The Collegian

Issue date: 11/9/05 Section: No Limits

Are we born with hate, or are we taught hate? [Click to enlarge]

It goes without saying that racial prejudices have been slowly diminishing since the 1800s, or, to be more specific, since the end of the Civil War in 1865.

For several decades, African Americans, women, and various other minorities had to fight for equal rights and to not be separated from white citizens. In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education court ruling declared that separate but equal education was no longer constitutional.

Now, we sometimes think of the horrors of our past as something so incredible that it must have happened "ages ago." So long ago, in fact, that it can't harm us anymore, but this is not true.

As human beings, we will never be perfect, but that doesn't mean we should ever stop striving to be better people. "Crash" is a movie that came out in early May 2005 and it dealt with the fact that racism still exists today.

During behind-the-scenes DVD footage, actress Sandra Bullock noted that, "we're not safe from ourselves; we're not safe from our prejudices or each others'."

Perhaps the racial implications surrounding Hurricane Katrina are the perfect example to illustrate Bullock's statement. Events were taped showing rescuers airlifting white citizens to safety, while keeping the black citizens at bay. Yet, this would be only one reason why Americans were up in arms about the way things were handled after Katrina hit.

Thinking back to the first time I saw this movie, I was shocked and almost offended at the script and the many racial stereotypes that were being exposed and/or confronted. Upon a second review I was able to see more clearly the significance and overall importance of this film's bold and honest writing.

Throughout most of the movie, the audience is following the separate lives of several different characters over the span of 36 hours, capturing how each deals with and inflicts racial stereotypes, fears and stigmas. Each situation is stunning in its accuracy and realism, depicting what everyone thinks but never says.

"Racism today, I think, is more taboo or behind closed doors. I think folks are aware that they are prejudiced, but they are equally as embarrassed by it," said 19-year-old Matt Munson of Arkansas State University.

Continued...

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