Film & Speaker Series examines racism in U.S.
Norma Villarreal
Ashley Smith
The Signal
Hot topic issues hate and racism were targeted in the first film in UHCL’s Film and Speaker Series this semester.
“American History X,” shown Jan. 29-30 in the Student Service Building conference room, gave students an inside look at hate groups that survive in this country. After the film, Stephen Cherry, assistant professor of sociology, hosted a question-and-answer session.
In the film, Derek Vinyard, a young recruiter for a white supremacist group goes to jail for brutally killing members of a black gang called the Crypts. While in prison he is reformed after befriending an African-American inmate, Lamont. After being released from prison, Derek realizes his younger brother is headed down the same path he has gone and tries to prevent him from making the same violent mistakes.
Sonia Hernandez, cultural arts assistant who chooses the films for the Film and Speaker Series, decided on this particular film after an incident where a local chapter of the KKK went through her neighborhood throwing pamphlets into yards.
“I pick these films because it gives students a learning opportunity to discuss vital issues in a safe environment,” Hernandez said.
Something Cherry hopes the audience took from the film, “is that if we are going to do something; we need to do more than what we are doing on the issue of diversity in this country.”
The themes brought about in the film, as well as the lecture, hit close to home with area community members. Vernal White, who holds a bachelor’s degree in education, was educated in a segregated school for African-Americans. There was only one school, and all subjects and grades were taught in that one building. Although she has seen progress with race relations in America, White points out that racism still exists – although not as obviously as when she was growing up.
“Racism is not openly exposed as much until or unless someone is hurt severely or killed,” White said. “We have had incidents where some people have been arrested and been beaten by police men and unless it comes to the attention of the media then we don’t know about it.”
While imprisoned, Derek finds himself a member of the minority population; he faces the prejudices of most of his fellow African-American inmates. It is his friendship with Lamont that enables him to survive prison. It is a visit from his former English teacher Bob Sweeney, also African-American, that provides a pivotal turning point in Derek’s reformation.
Bob Sweeney: “There was a moment, when I used to blame everything and everyone for all the pain and suffering and vile things that happened to me, that I saw happen to my people. Used to blame everybody. Blamed white people, blamed society, blamed God. I didn’t get no answers ‘cause I was asking the wrong questions. You have to ask the right questions.”
Derek Vinyard: “Like what?”
Bob Sweeney: “Has anything you’ve done made your life better?”
“American History X” illustrates how ignorance and misinformed beliefs fed into the minds of young people can lead to a life of hatred and destruction. As younger brother Daniel finally concludes: “Hate is baggage. Life’s too short to be pissed off all the time.”
“Whether it is the media, adults or guardians, that the youth are susceptible to the messages we give them,” Cherry said.
The next film in the Film and Speaker Series will be the animated movie “Tangled” Feb. 19. For information on future film and speaker events, visit www.uhcl.edu/movies. Admission is free for students with a student ID and $3.75 for non-students at the door.
