It’s been 41 years so far since the death of Dr. Martin Luther King. In that time, my lifetime as I was born 2 days after his death, many things have changed but some have not. One of the more surprising things is the fact that this celebrated Civil Rights champion has never made it to the silver screen.
Well let me correct that. There was a documentary about Dr. King, shown once on March 24th 1970. That’s it. Every other time he has been shown has been on television. And that is usually just documentaries about his actions and/or death, shown almost exclusively during February (Black History Month).
But it seems that Dreamworks has decided to change that chasm of history. Finally Dr. King will have a film, noting more than just his marches and tragic death. Giving everyone in the nation a bit more than just his speeches. But how much do you want to bet it opens in Febrary?
The thing I hope for in this film, that has no date for production to begin or when it might appear in theaters (bet on it being in either 2010 or more likely 2012), is that it does for Dr. King what Malcolm X did for Malik El Shabazz. That is give the public more than a few quotes, or a static visage of the man.
In allowing us to see Dr. King as the man he was we will get to understand and appreciate what he did and what he sacrificed. Because right now, Dr. King is just “I have a Dream” and not the passion and desperation that fueled that dream. People forget that Dr. King was not some political tool, but a force with goals and issues that were societal in the foremost.
Dr. King these days is seen as a holiday. The aspirations he hoped for African Americans have mostly failed to happen. America is little better off today than in 1960 in many ways. We are improving, but so slowly as to seem as if all forward motion has stopped.
I say this because I don’t know how many people believed that President Obama was the incarnation of Dr, King’s dream. Which is a falicy, promoted by the commercialization of his efforts. Dr. King did not want one man to succeed, he wanted everyone to improve their lives.
Yes, President Obama did a grand thing. But how could Dr. Martin Luther King be happy about that when over 50% of teenage pregnancies are Blacks. How can he be rejoicing the election while over 50% of African Americans are dropping outr of school. Why would he cheer when television still shuns people of color in front of and behind the camera, or when African Americans are highlighted we are stereotyped and objectified?
Dr. King’s dream’s, efforts, and life were dedicated to preventing these very things. While I think he would be impressed with the success of President Obama (which is not the same as approval of his political policies) he would not hold that above the failures that are rampant in the Black community. The success of one is not the success of us all in some cases.
So I hope that seeing Dr. King as the man he was, standing for the things he believed in, advocating changes we still need to see implemented can help to really improve America. Because it’s not happening now. It likely won’t happen even if President Obama is re-elected on the political endeavours he currently proposes. Because that is not what the dream is about.
No comments:
Post a Comment