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05/06/2012 11:32:00 PM
In order for someone to be underprivileged, someone has to be overprivileged. Whites have thrived on the oppression of other races, all the while maintaining that America is a meritocracy. Almost every black person in the U.S. descended from slaves which means they came from NOTHING, and almost every white person profited from that slavery in some way, which means they came from something. That power differential still affects us today, only now the manifestations of those differences are seen as inherent characteristics in the races-- blacks don't have jobs because they're lazy, dumb or incapable while whites are somehow better, smarter and more capable. Do you think this is true? Or maybe could there be opportunities more typically available to whites that better prepare them for a life in this world?
Perhaps Jackie, those homes are broken because this is a world where whites hold the power and the stresses to get by for a black family are more than you could imagine. Also Jackie, 1 in 3 black males end up in the judicial system for crimes against whom? I'd venture to guess against other blacks or minorities, not little white girls like yourself as the media would have you believe. Blacks are forced compete against each other to reach this American Dream that only some of us are equipped to achieve. Take a class in multiculturalism and educate yourself on your white privilege, Jackie.
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T. Martinez 04/09/2012 11:27:00 PM
Ignorant people like you, Jackie, have obviously never experienced any racism in life. You're the type that probably grew up taught that the word "racism" meant hating someone for the color of their skin. That is only a small part of what it means to hold prejudices. You are saying that an entire race should be judged as thugs, failures, and felons based on only a portion of its people. Race should not be boiled down to stereotypes and you, my ignorant little rich girl, should not resort to stereotypes and call it fact. The only reason it even resembles fact is the poverty gap. You want to preach about how minorities are too lazy to get an education? We are not born into money and, unfortunately, school costs money. Mommy and Daddy don't pay for our school; we do it on our own. Jobs aren't available readily for us when people assume we are all gangsters because of our language. You want to hide behind the few people who depict us as doctors and lawyers? We know what they really feel about us when they chop up our vocabulary and make our characters too dependent on the white ones, too sexy to be respectable, or too strong to be considered kind. Let's face it: there are some really bad misconceptions taking place here. I'm not going to insult you further since I know it wasn't your fault you were raised with the wool over your eyes. But I will challenge you to be a little more open to the opinions and feelings of others. Can you try that? I have struggled to overcome the awful stereotypes that have been thrust upon me by my fellow minorities, long enough to be a year away from my bachelor's degree to teach elementary school. You can at least move that much.
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87fresh 04/07/2012 1:17:00 AM
This is sooo true, stupid pale faced honkey went and provided a better life for a black person. WTF? Why do most black people call everything racist?
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04/01/2012 12:03:00 AM
Are you kidding me? THIS is racist? Maybe if you black people could stop obsessing about race for 5 minutes, you might be able to look at reality. Last time I checked, art imitates life. Last time I checked, the MAJORITY of black people come from broken, one parent homes. The last time I checked, a black person was still more likely to end up in prison than graduate high school. Last time I checked, 1 in 3 black males end up in the judicial system at some point in their life due to crime.
You want to cry about how movies depict black people, yet everyday I see black people in shows depicted as lawyers, doctors, and businessmen. I would even go as far as saying black people are depicted as professionals in movie, tv and commercials MORE than they actually work in these fields in real life.
No one owes you any apologies for depicting things as they are. If you want to see black people shown in a purely positive light, then perhaps you should be pointing the finger at your own culture, which directly contradicts that fantasy
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CharlotteTheArtist 02/17/2012 5:04:00 AM
Ah-hem! God bless our little human brains! He just had to scramble our eggs a little bit for some entertainment and mess with skin pigmentation!! Who knew right?!!
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01/15/2012 4:41:00 PM
Be more LIBERAL. I know it sounds stupid but the reason white people look down on black people is because they are so CONSERVATIVE. I mean, look at ghetto culture: Its a bunch of capitalist Christians!
You might think that the reason white people look at you funny if you're in a nice car making an *** of yourself is because they're jealous of your car. It isn't like that. You see, there's something called "spiritual enlightenment" which you can't get from a Baptist church. Do you know what a "hippie is"? What about "Buddhism" or "Hinduism?" There's a start.
As long as black people keep thinking that the escalade makes them, white people will continue thinking that their brains are no more intelligent than that of an automobile. You don't need money to be happy.
Last time I typed something like this to a black person she accused me of "feeling sorry for myself" because I told her I could live in a mud hut and be happy. That's not feeling sorry for myself that's being STRONG. Only STRONG people can survive without their stupid escalades and nice clothes.
When black people become LIBERAL, THEN they will get respect from white people. Not from rednecks but we all hate them anyway, rednecks ruin every part of our culture that the gangstas and hustlas don't ruin. To be liberal you have to realize that money isn't everything, learn to laugh at all the "hustlas" because you know what they're all stupid as ****,
And then be more accepting toward other races, including other black people, stop being so loud, stop being so bossy, just be a normal person and stop trying so hard to be better than everyone else because all we see when we see black people act that way? Is we see sad, scared, pathetic, hateful little people who don't want peace or love or understanding, they just wanna start **** and be mean to people so they can make money.
Money isn't worth it. This hustla mentality is destroying all the LOVE in the world and it needs to end.
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01/15/2012 4:33:00 PM
And P.S....once again...
ITS NOT ABOUT THE CARS. Its about you should respect the poor and the needy and not piss on them the way black "hustlas" are doing. I think if I was a "tea partier" I'd be telling you to go ahead and piss on the poor but my message is exactly the OPPOSITE of that.
You're going to tell me that I don't realize what those gang bangers go through at home. How do you know I didn't go through the same things growing up? You continue to separate everyone into "gang bangers" and "Not gang bangers" and you continue to tell the "not gang bangers" that they deserve to get pissed on because they haven't been through what the "gangstas" have been through.
Even now, in 2012 where "gangstas" and "thugs" are old school, they still talk the same way about "hustlas". But here's the thing. What about when 95% of the entire neighborhood is fill with "hustlas"?
What gives you the right to tell the other 5% that they don't know what the 95% is going through? I think the normal people who live in the ghetto and just want to be left alone are the ones who need sympathy. Those 5% have been SO neglected and its not fair. I wish each one of those 5% can escape their crap neighborhood and their crap culture and live with nice white people, yes I said it, nice white people, not to hang out with rednecks or juggalos or other angry mean cultures, but so they can hang out with real, true, LIBERAL white people who will teach them that they're not STUPID for thinking that money isn't everything.
And they're not STUPID for not going along with hip hop culture. But they never get to be told that. Instead everyone concentrates on the hustlas and gangstas and respects THEM and THEIR struggles. YOu keep saying "don't judge them you don't know what they go through"
BUt maybe its THEM, the angry loudmouth ghetto types, that need to STFU for 30 seconds and consider what OTHER people go through, because of THEM. Think about how AWESOME and fun of a culture they could build with the money that they have.
Instead they choose to be negative and live for money. You ever see a party with these people? Not a smile in the room. Noone yelling or shouting or making a fool of themselves, no, everyone's gotta be a "hustla". You say "I got this nice car, this nice job, but people still see me as a n*****. Drop the ego and then people might stop seeing you as a n*****. ITS NOT ABOUT MONEY. So hard explaining this to people who automatically assume anyone who disagrees with them is a 'hater" and they never see the hatred in their own souls
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01/15/2012 4:22:00 PM
I've actually lived in a ghetto and it was pure hell being surrounded by the most ignorant, violent, and hateful culture I have ever, or will ever truly know.
See you're all WHITE people commenting probably, I"m white too but I bet I have a much different background than you do. You all probably think that anyone who disagrees with your culture MUST be an "angry white boy". I'm actually a hippie. I believe in love, peace, and understanding.
Ghetto people, who mostly HAPPEN to be black, don't realize that love, peace, and understanding is fun and awesome. They just think its "stupid" because anything that isn't hip hop is automatically "stupid" and hip hop OWNS black and ghetto people. The entire culture is about money. Money money money, Ripping off others, Stepping over others.
I would say that black culture in the US today is exactly like white culture was hundreds of years ago. They're still living in the middle ages where the rich are superior and the poor are inferior, where rape is still the victim's fault (see "Richmond high react to gang rape" youtube video)...
Its not that I endorse this old fashioned, racist, redneck culture that all the black people reading this surely ASSUME I'd endorse.
My problem with ghetto/hustla culture, and the reason I AGREE with this movie (I wish I had a "nice white lady" to save me from all the mean angry ghetto people I had to live with when I was a kid. I was a good kid and I really deserved better, same goes to the 2 or 3 black people I knew who were peaceful and wanted an escape)
But my problem with that culture actually ISN'T a bunch of republican redneck bull**** that I'm sure everyone reading this assumes that it is. Its the opposite. MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING. That's why black people are so oppressed. They refuse to allow liberalism into their lives.
Its LIBERALISM that you need. That's what black people need to learn. Is how to be LIBERAL. Too bad liberals themselves are too scared to speak out against ghetto culture. But I"m a liberal and I'm speaking out against it. I speak out against ANY oppressive culture that tells you you're worthless if you don't make enough money or "hustle" hard enough.
No NOONE is worthless, see how lovey dovey my message is? Now please, will some angry, toothless, negative POS angry black person cuss me out, and tell me to "go fuck my momma" so that everyone can see how closed minded, ignorant, dirty, and UGLY ghetto people are. Not the people born in the ghetto. But all the thugs and hustlas and the women who love them.
PS this has nothing to do with color, in every black ghetto there's usually 2 or 3 white people who grew up there and fit in just fine. That's not why the culture never accepted me. They never accepted me because I'm not LIKE them, I don't WANT to be rich. I want to live in a world that's more loving. Having a nice car won't do anything for me.
I'll bet you still think I "feel sorry for myself" because you morons can't read, right? I'll bet you still think I"m some angry redneck tea partier who's mad that black people have money. EVEN THOUGH I'VE EXPLAINED HUNDREDS OF TIMES THAT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN MONEY.
Its nearly IMPOSSIBLE to try to explain the non-commercialist attitude to black people. "YOU'RE NOT OBSESSED WITH FANCY CARS???? YEW MEAN YOU FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF AND DRESS IN RAGS???" *sigh* give them another few decades.
To any hippies or liberals out there? Please feel me and reach out to more people like me and please realize that even though they're a minority, there are lots of black and brown people who feel like I do as well and I think there should be MORE escapes from the ghetto. I think we should LEAVE the ghetto to all the thugs and hustlers and we should be able to live in a poor neighborhood and not be rich, but still, not live in such a negative environment, the thugs and hustlers have made things hard enough for long enough. They've added so much violence and commercialism to the mix and they've turned ghetto people into a race of snobs who will look down on you if you aren't wearing the latest newest enyce jacket.
How do you get all those nice things? Selling crack to black people. Nice. And you tell me I'm the blabbering idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about?
I'm going to repeat this one more time: YOU DON'T NEED LOTS OF MONEY TO BE HAPPY, BLACK PEOPLE. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT BECAUSE I'M JEALOUS. I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU NEED TO STOP THINKING YOU'RE BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE OF THE CAR YOU DRIVE. I'D LIKE BLACK PEOPLE TO BE OUR EQUALS ONE DAY BUT TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT LOVE, PEACE, AND UNDERSTANDING IS AND LEARN TO EMBRACE THOSE THINGS INSTEAD OF CONSTANTLY PUTTING OTHER PEOPLE DOWN AND TRYING TO BE "BETTER" THAN EVERYONE ELSE YOU NEED TO LEARN TO LOVE OTHER PEOPLE AND STOP THINKING YOU'RE BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE YOU'RE A "HUSTLA" AND ASSUMING EVERYONE IS INTERESTED IN YOUR STUPID FUCKING CAR.
You people need to read up on the hippies from the 1960s, seriously. WHAH WOULD AH WANNA READ UP AWN SOME OLD SHIT AHM A HUSTLA DA STREETS TAWT ME
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12/02/2011 1:47:00 PM
And you're complaining about this article being racist...?
I quote: "Most ghettos are filled with young black unemployed male and females who could have a better life and get out of the projects without the help of rich whiteys, but on average they are too lazy."
Pot, meet kettle.
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11/04/2011 6:44:00 PM
Yall r a bunch of dumb asses. Yes its a movie about a poor black kid. Yes it shows the blacks in the movie in a bad light. And yes he Is portrayed as less than educated and good at sports. Thats not racist, its the truth. Watch the interview with Oher...he tells of how he was poor and could not handle to schoolwork and honework so he needed a tutor. He also explains how the "ghetto" where he grew up was full of drug dealers, crack addicts and such. This is a true story. But as usual you have a damn chip on your shoulder and think everything and everyone is racist. Maybe its just u are racist. And i doubt u would turn down free food, housing, clothes and a better life if someone offered it to u, no matter what color they were. The truth is that u just want an excuse to make sonething seem racist but here is some food for thought. Most ghettos are filled with young black unemployed male and females who could have a better life and get out of the projects without the help of rich whiteys, but on average they are too lazy. The reason blacks are chatacterized as good athletes is bc they are, on average, better than other races...just look at the nba, nfl and mlb. Lets stop making excuses for the way things are. Whites are more successful and commit less crime, absorb less of the tax payers money through welfare, and are generally more likey to help someone than steal from them than blacks. Its not racism...its the trith
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jared 08/01/2011 6:31:00 AM
This is literally the most racist movie of all time. First of all he is the family pet, like a guard dog, he protects his white masters. They say he got a 98% in protective instincts, but below 5% in everything else, showing he is nothing but a guard dog. In the movie they call him king kong, tarzan, and other things i dont recall. There is not one positive black person. They make it seem like all a black man wants to do is screw a white woman. Worst of all bullock even tells him she will cut his peepee off, which is one of the underlying messeges of the whole movie. (Demassculizing big mike, example: bullock tells one of the coaches that another coach took mike to a strip club and he had nightmares for weeks, what grown boy gets nightmares after seeing breast. None.) My mom almost fainted at the blatent rascism that was in this movie.
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06/23/2011 11:34:00 PM
God! I cant believe how condescending this movie was!! Only through the alturistic grace of a precocious little white family can this child succeed! Look at the **** movie closely. Every single black african american that is portrayed in this move is either STUPID or EVIL. Even the NCAA agent!
This movie made me cringe with disgust and bewilderment. And to top it all off Sandra bullock won an award for it!
Seriously, Hollywood is a place muddled with stereotyping racism! Ask yourselves, did Denzel Washington win for Great Debators or Training Day? Same with forest whitkar; Great Debators or Last King of Scotland?
As an African American, I am appauled and pissed.
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SmithJohn 05/18/2011 12:14:00 PM
I believe that this is all STUPID! If he is black he is black. Either way society is twisted and its hard out here for black people. We were the ones being looked down upon and still are today. Most white people believe that blacks don't deserve too get out the "GHETTOS" and "PROJECTS" and that we should stay in "our place". Like WTF is "our place" WE ARE ALL PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And if all rich people were like the old yet sexy Sandra Bullock and weren't snobby, we would live in a great world.......We're people too you know!?!?
fux yu guyz
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Pddoyle66 04/10/2011 3:06:00 AM
This is ridiculous.
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M45_2009 03/29/2011 10:26:00 AM
You guys in in the good ole south still talking about race huh........Maybe you should figure out better names for your freeways instead of naming them after terrorist.....Osama Bush Freeway......lol
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Mollyme 03/13/2011 3:23:00 AM
*and yes i am well aware he is half white*
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Mollyme 03/13/2011 3:22:00 AM
honestly ignorant people like you show the lack of wisdom. it could hav been anyone, so stop stereotyping. it depends on the job, becuz you need an education to get the good paying jobs. escpecially on that last sentence, i am black and i know i havnt broken the law yet, so please stop with the stereotyping, cuz it shows your own life. theyre are successful people everywhere no matter the color. heck, our president is black!
suck on that.
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Allie 01/25/2011 11:02:00 PM
I saw the preview for this movie and I wanted to see it immediatley. This is based off of a true story. A Hollywood producer did not pull this out of his ass like most that you see today. The majority of this actually happened. In an interview with Michael Oher he stated that yeah they had to add a few things but they had to sell it. Those things had NOTHING to do with race. This movie is not racist at all. You have to get off your high horse to see it, without your predjudices, to understand that. This can happen to anyone. In fact 75% of foster kids have come from substance abusing parents. Black AND White. this movie is about a woman who takes a poor boy under her wing, it's about his amazing ability in football. They are praising this man for his outstanding talent in left offensive tackle. To further prove my point, the BLACK woman interviewing Mike, does she not look well off? and check your facts because Michael Oher's real "mamma"(the black one for those who don't know) says that the past is gone, the world is a good place, and it's all gonna be okay. So if you are going to unleash your personal opinion and state that this movie is racist, get your argument straight.
Thank You
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Wow 01/03/2011 7:18:00 PM
Black people make me laugh sometimes. The Movie isn't racist. Thank god a wealthy WHITE family (could have just as easily been a black family) took him and saved him from that backwards way of living. Yes, it is backwards, and they have no one to blame but themselves. With affirmitive action nowadays, it is NOT difficult to get an education, it is NOT difficult to get a job, but somehow it IS difficult for black people to remain law abiding or to become contributing members of society.
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Chris 12/15/2010 9:36:00 PM
And some questions about the movies accuracy by the way:
In the movie the white family did not know Mike had a talent in football. Was that the truth?
Also: in the movie the white family, mostly the 11 year old boy, teaches Mike (a 17 year old american young man) the rules of football. Was that acurate ? I highly doubt it.
In other words it is provable by facts that the movie makers exaggerated (excuse my english, im dutch) certain elements and even changed facts to make the white family look better.
The fact that the movie so desperately tries to prove in the beginning that they learned about his football qualities AFTER they had taken him in, is a clear hint to the conflict with that fraude tracking organisation you see at the end of the movie.
And come on ... are we really supposed to believe that a street kid from the United states grows up to be good in basketball (as portrayed in the movie) but has (at the age of 18) not a clue on what football is about let alone what rules it is made of? Please... this movie is so completely faked I can't even believe it.
Greetings from Holland
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Chris 12/15/2010 9:06:00 PM
Yes, I totally agree with this review and in fact i googled " movie the blind side racist" just to prove my point. I was totally sick after watching 30 minutes of this film and the only reason i kept watching is because i was building a case, much like the one presented in this review. I am for one happy that some people see through this charade and see this movie for what it is. A false condescending story that seems to be about a black mans struggle but is really about how wonderfully selfless and coaching white people can be. I am white myself but not from America and I was truly sick from this uninspiring cheap-shot (and yes even) racist movie.
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kim 11/11/2010 9:39:00 AM
you guys are sick how dare you make black people look so dumb and stupid. I could read the line so clearly,how in the hell a snotty nose little white 5th grader show a grow man how ply pro ball. then what tops it off u guys the dumber uhe got you tryed to used the poor kid for a since of humor. how sick,all yall wanted to do was degrade black people in this movie.
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jason 10/06/2010 5:09:00 AM
Man, I'm as whitey-white-white as they come. I was even born with republican hair.
But I avoided this movie like the plague when it came out though I don't mind watching Ms. Bullock do her thing when shes doing a not so bad movie. (which, lets face it, is rare).
Anyways this p.o.s. film was on HBO last night and since it was free I watched it from about the beginning.
HOLY CR*P ! How were there not riots in the street ! How did she possibly win an Oscar for this insipid, pandering, tasteless, full-on racist 'thing'.
And would someone finally explain to me what this fetish about the big 'magical-negro' in movies is all about ?!
This movie was offensive in so many, many ways and for so many reasons but none more obvious or inexcusable than it's shameful, joy in belittling African Americans in order to make it's delusional target audience feel self righteous.
And we thought Jesse James and his girlfriends were racist. hmmpf.
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jason 10/06/2010 5:07:00 AM
Man, I'm as whitey-white-white as they come. I was even born with republican hair.
But I avoided this movie like the plague when it came out though I don't mind watching Ms. Bullock do her thing when shes doing a not so bad movie. (which, lets face it, is rare).
Anyways this p.o.s. film was on HBO last night and since it was free I watched it from about the beginning.
HOLY CR*P ! How were there not riots in the street ! How did she possibly win an Oscar for this insipid, pandering, tasteless, full-on racist 'thing'.
And would someone finally explain to me what this fetish about the big 'magical-negro' in movies is all about ?!
This movie was offensive in so many, many ways and for so many reasons but none more obvious or inexcusable than it's shameful, joy in belittling African Americans in order to make it's delusional target audience feel self righteous.
And we thought Jesse James and his girlfriends were racist. hmmpf.
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Tim 07/30/2010 7:32:00 AM
Thank you! I had to watch this movie with friends recently and (having known the REAL story) found myself siting there in awe of how offensive it was. Every Black person in the movie is portrayed as some kind of negative stereotype. The screenwriters took what was actually a very interesting story about a young man finding success despite having to overcome huge obstacles and turned into a contrived tale of a stupid poor black kid being molded into a football star with the help of rich white folks...in the south. When crap like this wins oscars it just sends a message to Hollywood that Americans are stupid and won't accept a movie involving black people unless it's pumped full of sterotypes. This is why we have jive talking robots in transformers, it's embarassing to everyone and it really needs to stop. And not that it matters but I'm white, and no this isn't white guilt I'm just really tired of seeing this kind of thing in our culture. We're all better than this.
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Adam 05/01/2010 10:58:00 PM
I'm inclined to agree with your analysis. The narrative of "The Blind Side" is a kind of racism adapted to post-racism. To me, the movie seemed to show how talented, docile, and worthy African Americans can be, thanks to smart white people, rescuing them from their own kind and bringing them into the safety of well-mannered white society.
I'm also skeptical of this whole "oops, did we accidentally exploit michael for our own interests" scene in the middle of the movie. Michael is already committed to a school and to his own role models' interests and they then tell him he doesn't have to stick with that committment, that he can choose another school.
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Dan 04/10/2010 9:05:00 PM
Anyone who sees the movie as racist is a racist. It's a true story, not fiction. It happened. No one invented it. Melissa Anderson is making the argument that the filmmakers made this movie so that white people could feel good about themselves. Right. Maybe, unlike you, Melissa Anderson, the filmmakers saw a good story. Maybe they didn't see it as a white family helping a black kid, but as a middle class family helping a poor kid. I always laugh when people who decry racism actually perpetuate it by continuing to divide us all into our various racial and ethnic categories. Don't these people even hear what Martin Luther King Jr. was saying? To judge people by their character, not by their color? Evidently not! To some people, it will always be about race. As long as they see everything through the prism of racism, they will be the real racists.
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ugk 04/10/2010 1:15:00 PM
I knew what this movie was all about from its spoilers.
Just another crap attempt to push white supremacy through Hollywood yet again. They were a bit more subtle with Avatar.
Only fools would fail to spot this trickery. But then again we live in a world full of sheep
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S. Moore 04/04/2010 3:08:00 PM
Did no one else catch the error in this article? Anderson says that "Leigh Anne soothes Michael by telling him "The past is gone, the world's a good place, and it's all gonna be OK.'" This was not Leigh Anne's line. It was Michael's line, quoting his crack-addicted mother. Hard to respect a reviewer who makes elementary mistakes like this.
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Rick 03/28/2010 3:33:00 AM
Just finished watching this flick. Thought all of the "racists" concerns were adequately addressed...the kid's biological mother was compassionately portrayed, his "homeboys" were also portrayed as tragic figures (realistically enough), and there was plenty of "white guilt" to go around.
Fact is, there are plenty of white families that would do the same thing if presented with the same set of circumstances, and do so every day. By far most people, black or white, want to do the right thing. What's wrong with a movie that portrays that?
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Kwasie 03/27/2010 1:28:00 AM
This is a feel-good movie, and a true one. I've read all of the previous comments. I applaud the author of the article for her courage, I applaud Sandra Bullock for her performance, and most importantly I applaud the family that actually did this. HOWEVER...this country is all about media images. In the absence of other positive images about us, there is the assumption that we (Blacks) all come from crackhead mothers and absent fathers. There is a rich history of good, professional, humanitarian, Black professionals in this country but that is not what the mass market sees. My question to the people complaining about this article is...what have you done to change as a result of seeing it? What are the underlying issues of why the ghettos exists? Why in 2010 are we still afraid of racism? How do you view Black people today? Challenge your own thinking...
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Jake 03/24/2010 7:55:00 AM
The problem with The Blind Side was not that a wealthy white woman helped a poor black kid, but that the movie lacked even an iota of subtlety or realism about what the dynamics between such an odd couple would actually be like. The portrayal of all the characters in the movie was absurdly simplistic, to the disservice of the black kid, as described by the author of the review.
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Anthony DuClare 03/10/2010 9:37:00 AM
I have my own review up on my blog. I address Ms. Anderson's criticisms about halfway down:
http://anthonyduclare.blogspot.com/2010/03/congratulations-sandra-bullock.html
TD on 29 Nov.: "did you actually read what this guy was saying? no one's saying that the true story was racist, it was a great thing she did. the point is that there are hundreds of these 'make white people feel better' and practically no movies made with the roles reversed."
This has absolutely nothing to do with Ms. Anderson's critique of The Blind Side. Even if it had been brought up, and even if it were true, it should not detract form this particular movie.
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UGA Football Fan 03/09/2010 7:42:00 PM
Josh, I'll be sure to follow-up your ridiculous letters (I'm sure they won't be coherent) with my own letters of support for the writer of this article. It's a viewpoint. She is allowed to have one. This is America. If you don't like it, move to a communist nation.
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Josh 03/09/2010 6:41:00 AM
AND ONE OTHER THING! Yeah, I'm pissed... you bet your ass I am.... I've written a scathing letter about you, to your bosses Mark Donald and Patrick Williams, as well as Village Voice Media, not asking, but DEMANDING your immediate dismissal. Doubt it will work, but it sure will make someone somewhere look up and think for a second. Here's hoping when they get my letters, that you become one more out of work hack with word processing software getting cold from lack of use.
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Josh 03/09/2010 6:34:00 AM
I want to add to my original post, this:
In answer to the question asked by the title of your "critique"... they'd go on to live a lot of life like the girl portrayed in the movie Precious. Since apparently a lot of black people have no interest in helping their own kind. (see how that works? It goes both ways, Hun.
So I guess if the wealthy white Touhy family had just let the poor, neglected black kid walk on by in the freezing rain, you would have called them racist? Right? Thought so. There's no winning with people like you, Melissa Anderson. None.
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Mike 03/09/2010 6:27:00 AM
What a load of garbage this review is. Oh, so Precious is better? How so? Why no wailing and gnashing of black teeth at that piece of racist garbage? Because Oprah and Tyler Perry had their hands in it? Talk about racists to the nth. Those two, wow! You'd have to be blind to not see it. I see who the real racists and haters are in the comments and postings below mine that are in support of your very small in scope view of this movie, Anderson. Time to get over yourselves people and stop seeing everything as assigned to ethnicity.
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Josh 03/09/2010 6:22:00 AM
Ya know, screw you Mizz Anderson. Fine, if this is your interpretation, so be it. Simply shows what a small and closed minded and VERY racist individual you are.
Don't look at the movie for what it is if you don't want to....and that would be, people exhibiting love and helping someone in need, with NO consideration as to the color of the skin of the person they're helping. YOU, my dear, are the one making race an issue, along with all those posting in favor of your tirade. White guilt..... I'm guessing you voted for Obama as well, so you could feel better about yourself. Eh?
How about Secret Life of Bees? Ever see that one, Melissa? Nobody had any issue about a black woman taking in a little white girl and helping her out. And nobody seemed to really care about that movie at all. Unlike this movie.
Or what about Precious -- a movie made up on nothing but lies and assumptions.......but yet everyone raves about it and says "SEE! Look how bad black people have it!" A total falsehood and a load of BS. Thank God now that the Oscars are over, it won't ever be looked at, heard of or mentioned again.
Blind Side is a TRUE story. Those who don't like it, it seems are the blacks who can't stand to see white people helping blacks (but then stand back and cry out because they say nobody wants to help them, whites in particular) and people like YOU who just don't seem to get it, on ANY level! YOU are the reason that movies like THIS can't be made, stories like THIS, can't be told.
So SHAME ON YOU, you daft, racist winch. Shame on you.
You've got it SO wrong. But you'll go through your life amounting to nothing more than a person who accomplishes nothing other than to sit around and write stories about how everyone else is wrong, and you're right.
I feel sorry for you, Melissa Anderson, I really do.
Actually, I take that back. No. I don't.
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Stuff Daddy 03/09/2010 12:26:00 AM
Thank you. I watched this movie where all black people were dumb, but strong & loyal, crack addicted or criminals and I couldn't believe it wasn't made in 1940.
This movie is the "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" of the 2000's. Like "Guess" it is a warm hearted movie made to allow liberal white folks to feel good about liking the "nice" black people and not liking the "N*ggers."
I heard little outrage anywhere, I was glad to see your article. I'm so sick of this "Black Buddy" type of bullshit. Thanks for writing.
The rest of you white people complaining. You are better than that. Get out of your damn complex about racism and reverse racism. Each one of you would be a militant if your were suddenly black. You have no idea what life is like for others and your feelings of entitlement and rationalism make you the pinnacle of ignorant hypocrisy.
-Stuff Daddy (a white man)
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jill peterson 03/08/2010 9:43:00 PM
this movie is so gross i had to review it. the mayor of my town, augusta, has a cameo in it. ew.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8cO28MCflU
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Jeffrey Heo 03/08/2010 6:43:00 AM
In the same sentence that the writer talks about an "insidious kind of racism," she uses the word "whiteys." Daft, racist, or poor attempt at humor? Also, the writer makes it sound like all Caucasian Americans who dare to help less fortunate African Americans are patronizing and condescending. Wow, talk about cynicism at its worst. Good thing most sensible people don't have her mud-colored glasses on.
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RM 03/02/2010 2:44:00 PM
what are you talking about? the movie was refreshing compare to the other sports movie. movie was about getting chances on life & taking advantage of opportunities... this is not about race. its about accepting who you are... letting go of the pass & taking opportunities & moving forward.
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robert 02/23/2010 5:55:00 AM
whites in us cant win nomater what we do or not do for blacks ,so if its so bad your free now move back were you came from ,and help and teach your own people how to stop slavery in you mother land.please,i can see whey you dont wont to fight for the us. but please you learnd how to fight to stop slavery so go help your brothers and sisters were they need it the most dont abanden them.they are the ones that really have it bad. or seggogate?
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Ray Rodriguez 02/22/2010 3:36:00 AM
I am brown Filipino.
I just want to say-that if these happens in real life-and it was faithfully recounted-then we should enjoy it for what it is- the rise of a young person from poverty through the help of a family that started caring for someone not like themselves.
It is a classic retelling of the "Parable of the Good Samaritan"
Were you offended bacause that is not what really happens?
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Wayne 02/05/2010 2:03:00 AM
I completely agree with the reviewer and reviews 12, 14, 15 and 16. I don't know what else to add to what they've said other than I CAN'T BELIEVE Sandra Bullock's up for an Oscar for her acting in this! And not only did I find this movie objectionable for race reasons, I also found the screenplay to be hackneyed and the acting in general to be excruciating. Every time SJ was on film I would cringe. Obviously, some people feel very protective of this movie, from the comments made here. All I can say is, "I don't get it at all". A documentary of this story would be far more interesting I think, or at least a screenplay that's not so Hallmark Channel-ish...
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A. H. 01/27/2010 7:08:00 AM
Dear Reviewer:
I applaud you for taking an unorthodox view of this "uplifting" film.
I think your analysis is right on the money.
You will, of course, get plenty of comments telling you that YOU are the racist who can't "get over" race--especially in Texas, where people so clearly haven't gotten over race.
I hope you expected that.
Please know that there are those of us who appreciate those who have the courage to see the truth, and speak it.
A.H.
Washington, DC
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12/15/2009 10:19:00 PM
Thank you, Melissa, for this point of view. I left the theater feeling pretty sick to my stomach. . . I was having trouble articulating why. I keep remembering the montage at the end of the moving showing all the "poor athletes" (pictures of black teens) whose (paraphrasing) "athletic potential would never be realized". . . . OMG, it still makes me mad.
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Tom R 12/11/2009 6:28:00 PM
What does "The Blind Side" say to different people?
To well-meaning white people, this movie might be an invitation to celebrate a shining example in which white generosity and courage save the day for a poor, black male. That feels pretty good. In our yearning for racial equality on our terms, it is tempting to want to celebrate an example of black ghettoization successfully assimilated into white society.
But who else is this movie speaking to? Black people? If so, what is it saying? Nothing good, from where I sit.
And therein lies the problem. "Blind Side" is a "for us, by us" movie for white people, designed to make us feel better about ourselves in the context of our racial privilege. It assuages our racial guilt like sin offering of snake oil.
But given the reality of ongoing racism, such self-affirmation is ultimately as fake and flimsy as a Hollywood backdrop. We'll need to do more than adopt a black child every now and then if we are ever going to build a just and free society.
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Judy 12/06/2009 11:44:00 AM
Why such a negative, cynical attitude? How about it just might be a good movie? Sounds like you had a really bad day and needed to bring everyone else down with you. You seem to be the one promoting the stereotype.....
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TD 11/29/2009 5:13:00 PM
it's amazing how many ignorant people there are in this forum. did you actually read what this guy was saying?
no one's saying that the true story was racist, it was a great thing she did. the point is that there are hundreds of these 'make white people feel better' and practically no movies made with the roles reversed. so, out of all the possible true stories where black people (or any minority) are the caring heroes, we always choose the one that alleviates the guilt of the white community. and of course he has to be 7 feet tall, 300 pounds, play football, never had a bed, have a crackhead mother, come from the ghetto, and be offered 40s.
and you're saying this guy's racist by pointing this out?
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Gabe 11/26/2009 6:58:00 AM
Wow. What a hateful disposition you have! I guess well-to-do white Christian women can do no right?
Looks like the reviews on your review are in, and you're getting an "F".
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Claudette 11/25/2009 10:17:00 PM
That you would take exception to this film when it is based on a true story seems really strange to me. Should Oher's race have been changed? Would that not have just inspired another sort of cry of racism - that a black man's story was being told with a white actor?
I find your article to be supportive of what is truly the worst kind of racism - one that makes people second guess their good intentions for fear of being criticized and branded as racist. What a disgusting world it would be when a white family of means is worried about taking in an orphan of a different race - not because they're afraid of their racist white friends, but because they're afraid that black people will find it offensive. Should black children only be helped by black adults? Should white children only be helped by white adults? What sort of segregated altruism is that? The fact is that statistically speaking, there are more disadvantaged black children in this country and they need help, love and support from anyone - white or not - willing to supply it.
It would be more wise to direct your outrage towards Oher's mother and people like her that allow their children to fall into the chasm of neglect. This review makes you look no better than the racist white folk (some of whom are represented in the movie) who would criticize a family for taking an interest in raising a black child.
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J.T. 11/24/2009 5:08:00 PM
Would you rather the white woman have left the black boy walking in the rain and not tried to help? That would probably serve your purposes and REALLY give you something to write about. Why can't you be pleased that there is a decent family movie available to ALL races that ALL of us can learn something from? I stumbled upon your review by accident, while trying to find a place to go and see the movie. From now on, I'll stick to the Dallas Morning News reviews. At least they offer unbiased reviews, free from racist viewpoints.
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Chester 11/24/2009 5:31:00 AM
From what I've read, this is based on a true story. Instead of whining, look at the bright side. He was taken in by a white family, who showed, that they were true Christians. As an African American, I'm tired of listening to, whining blacks. Why didn't an African American family, take him in? Where was, his family? Instead of complaining about this movie, you should be focusing on rap and hip hop, videos. They do more harm to the black community, than this movie, and Precious. How about focusing on, the black murder, rate? I'm more concerned about that, than a movie.
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Matt K. 11/23/2009 7:10:00 PM
I could see this review coming from a mile away. You just can't stand the fact that a wealthy white conservative Christian family from the south could possibly have had a positive effect on a poor young black man, can you? It just goes against everything you hold to be true in this world, doesn't it?
Meanwhile, the majority of reviewers out there (70% on rottentomatoes.com) were able to see the movie for all that it is: a decent heartwarming true story about selfless people helping their fellow man.
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Big Jim Jack 11/23/2009 5:08:00 AM
I reckon you rather the altruistic white bitch ran by the curb and splashed water on the guy? Is there anything Whitey can do for another without you slamming? Should she have called on the President of Zimbabwe to kill them and let and and let the crack mom take over her house and keep it real?
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Michael 11/19/2009 6:14:00 PM
I guess the fact that this is a true story was irrelevant to your review?
Is everything racism? I guess Obama's election was just white guilt for racism in the past, but is in fact racism because of what?
You make NO SENSE!
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R 11/19/2009 4:15:00 PM
Your article on this touching movie is so ridiculous. You must be a very unloved person to have wrote something so demeaning.
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Bill in Lewisville 11/19/2009 3:02:00 PM
There's virtually the same review on huffington post so not only is this a lame review the writer seems to be a hack. Do these hipsters go to the same school of white guilt?
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Ben 11/18/2009 9:45:00 PM
Why do liberals always have to be quick to scream racism? Do you think you are any less of a racist if you are quick to point out how someone else is a racist? I like the Observer, but I truely hate writers like yourself. Get a life.
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Steve Turman 11/18/2009 8:18:00 PM
Or, ocassionaly wealthy people (many of whom are white) go far and risk much to help a poor person (some of whom are black). Maybe you're the one that can't get past race in this story.
