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Worth mentioning?

September 8, 2020   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

During the filming of Django Unchained, the 2012 Quentin Tarantino slaughter-fest, shoot ‘em up, revenge is best served cold film, about a former slave who is rescued by a bounty hunter and goes on a quest to save his wife from a mean plantation owner, there was some rather iffy dialogue.

The speech may have been true to the period in time in which the film takes place, but by modern standards it was quite brutal.

In fact, actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, who had a good role in the film, was having difficulty during one of the scenes just getting the words out.

He didn’t want to offend some of the cast, who happened be African American, with the barrage of racial slurs that were written in the script.

Finally, another actor on set, Samuel L. Jackson, who happens to be black and is a star in his own right, took Mr. DiCaprio aside and said “This is just another Tuesday for us.”

In other words, they were all actors, doing a job, and no one was going to think less of DiCaprio for reading words on a script as part of his character.

I don’t blame DiCaprio for feeling that way. I sure would have a problem repeating some of that dialogue as well.

Recently the news has been filled with stories about race, the difference it makes, and the inequality some people feel about it all.

Many times we are our own worst enemy by bringing up a person’s race when it simply doesn’t matter.

Morgan Freeman, another famous actor who happens to be black, was quoted as saying ““I don’t want a Black History Month. Black History is American History. There is no White History month. The only way to end racism is to stop talking about it.”

It should be noted that his career, which is a very successful one, wasn’t built on the fact that he is an African American actor. His success is built on the fact that he’s a good actor, with many stellar roles on his resumé.

I must agree with him that not talking about it is a good thing, in the sense that bringing up a person’s race when it isn’t necessary, just causes a problem that shouldn’t happen in the first place.

As part of my job, and the fact that I’m a curious person, I do a lot of research. Much of that research is on events in the past. That could be anything from a couple of years ago to 150 years in the past.

One thing I’ve noticed, especially from American sources, is that when a black person or other person who identifies as a minority, does something notable, their race is always mentioned.

“Mr. Bumstead, an African Amercan man, entered the frigid waters and pulled the youngster to safety,” or “Mr. Jones, an African American farmer, said he first noticed the flying saucers over his back 40 acreage during late July.”

What possible reason is it seen necessary to add to the story that Mr. Jones was African American, when the story should revolve around the flying saucers that have been buzzing his property and scaring his cows.

I see these type of stories all the time.

This type of reporting is not limited to the U.S.

I was in the local Pizza Pizza a few days ago waiting for my Hawaiian slice to come out of the oven.

On the wall was a television set tuned to the news channel. Video feed was on one side of the screen with scrolling news in brief along the bottom.

“Missing Girl Safe. Police in Nova Scotia have located a missing 14 year-old Indigenous girl who was reported missing several days ago.”

It was good news. A missing girl was located safe. However, why was it necessary to say she was Indigenous?

Isn’t the story the fact that a 14 year girl was found? Why is it necessary to refer to her as an ‘Indigenous’ girl?

It’s fair to report a person’s race if they are being sought publicly. For example a police report with a description of a dangerous criminal or in the case of a missing kid, adding the person’s race might be necessary.

Beyond that, stating that a person is a minority really doesn’t do much good.

Some things are self-evident.

If a person accomplishes something, there’s no need to mention their racial background.

Their accomplishment should stand on its own merit.

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