Every now and then a movie will come along that really gives me great sadness when it depicts how poorly people have treated each other in this world throughout its history. This was especially true of 12 Years A Slave when I saw it the other day in the theater.
Based upon the true story of a man named Solomon Northrup, who was a free black man kidnapped and sold into slavery on a visit to Washington, D.C. in 1841, 12 Years A Slave was very painful to watch. While I studied rather intensely the history of the black culture in the United States through several courses in college, never did I see back then such a realistic depiction of the horrors that came with slavery as I did in this movie. The film was so superbly directed by Steve McQueen and acted by Chiwetel Ejiofor playing Solomon, that it made it one of those rare movies where I felt as if I were watching a documentary.
While Northrup was one of the few people who escaped a life of slavery and lived to tell about it, 12 Years A Slave showed how so many others never did. As I watched the movie, I was truly horrified at the beatings, rapes, and gross mistreatments that black men and women went through during those days. It depicted a period in United States history that I find to be rather shameful on our part. Watching some of those horrific beatings and rapes take place made me feel sick to my stomach at how people of the same color as me once thought that this was acceptable. Not too long ago in this country, black men and women were thought of and treated as animals even though they had hearts and souls just like me. It baffles me how the hearts of these slave owners were so cold and ruthless as they beat their slaves senseless, constantly used the “N” word, and kept all of them so deeply oppressed. Thankfully, our country woke up and abolished slavery, but the sad reality is that minorities, like blacks, still aren’t being treated equally in this country.
How many times do you think minority based people are on the receiving end of police brutality these days?
How many times do you think minority based people are refused service at various places of business these days?
How many times do you think minority based people are passed over for promotions even though they were more than qualified these days?
The answer to each of them is a lot more than you think.
While America may have evolved to a country being run by a black man, there are still tremendous examples of gross mistreatment of minorities going on all around us every single day. We may not have slavery anymore, but many Caucasians still do their best to oppress minorities, like black men and women. Many Caucasians still try to retain some status of being the dominant race in this country. But in all reality, we are all equal. We always were in God’s eyes, but the fear of many white men and women led them away from that to practicing things such as slavery.
I’m thankful today I’m doing my best to treat EVERYONE equally no matter what their race, sex, age, disability, language, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation. I wish that could be said true for everyone else in this world, but many are still living in the shadows and darkness where they don’t treat minorities equally. Hopefully, movies like 12 Years a Slave will do a lot more than just entertain people. Maybe it will help to move the hearts of many of those still practicing racism and start leading them far away from any of that type of behavior.
Regardless, I’m just grateful that I don’t try to oppress people like the slave owners once did. I’m also grateful that God has given me a compassionate heart for all types of people. The bottom line is that there is no difference between any of us in this world when it comes right down to it. We all are brothers and sisters to each other as well as children of God. We all have have hearts and souls worthy and deserving of giving and receiving love equally to each other. And if you are practicing anything else in your life than this, then you are no different than some of those slave owners who were depicted in 12 Years a Slave…Now that’s some food for thought isn’t it?
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
