‘Crash’ made me think I may be a little racist…Maybe

This past weekend, I decided to basically bum around my house than travel to Houston to see the game. I love my Jags, and I had faith in them that they’d win. So, I simply listened to the beat down on the radio and gorged myself on awful cable movies and chick flicks, courtesy of my local Wal-Mart.
One of the ongoing movies that were shown sans cursing, sex and, you know…excitement was the 2005 Academy Award winner for Best Movie indie picture, “Crash.” After seeing another f-bomb dubbed over as ‘freak,’ I decided to watch the real thing on DVD.
Crash raises a lot of interesting issues, most of them dealing with race and race issues in present day America. On Monday, my cousin and I were discussing the movie, as the former admitted that she really didn’t know what it was about.
I, the ever astute and to-the-point person that I am summed, the movie up in one quick quip, “Everybody in America is basically a racist.”
While funny, it was true.
In the movie, African Americans, Whites, Chinese, Persians, El Salvadorians, and Japanese people were discriminated against and were discriminators themselves.
One of the most poignant phrases, in the movie, “You in America, speak American!” spoke volumes the ignorance and bigotry in the American society. Never mind that English is the official language of the United States, not American. American is a nationality, at most.
In light of recent Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman’s racist comments, the Jena 6, and Don Imus (and his gradual, little publicized return to radio), the themes of American racism in the 2000s carries on, mirroring the movie.
I’ll be the first one to admit that after seeing ‘Crash’ again, and really watching it, then applying the basic ‘Love thy neighbor’ mantra to life, that I have had some racist moments. And, if you are as real as nearly everyone on this campus claims to be, you have as well.
Think about it.
I have suspiciously blamed the Vietnames Japanese – and just to cover all my bases – Asian nail technicians with names like Betty, Sally and Becky of speaking ill of myself and my black ‘sistahgirls’ as we’re getting mani- and pedicures.
I’ve questioned the competence of some African American contractors, especially after walking upon two pausing to eat after arriving, then barbequing while on the job.
I have even imitated and teased the heavily accented English of nearly countless nationalities and ethicities.
Yet, as soon as someone other than a Black person says ‘nigger,’ myself, as well as JJ and Big Perm (Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton, respectively) are up in arms about them, screaming for vindication, justice and holding hands, crying out, “We shall overcome.”
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see a world where we all got along, and there were no longer arrests for ‘Driving Whle Black (DWB)’ or profiling. People of brown and darker complexions wouldn’t be called ‘border hoppers’ or ‘rag heads’, ‘Bin Laden’s cousin/auntie/brother,’ ‘wetbacks,’ and even the time old ‘nigger.’
Maybe, just maybe, if everyone really took a moment out to think that the little race related jokes that are passed within a group of friends, or family, and how racist it may seem to the people to whom it is aimed towards things could get a little better in the world of American race relations.
Don’t believe me?
Picture walking (as an African American) upon a group of Caucasians, who will be stereotypically named Tom, Dick (Richard prefers this) and Harry.
If you hear Tom say, “I just saw this nigga buy two watermelons and a grape drink. Dude, it totally had ‘Grape Drink’ on it. It was like something from a Dave Chappelle skit,” the angry, black person within you would not join in on the group’s “sharing time” laugh, nor would you sit by quietly.
On the other hand, if a group of African Americans, again stereotypically named Hennessy, Champagne and Alize had that same conversation, a whole other speil about ‘my favorite Chappelle quotes EVER!’ conversation would ensue.
So, in addition to fewer, if any race fueled jokes, the double standard in many cultures should cease to even be a standard at all.
Think about that. A world without racism. Perfection.
In retrospect, I should have watched ‘Rent’ and called it a day.
It makes for better conversations.