This film was a real eye opener for me in regards to affirmative action. I have always thought of affirmative action as being unfair especially from the point of view of white male. Even though America has come a long way since the time of extreme racial segregation, discrimination is still a part of our society. In the film the white people thought of the black people to be a drag on society. One of the reasons for that being somewhat true is that they get that kind of discouragement from a young age. That they are not equal to another race. I believe that affirmative action is a fine line and has to be regulated very carefully. In one since it is unfair to white people but in the other if minority groups don't have opportunity they will have no other choice but to resort to crime as a way of life. Thanks for reading my post.
This movie is one of those movies that really makes you think about what you belive. I found it very interisting to see how one person can take ten other people and make them think the same way, and belive the same things. This movie really opens your eyes to a whole new world. It also makes you think of the consequences of joining a group like that and the possible aftermath of trying to walk away later. This also seems to show how you can have your perspective changed by having a different experience then you had, had in the past for example for how he starts to see things differently after being in prison.
I agree with the dad fire fighter in the movie, the best person for the job should get it. I have no problem with any race, but the best person should get the job regardless of their skin color. I think affirmative action is crap. Why does a certain percentage of a certain race have to work for a particular company? I think employers should be able to hire who ever is best for the job. If there is a question with racism, let that company defend its self individually. My best friend growing up is American, but her mom was born in Mexico and is now a U.S. citizen. My friend got 100% of her college paid for because she applied for a scholarship that was only available to minorities. I ask myself what makes her a minority. We grew up in the same neighborhood and were in similar financial situations. We were close enough to be sisters. I didn’t think that was fair then and I don’t think that is fair now. I believe that people are people Americans are Americans. I think our society has changed from the civil rights movement. It is obvious there are not as many racist people just by looking at our president. I think racism still exists, but not nearly as abundantly as it did. Yes there will be some injustices with out affirmative action, but there injustices with it. Why should one American get a job or anything over another American based on race that brings us back to the original problem racism.
This movie has affected me by seeing how many races or cultures hated each other so bad that they wanted just destroy each other just for the power for own their race. In the film the white people and the black people wouldn’t get along because they both wanted power for the own race and they will do anything and I mean anything to get the respect and power. They would even kill other person so they can have respect and power for their race. The white people would look up to Hitler and followed what he did to the Jewish people and the white people would use that method the same way to punished the black people in the film. Even today there are still hates for other races out there but people don’t see it because they just keep it to themselves but in their heart and soul they hate the other race or person with a passion. I think that if everyone will get along and shared and don’t be stingy then chaos wouldn’t happen. Like the ending of the movie it said, “Life is too short to be pissed off all the times, it’s just not worth it.”
For people to assume that racism isn’t as prevalent in the United States anymore is making a false assumption. Just because it doesn’t exist as predominately in Utah, does NOT mean that the levels are the same in the rest of the country. Utah has a small percentage of minority races represented per capita. Affirmative action can further increase race tensions because it still forms a bias towards minority races. Any perceived bias can alienate and increase anger towards any group. Discrimination should be enforced. We have laws against it that are loosely worded and allow crimes to go unpunished. Discrimination against any race is intolerable.
American History X explores the neo-Nazi skinhead subculture in America. The movie, American History X shows the growth of a young man. It tells the story of Derek Vinyard, who grows up in household where his father, a fireman who died in the line of duty, rises through the ranks of the racist skinhead organization, is eventually convicted of murder of two black men who shot up his house, then becomes disillusioned about the whole skinhead movement while he is in prison. Overall, it is a story about redemption. The story shows how the seeds of racism were planted in his mind, nurtured by his father, then the skinhead leader. It deals with Derek as a human being, not a monster, and shows that we are all capable of change. In showing how Derek came to believe in the racist philosophy, it explores a part of the American culture where the "American Dream" has let down some people. Many of these disaffected people need an outlet for their frustrations and find it in racist propaganda and philosophy.
By watching this movie it made me realize we have come a long way in regards to racism. Now we don't hear news on people being killed because of their race. But don't get me wrong it still exists out there somewhere. I think we judge people too soon. Just because a person does something wrong that affects you, you automatically think well all people of that specific race are the same so now I don't like them. We need to be open minded in regards to other races. But on the other hand if you grow up in that enviroment that Derek grew up in you have that seed planted in you and if your influence was especially your parents you don't see the reality of things until it's too late. But in a way I am glad that we have moved on from that mind set.
This film is a real eye opener for everyone who has seen it. This was not the first time I have seen this movie, however everytime i do watch it this film has a way of making you feel like it is your first time seeing it. I think this is so because of the powerful message delivered in it. Racism is always going to exist in one form or another. There is nothing that one person can do to change that; what we can do is change ourselves. There was never meant to be one superior race over them all. Nobody is perfect. I think people just try to use everyone as scapegoats instead of looking at their own problems. Its like what his little brother says at the end of the movie, "life is too short to be pissed off all the time". Stop worrying about other peoples problems and worry about your own.
This is a great movie as I finished it. It showed me how this country been racist. Not everyone but back then pretty much every one hated the other races such as black, hispanic and asian. They hated us just by looking at our skin. Although they are notwhite however people are still people, but back then they were slave. They have no right to live and to speak. Even now racism is still exist in real life. People still looking down at others with different skin tones and stereotype them. There is nothing we can't do to make people stop doing that. This movie played such a good topic on how people treat others in reality life. Black, white, hispanic, or Asian they are all the same, we are all human and we should have the same right to live in this world.
I love this movie. I have seen it many times. It just goes to show that every belief has its flaws. For example when they are trashing the store and Seth (a.k.a. Goodyear)said no green card no work, so does that mean that he would be ok with this guy if he was legal? This is a stupid ideal, I hate you but I have never met you, You are not as good as me or deserve the same rights as me because you are different. Does anyone else see the holes in this logic? Get real and grow up.
Our society has come a very long way. American History X shows us how some people still may live to this day. Although I had already seen this movie previously,I can't help but still have some kind of reaction to the scenes I saw before my eyes. I can't say our world has come to a complete state of mind where everyone believes we are all equal for I personally have lived otherwise. Derek lived a life where he believed whites were better than others. Many o this day may also believe the same yet I don"t understand how they want their decedents to live in peace when all they are causing is riot. I'm glad our world has overcome many battles in racism for now many have more peace.
American History X is a really important movie for us all to see. I can see how easy it is for white people to fall into this supreme way of thinking, I see it every day. I mean you can say why are we still using affirmative action to fix a 200 year old problem I mean they are all dead anyway right? This is such an ignorant way to think though, affirmative action is meant to be a way to correct the discrimination of minorities today, not to make up for slavery. I don't think it is ok for a black man or woman get a job over a more qualified white man for example but it makes me absolutely ill to know that people out there STILL have these issues. We are all made the same way, of flesh, bones, and blood. I wish people could get over the petty issue of skin color and move on.
This is not the first time I had seen this film, I enjoy watching it because you pick up on things that you didn't notice the time before. It is my opinion that everyone has a right to believe in what they want as long as it is kept healthy and not let run around and destroy other peoples lives. Extremists like the people in this movie need some sort of way to open their eyes on what really goes on and how much your choices effect your life as well as others around you. Its sad to see that this man had to go to prison and be raped for his views to change or for him to want to change. I know that there are problems like this everywhere and things like what happened in the movie happen everyday. I believe in what Derek's father said, you shouldn't get the job based your ethnicity, but rather you qualifications.
I feel that in this day and age affirmative action is doing as much bad as good. I think it’s great that our government is willing to help those in need but I feel like in an effort to try and help the “struggling black man” (for example) other races including the whites are getting pushed aside. A big problem is that many people in the different cultures that benefit from affirmative action use it as a crutch to get away with things and cast blame. Many of the people that are benefiting from it now weren't even involved in slavery or the holocaust but still think they are owed something. I've had a few personal experiences in which I really started to question affirmative action as a whole. I've known people of Native American and African American descent who are offered scholarships and tax breaks just because of the color of their skin even though they didn't deserve it and didn't appreciate it. While the other people in this country (myself included) are working more than one job and/or paying to go to school with no help at all while the people that don't even care and don't try get more benefits. I feel that affirmative action had its place in the past but that time is gone. We can no longer use prejudice as a reason when it has become so apparent in our culture that while prejudice against the Native Americans and African Americans is becoming less, the prejudice towards other cultures (Caucasians included) is becoming more prominent. I feel that this movie really took that idea and took it to the farthest extreme possible. I can't help but agree with a couple of the things brought up in the movie an example being what his dad said about the right people for the job being passed up so they can hire a minority to fill their quota. After reading a portion of Hitler's novel and watching this movie it is obvious how they gained the followers they did even though they weren't on the same scale. Edward Norton's character and Hitler were both charismatic and articulate and used this to try and persuade people to believe their opinions were the right ones which really forces you to look at your own beliefs and why you believe the way you do because of how good they are speaking and challenging you. There are good points and public opinions expressed in the movie namely how discrimination and prejudice can go both ways but unfortunately many people feel that one race or another is the right one which causes violence and hatred amongst us when we should all be supportive of each other and be unified in trying to make our government fair and just for ALL races with equal benefits and rights for everyone not just certain people because of the color of their skin.
I strongly disagree with racially based organizations. I think it is important that we as people are more open minded and change our attitudes. We can’t just look at problems and blame certain races for their occurrence. Blaming someone else causes discomfort which a then lead to hate. We need to adopt different approaches to things. What radicals do is use words for manipulation; they use their words for their best interests. This is scary because people have a tendency not to check facts. Haven’t we learned from the past? Can we ever get over hatred?
I missed the movie in class but i have seen the movie about 9 years ago. It was a real good eye opener as to what goes through peoples minds and why they think a certain way. We all need to be open minded and respect other views and what the hold important in life. But there is a limit as to how far they can go, as to pushing their views on to others. Everyone is different even in the same race.
This is the first time I saw American History X, and I really enjoyed every aspect of it. I loved how Derek had such an enormous influence on Danny and how after his encounter in jail, he taught his brother his freshly developed morals, and Danny picked right up on them. The movie makes some well thought out arguments, and it expressed Derek's charismatic character very well in relation to Hitler, and I loved how the plot spun back (when Derek got out of jail and decided to quit the "Skinheads") and slapped the audience in the face by saying, "No! This is wrong!"
I personally disagree with affirmative action and its characteristics. Derek and Danny's father in the movie explains how the right person should get things done, and even though that's true, he says it in a tone as if only white people get things done right. Well, he's wrong on some part. Basically, if we want to be equal, all benefits and rules should apply to each and every one of us, not just a particular race, because that's not true equality.
I have seen this movie a long time ago while I was living outside US. I did not understood the message then, because I havent experienced the culture in this country. When I saw this movie again in the class, I manged to gain better understaning of the racial issues that this country is facing. I belive that the whole problem is coming from the idea that the white man is more supreme in any aspect than people of color. This may come from current observation of scientifical and technological advancements of the human race caused by reasarh and discoveries of white males. The white civilization is the last one to develop after civilizations in Africa, Asia and Continetal America. The great discoveries in agricultural revolutions, which was the reason of the human race started to grow in numbers and be less dependant on food, came from people of color. The numbers that we use today were invented by arabic nations, those were people of color. The white man just adopted these practices and develop technological advancements, which have severe effects on the environment. Even thoug I am white, I do not conider myself superior in any way than any other race. The whole idea of white supremecay is wrong and should not be embraced by any white, who concider himself intelligent and well informed. The whole white supremacy agenda is used to turn people against eachother, thus separating into groups which are easyer to control and pushed into direction that Big players behind the scene want. The idea of affirmative actions is generally flawed and is causing separation in society, which separates us as well. But who voted and passed this bill? Politics, Senators and other people from the govenrment, who are really high in the hirarchy and do not really know what issues may arise in the society.
I was not expecting to ever watch a movie like this one; it caught me completely off guard, but also opened my eyes. I had heard of white supremacies before, but I never knew how extreme it could be. This movie was really terrifying, and I found myself really hating Derek, and the other group of skinheads. They were so extreme with their feelings towards others that although they did make some good points, I don’t think they ever won an argument because they spoke with there anger more than there words. I was so glad when Derek realized what he had become, and what he was making his brother become. Those three years in jail helped to turn him around and realize how out of control that part of his life had become. It was good to see him come back and turn his life around, and help his brother realize that being a skinhead was wrong. I was so sad in the end when Danny was shot. It was right when he was going to begin his journey back that his life was ended. Some of the aspects that the movie addressed such as affirmative action I agreed on. I think that the best person should get the job, or scholarship, or whatever it may be. I know that it would bug me to be told that I only got the job, or scholarship, because of the color of my skin. I would like to know that I go that spot based of my merits alone, and I think that is how most people would like it to be. I don’t think that affirmative action makes anything equal between races, and don't we want things to be equal?
The best person no matter what their race,sex ethnicity,and religion should get the job, scholarship or whatever it is. Barack Obama is President. It truly was a signifigant event to have an African American elected as President, but hopefully that can become a non issue and people will be able to see him as President Obama not with an added the black President. I mean that towards all people, his supporters and non supporters. Derek hated blacks so bad. It was amazing when he heard his friend was in prison just for stealing a tv and dropping it on the foot of a cop and got 6 years. Derek killed 2 men and only got 3 years. That really opened his eyes to the fact that things are unfair sometimes for everyone. Sure some of his beliefs may have been valid like as mentioned the most qualified person regardless should be rewarded, but going about trying to change things with anger, hate, and violence will always just create more problems. Hate definitely is baggage. Our country certainly has made many changes with affirmative action. Some things are a little extreme and make it unfair for hard working people, but I will say that I would take our day any day over having to live in the dispicable time when slavery was practiced and women had no rights. We have made so much progress in so many areas. Hopefully equality for everyone will always be valued in our country.
Although the racism portrayed in American History X is largely between whites and blacks, it hits home for anyone who has been discriminated against or judged based on the color of their skin. Life has enough struggles without the added hardship of being put down for something you should be proud of. Affirmative action is helpful in concept, although in reality it is abused and turned into an addition to the problem rather than the solution. It creates a greater division between different ethnicities. Such as the father being angry that the better cops had been passed up because of the criteria which needed to be met. Being a minority can be a challenge, but the color of your skin should not be the open invitation to take advantage of special opportunities, nor should it be considered something “owed” to you but taken gratefully. Seeing both sides, avoiding stereotypes, respecting others and being thankful for what you are given are all key to creating the balanced and peaceful world many great Americans have striven towards, spoken about and died for throughout the centuries and will keep aiming for in the future.
Like most people, i began this movie with the feeling that all racism is intolerable and the overall result of hatred and pure negativity. After we finished the movie, my feelings were undoubtedly reinforced. Most people don't agree with the notion of racism and the hatred that follows suit, causing this movie to seemingly lack controversy, but from the discussion we had in class, this notion is wrong. The controversy was weeved in and out of the plot. It was shocking and scary how convincing some of the arguments for racism and hatred were. I feel that it takes a great writer and a strong director to challenge some of the most fundamental and strong view points of the average person, and this movie did just that.
In the end, i guess i want to comment on the swastika symbol that many (mostly teenagers) nowadays find cool to parade around. I can't find words to describe accurately the hate that comes with such a symbol. I find it sickening that any person could find it in themself to wear or advocate such hatred. Millions died under a tyranny that reigned with the swastika: Nazis, and yet some find harmony and comfort blanketing themselves in the fuel of the fire. Although we live in a free country, it's intolerable for some to impugn upon the rights of others. The swastika is a suppresive force that brings people down and causes more harm that needed.
This movie was a hard pill to swallow. I have seen scenes of it but never knew what it was about. I know that the white supremacy gang in the movie was ignorant of what America is all about. I think the one of the greatest things about this country is that it is a melting pot of diversity. I am not entirely sure that affirmative action is the best thing but I know it is not the worst thing either. I think some people that would benefit from affirmative action, think of it as a crutch. They want to know they got a job because of their skills and hard work ethic. I believe that there is good in all people, regardless of race, religion or creed. It's up to me to learn about people from all walks of life and accept them for who they truly are. I think Derek finally learned that in the movie when his friend in jail kept him safe. Derek also learned about inequality when his friend was sentenced with double the time for robbery than he was. Dereks father taught him to hate minorities and all other races. And then he in turn taught his brother and many followers to hate. I think they were all uneducated ignorant people that were too stupid to learn anything on their own. I hope that one day we can live in a place where people can be accepting of others regardless of race or religion.
People usually say that education is the most important thing in human’s life. In other word, education affects how people going to live and valuable life depends on how people were educated. After seeing the movie “ American history X”, it taught me about one’s thinking can be affected to others and if somebody makes a fetish or someone has a fetish by that, they have an unusually strong liking or need for a particular object or activity, as a way of creating murder in the film. During the movie, I sometimes felt if people were not educated well, we probably wouldn’t enjoy happiness because wrong things are making wrong things again American history X deals carefully with racism between white and none white people. The racist who is called Derek lost his father by a robber instigated people to go on strike. So he started hating black people then he became hero in the group of white supremacists. But during a term of imprisonment, he realized that many none white people are discriminative a lot from many things. So he wanted to be changed and tried to correct the errors. But his younger brother who always respected Derek was disappointed with Derek but when he recognized his brother was right, he was killed. I think one’s wrong sense of values may bring danger and it would be led to self-destruction. Once more we need to think that we should be responsible for importance of education and its influence to our society.
It's amazing how easy it is to pass on hate and predjudice from one generation to the next. This is shown in the movie American History X when the father of the main character Derek tells a story at the dinner table about two black police officers getting the job over two more qualified white police officers. This may or may not have been the case, but when Derek's father is killed in the line of duty in a black neighborhood it causes Derek to go from a racist to an extreme white supremicist.
Derek finally sees the fallacies in his thinking when he sees the white supremecists in jail are not true white supremisists because they are working with the mexicans in the prison. Derek also becomes friends with a black inmate who he is forced to work with the laundry room at the prison. It is very ironic this man ends up protecting Derek's life when he cuts ties with the supposed white suppremicists in the prison.
Even after trying to leave the racist life behind, Derek can not escape the far reaching affect his hate has caused in his community. The story comes full circle when his brother is shot in school by a black student. The movies teaches you to be careful of your actions as they may come back to haunt you. As Einstein said for every action their will be an equal or opposite reaction, the opposite reaction was Derek losing his little brother.
I don't by any means think white people are better than any other race out there, but while this movie was going it made me think, just for a split second. he was making some extremely good points, and he was extremely charismatic. he knew how to talk to large groups of people, small groups of people. i think when people are sheltered from something or never around it one of two things happens. they develop hate for it, or fear of it. which is where i think some of his hate came from. he never had any black friends growing up, no jew friends. the most disturbing part of this movie to me was when he curbed one of the guys that was trying to steal his car because you actually saw him kick him in the back of the head. it could have been a lot worse, i'm just glad it wasn't. all in all i really liked this movie and it has moved to my top ten for sure.
After I watched ‘American History X’, it made me to think about racial discrimination. In American history, there has never been a moment without discrimination and it does not seem to easily stop even in the 21st century. Discrimination can be against many things; race, gender, sexuality, class, and many others. Discrimination can be very overt or covert and it can be carried out individually or institutionally. Racial struggle is the biggest issue and it is well portrayed in a film, American History X. This film shows extreme hatred, tension and struggle between African American and Caucasian racists in American Society. In this movie, Derek was a famous skinhead and sentenced for three years in jail for killing two African Americans who were trying to steal his car. In the movie, his hatred against colored people is too huge and overt but after spending three years in jail, he changed. What made his mind to change? I think that he felt and thought that people are same. There are no differences among many races. The ending of this movie made me feel sad but it was realities of life. I do not think that there are anymore racial discrimination now so I recommend this movie to many people who against colored people.
I really enjoyed this movie and how it was done but it was really frustrating watching and hearing the racial remarks. But it does open your eyes that people really do feel this way. Sometimes Derek brought up a lot of valid points that justified why he felt that way, but not enough to put that much hate on anyone racial group or any person for that matter. Even in this day and time we still have people who have some sort of grudge against the black community and we saw a lot of it in this years presidential election but by having Barack Obama as our president hopefully it will open the mind of those simple minded humans out their who still feel this way.
This is one of the best movies that i have seen, and it was a huge eye opener for me on affirmative action because Derek was doomed from the beginning with his dad telling him on how the blacks are a drag on society and not to believe a word his teacher told him. This is still the case with a lot of families in the U.S. with having a black president, a lot of people don't agree with having a black president that it is a downfall for our society because the American people are falling into affirmative action that we owed him something for what the blacks went through during slavery, instead of thinking that he was actually the best person for the job.
This movie really made me think about racism. We live in such a sheltered community in the state of Utah, and it is unlike the rest of the country. This movie was more than just racism, though. It showed affirmative action, but in a way people could actually relate to it. It is wrong to discriminate people for being a minority, but it is also just as wrong to give them special privileges for being one, as well. Plus, as Derek found out in the movie, it doesn't have to be a yes or no; sometimes, the choice isn't very clear on what's "right" or "fair." The part of this movie that stood out to me the most is when Derek's dad had to hire black people just to fill a quota, to make sure he wasn't discriminating. That is not what equal rights is about at all. This movie pointed out that this wasn't right.
American History X was quite a movie. When it started and I was like.. ok.. lol. But as the storyline progressed I was beginning to understand why things in the movie were the way they were. It vividly and realistically depicts the mental ideas and actions of the people involved with Aryan ideals and motives. It's horrifying to see how far some of them go to get the message across. Curbing is brutal, difficult to watch, and that's off of a movie; real life, oh man. The idea we figured after the movie that hate is what drives most people to such drastic actions is something I believe to be true. Someone offends someone else and for some reason that other person feels it in his power to seek retribution. They are fueled by hate towards the offender and then do something to them that in turn causes the original offender to grow a stronger hatred towards the other. This back-n-forth action continues on and on increasing in intensity until eventually someone is hit too hard, which often times means death for someone. I personally think this mentality is stupid. You could call me a pacifist and what-not, but it really is easier to avoid any more confrontation by simply, in the philosophical words, "turn the other cheek". Yes that guy offended you really bad, but shoving it back to him is only going to cause more problems, just forget about it. Another issue is brought up by this movie, and that is the controversy with Affirmative Action. I think it's dumb, but we do need it because of the racist zealots out there who so happen to be the ones in charge of hiring people for a certain company. If we didn't have them screwing the workforce by preferring one race over another, we wouldn't need Affirmative Action. Unfortunately we do have them, and until we can get rid of them, the concept behind Affirmative Action is needed to keep things fair- though by itself AA isn't. I myself am a minority, and think it's sad that we have to resort to AA before any sort of justice is done between races. It simply goes to show that people, for some reason, are still racist in today's world. You would think that after knowing what racism has done to society in the past, we'd get over it, but I guess some just can't learn that. The bottom line is that we are all human; that's what matters, not whether we are Black, White, Asian, Korean, Mexican, Indian, etc...
This was the first time I saw American History X and I thought this was a real eye opener. I did not realize the depth of racism and hate that still is in our country today. Also, I have reserched before and this movie made me think even more in depth about affirmative action. I totally dissagree with affirmative action and I think only the best of the best should get the job. I think their should be no way a person of a minority group should be able to get a job even tho he is less qualified. I realize America may not have been fair in the past but reversing the discrimination will not do anything posetive. America is the land of equal opportunity so we should not agree with affirmative action.
American History X is a fantastic movie that really makes you think. I feel that this movie brings a lot of controversy when you first watch the movie and don't know how it will end. a lot of people have been writing that it was a real eye opener but the scary fact is that we really have people that really feel the way Derek felt before he realized that the color of your skin or your beliefs don't make you any different from anyone. i feel we have come along way from where we were 20 years ago but still have a long way to go as a society to really accept everyone.
This film reminded me of my childhood. I lived in Florida for a bit and its easy to see how the idea's of racism florish in the simple minded individuals. I remember the University of Florida still had segregated lunch rooms in 1987 and how at my elementry school kids would talk about taking guns and "killing all the niggers". It was very much a dramatic change from Oklahoma, where we just learn to get along with everyone. But I still I felt this film portrayed the simplicity of the minds, and how we can be lead in many directions by choosing to either question the facts or events or looking deeper into the situation. I was blown away by the ending. I expected to see Dereck getting shot and his brother falling back into the hatred gang. But alas it is just a film. I wouldn't expect to see to many true stories such as this. I've seen children raised thinking they are best simply because of the color of their skin. Its a sad situation one that I do believe affirmative action has helped both create and also lessen the power. As we continue to help the minorities become our equals in education and finances. We will gain a respect for them as they will us. It takes a long for the hatred and racism to grow and it will take just as long for it to retreat from our society.
American History X is a great movie that really makes you think. This was my first time watching this film but i found it to be an eye opener. I feel that this movie brings lots of controversy when they show how Derek acted and the things he did before he changed.something scary is the fact that we still have people that really feel the way Derek felt before he changed. That some people will never change. This movie makes you realize how real this is and how people still act that way.
American History X really opened my eyes to things that have happened in the world and what continue to happen. Discrimination and Racism are things of history, whites hating blacks and visa versa. This film really made you see what it truly was like. Derek a man who's father dies. He becomes very aggresive and against blacks. He is apart of a radical white supreimicist group. He is in this ongoing battle between each other. His group would do everything they can to get the respect they deserve. They would go as far as killing someone just to prove a point. Derek did a real change in his life. Before when derek looked at someone all he saw was the color of their skin and that determined everything. It was amazing to see the change which occured. I think people don't realize that these things actually still happen. Maybe not to the affect which was shown in the film but it is around us, but the great thing about it is that people can change for the better.
The American X movie was so impressive on me that I had to watch it twice. This movie well expresses about racism between white and non-white people. After I saw the movie, I felt that it brought a lot of spiritual thinking, particularly that all people are same. Nobody is different. The main character, Derek, was a racist. He killed a black guy and was sent to prison for his crime. During the time that he was in prison, he made friends with a few black prisoners and realized that white people are not better than any other race. After the experience, he tried to change his mind set and life style. I think that if he had had any black friends while growing up or even other friends from other races, he would not have made those actions. Even though he changed his life style, his younger brother was killed by some black people who were friends with the man that he killed as a revenge. It was such a sad story. I think that even though I am not an American, this country is the land of equal opportunity. No matter what, all people are equal.
I was not raised in Utah. I’m from Ohio and spent most of elementary and middle school there. Issues of race and racism came up a lot when I was there. Clearly much more so than it does here. At the same time, I feel like having grown up in an environment where there were so many African-American and Asian-American classmates and friends gave me an advantage. I had no reason to fear people of other races and cultures. I knew enough people from several different backgrounds to know that there was nothing scary about any one race as a whole. I mean, we have Charles Manson and Ted Bundy as members of the Caucasian race. It really doesn’t get much worse than that! I hate that in this day and age there is still SO much racism in our culture. It’s certainly less prominent and less acceptable than it used to be which is good, but I’m always amazed at the ignorance of some people and their comments. I can remember when I was younger my dad took me to see “The Preacher’s Wife” with Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington and we invited my former step-mother (who was my step-mother at the time) to join us. She FA-REAKED out and said there was no way she was going to see a movie about (insert the “N” word here…). I think that I was ten at the time and I just couldn’t believe what came out of her mouth! Just stupid situations and ignorant people like that are what make these negative situations happen, and perpetuate. I teach my children NOT to think and feel that way and hopefully that will stick. I don’t believe that there is any excuse for racism, no matter how you’re raised or who “wrongs” your family.
I was raised by a VERY Southern mother. While she claims to be all about equality, some of her comments and actions definitely indicate otherwise. While she certainly was/is never extreme about any of it, her feelings have certainly been made known to myself and my siblings.
It seems to have rubbed off some on my sister, but my brother and I do not share their feelings AT ALL. I just don’t see myself as any different than anyone of any other race. I guess you could say I’m somewhat colorblind when it comes to those issues. While my environment was nowhere NEAR what Derek’s was, the basic premise was there and turned out to be a normal, VERY tolerant person and I just don’t feel like you can blame very much of who you are on your parents.
I think that Depeche Mode said it best: “So we’re different colours And we’re different creeds And different people Have different needs. It’s obvious you hate me Though I’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve never even met you So what could I have done? I can’t understand What makes a man Hate another man Help me understand People are people So why should it be You and I should get along so awfully?” ~Martin L. Gore 1984
This film was a real eye opener for me in regards to affirmative action. I have always thought of affirmative action as being unfair especially from the point of view of white male. Even though America has come a long way since the time of extreme racial segregation, discrimination is still a part of our society. In the film the white people thought of the black people to be a drag on society. One of the reasons for that being somewhat true is that they get that kind of discouragement from a young age. That they are not equal to another race. I believe that affirmative action is a fine line and has to be regulated very carefully. In one since it is unfair to white people but in the other if minority groups don't have opportunity they will have no other choice but to resort to crime as a way of life. Thanks for reading my post.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is one of those movies that really makes you think about what you belive. I found it very interisting to see how one person can take ten other people and make them think the same way, and belive the same things. This movie really opens your eyes to a whole new world. It also makes you think of the consequences of joining a group like that and the possible aftermath of trying to walk away later. This also seems to show how you can have your perspective changed by having a different experience then you had, had in the past for example for how he starts to see things differently after being in prison.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the dad fire fighter in the movie, the best person for the job should get it. I have no problem with any race, but the best person should get the job regardless of their skin color. I think affirmative action is crap. Why does a certain percentage of a certain race have to work for a particular company? I think employers should be able to hire who ever is best for the job. If there is a question with racism, let that company defend its self individually. My best friend growing up is American, but her mom was born in Mexico and is now a U.S. citizen. My friend got 100% of her college paid for because she applied for a scholarship that was only available to minorities. I ask myself what makes her a minority. We grew up in the same neighborhood and were in similar financial situations. We were close enough to be sisters. I didn’t think that was fair then and I don’t think that is fair now. I believe that people are people Americans are Americans. I think our society has changed from the civil rights movement. It is obvious there are not as many racist people just by looking at our president. I think racism still exists, but not nearly as abundantly as it did. Yes there will be some injustices with out affirmative action, but there injustices with it. Why should one American get a job or anything over another American based on race that brings us back to the original problem racism.
ReplyDeleteThis movie has affected me by seeing how many races or cultures hated each other so bad that they wanted just destroy each other just for the power for own their race. In the film the white people and the black people wouldn’t get along because they both wanted power for the own race and they will do anything and I mean anything to get the respect and power. They would even kill other person so they can have respect and power for their race. The white people would look up to Hitler and followed what he did to the Jewish people and the white people would use that method the same way to punished the black people in the film. Even today there are still hates for other races out there but people don’t see it because they just keep it to themselves but in their heart and soul they hate the other race or person with a passion. I think that if everyone will get along and shared and don’t be stingy then chaos wouldn’t happen. Like the ending of the movie it said, “Life is too short to be pissed off all the times, it’s just not worth it.”
ReplyDeleteFor people to assume that racism isn’t as prevalent in the United States anymore is making a false assumption. Just because it doesn’t exist as predominately in Utah, does NOT mean that the levels are the same in the rest of the country. Utah has a small percentage of minority races represented per capita. Affirmative action can further increase race tensions because it still forms a bias towards minority races. Any perceived bias can alienate and increase anger towards any group. Discrimination should be enforced. We have laws against it that are loosely worded and allow crimes to go unpunished. Discrimination against any race is intolerable.
ReplyDeleteAmerican History X explores the neo-Nazi skinhead subculture in America. The movie, American History X shows the growth of a young man. It tells the story of Derek Vinyard, who grows up in household where his father, a fireman who died in the line of duty, rises through the ranks of the racist skinhead organization, is eventually convicted of murder of two black men who shot up his house, then becomes disillusioned about the whole skinhead movement while he is in prison. Overall, it is a story about redemption. The story shows how the seeds of racism were planted in his mind, nurtured by his father, then the skinhead leader. It deals with Derek as a human being, not a monster, and shows that we are all capable of change. In showing how Derek came to believe in the racist philosophy, it explores a part of the American culture where the "American Dream" has let down some people. Many of these disaffected people need an outlet for their frustrations and find it in racist propaganda and philosophy.
ReplyDeleteBy watching this movie it made me realize we have come a long way in regards to racism. Now we don't hear news on people being killed because of their race. But don't get me wrong it still exists out there somewhere. I think we judge people too soon. Just because a person does something wrong that affects you, you automatically think well all people of that specific race are the same so now I don't like them. We need to be open minded in regards to other races. But on the other hand if you grow up in that enviroment that Derek grew up in you have that seed planted in you and if your influence was especially your parents you don't see the reality of things until it's too late. But in a way I am glad that we have moved on from that mind set.
ReplyDeleteThis film is a real eye opener for everyone who has seen it. This was not the first time I have seen this movie, however everytime i do watch it this film has a way of making you feel like it is your first time seeing it. I think this is so because of the powerful message delivered in it. Racism is always going to exist in one form or another. There is nothing that one person can do to change that; what we can do is change ourselves. There was never meant to be one superior race over them all. Nobody is perfect. I think people just try to use everyone as scapegoats instead of looking at their own problems. Its like what his little brother says at the end of the movie, "life is too short to be pissed off all the time". Stop worrying about other peoples problems and worry about your own.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great movie as I finished it. It showed me how this country been racist. Not everyone but back then pretty much every one hated the other races such as black, hispanic and asian. They hated us just by looking at our skin. Although they are notwhite however people are still people, but back then they were slave. They have no right to live and to speak. Even now racism is still exist in real life. People still looking down at others with different skin tones and stereotype them. There is nothing we can't do to make people stop doing that. This movie played such a good topic on how people treat others in reality life. Black, white, hispanic, or Asian they are all the same, we are all human and we should have the same right to live in this world.
ReplyDeleteI love this movie. I have seen it many times. It just goes to show that every belief has its flaws. For example when they are trashing the store and Seth (a.k.a. Goodyear)said no green card no work, so does that mean that he would be ok with this guy if he was legal? This is a stupid ideal, I hate you but I have never met you, You are not as good as me or deserve the same rights as me because you are different. Does anyone else see the holes in this logic? Get real and grow up.
ReplyDeleteOur society has come a very long way. American History X shows us how some people still may live to this day. Although I had already seen this movie previously,I can't help but still have some kind of reaction to the scenes I saw before my eyes. I can't say our world has come to a complete state of mind where everyone believes we are all equal for I personally have lived otherwise. Derek lived a life where he believed whites were better than others. Many o this day may also believe the same yet I don"t understand how they want their decedents to live in peace when all they are causing is riot. I'm glad our world has overcome many battles in racism for now many have more peace.
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ReplyDeleteAmerican History X is a really important movie for us all to see. I can see how easy it is for white people to fall into this supreme way of thinking, I see it every day. I mean you can say why are we still using affirmative action to fix a 200 year old problem I mean they are all dead anyway right? This is such an ignorant way to think though, affirmative action is meant to be a way to correct the discrimination of minorities today, not to make up for slavery. I don't think it is ok for a black man or woman get a job over a more qualified white man for example but it makes me absolutely ill to know that people out there STILL have these issues. We are all made the same way, of flesh, bones, and blood. I wish people could get over the petty issue of skin color and move on.
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ReplyDeleteThis is not the first time I had seen this film, I enjoy watching it because you pick up on things that you didn't notice the time before. It is my opinion that everyone has a right to believe in what they want as long as it is kept healthy and not let run around and destroy other peoples lives. Extremists like the people in this movie need some sort of way to open their eyes on what really goes on and how much your choices effect your life as well as others around you. Its sad to see that this man had to go to prison and be raped for his views to change or for him to want to change. I know that there are problems like this everywhere and things like what happened in the movie happen everyday. I believe in what Derek's father said, you shouldn't get the job based your ethnicity, but rather you qualifications.
ReplyDeleteI feel that in this day and age affirmative action is doing as much bad as good. I think it’s great that our government is willing to help those in need but I feel like in an effort to try and help the “struggling black man” (for example) other races including the whites are getting pushed aside. A big problem is that many people in the different cultures that benefit from affirmative action use it as a crutch to get away with things and cast blame. Many of the people that are benefiting from it now weren't even involved in slavery or the holocaust but still think they are owed something. I've had a few personal experiences in which I really started to question affirmative action as a whole. I've known people of Native American and African American descent who are offered scholarships and tax breaks just because of the color of their skin even though they didn't deserve it and didn't appreciate it. While the other people in this country (myself included) are working more than one job and/or paying to go to school with no help at all while the people that don't even care and don't try get more benefits. I feel that affirmative action had its place in the past but that time is gone. We can no longer use prejudice as a reason when it has become so apparent in our culture that while prejudice against the Native Americans and African Americans is becoming less, the prejudice towards other cultures (Caucasians included) is becoming more prominent. I feel that this movie really took that idea and took it to the farthest extreme possible. I can't help but agree with a couple of the things brought up in the movie an example being what his dad said about the right people for the job being passed up so they can hire a minority to fill their quota. After reading a portion of Hitler's novel and watching this movie it is obvious how they gained the followers they did even though they weren't on the same scale. Edward Norton's character and Hitler were both charismatic and articulate and used this to try and persuade people to believe their opinions were the right ones which really forces you to look at your own beliefs and why you believe the way you do because of how good they are speaking and challenging you. There are good points and public opinions expressed in the movie namely how discrimination and prejudice can go both ways but unfortunately many people feel that one race or another is the right one which causes violence and hatred amongst us when we should all be supportive of each other and be unified in trying to make our government fair and just for ALL races with equal benefits and rights for everyone not just certain people because of the color of their skin.
ReplyDeleteI strongly disagree with racially based organizations. I think it is important that we as people are more open minded and change our attitudes. We can’t just look at problems and blame certain races for their occurrence. Blaming someone else causes discomfort which a then lead to hate. We need to adopt different approaches to things. What radicals do is use words for manipulation; they use their words for their best interests. This is scary because people have a tendency not to check facts. Haven’t we learned from the past? Can we ever get over hatred?
ReplyDeleteI missed the movie in class but i have seen the movie about 9 years ago. It was a real good eye opener as to what goes through peoples minds and why they think a certain way. We all need to be open minded and respect other views and what the hold important in life. But there is a limit as to how far they can go, as to pushing their views on to others. Everyone is different even in the same race.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I saw American History X, and I really enjoyed every aspect of it. I loved how Derek had such an enormous influence on Danny and how after his encounter in jail, he taught his brother his freshly developed morals, and Danny picked right up on them. The movie makes some well thought out arguments, and it expressed Derek's charismatic character very well in relation to Hitler, and I loved how the plot spun back (when Derek got out of jail and decided to quit the "Skinheads") and slapped the audience in the face by saying, "No! This is wrong!"
ReplyDeleteI personally disagree with affirmative action and its characteristics. Derek and Danny's father in the movie explains how the right person should get things done, and even though that's true, he says it in a tone as if only white people get things done right. Well, he's wrong on some part. Basically, if we want to be equal, all benefits and rules should apply to each and every one of us, not just a particular race, because that's not true equality.
I have seen this movie a long time ago while I was living outside US. I did not understood the message then, because I havent experienced the culture in this country. When I saw this movie again in the class, I manged to gain better understaning of the racial issues that this country is facing. I belive that the whole problem is coming from the idea that the white man is more supreme in any aspect than people of color. This may come from current observation of scientifical and technological advancements of the human race caused by reasarh and discoveries of white males. The white civilization is the last one to develop after civilizations in Africa, Asia and Continetal America. The great discoveries in agricultural revolutions, which was the reason of the human race started to grow in numbers and be less dependant on food, came from people of color. The numbers that we use today were invented by arabic nations, those were people of color. The white man just adopted these practices and develop technological advancements, which have severe effects on the environment. Even thoug I am white, I do not conider myself superior in any way than any other race. The whole idea of white supremecay is wrong and should not be embraced by any white, who concider himself intelligent and well informed. The whole white supremacy agenda is used to turn people against eachother, thus separating into groups which are easyer to control and pushed into direction that Big players behind the scene want. The idea of affirmative actions is generally flawed and is causing separation in society, which separates us as well. But who voted and passed this bill? Politics, Senators and other people from the govenrment, who are really high in the hirarchy and do not really know what issues may arise in the society.
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ReplyDeleteI was not expecting to ever watch a movie like this one; it caught me completely off guard, but also opened my eyes. I had heard of white supremacies before, but I never knew how extreme it could be. This movie was really terrifying, and I found myself really hating Derek, and the other group of skinheads. They were so extreme with their feelings towards others that although they did make some good points, I don’t think they ever won an argument because they spoke with there anger more than there words. I was so glad when Derek realized what he had become, and what he was making his brother become. Those three years in jail helped to turn him around and realize how out of control that part of his life had become. It was good to see him come back and turn his life around, and help his brother realize that being a skinhead was wrong. I was so sad in the end when Danny was shot. It was right when he was going to begin his journey back that his life was ended. Some of the aspects that the movie addressed such as affirmative action I agreed on. I think that the best person should get the job, or scholarship, or whatever it may be. I know that it would bug me to be told that I only got the job, or scholarship, because of the color of my skin. I would like to know that I go that spot based of my merits alone, and I think that is how most people would like it to be. I don’t think that affirmative action makes anything equal between races, and don't we want things to be equal?
ReplyDeleteThe best person no matter what their race,sex ethnicity,and religion should get the job, scholarship or whatever it is. Barack Obama is President. It truly was a signifigant event to have an African American elected as President, but hopefully that can become a non issue and people will be able to see him as President Obama not with an added the black President. I mean that towards all people, his supporters and non supporters. Derek hated blacks so bad. It was amazing when he heard his friend was in prison just for stealing a tv and dropping it on the foot of a cop and got 6 years. Derek killed 2 men and only got 3 years. That really opened his eyes to the fact that things are unfair sometimes for everyone. Sure some of his beliefs may have been valid like as mentioned the most qualified person regardless should be rewarded, but going about trying to change things with anger, hate, and violence will always just create more problems. Hate definitely is baggage. Our country certainly has made many changes with affirmative action. Some things are a little extreme and make it unfair for hard working people, but I will say that I would take our day any day over having to live in the dispicable time when slavery was practiced and women had no rights. We have made so much progress in so many areas. Hopefully equality for everyone will always be valued in our country.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the racism portrayed in American History X is largely between whites and blacks, it hits home for anyone who has been discriminated against or judged based on the color of their skin. Life has enough struggles without the added hardship of being put down for something you should be proud of. Affirmative action is helpful in concept, although in reality it is abused and turned into an addition to the problem rather than the solution. It creates a greater division between different ethnicities. Such as the father being angry that the better cops had been passed up because of the criteria which needed to be met. Being a minority can be a challenge, but the color of your skin should not be the open invitation to take advantage of special opportunities, nor should it be considered something “owed” to you but taken gratefully. Seeing both sides, avoiding stereotypes, respecting others and being thankful for what you are given are all key to creating the balanced and peaceful world many great Americans have striven towards, spoken about and died for throughout the centuries and will keep aiming for in the future.
ReplyDeleteLike most people, i began this movie with the feeling that all racism is intolerable and the overall result of hatred and pure negativity. After we finished the movie, my feelings were undoubtedly reinforced. Most people don't agree with the notion of racism and the hatred that follows suit, causing this movie to seemingly lack controversy, but from the discussion we had in class, this notion is wrong. The controversy was weeved in and out of the plot. It was shocking and scary how convincing some of the arguments for racism and hatred were. I feel that it takes a great writer and a strong director to challenge some of the most fundamental and strong view points of the average person, and this movie did just that.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, i guess i want to comment on the swastika symbol that many (mostly teenagers) nowadays find cool to parade around. I can't find words to describe accurately the hate that comes with such a symbol. I find it sickening that any person could find it in themself to wear or advocate such hatred. Millions died under a tyranny that reigned with the swastika: Nazis, and yet some find harmony and comfort blanketing themselves in the fuel of the fire. Although we live in a free country, it's intolerable for some to impugn upon the rights of others. The swastika is a suppresive force that brings people down and causes more harm that needed.
This movie was a hard pill to swallow. I have seen scenes of it but never knew what it was about. I know that the white supremacy gang in the movie was ignorant of what America is all about. I think the one of the greatest things about this country is that it is a melting pot of diversity. I am not entirely sure that affirmative action is the best thing but I know it is not the worst thing either. I think some people that would benefit from affirmative action, think of it as a crutch. They want to know they got a job because of their skills and hard work ethic.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there is good in all people, regardless of race, religion or creed. It's up to me to learn about people from all walks of life and accept them for who they truly are. I think Derek finally learned that in the movie when his friend in jail kept him safe. Derek also learned about inequality when his friend was sentenced with double the time for robbery than he was.
Dereks father taught him to hate minorities and all other races. And then he in turn taught his brother and many followers to hate. I think they were all uneducated ignorant people that were too stupid to learn anything on their own.
I hope that one day we can live in a place where people can be accepting of others regardless of race or religion.
People usually say that education is the most important thing in human’s life. In other word, education affects how people going to live and valuable life depends on how people were educated. After seeing the movie “ American history X”, it taught me about one’s thinking can be affected to others and if somebody makes a fetish or someone has a fetish by that, they have an unusually strong liking or need for a particular object or activity, as a way of creating murder in the film. During the movie, I sometimes felt if people were not educated well, we probably wouldn’t enjoy happiness because wrong things are making wrong things again American history X deals carefully with racism between white and none white people. The racist who is called Derek lost his father by a robber instigated people to go on strike. So he started hating black people then he became hero in the group of white supremacists. But during a term of imprisonment, he realized that many none white people are discriminative a lot from many things. So he wanted to be changed and tried to correct the errors. But his younger brother who always respected Derek was disappointed with Derek but when he recognized his brother was right, he was killed. I think one’s wrong sense of values may bring danger and it would be led to self-destruction. Once more we need to think that we should be responsible for importance of education and its influence to our society.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how easy it is to pass on hate and predjudice from one generation to the next. This is shown in the movie American History X when the father of the main character Derek tells a story at the dinner table about two black police officers getting the job over two more qualified white police officers. This may or may not have been the case, but when Derek's father is killed in the line of duty in a black neighborhood it causes Derek to go from a racist to an extreme white supremicist.
ReplyDeleteDerek finally sees the fallacies in his thinking when he sees the white supremecists in jail are not true white supremisists because they are working with the mexicans in the prison. Derek also becomes friends with a black inmate who he is forced to work with the laundry room at the prison. It is very ironic this man ends up protecting Derek's life when he cuts ties with the supposed white suppremicists in the prison.
Even after trying to leave the racist life behind, Derek can not escape the far reaching affect his hate has caused in his community. The story comes full circle when his brother is shot in school by a black student. The movies teaches you to be careful of your actions as they may come back to haunt you. As Einstein said for every action their will be an equal or opposite reaction, the opposite reaction was Derek losing his little brother.
I don't by any means think white people are better than any other race out there, but while this movie was going it made me think, just for a split second. he was making some extremely good points, and he was extremely charismatic. he knew how to talk to large groups of people, small groups of people. i think when people are sheltered from something or never around it one of two things happens. they develop hate for it, or fear of it. which is where i think some of his hate came from. he never had any black friends growing up, no jew friends. the most disturbing part of this movie to me was when he curbed one of the guys that was trying to steal his car because you actually saw him kick him in the back of the head. it could have been a lot worse, i'm just glad it wasn't. all in all i really liked this movie and it has moved to my top ten for sure.
ReplyDeleteAfter I watched ‘American History X’, it made me to think about racial discrimination. In American history, there has never been a moment without discrimination and it does not seem to easily stop even in the 21st century. Discrimination can be against many things; race, gender, sexuality, class, and many others. Discrimination can be very overt or covert and it can be carried out individually or institutionally. Racial struggle is the biggest issue and it is well portrayed in a film, American History X. This film shows extreme hatred, tension and struggle between African American and Caucasian racists in American Society. In this movie, Derek was a famous skinhead and sentenced for three years in jail for killing two African Americans who were trying to steal his car. In the movie, his hatred against colored people is too huge and overt but after spending three years in jail, he changed. What made his mind to change? I think that he felt and thought that people are same. There are no differences among many races. The ending of this movie made me feel sad but it was realities of life. I do not think that there are anymore racial discrimination now so I recommend this movie to many people who against colored people.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this movie and how it was done but it was really frustrating watching and hearing the racial remarks. But it does open your eyes that people really do feel this way. Sometimes Derek brought up a lot of valid points that justified why he felt that way, but not enough to put that much hate on anyone racial group or any person for that matter. Even in this day and time we still have people who have some sort of grudge against the black community and we saw a lot of it in this years presidential election but by having Barack Obama as our president hopefully it will open the mind of those simple minded humans out their who still feel this way.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the best movies that i have seen, and it was a huge eye opener for me on affirmative action because Derek was doomed from the beginning with his dad telling him on how the blacks are a drag on society and not to believe a word his teacher told him. This is still the case with a lot of families in the U.S. with having a black president, a lot of people don't agree with having a black president that it is a downfall for our society because the American people are falling into affirmative action that we owed him something for what the blacks went through during slavery, instead of thinking that he was actually the best person for the job.
ReplyDeleteThis movie really made me think about racism. We live in such a sheltered community in the state of Utah, and it is unlike the rest of the country. This movie was more than just racism, though. It showed affirmative action, but in a way people could actually relate to it. It is wrong to discriminate people for being a minority, but it is also just as wrong to give them special privileges for being one, as well. Plus, as Derek found out in the movie, it doesn't have to be a yes or no; sometimes, the choice isn't very clear on what's "right" or "fair." The part of this movie that stood out to me the most is when Derek's dad had to hire black people just to fill a quota, to make sure he wasn't discriminating. That is not what equal rights is about at all. This movie pointed out that this wasn't right.
ReplyDeleteAmerican History X was quite a movie. When it started and I was like.. ok.. lol. But as the storyline progressed I was beginning to understand why things in the movie were the way they were. It vividly and realistically depicts the mental ideas and actions of the people involved with Aryan ideals and motives. It's horrifying to see how far some of them go to get the message across. Curbing is brutal, difficult to watch, and that's off of a movie; real life, oh man. The idea we figured after the movie that hate is what drives most people to such drastic actions is something I believe to be true. Someone offends someone else and for some reason that other person feels it in his power to seek retribution. They are fueled by hate towards the offender and then do something to them that in turn causes the original offender to grow a stronger hatred towards the other. This back-n-forth action continues on and on increasing in intensity until eventually someone is hit too hard, which often times means death for someone. I personally think this mentality is stupid. You could call me a pacifist and what-not, but it really is easier to avoid any more confrontation by simply, in the philosophical words, "turn the other cheek". Yes that guy offended you really bad, but shoving it back to him is only going to cause more problems, just forget about it. Another issue is brought up by this movie, and that is the controversy with Affirmative Action. I think it's dumb, but we do need it because of the racist zealots out there who so happen to be the ones in charge of hiring people for a certain company. If we didn't have them screwing the workforce by preferring one race over another, we wouldn't need Affirmative Action. Unfortunately we do have them, and until we can get rid of them, the concept behind Affirmative Action is needed to keep things fair- though by itself AA isn't. I myself am a minority, and think it's sad that we have to resort to AA before any sort of justice is done between races. It simply goes to show that people, for some reason, are still racist in today's world. You would think that after knowing what racism has done to society in the past, we'd get over it, but I guess some just can't learn that. The bottom line is that we are all human; that's what matters, not whether we are Black, White, Asian, Korean, Mexican, Indian, etc...
ReplyDeleteThis was the first time I saw American History X and I thought this was a real eye opener. I did not realize the depth of racism and hate that still is in our country today. Also, I have reserched before and this movie made me think even more in depth about affirmative action. I totally dissagree with affirmative action and I think only the best of the best should get the job. I think their should be no way a person of a minority group should be able to get a job even tho he is less qualified. I realize America may not have been fair in the past but reversing the discrimination will not do anything posetive. America is the land of equal opportunity so we should not agree with affirmative action.
ReplyDeleteAmerican History X is a fantastic movie that really makes you think. I feel that this movie brings a lot of controversy when you first watch the movie and don't know how it will end. a lot of people have been writing that it was a real eye opener but the scary fact is that we really have people that really feel the way Derek felt before he realized that the color of your skin or your beliefs don't make you any different from anyone. i feel we have come along way from where we were 20 years ago but still have a long way to go as a society to really accept everyone.
ReplyDeleteThis film reminded me of my childhood. I lived in Florida for a bit and its easy to see how the idea's of racism florish in the simple minded individuals. I remember the University of Florida still had segregated lunch rooms in 1987 and how at my elementry school kids would talk about taking guns and "killing all the niggers". It was very much a dramatic change from Oklahoma, where we just learn to get along with everyone. But I still I felt this film portrayed the simplicity of the minds, and how we can be lead in many directions by choosing to either question the facts or events or looking deeper into the situation. I was blown away by the ending. I expected to see Dereck getting shot and his brother falling back into the hatred gang. But alas it is just a film. I wouldn't expect to see to many true stories such as this. I've seen children raised thinking they are best simply because of the color of their skin. Its a sad situation one that I do believe affirmative action has helped both create and also lessen the power. As we continue to help the minorities become our equals in education and finances. We will gain a respect for them as they will us. It takes a long for the hatred and racism to grow and it will take just as long for it to retreat from our society.
ReplyDeleteAmerican History X is a great movie that really makes you think. This was my first time watching this film but i found it to be an eye opener. I feel that this movie brings lots of controversy when they show how Derek acted and the things he did before he changed.something scary is the fact that we still have people that really feel the way Derek felt before he changed. That some people will never change. This movie makes you realize how real this is and how people still act that way.
ReplyDeleteAmerican History X really opened my eyes to things that have happened in the world and what continue to happen. Discrimination and Racism are things of history, whites hating blacks and visa versa. This film really made you see what it truly was like. Derek a man who's father dies. He becomes very aggresive and against blacks. He is apart of a radical white supreimicist group. He is in this ongoing battle between each other. His group would do everything they can to get the respect they deserve. They would go as far as killing someone just to prove a point. Derek did a real change in his life. Before when derek looked at someone all he saw was the color of their skin and that determined everything. It was amazing to see the change which occured. I think people don't realize that these things actually still happen. Maybe not to the affect which was shown in the film but it is around us, but the great thing about it is that people can change for the better.
ReplyDeleteThe American X movie was so impressive on me that I had to watch it twice. This movie well expresses about racism between white and non-white people. After I saw the movie, I felt that it brought a lot of spiritual thinking, particularly that all people are same. Nobody is different. The main character, Derek, was a racist. He killed a black guy and was sent to prison for his crime. During the time that he was in prison, he made friends with a few black prisoners and realized that white people are not better than any other race. After the experience, he tried to change his mind set and life style. I think that if he had had any black friends while growing up or even other friends from other races, he would not have made those actions. Even though he changed his life style, his younger brother was killed by some black people who were friends with the man that he killed as a revenge. It was such a sad story. I think that even though I am not an American, this country is the land of equal opportunity. No matter what, all people are equal.
ReplyDeleteI was not raised in Utah. I’m from Ohio and spent most of elementary and middle school there. Issues of race and racism came up a lot when I was there. Clearly much more so than it does here. At the same time, I feel like having grown up in an environment where there were so many African-American and Asian-American classmates and friends gave me an advantage. I had no reason to fear people of other races and cultures. I knew enough people from several different backgrounds to know that there was nothing scary about any one race as a whole. I mean, we have Charles Manson and Ted Bundy as members of the Caucasian race. It really doesn’t get much worse than that!
ReplyDeleteI hate that in this day and age there is still SO much racism in our culture. It’s certainly less prominent and less acceptable than it used to be which is good, but I’m always amazed at the ignorance of some people and their comments. I can remember when I was younger my dad took me to see “The Preacher’s Wife” with Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington and we invited my former step-mother (who was my step-mother at the time) to join us. She FA-REAKED out and said there was no way she was going to see a movie about (insert the “N” word here…). I think that I was ten at the time and I just couldn’t believe what came out of her mouth! Just stupid situations and ignorant people like that are what make these negative situations happen, and perpetuate.
I teach my children NOT to think and feel that way and hopefully that will stick. I don’t believe that there is any excuse for racism, no matter how you’re raised or who “wrongs” your family.
I was raised by a VERY Southern mother. While she claims to be all about equality, some of her comments and actions definitely indicate otherwise. While she certainly was/is never extreme about any of it, her feelings have certainly been made known to myself and my siblings.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to have rubbed off some on my sister, but my brother and I do not share their feelings AT ALL. I just don’t see myself as any different than anyone of any other race. I guess you could say I’m somewhat colorblind when it comes to those issues. While my environment was nowhere NEAR what Derek’s was, the basic premise was there and turned out to be a normal, VERY tolerant person and I just don’t feel like you can blame very much of who you are on your parents.
I think that Depeche Mode said it best:
“So we’re different colours
And we’re different creeds
And different people
Have different needs.
It’s obvious you hate me
Though I’ve done nothing wrong.
I’ve never even met you
So what could I have done?
I can’t understand
What makes a man
Hate another man
Help me understand
People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get along so awfully?”
~Martin L. Gore 1984