MovieChat Forums > Chi-Raq (2016) Discussion > I hope this film sheds some light on wha...

I hope this film sheds some light on what people like to ignore

posted 10 years ago by s506977
27 replies | jump to latest

Political correctness is a strange animal. It can cause outrage over a multiple felon drug dealer, and yet cause utter silence to the American tragedy that unfolds on our streets on a daily basis. Such is life, I suppose, but as a Chicago resident I am glad to see Spike not taking the path of least resistance and giving some publicity to the almost third world conditions on many parts of the Southside.

It does not take much more than opening the Chicago Tribune each Sunday to see the horror that is the Chicago southside. It's really gruesome and barbaric on a level that most people just don't want to deal with, so they don't. I get it, I suppose. It's easier to focus on agenda related sociopolitical issues than those that step on toes, which, let's face it, anything even remotely approaching comment on black people does. It's sad in a way that rational dialogue on social problems is so strangled by such nonsense, but such are the times we live in.

This film is brave effort on the part of Spike Lee, and he is about the only person that could of gotten away with it politically. Any other major Hollywood filmmaker would of been crucified for even trying, especially if it happened to be a caucasian.

The film might well end up being horrible, but Spike still deserves credit for attempting to draw attention to an issue that most choose to ignore.

[–] loki242 9 years ago

It's easier to defend criminals who fight with police and get shot than it is to admit there is something seriously wrong with a group of people who have a lack of regard for human life.

But that's just me being racist I'm sure.

HELP AGGRAVATE THE STATUS QUO, VOTE AGAINST EVERY INCUMBENT YOU SEE ON A BALLOT.

[–] Robbmonster 9 years ago

Not racist, but unquestionably over-simplified.

Anyway, I hope this film is a return to form for Lee, and back to doing what he does best.

Never defend crap with 'It's just a movie'
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[–] spkeck 9 years ago

Well yeah dude it is. Anytime you generalize an entire group/race of people and say they all have something wrong with them is in fact racist. it doesnt account for individuality, it doesn't account for many things. that's why it's racist.

Also, voting against every incumbent doesn't aggravate anyone. No one gives a *beep*

[–] deaston 9 years ago

I completely agree that it is racist (and overly-simplistic) to generalize an entire race of people. However, for the sake of argument, what do you call it when you have communities like these which are almost exclusively one race?

In other terms, it is wrong to say "black people have no regard for human life." But is it also wrong to say "there are some very dangerous people living in the South Side of Chicago -- and they are all black"?

In my opinion, this is the actual issue.

[–] takashi_kupo 9 years ago

Not every Black person lives in Chicago sooo....

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[–] derbycityusa 9 years ago

Don't you love it when stats are totally ignored or not known by people for the purpose of either political correctness, ignorance or conscious denial (LYING).

STATEMENT: Poisonous snakes bite.

Statistical Truth: Poisonous snakes bite.

Politically Correct Response: Any person that believes all poisonous snakes bite, are generalizing and are overly simplistic about an entire specie of animal.

If you don't get my point, well, probably two things.

It doesn't surprise me and I'm talking about you!

[–] krypton_son 9 years ago

Anytime you generalize an entire group/race of people and say they all have something wrong with them is in fact racist.

It's only racist if it's intended to be wrongly negative against that race. If it's a fact that someone is pointing out......

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[–] lenlenlen1 9 years ago

I'm not even going to call you racist. Lets look at this from another viewpoint.

It's easier to defend criminals who fight with police and get shot

Last month that was a white kid, not a black kid, who fought with police and got shot, seven times. That white kid could have been hit over the head with a night stick, or put into a hold, or just punched really hard in the jaw or stomach. But instead he was shot. Seven times.
And how about the black kid that was down on the ground with TOY gun and still got shot? Within SECONDS of the police arrival?
Or how about the guy that was shot in the back while running AWAY?
I suppose they were fighting?

a group of people who have a lack of regard for human life.

So by this you mean the cops, right? Because if your assumption is that ALL black people in Chicago have a disregard for life and they're ALL just running around killing one another, then your assumption is asinine.

[–] thomas2012 9 years ago

Chicago population, 2010 census
White: 31.7%
Hispanic or latino: 28.9%
Black: 32.9%

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/1714000.html

From 2011, the last year that the Chicago published it's yearly "Murder Analysis".

Murder victims
Black: 75.3%
Hispanic: 18.9%
White: 4.6%

Murder offenders
Black: 70.5%
Hispanic: 24.3%
White: 3.5%

https://portal.chicagopolice.org/portal/page/portal/ClearPath/News/Statistical%20Reports/Murder%20Reports/MA11.pdf

Chicago, as of Nov 8, 2015, has had 2,103 shootings and 405 homicides. Homicides are up 15% YTD from 2014.

https://portal.chicagopolice.org/portal/page/portal/ClearPath/News/Crime%20Statistics/1_pdfsam_CompStat%20Public%202015%20Week%2045.pdf

[–] Jowston 9 years ago

Thank you.

"I am surprised Stannis's fleet didn't sink under the weight of his own balls."

[–] brushfyr 9 years ago

WAAAH! RACISM! FACTS ARE RACIST AND MAKE ME UNCOMFORTABLE!!!!!!

Ok, seriously, people ignore Chicago violence for the same reason they ignore violence in Baltimore, St Louis, Detroit, Ferguson, etc. It's mostly negroes. Half of all violent crimes are committed by negroes. so to say anything bad about Chicago's violence is to say "black people are doing bad things".

Is it ALL negroes? No, yet notice negroes only riot over scumbags. Trashvon Martin, the gentle giant Grey whatever, all these guys were criminals. Even that fat guy in NYC who was selling cigarettes illegally was resisting arrest. The cops DIDN'T murder him for resisting arrest, he had a heart attack because he choose to commit a crime and to then resist the police. But it's racist to point out that he made bad decisions. Negro culture is violence, it's why they aren't rioting over negro pups who get killed. Because killing is fine, it's only when non-negroes resist do negro go bananas.

That's why there is a double standard with white and negro crime. When a lone white loser kills people, the liberals proclaim him an example f all white people, yet when negros, or muslims, commit mass murder, you're a racist for knowing about it.

Detroit was once a thriving city, yet the negroes rioted and chased out the whites like orcs in Lord of the Rings. None had the intelligence or work ethic to build new businesses or keep the city surviving.

So Chicago has high levels of negro violence. And it's Spike Lee so we know he's not going to hold negro culture accountable, because negros hate responsibility. So it's the fault of white people who AREN'T killing each other, so if we move southside negros to other areas there will be less violence because... reasons.

Why is it accepted the only solution to negro violence is to move them near white people? It doesn't work because the negro are still violent and the whites flee, and the negroes remain violent.

Look up the Kellogg Experiment on youtube, it's the same thing with negroes. Asians and Hispanic immigrants can function in the US far better then negroes. But it's racist to wonder what's wrong with negroes.

[–] Nolegirl97 9 years ago

Woah, dude. Does your employer know you are this racist? What about your SO? Your mother?!?!?!

[–] ianberg 9 years ago

I'm personally very far removed from the topic matter in this movie. But a first glance at the trailer it looks pretty good, there's lot's of strong actors here. It may be a great break-out role for Nick Cannon, playing totally against type from his role as host of the family friendly America's Got Talent.

[–] takashi_kupo 9 years ago

It may be a great break-out role for Nick Cannon

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Lettuce be friends! 🌈

[–] ingve1974 9 years ago

It looks very unrealistic though. That's not how Girls in Chicago look, talk and act. Not even close.

[–] miaangel345 9 years ago

Movies aren't about realism. This film is mostly highly sensationalized and judging by the trailer a play on Greek comedies.

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[–] tehoken 9 years ago

It's not a play on greek comedies, it's a straight up adaption of a greek classic, just set in modern Chicago.

Looks good though, amazing cast, powerful story, great message. Let's hope it gets seen.

Also let's hope it's good enough that we all forget Spike's remake of Oldboy...

[–] TermlnatriX 9 years ago

It does not take much more than opening the Chicago Tribune each Sunday to see the horror that is the Chicago southside. It's really gruesome and barbaric on a level that most people just don't want to deal with, so they don't.

Well said.

This just happened yesterday

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/evanston/news/ct-model-contest-winner-killed-in-chicago-met-20151103-story.html

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[–] aquarianbrass 9 years ago

Sorry, as a southside Chicago resident I can say it is in fact NOT a horror. You can't judge a place by a few incidences of terrible things. The Southside has over a 1 million residents. You think that this is even remotely common. The South side is nearly a city unto itself with many safe and wonderful neighborhoods and many less safe and sadder neighborhoods. This is not well said and is in fact a despicable opinion base don ignorance and stupidity. Gang violence is as barbaric as any other form of violence, including violence our nation inflicts on others.

[–] SamuelLJedi 9 years ago

Agreed

[–] goatbut29 9 years ago

Remember when this hateful little racist with small-man complex listed the address of the wrong Zimmerman's in the hopes of having his ilk go and kill them?

Oh i know he apologized. Im sure he meant it too. Did those poor innocent people ever get around to suing his pathetic arse?

I hope they bleed him dry and then tweet his address so someone can go and kill him. It's only fair right? Equal?

Lol....

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/spike-lee-sued-elderly-florida-couple-zimmerman-tweet-article-1.1513408

[–] chefjoseph 9 years ago

How about ignoring Spike Lee... he has never been and never will be a great filmmaker. His clumsy attempts a social commentary are phony and laughable. Dare I say: If he was White we never would have heard of him.

[–] TheAdlerian 9 years ago

You guys are silly with the racist stuff, as you are IN what you're talking about.

For instance, nearly all white people are Capitalistic and tend to not like Communist ideas. I'm sure many Chinese people blame "white people" for making the world a poverty hellhole, but it's not white people but rather the culture white people were raised in and raised in so fully they totally believe it.

There's a black crime subculture in the US and that's the cause of violence. People are so stupid and inexperienced they don't know this and think it's "black people" and not the ideas in their heads. At the end of the day, both people who hate and people who support black people are racist for not realizing this.

However, supporters of blacks are the worst because they refuse to talk about the crime culture.