Reply #216: The reason we cannot talk abut race in this country

[npk]

Is because so many white people are scared they will labeled as a result of that discussion. White people feel they are damned if they do damned if they don't. Vanessa Williams believes that this film only reinforces the notion that African-Americans need whites in order to succeed. That means that Vanessa Williams already believes that there is such a notion out there. That basically the film just reinforces the notion. So what are white people to do. What are filmmakers to do. When a compelling story like this one comes along should they ignore it because it perpetuates a notion that black people cannot help themselves, a notion that is asinine at best. Black people have been helping helping themselves in this country for more than a century, and often times despite the work of many white people.

If filmmakers were to ignore a story like this what kind of message would that send. How many people would be up in arms on that account.

Part of the reason why some white people are hesitant to get involved in poor minority communities is because of people like Vanessa Williams. They fear that they will be labeled as somebody only looking to exploit off poverty and that their motives are not really just. But if white people do nothing to help in minority communities then they are called uncaring wealthy elitist.

I guess films like RFK helping young African American mothers escape poverty would fall under the ire of Miss Williams. More than likely what really bothers people like Miss Williams about this film is that this family was from the south and even more the horror was white and Republican. Oh Shit! It's really a shame that a movie is being attacked for helping another person.

edit: typo