MovieChat Forums > Higher Learning (1995) Discussion > Black Racism

Black Racism

posted 19 years ago by the_asmodeon
189 replies | jump to latest

Why don't I see any of the black people on the board protesting this film?

Some aspects of the film are very good. Black racism is displayed with nuance, and even a degree of sympathy, warmth and intelligence. It's not made up to be a load of PC *beep* it has depth, it has its reasons. Then look at the other side of the coin: white racism (which is the dominant theme of the film) is universally portrayed with condescension. It is a purely stupid, simple, deranged, manic, insecure, and childish thing, which has no root in any real greivances. Do any of the black people on the board seriously believe that's how it is?

The black guys in the film have a real cause for their racism - basically, the white guys racism and discrimination. But the white guys racism doesn't have much of a cause, it would seem. It's largely due to the white guy being envious, immature, afraid, and pathetic. He was abused as a kid, he can't compete with the non-whites at school, and he's gay. Sure, the blacks do some trivial provocation and "attitude" every once in a while, but it's the white guy who blows it say out of proportion. He's deranged. And that's about it.

Is there a single black person on the board who found this a bit too rightious?

The difference between this movie and X, is that X doesn't try to injustify white racism. The white racism of Higher Learning is the work of a condescending black man.

[–] Cheena71 19 years ago

If everyone thought the way you did or even responded as you seem to, this country would be even more divided.

Interesting you should bring up a history test? Who's history are you refering to?

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] nikongal 19 years ago

Wow . . . Where to begin? A lot has been said, so I won't add much. If nothing else, this film is getting people to debate over a decade after it was made, and that's a good thing.

ajatcollege defined racism as power combined with prejudice. I've attended several classes and training sessions, presented by men and women of various ethnic backgrounds, and that was the common definition of racism. To have a long-standing and widespread effect in society in the sense of institutional racism, one must have power in the U.S. that black people, as a group, do not have.

That does not mean that blacks (or anyone and everyone else) can't be prejudiced and act on those thoughts and feelings.

Racism is not solely defined by majority and minority status; if that were the case, South Africa could not have had apartheid.

As for the "superiority" of whites over Native Americans, blacks, or any other group because of their development of weapons et al., the book Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared M. Diamond, provides some food for thought.

[–] t1380 19 years ago

Nikongal, you are talking about guns, huh? That's pretty interesting. Wouldn't you consider lifting the ban on gun control thus people can get easy access to guns so they could be powerful and being able to defend themselves against anybody?

[–] nikongal 18 years ago

t1380: Nikongal, you are talking about guns, huh? That's pretty interesting. Wouldn't you consider lifting the ban on gun control thus people can get easy access to guns so they could be powerful and being able to defend themselves against anybody?

I was simply referring to a book that adds to the "white people/Europeans were smarter/superior to X other people because they had guns" debate. I'll leave it at that because I'm not starting a discussion related to gun control, the NRA, or the Second Amendment. *Totally* different topic!

[–] t1380 18 years ago

Okay, you don't want to talk about the Second Amendment, that' fine. But I think it is important to understand that for many years, Blacks and other non-whites were denied their rights to bear arms, which also led to their disenfranchisement, just like Jim Crow.

[–] blessman-1 18 years ago

If we are to believe in science, we are all black. Seperated by oceans and time have we changed to diffrent colors. So we all hate ourselves enough to hate others. Speaking of freedom, shouldn't YOU be allowed to decide who YOU would like to serve in YOUR place of business without being told to?

[–] t1380 18 years ago

Well, we are being told that we must respect everybody, even if we don't like each other. There are also many lawsuits regarding this issue. For example, a conservative Christian guy in Canada refused to print information about about homosexuality to some of the gays customers and he got sued and was awarded a fine.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] t1380 18 years ago

Right on convergepi. I got the impression that Singleton's (HL's writer and director) view was the same as Ajat's. I also think that he advocated Political Correctness because he believed that whites practice power and prejudice against POC.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] mightymac23 18 years ago

anybody can be a racist. No one race holds a monopoly racism. I think the reason John singleton focused more on white sumpremecy than the blacks being racist is purely because as a black man he is coming from a subjective and baised point of view. Everybody sees things based their own personal experience with it. Movies are very rarely objective in their message. especially movies made by great directors. Tarantino, Spike Lee, John Singleton, Micheal Moore they all have their brand of propaganda that comes with their cinimatic visions. Why do you thiunk they all both write and direct their films? everytime I get on imdb and look at peoples comments regarding race or religion or sex......any of the taboos, people get all defensive and start the war of words ( which is by the way the gayest thing about internet forums). It just becomes a battle of whos got the least amount of misinformation. So for the record yes anybody can be a racist. White people need to stop being so quick to jump up and say "well blacks are racist too!" they can be thats true but you sound like a jackass. and whoever it was that said blacks can't be racist is sadly misinformed. NO Racism is justified. Slavery is no excuse for ignorance in 2006. Niether is hiding behind the fact that others are racist.And finally don't watch the movies unless you are mature enough grasp the point. oh and please refrain from hateful post back to me because no i will not respond

[–] Raglan22 18 years ago

2007 now.
and the most racist race in the world is the jews.
research it. it's true.

...and it saddens me.

[–] Raglan22 18 years ago

can't believe nobody got mad about that.
guess nobody is reading this post anymore.
guess i'll just have to go antagonize on another board.

...and it saddens me.

[–] norton833 17 years ago

The (clearly incorrect) definition of racism as "power + prejudice" is a tactic used by Black racists to create an artificial protected status, a sort of verbal fortress from behind which they may lob verbal sorties like many of those in this thread. By adding that "power" aspect, in their own mind, they can then freely call everyone else a racist while not fearing having the dreaded label applied to them. Of course, as you point out, there are situations in which the power is definitely on their side.

[–] adalexandria 17 years ago

Most of the people who have posted/ranted on this board have a very limited idea of racism that lacks historical knowledge, evidence and nuance. I love when people try to justify something obviously wrong with the argument "well everyone else is doing it!" Anyone with a hint of knowledge about this topic will know there are many, many complex things that create the system of racism beyond what some random person thinks about another random person. History has defined racism as a SYSTEM of subjugation that allows one group to legally subjugate/dominate another group along racial lines. I don't care what Webster dictionary says; there are always politics in definitions and denial. Racism is the predication of decisions and policies on considerations of race for the purpose of subordinating a racial group and maintaining control over that group. It also takes on two distinct forms - overt, individual racism and covert, institutional racism. When a white person says *beep* off *beep* to a black person walking down the street, that is overt, individual racism. Almost everyone would condemn this act. But when black people/people of color as a whole are institutionally denied bank loans or assistance from real estate agents despite being qualified; when black people are denied access to certain neighborhoods; when store refuse to adequately service black customers despite them being financially qualified to shop there (i.e. either following the black customers around or completely ignoring them); when there are more people of color sentenced to death row then whites, despite making up a lower percentage of the population and committing fewer crimes as a number, this is institutionalized, covert racism. Racism is about resources, and who has access to the best resources. It is at heart a system of colonialism. I will agree that these days classism is starting to be a huge problem like racism, but the system of racism hasnt disappeared and still plays a huge role in how people are born, live and die.

[–] LeonardoBoitano 19 years ago

Why would the director justify in anyway white racism/supremacy? Would you like to? What did the black people do exclusively that the white ones couldn't? Now that's where the big answer lies.

Racism and supremacy are different. Read more, and learn more.

[–] t1380 19 years ago

Leonardo, I don't understand where you got the idea that Singleton justified white racism/supremacy? This is not true at all. He justified political correctness because he believed that without it, white racism/supremacy would be elicited. In the movie, there was no such thing that black people could do something that the white people couldn't. This happens in real life, on real college campuses, for example blacks can call Jews Jew bastards and get away with it. Why don't you read books about it? The college depicted in the movie was very conservative and had a very conservative professor, played by Lawrence Fishburne. Singleton's subliminal message of the move was to show that conservative colleges such as Columbus and conservative professors such as Dr. Phips are both bad.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] silks-1 18 years ago

Wow, lots of garbage in these threads. And latent hate clouding judgement and views. Let's simplify things...

If you're gonna hate someone, atleast hate the person responsible. Don't lump everyone into a group. Just cause a bunch of white idiots treated black people like *beep* in the past doesn't mean that the white kid down the street from you deserves your hate. It's too bad you can't get the justice you want because the people who did "your people" wrong are dead already. No reason to take it out on a whole group. And this goes for any case. White (which many seem to forget include many nationalities, some of which never, as a group, did black people wrong), black, hispanic, chinese, japanese, korean, indian, native american, so on so on.

There's lots of messed up *beep* in this world. But when I see a video of some black dude punching and kicking an old white lady to steal her money (which I have saved on my computer to remind me of the kind of people I'd like to kill), it doesn't make me hate all blacks.

So, in other words, to lighten the mood somewhat, here's my quote. It's like the alcohol commericials: "Hate responsibly"

[–] t1380 18 years ago

kudos to you, silks

[–] Bundy1 18 years ago

Black people can't be racist? Yes they damn well can be.

[–] angelstacey77 18 years ago

You know what I have just read throughout this message board has made me sick.
Anyone is capable of being racist whether your white, black, or green.It makes no difference.Trying to put everyone in catogorys and saying who are more racist then others is just bull****. Your already infected. You are racist.
Love is the only way.

[–] pkabooo69 18 years ago

I completely agree.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ccr1633 18 years ago

"90% of the worst crimes were committed by the whites..who extreminated jews during the world war 2.."
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Oooh, how scientific.

Rwanda. Sudan. Somalia. Yes, lil' angels those bruthas of African ancestry.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] daviddijkstar 18 years ago

I don't think it's a matter of rasism against who! It's a matter of power! west european (white people) have an unconsious collective imperialistic gen in them. This allows them to rape every country in the world. part 1 is history (look it up) part 2 is going on right now. Look at irak, israel, afganistan and their foreign policymaking all 'raund the world whish blackmails country's to awnser to them. They have the power in the un, navo, wto, and numerous policymaking organisations weather they are ngo or not;
Everything is politics!!

Im saying the collective of white people, not individuals.

[–] ccr1633 18 years ago

"Im saying the collective of white people, not individuals."
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That's a dumb way to excuse and rephrase your stereotyping. Take any "collective" statement about muslims or black people, and then see what you think about such absurdly lame qualifications of textbook bigotry.

[–] 18 years ago

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