There was a lot going on in this section but I think the part that most stood out to me was the witness who was not asked to testify because her account differed. I find it so ridiculous that someone in the court did not demand that all the voices be heard. I think for anything to be considered truly fair and just, everyone must feel represented. The way the court was running, the minorities were bound to fail and this sadly happens way too often. This can relate to things that are happening politically today as well. This time, people such as Mexicans and Muslims are the minority and once again White people are making all the decisions. This time, people are taking more of a stand and there are more protests, but history continues repeating itself. The government still has biases and narratives against certain groups purely based off of what they’ve heard or are letting a single person represent an entire nation.
The other piece that really struck me was when she portrayed Elaine Young, the wealthy white woman. There were multiple phrases that really made me see the difference between her and just about everyone else that is portrayed in this film. First, the very first thing that Elaine mentions is her date. She talks about how she was scared to be alone so she just called her date and instantly felt better after being with him. The fact that she is afraid is interesting, as she i seemingly uninvolved in the conflict. She actually says, “At a certain point you just have to say let me put this out of my mind and be done.” As if these riots and what they stand for can simply be moved to the back of your mind without a second thought. She also thought the hotel was a sanctuary and no one could hurt them there because of safety in numbers. Second, when she talks about the letter that someone sent her, she’s appalled at the very thought of her being guilty of anything. She tries very hard to make herself appear innocent and the writer of the letter seem like an ignorant person who just couldn’t understand what she was trying to say. When instead, she is the ignorant one and is unwilling to hear the other side’s point of view. I feel that if she really cared how this person felt, she would find out what the riots were really about and why people were so angry.
Alexa,
ReplyDeletePointing out the fact that Elaine Young is not even involved in the riots is very adept. After all, what right does she have to be afraid, not for those who are being beaten on the streets, but for herself, a wealthy white girl who can go to the Beverly Hills hotel for dinner and the sanctity of other rich white people? I think that a lot of the time people push down thing that they dont want to think about. I personally have found it very difficult to keep up with politics after Trump's election because of how difficult it is to face something that feels so big and out of your control head on. Does this make her a bad person? I think it can be difficult to find the line between a person with a lack of empathy and a person who is completely overwhelmed. I agree that she comes from privilege and that she appears to be selfish and unempathetic on the surface, just playing devil's advocate.
It's clear the thought that there were people dying in the streets, and not just during the riots but all the time, did not cross Elaine Young's mind through the fear she personally was feeling. This goes back to Bryan Stevenson's point about proximity. Elaine Young is so surrounded by rich, white people that there's no reason for this to cross her mind.
ReplyDeleteTo me though, the frustration comes not from the fact that Ms. Young was afraid, but that she was so desperate to call the man who wrote the letter to "explain" what she meant. She wanted the oppotunity to hear an "it's ok" so she could get rid of the feeling of guilt for being priviledged. And this is exactly what's wrong. It's White Fragility. She does not have to respond to the man and defend her situation. It would most show that she truly cared by simply listening. White people ought to start listening a whole lot more. Not to respond, just to listen. And then stay quiet and simply reflect. But a feeling of guilt and discomfort too often gets in the way. We are so quick to find the reason we're not one of the "bad whites." Her fear was understandable, but I think when called out on her privilege, she should have truly thought about it and acknowledged her privilege in being able to "put this out of [her] mind and be done."
Good points, Alexa!
"I think it can be difficult to find the line between a person with a lack of empathy and a person who is completely overwhelmed:" I completely agree! Plus, a lot of individuals of privilege just don't have a lot of practice being empathetic toward people who aren't in their immediate orbits. So it stands to reason that when they are called upon to be empathetic in a big, high-stakes, public situation, they tend to be really bad at it.
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