When
I went to the screening of Selma at
the Odeon cinema in Marble Arch, I was asked 'Do you know what Selma
is about?'.
My
response: 'Yes, it's about a woman named Selma and Martin Luther
King'.
How
stupid was I?
My
name is Salma and I have a confession. I actually do not know much
about Dr Martin Luther King except that he had a dream.
He
had a dream that there would be more equality for black people -
Negros as they were referred to in the 60's, that black people would
be given the rights to vote and be allowed to vote. He had a dream
that there would be freedom and justice and God will help them
through it all.
Dr
King was portrayed to be an active leader for his community who did
not give up and negotiated without using violence but peace -
something which lacks when trying to make change in today’s
society, people who believed in him and followed his steps as he
tried to seek justice for his people. After marching towards
Montgomery from Selma with the support of hundreds of peaceful
demonstrators they were stopped at the bridge.
To
what extent Dr King had worked to attain equality or basic rights for
'Negros' I had no idea of.
Selma
made me more aware of his work and reminded me just how harsh black
people were treated by the authority who were mainly white men. It
captured the brutal reality of how heartless and unjust authority
figures were when beating black women and elderly people with batons
and whips sending them back the way they had come had from in a huge group.
After
walking the bridge again, this time with the support of white people from around the States as well as 'Negros', the white officers on the other side of the
bridge stood down and let them through. But Dr King knelt down, did a
prayer and turned around, heading back towards Selma.
Why
did he do this? His supporters did not know, nor did we - the
audience.
Whilst
watching this film, I could not help but compare it to the modern
day. Today.
Black
people have fought for freedom worldwide. South Africa, America, to
some extent the UK as well. Racism has been an issue that still
exists today even though the law covers equal rights.
The
hard work and effort of successful activists has been thrown down the
drains and history is once again repeating itself.
It is
hard to not compare the white people beating, killing and
discriminating 'Negros' in the United States during the time of Dr
King to the killings of black people today in the United States. Surely
the 21st Century would be more different and the system would have
changed to not favour anyone. White authority figures have got away
with shooting black men with stupid reasons such as: 'I thought they
were carrying a gun' or 'he looked like a threat'. Black men have
been strangled to death for no crime but for being black in America.
Though
there is this sense of pride for Black people in the US for having a
coloured President -Barack Hussein Obama, an African American, it
seems as though not much has been done for the black people. There
may be no more signs saying 'No Negros Allowed' but in some areas of
America, they are treated with no respect. This needs to change.
There
is a lot more Obama, a black President, can do for his people.
Majority of African Americans voted for him and he needs to help them
out before helping countries outside like Israel or sending his
troops to fight useless wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Remember
the Ferguson Unrest protests and riots which happened during the
summer of 2014 in the United States? All the uproar over the killing
of a young black man - Michael Brown - by a white police officer.
People
had to take to the streets in the 21st century, protesting for their
rights as black people.
Why do black people have to protest for rights? Why do they have to get targeted for not their crime but their colour? Are they not humans?
So
what was one thing I learnt from the film Selma? Aside from learning
about the active work of Dr Martin Luther King and his friends I
learnt that Selma is a place and not a person.
I
really do suggest that you all watch this film on February 6th 2015!
I
have nothing negative to say about it (maybe a suggestion - they could have included the 'I have a dream speech' at the end)
I
hope you all enjoyed that and that it probes you to go watch Selma.
And remember 'There is a king in all of us'.
By Salma Razia Khatun
If you haven't done so, check out my last post and previous posts.
By Salma Razia Khatun
If you haven't done so, check out my last post and previous posts.
Instagram: SalmaKhatun95 & SalaamSalma
Twitter: SalmaKhatun95
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