Oprah Winfreys Selma is ultimately just a movie. Movies can be made that do not stand apart from the herd in their artistry - they are average. Movies can be made that are intertwined with creative genius, novelty, and greatness. They are heralded and they endure. So, Selma did not garner the number of Academy Award nominations that Sharpton and the many other diversitists think it should have. To them, Id suggest financing more entertaining, informative, stylistically unique films. On another note, the fact that a 2014-15 movie is probably the source of knowledge to so, so many Americans about what happened in Selma, Alabama in 1965 is tragic. Truth is usually more fascinating than fiction or film. It is certainly always more inspiring. In Selma, thousands of Civil Rights advocates practiced exactly what Martin Luther King, Jr. preached - non-violent civil disobedience. These people marched where they should have been able to freely march, but they did so in one of the most dangerous places for them in America. They marched knowing the physical harm that would come to them, but with the courage of their convictions, they marched. As was always the intention of Martin Luther King, Jr., the evil and violence perpetrated on the Selma marchers was broadcast all over America. Americans were horrified at the injustice and violence. This was a pivotal moment in the the Civil Rights struggle because American attitudes had changed en mass. What was tolerated and ignored before, was tolerated and ignored no more. Change was afoot and the Civil Rights Act of 1965 would pass just months afterwards. This was the means to Kings justice - by peaceful means cause evil and violence to be perpetrated upon the innocent, thereby making undeniable to more and more the injustices until this injustice was tolerated no more -legislatively. It is Kings victory that we all should never cease to celebrate. It is the victory of those who marched and died in accordance to his philosophy, and that was to fight peacefully and wisely, always appealing to what is right and good in all Americans. That a movie did not win an award? Who cares? Its a movie. Blood was spilled and lives were lost. Lets remember that and the victory that these individuals won not just for themselves and for other black people, but lets always remember and celebrate the victory that they won for our entire country - white and black. For those who might not know, Martin Luther King, Jr. knew that he faced violence and even death and spoke of it in his Ive been to the Mountaintop speech in April 68. He spoke of a premonition that he would be killed and he decided to continue about his task of working for Civil Rights. He stated that night that he was undeterred in his purpose. His premonition was right. He was assassinated the very next day. He preached it, lived it, and died accordingly. This was an unyielding man and he was a hero. To argue about a movie is trivial. Remember the man. Theres no arguing who he was and what he did, and the opinions of 600-700 Academy members are irrelevant because they cannot deny or enhance the greatness that was the story of this mans life.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 23:45:32 +0000