seen in schools everywhere.
7 comments:
Hey how about Asians?????
Good write up. Been on a documentary kick lately?
I don't thing racism is a problem for whites anymore. There are many, many blacks that have way more money, power then myself. The thing I don't like is having to talk about it and being made to feel guilty for my race and herratage. Which by the way I had no control over. Minorities came be proud of there herritage openly. But imagine a white guy saying he is proud to be 'white' the statement is intrinsically racest. But minorities can be proud of their ROOTS. Sure that makes me a bad person for saying such a thing. But this problem should just go away. I am not the one propeuating Raceism / Sexism. In the workplace we are tought to function as a group, "work together" this is never dependant on race in my exspeance. The most qualified person should, and does get promoted. Dr King said that people should be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. And I believe this to be a working principle in todays society. Lets leave the past in the past.
Interesting subject matter. It looks like a worthy documentary to see. I think that you are right about the issue of many white Americans not having anything to do with slavery. My family on both sides come from some sort of Quaker/pacifist background and I know that my great-great-great-great(close) uncle was Levi Coffin who spearheaded the Underground Railway. As far back as I know there were no southern or slave owning people in my family tree. I don't think that that is very unusual.
So thanks for pointing this out. I'll see if I can find that documentary.
I think Mr. Northrop needs to get out more often. Racism is alive and unfortunately very well. The very fact that Mr. Northrop thinks that racism isn't a problem anymore lets me know that he is white. It is easy to change the law in comparison to the time needed to change a mind.
True anonymous that racism is alive but my point is talking about it will change nothing. When I tried to get into the US Naval Academy in '98, '99, '00 In three of those three years young white males in my peer group scored the highest on tests and were the most quilified. However they used a grading scale that made it weighted towards females and minorites. As a result females and minorites took those spots even though they were not the most qualified. It is sad that racism is alive and well in what we call Afirmitive Action.
I am not complaining for myself.
All I am saying is that it is time to move past all racism, and a dialog about it will not help. I am not racist. To tell you the truth I really don't even notice people's skin color. There are some many shades these days it is often difficult to tell nationality anyway.
But their are people in the black community with a chip on their shoulder. Example: Jeremiah Wright and I do not think this is an isolated mantelity. Their is a sizable minority in the black community that are not letting racism die. But that have to rub it in our faces for offenses I did not commit.
Mr. Northrop your last paragraph says it all. While admittedly, reverse racism exists; the mere fact that folks have a 'chip on their shoulder' should be an indication to you that you are missing something. You have apparently never walked down the street and had a woman clutch her purse tightly to herself just because of your race. You have never been told you weren't smart enough due to your race or gender, or not hired due to your race or gender. You have never been a black man passing through a town that posts a sign on the 'welcome to' city sign that reads 'if your not white don't let the sun set on you here'. Talk to your girlfriend, wife, or mother about being a female in a male driven society. Talk to a non-white friend about the barriers found in everyday life. But mostly, sit down and observe people around you and think about your 'white male privilege'. Those things which you have "earned" simply by being born a white male... the list is amazing.
Anonymous, You have a point, as a white male I may just fail to notice racism. And admittedly it does exist. I hope my comments were not to offensive. I guess I am just anoyed with the whole subject. I'm not saying that my feelings are correct, I'm just trying to be honest.
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