Completely unrealistic movie, and a bad message at that - A Time to Kill (1996) Discussion

[–] stcloud52 11 years ago

WHAT WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN??? In 1967 I was in Alabama and was asked how it felt to be a YANK. Being 12 years old I didn't know how to answer that. But 47 years later that question remains in my head. I am still shocked when I think about it. I KNOW that there are racists out there. My oldest brother is one and he lives in eastern Tennessee. It has only been a couple of years since I visited him but I can recall how segregated it was/is. I really don't see very much difference between now and the 60's and later. Yes, there is de-segregation, but that is all there is in the South. The South would still like to be its one country, to separate from the rest of the United States.

This movie was GREAT!! And the only reason I can see for your not liking this movie is because you are a RACIST! Only a racist would think the way you do. I don't know where you live, but perhaps you need to live in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, etc for awhile. Then you would see how things really are in the South.

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[–] gtfl324 11 years ago

So let me get this straight. The person doesn't like the movie and you accuse them of being a racist? "Only a racist would think the way you do" .... Did you think perhaps the person has never been to the South and is naive regarding that region? Unfortunately, I've seen the accusation of racism being thrown around far too conveniently as a counter argument. It's an easy way out and an attempt to put the other person on the defense for no good reason, other than you have no other argument. Unless you have strong evidence, I completely disagree with your assumption regarding the person being a racist. He/she may very well be a racist, but your argument, like a sieve, doesn't hold water.

BTW, I liked the movie, but agree there are some serious flaws regarding the logic. I take it for what it is...a movie.

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[–] stcloud52 11 years ago

I am not a racist. As I mentioned in my earlier post I mentioned that I have a brother that lives in Tenn and HE IS one of the biggest racists I know. I have lived 59 years and have seen a lot in my years. I have been in most of the states except for the northeast. I am sorry if you don't care for my response.

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[–] star_in_the_zenith_79 11 years ago

WHAT WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN??? In 1967 I was in Alabama and was asked how it felt to be a YANK. Being 12 years old I didn't know how to answer that. But 47 years later that question remains in my head. I am still shocked when I think about it. I KNOW that there are racists out there. My oldest brother is one and he lives in eastern Tennessee. It has only been a couple of years since I visited him but I can recall how segregated it was/is. I really don't see very much difference between now and the 60's and later. Yes, there is de-segregation, but that is all there is in the South. The South would still like to be its one country, to separate from the rest of the United States.

This movie was GREAT!! And the only reason I can see for your not liking this movie is because you are a RACIST! Only a racist would think the way you do. I don't know where you live, but perhaps you need to live in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, etc for awhile. Then you would see how things really are in the South.

No, I'm not a racist. I was raised in Virginia, and grew up in the 80's. A much better time than now, where all this political correctness was buried, and I was brought up to believe that everyone was the same.

You say your Tennessee brother is a racist? Maybe that's not because of where he lives, maybe thats because of a *beep* upbringing. He is prejudice towards blacks I suppose, and you are obviously prejudice towards the South. Either way, you are both prejudice.

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[–] stcloud52 11 years ago

MY brother is prejudiced because he was in the Navy for 20 years and then the type of work he did was located in Tenn. It is sometimes difficult to talk to him about anything. Which I find sad. I do not feel that I am prejudiced about the south. Some of the nicest people I have met are from the South! It is just that one comment has remained in my mind..(How does it feel to be a Yank?) That was in the mid 60's and the South was still segregated. My father needed to see a Dr. when we were visiting in southern Alabama. We walked into the office and there were 2 waiting rooms. One white and one black. My parents hadn't noticed the difference at first and we sat in the black waiting room...as soon as my Mother noticed the difference we moved to the white waiting room. I need to say that the white waiting room was pretty full which is why we went into the black waiting room. Coming from MN these two events in my innocent childhood shocked me enough to remember them.

I make an effort to not be prejudiced. The south has come a long way from the 60's when I was there.

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[–] star_in_the_zenith_79 11 years ago

MY brother is prejudiced because he was in the Navy for 20 years and then the type of work he did was located in Tenn. It is sometimes difficult to talk to him about anything. Which I find sad. I do not feel that I am prejudiced about the south. Some of the nicest people I have met are from the South! It is just that one comment has remained in my mind..(How does it feel to be a Yank?) That was in the mid 60's and the South was still segregated. My father needed to see a Dr. when we were visiting in southern Alabama. We walked into the office and there were 2 waiting rooms. One white and one black. My parents hadn't noticed the difference at first and we sat in the black waiting room...as soon as my Mother noticed the difference we moved to the white waiting room. I need to say that the white waiting room was pretty full which is why we went into the black waiting room. Coming from MN these two events in my innocent childhood shocked me enough to remember them.

I make an effort to not be prejudiced. The south has come a long way from the 60's when I was there.

All right, you went from sounding like a total bigot to halfway reasonable, kudos for that.

The thing is, I dislike prejudice of any sort regardless of who its against. And there are to many bigots in our society attacking one group or another for racism, not because they really care about the black community, but because they have their own agenda. Black conservatives in particular are viciously attacked in this country now. And white Southerners are branded as Racists.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] grolaw 11 years ago

Trayvon Martin.

That case answers every point that you attempted to make, here and now in 2013.

For what it is worth, there are only three defenses to intentional homicide:

(1) It wasn't me - you accused the wrong person; or,
(2) Self defense / defense of a third party (I killed that person - but the law permits me to kill under these circumstances); or,
(3) He needed killing (the premise of this book/film).

Once again: the death of Trayvon Martin and the Jury Verdict exculpating George Zimmerman demonstrates the factual basis for Attorney John Grisham's theme in this, his first book.

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[–] star_in_the_zenith_79 11 years ago

Trayvon Martin.

That case answers every point that you attempted to make, here and now in 2013.

For what it is worth, there are only three defenses to intentional homicide:

(1) It wasn't me - you accused the wrong person; or,
(2) Self defense / defense of a third party (I killed that person - but the law permits me to kill under these circumstances); or,
(3) He needed killing (the premise of this book/film).

Once again: the death of Trayvon Martin and the Jury Verdict exculpating George Zimmerman demonstrates the factual basis for Attorney John Grisham's theme in this, his first book.

I really don't see how they are comparable. George Zimmerman was found innocent because the jury believed he acted in self defense. If it had been a white man he shot under the same circumstances, I don't think it would have been any different. In fact, it probably would not have even made the national news. That's not to say that I think blacks get special treatment from the court systems, but merely that the American left wing in particular the media feeds on racism to alienate and brand Conservatives. Like I said, why do you think they attack black Conservatives so much? In Virginia a black minister named E.W. Jackson was running for attorney general as a Republican, the white guy he ran against wouldn't even shake his hand. Racism comes from everywhere. And its directed strongly at black Conservatives.

That being said, I am far from certain that George Zimmerman was not at least somewhat at fault for the altercation with Trayvon, obviously we can never know for sure. But what I am saying is I don't believe that the jury exonerated Zimmerman because Trayvon Martin was black. Had he shot a white man under the same circumstances, I don't think it would have been different. You may disagree, and that's your right.

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[–] grolaw 11 years ago

In 2010 black non-Hispanic males were incarcerated at the rate of 4,347 inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents of the same race and gender. White males were incarcerated at the rate of 678 inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents. Hispanic males were incarcerated at the rate of 1,755 inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents.

In my thirty (30) years of trial practice, beginning as an Assistant District Attorney, I've seen more than enough proof of this nation's deep and disturbing bias against the 12% of the population that is comprised of Slave Descendants.

This is not my opinion, and it isn't open to debate: look at the statistics. The U.S. Imprisons more of its population, as a percentage, than any other nation on the planet.

If Mr. Martin had killed Mr. Zimmerman Mr. Martin would have been convicted of a higher degree charge than Mr. Zimmerman faced, and he might well have been sentenced to death.

Know what a " Batson" challenge is? Try Googleing it, if you would. Then ask yourself why we have a "Batson" challenge - where the only people that it applies to are licensed, experienced, trial lawyers who know the Constitution of the United States and their state's Constitution: Batson simply forces those who would ignore the Constitution to follow the mandate or face reversible error.

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[–] Klein_Returns 11 years ago

Interesting thread.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] gh87 11 years ago

I read Wikipedia article about the novel. Actually, the novel ended the same way for Carl Lee, although Jake gave out a different closing argument and never used the race card.

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[–] jmccord321 11 years ago

if you believe the racial tensions are hugely exaggerated you are living in a dream world

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[–] star_in_the_zenith_79 11 years ago

if you believe the racial tensions are hugely exaggerated you are living in a dream world

If you think that many Liberal left wingers aren't using it and exaggeratting it to push their agenda, create division, and slander their enemies, then YOU are living in a dream world and have been indoctrinated by the Alinskyists.

Yes there are still idiots who hate people just because of their race, both black and white. But there are far more decent people being slandered and branded as racists when they aren't. Our country has far bigger problems.

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[–] Luxn 11 years ago

It's not being exaggerated or used to push an agenda. Denying racism is still a problem is the new racism. It's a tactic to shut down anyone who might complain. I am not saying that is what you are consciously doing, but you obviously believe you should dismiss the experiences of millions of other people and accuse them all of being over-sensitive or mistaken.

Lupita Nyong'o just won an Oscar...and is still being told by supposed enlightened journalists how 'articulate' she is. Please spare me the BS that racism mostly only exists in the minds of a few paranoid left wingers or those with a chip on their shoulder. Just because most racists don't act on their prejudices doesn't mean they don't have them.

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[–] star_in_the_zenith_79 11 years ago

It's not being exaggerated or used to push an agenda. Denying racism is still a problem is the new racism. It's a tactic to shut down anyone who might complain.

Yes it is. People who are not even remotely racist are slandered for it every day. And frankly we are sick of it.

I'm not saying racism doesn't still exist, it always will. But if you honestly believe that people aren't exploiting it to slander their enemies, you are living in a fantasy world.

Just be careful who you call racist. That's a serious charge, basically implying someone hates en entire group of people solely because of the color of their skin.

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[–] nammage 8 years ago

I live in a small town in the deep South. There is no exaggeration; and people who speak like you are usually the racists themselves.

And by the by: while the Democratic party has grown in it's almost 190 years of existence from being the proponents of racism to fighting against it, Democrats should thank the Republican party for recruiting the Southern Democrats out of the Democratic party because now the party that used to promote some form of equality for all peoples (the Republican party), they are now taken over by the vast majority of the Democrats who felt slavery and segregation were good things. And the original Republicans who are still left in the Republican party are weaklings and capitulate to those not only who are racist but also sexist, prejudiced, and only feel they are deserving of the freedoms guaranteed by the US Constitution. That party, some time in the future will implode but only if the weaklings in the current Democratic party stop whining and voting in Republicans when they don't get their way. Like the Sanders supporters. They either voted for Trump, Stein, or Johnson or stayed home because they didn't get their way. I voted for Sanders in the primary but I voted for Clinton in the election. Also, I used to be a Republican. When I saw who was taking over the party i switched to Independent who leaned Republican. Now I'm an independent who leans Democrat because the new Republican party is the old Democratic party.

-Nam

I am on the road less traveled...

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[–] Vicenzo-VV 10 years ago

I saw this movie 18 years ago, when I was 16. Never saw it since, but I remember one scene vividly, and I'm pretty sure the closing words of the attourney's arguments were along the lines of "Now imagine if that girl was white.". It utterly disgusted me even at that age.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Christie99 10 years ago

Well, you're obviously not from the south, and don't sound like you've ever read a book in your life, unless you think Dr. Seuss counts.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] star_in_the_zenith_79 10 years ago

In the light of the last three murders of blacks by police (Michael Brown ad a 12 year-old boy in Cleveland) and George Zimmerman in the last year, the message behind this movie is right on track.

Not to mention O.J. Simpson.

How do you know they were murdered? Unless you were there, you can't judge these things murders. They were ruled self defense.

And what does OJ Simpson have to do with it?

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[–] TVippy 9 years ago

This movie by Shumacher is waaaaaay too RI-DI-CU-LO-US to be belieavable. Nothing makes sense.

I don't wanna judge, but... almost killing an innoscent person (crippling him for life) doesn't seem OK in the least to me.

Also, what people on this board don't discuss is the fact that Sam Jackson DID NOT know for sure (not 100%) these "boys" were the ones, who did it. It wasn't proved yet.

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