Friday, November 30, 2007

race and funnel cakes

From a class discussion following our viewing of Crash -

Professor: For those of you who have seen this film before, what did you notice this time that you didn't notice before?
Me: This time, I noticed that there were several scenes with American flags in the background. Just kinda like, "This is our America, this is what it's really like."
Professor: Hmm, and what do you think of that?
Me: What do you mean?
Professor: I saw something in your face change when you said that. ***
Me: Well, I think the filmmakers were using this as a symbol, to remind the viewers that all the things they're witnessing really do happen right here, and to connect the actions with what us as viewers are also capable of . . .

I rambled on something like that, but what I wish I'd said, which is perhaps the true reason why my face changed, is simply, "I'm sad that this is our America."

One of my classmates had brought her Dutch roommate to watch Crash with us, to educate him about American race relations. He had showed us this video, and we all laughed, but explained that it would probably offend Black Americans, but he didn't really understand why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3c_p_wXw2M
(I tried to embed this, but it wouldn't paste everything)

I asked him after watching Crash what he thought, since he didn't parcipate in the discussion. With a look of shock and disgust he replied, "I sincerely hope that this movie was exaggerated." "I don't know," I responded, "I'm not sure if it was. All of these things happen, but I guess it is kinda overwhelming to see all of those packed into a two hour film." Then I turned to my classmates, "What do you think? Do you think any of this was exaggerated?" They all responded with an emphatic "No!" My dutch friend just shook his head, and all he could say was "Wow."

When he returns to the Netherlands in January, what is he going to think of our country? He loves our food, even though he sees how unhealthy it is and now understands why America is so obese. He buys a gallon of Blue Bell ice cream of different flavors every week. He bikes to his internship, and my classmate drives him to the grocery store once a week. We've taken him to movies like Dan in Real Life, and to the carnival, where we bought him funnel cakes and hot dogs. He came to the our pre-Thanksgiving dinner and we all talked about our different holidays and our countries' ways of celebrating. And then we showed him Crash. So, when he goes home, what will he say about America? That it's full of fat, racist people? He might not be completely off. But surely the good will outweigh the bad. He'll remember Blue Bell and his kind roommate and her grad student friends who were patient and caring enough to spend time with a 19 year old Dutch kid and answer his questions and buy him hot dogs and funnel cake. And that's the America that I hope we can be.



***Side note: It's really something else having psychologists as professors! They pick up on nonverbal cues a little too well. My first class this semester, I had a professor completely call me out, "Zach, you agree, but you, you're completely stoic. I can't read anything one way or another in your expression." Dang!

4 comments:

Martha Elaine Belden said...

haha... i love your sidenote.

and i'm sure you're right about what he's going to remember. that's what bothers me about people who complain about how terrible america is. we have HUGE HUGE faults, i'll freely admit. but there are wonderful things and people here.

and that's what i relish about being born and raised here. i'm not elitist about it... but i am proud to be an American (where at least i know i'm free... haha, sorry. couldn't resist)

but seriously. sounds like a fascinating class. i envy you and your learning :)

The Pensive Poet said...

Thank you so much for your comment, Kelly! That means so much to me. : )

Wow, love the thought-provoking post.

This may be spelling out the obvious, but the YouTube clip reminded me of the (in my opinion) ridiculous emphasis we place on people's sexual preference. I decided a while ago to try to not make it a big deal that I know a friend's sexual preference--not to ask, try not to care. Growing in a (sub?)culture that conditioned me to care, it is hard for me to retrain my mind. But I find that when you decide to care about a person and be their friend, no strings attached, they are far more likely to divulge to you personal details about themselves. How sad to have this huge (yet in a way, not so huge) aspect of yourself hidden from the people who supposedly love you the most! Then, in a moment of vulnerable openness, those people give you a rude slap in the face and you feel the need to almost put on a show and embrace characteristics that may not be truly you, just in retaliation for lack of understanding.

Don't know where this rant about respect for gays and lesbians came from, but it's important to me.

And there are so many things I could say about US culture--there is not time or space! I think wherever you were raised, you will in a sense be a product of the culture and time you were born into. Obviously, being aware helps you choose and change this to a degree. There are plenty of unhealthy, ugly, and horrific cultural habits and all kinds of things that the US has produced (as have, dare I say, all cultures). But part of making the most of life in my opinion is searching for the good parts to dwell on and emphasize, while decreasing the negative.

Well, I guess I'll finish this book, haha. Good post and great to hear from you! Miss you!

<3Britt

Ben said...

The Dutch don't have much room to get high and mighty, considering the general reaction there to Muslim immigration (particularly, I believe, of Moroccans).

Also, the Hasselhoff poster got a chuckle out of me in that video.

Cara said...

haha, good eye, ben. i chuckled too.

the same racism toward moroccan muslims is present in spain.

two wrongs, three wrongs, one thousand wrongs don't make a right, though.

God, make our world right.

we're watching crash with the clients at IDT. it's a great film