The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Recently my family and I watched Lee Daniel's The Butler. The movie is about a butler who served seven presidents and what he and his family encountered during the major events that has helped shaped our country. The movie shows the oppression African Americans experienced during slavery. It demonstrated how unfair and unjust the laws were towards blacks and how they were not protected from the violence white people inflicted upon them. As the movie continues it shows the struggles and challenges that blacks encountered during the Civil Rights Movement. Some methods were of love and peace, while other methods where to took a fight fire with fire approach to use violence as well. This movie differently displayed how white people had the mentality that they were right, their way and methods were the best, and they were the only race deserving of what they suggested life is about. There was one scene in the movie where the main character admitted to having to have two identities. He had to pretend to be invisible when he was serving white people while in his butler role. Outside his butler role, like at home, he could be himself and be honest of how he felt about the realities of life. Equity was diminished throughout most the movie. One specific demonstration of inequity was when the butler would ask for a raise for him and other black employees at the white house. Each time he asked for the raise, he was denied it. According to the butler, not only did the black employees not get annual raises, they were not promoted to other positions within the organization, compared to the white employees. When he brought this to his supervisor's attention, not only was he denied or rejected, he was also advised to seek employment elsewhere. 

I enjoyed the movie and it is more than just entertainment for me and my family. This movie shared insight of African American history. It exposed the in depth experiences blacks faced in our country trying to get equal rights. Another scene shared how the Black Panther Party was formed. I even got a glimpse of what the Freedom Riders experienced. I'm definitely glad times have changed and my race of people, and others have rights and legal privileges now that they didn't have 60 years ago. I'm proud of those who faced those discriminators and demanded change. I'm also glad that I didn't live in that era and have to either suffer or fight along with others during that time.

It took one of the President's to help the black employees get their raise and promotions. Just think if he had of gotten it two president's sooner. A lot of changes have occurred since the butler first started working at the white house. In fact, he was able to witness President Barrack Obama become the first black president. Even though he had retired and wasn't able to serve during his administration, I'm sure after living through the struggle and now witnessing the power of those sacrifices made it worth it. Then compared to now, and knowing that racism still exist, just in different forms, we must still work towards diminishing those inequalities so history won't repeat itself.