Analysis of Racism in Crash and 10,000 Black Men

Racial discrimination, classism, sexism, domestic violence, prejudice are more of a plague in the current society. These horrible social injustices are not selective but can affect anybody of any race, ethnicity, gender or age group. In this paper, I am going to address racial discrimination as one of the vices we face in the society. To achieve this, I will be analyzing and reviewing two movies names “Crash,” the 2004 drama directed by Paul Haggis and ”10,000 Black Men Named George, directed by Robert Townsend

Crash, 2004.

            The film takes place in the 21st Century Los Angeles City, a place of multiracial character and where race is decisive. Stereotyping kind of thinking determines how you will be treated. ”Crash” elicits some of the instances of racial discrimination.

            1A. A Caucasian Los Angeles polices officer characterized as Matt Dilon acts racist. The filmmakers created his character as an ill-mannered individual and impolite. He acts crudely to an African American woman on woman. When the woman fails to assist him in what he was requesting, he blames her lack of ability on her race. For the first, the viewers can see and relate with Dilon’s personality as being racist in a situation where inhumanity was uncalled for.

            1B. In another instance, Cameron together with the wife are pulled over by John Ryan, racist police. The wife begins to antagonize with the officers and refusing to comply. The two checked for weapons. Cameron responds to the officers without aggression as Ryan sexually molest his wife. The wife accuses Cameron of allowing humiliation from the police so that his colleagues would not read about him in the papers and realize he is actually ”black.” 

            1C. Shaun Toub, a Persian storeowner struggles with racism as well. His encounter with a Caucasian gun storeowner tells it all. Due to his physical appearance, the Caucasian vocalizes racial slurs towards him. He says ”Yo! Osama, plan the Jihad on your own time” since he was speaking in the Arabic language. He is automatically stereotyped as a terrorist. Shaun tries to defend himself by saying, ”I am an American citizen!” the gun store owner replied, ”Oh God here we go.” This implies that Shaun’s defense has no difference to Caucasian man’s perception of him.

10,000 Black Men Named George, 2002

            2A. In a train to New Jersey, a black porter sees a white woman steals wash cloths and towel from the train. He politely tells the woman not to take the item out of the train. The woman reacts angrily and accuses the black porter of calling her a thief. The porter defends himself by explaining that the porter has to pay for anything for any missing item from the train. Furthermore, he could not afford to pay since he is on a $60 pay. This is a clear indication of racial discrimination on the black porters.

2B. The black people were facing a lot mistreatment in Pullman company. Those who attempted to fight for the right of fellow workers got fired. Racial discrimination characterized by low wages dominated the company. More racism in the movie is seen in the payment of low wages to the workers. The company opposed any form of form of unionization among the workers or any civil legislation until political activist and journalist Randolph come to their rescue by forming Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Union.

            2C. Lastly, despite the black workers having their identity by names, they were all referred to as George since they worked for George Pullman. Pullman saw the blacks as inferior and did not see the importance of retaining their identities.

Bibliography

Robert Vickers. (2017, Aug 19). Crash 2004 Full Movie. Retrieved From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAOrwctRM3A

Claude Monette (2018, May 21). 10,000 Men Named George. Retrieved From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iiHhxHk64A