SELMA, the movie
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- Oldgringo
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SELMA, the movie
Mrs. Oldgringo and I watched the movie, "SELMA" Monday night. Mrs. Oldgringo is originally from Birmingham and I am originally from Nashville, we both graduated from separate white high schools in 1960. The times and events of those days were pretty much as depicted in the movie.
We are ashamed of our past treatment of black folk. Furthermore, we are saddened by what has apparently become of Dr. King's once noble efforts. He did not preach rioting, looting and burning. Anybody born after 1950 should see this movie. It portrays a chapter of America's history probably not taught in the schools today.
We are ashamed of our past treatment of black folk. Furthermore, we are saddened by what has apparently become of Dr. King's once noble efforts. He did not preach rioting, looting and burning. Anybody born after 1950 should see this movie. It portrays a chapter of America's history probably not taught in the schools today.
Re: SELMA, the movie
This movie has been on my list to watch. I will try to see it this weekend.Oldgringo wrote:Mrs. Oldgringo and I watched the movie, "SELMA" Monday night. Mrs. Oldgringo is originally from Birmingham and I am originally from Nashville, we both graduated from separate white high schools in 1960. The times and events of those days were pretty much as depicted in the movie.
We are ashamed of our past treatment of black folk. Furthermore, we are saddened by what has apparently become of Dr. King's once noble efforts. He did not preach rioting, looting and burning. Anybody born after 1950 should see this movie. It portrays a chapter of America's history probably not taught in the schools today.

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Re: SELMA, the movie
It's on my list to watch. And to make a pilgrimage to the Edmund Pettus Bridge... cc'ing of course
- anygunanywhere
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Re: SELMA, the movie
I probably will not watch it. That was a very important time in our history, but as it is with most of our history, it is ignored or has been rewritten.
Very few people actually have ever really tried to understand what Dr. King actually said during his "I Have A Dream" speech. If they did conditions today would be much different.
Very few people actually have ever really tried to understand what Dr. King actually said during his "I Have A Dream" speech. If they did conditions today would be much different.
"When democracy turns to tyranny, the armed citizen still gets to vote." Mike Vanderboegh
"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
- Oldgringo
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Re: SELMA, the movie
How so?anygunanywhere wrote:I probably will not watch it. That was a very important time in our history, but as it is with most of our history, it is ignored or has been rewritten.
Very few people actually have ever really tried to understand what Dr. King actually said during his "I Have A Dream" speech. If they did conditions today would be much different.

Re: SELMA, the movie
Sorry but I have seen too many movies of that nature. We all know what happened, and it was bad. But to keep reliving these events to me is not constructive. Why not make a movie about black colleges or black doctors or black athletes? Why not push a positive spin instead of the never ending plea for reparations, and the never ending saga of white guilt?
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Re: SELMA, the movie
I think it depends on whether you like history, or not. I have seen tons of movies about ancient Rome, and I would love to see a good movie about that same time period in the future. Then again, I am a history buff.Nortex wrote:Sorry but I have seen too many movies of that nature. We all know what happened, and it was bad. But to keep reliving these events to me is not constructive. Why not make a movie about black colleges or black doctors or black athletes? Why not push a positive spin instead of the never ending plea for reparations, and the never ending saga of white guilt?
Spoiler alert - If you have a low tolerance for seeing more than 1-2 movies about the same basic story line, then you won't want to see too many new movies. There are very few truly original movies now a days.
Re: SELMA, the movie
I don't think Dr. Kings history and legacy is one of reparations or guilt. It as about change - change that was needed and right.
However, I agree with your second point. It seems we rarely hear about positive black role models until they do something to harm themselves - Cosby, or they are attacked because they dare think their own thoughts or speak their own mind.
However, I agree with your second point. It seems we rarely hear about positive black role models until they do something to harm themselves - Cosby, or they are attacked because they dare think their own thoughts or speak their own mind.
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- anygunanywhere
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Re: SELMA, the movie
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.Oldgringo wrote:How so?anygunanywhere wrote:I probably will not watch it. That was a very important time in our history, but as it is with most of our history, it is ignored or has been rewritten.
Very few people actually have ever really tried to understand what Dr. King actually said during his "I Have A Dream" speech. If they did conditions today would be much different.
Excerpt from the speech:
Today men are not judged by their character. We are judged by the color of our skin. Black leadership does not honor Dr. King's memory, his life, nor his death in any way. They walk all over his words and ignore the substance of his message.I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor
having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" one
day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white
boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall
be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made
straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With
this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful
symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together,
to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we
will be free one day.
And this will be the day this
will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing
with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped
Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
Dr. King was about freedom and liberty for all. Dr. King believed all lives mattered.
Words have meaning. Dr. King's words will live forever, and one day, hopefully, those who push racism from all sides will understand what he said.
"When democracy turns to tyranny, the armed citizen still gets to vote." Mike Vanderboegh
"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
- Oldgringo
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Re: SELMA, the movie
Well done and well said.anygunanywhere wrote:Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.Oldgringo wrote:How so?anygunanywhere wrote:I probably will not watch it. That was a very important time in our history, but as it is with most of our history, it is ignored or has been rewritten.
Very few people actually have ever really tried to understand what Dr. King actually said during his "I Have A Dream" speech. If they did conditions today would be much different.
Excerpt from the speech:
Today men are not judged by their character. We are judged by the color of our skin. Black leadership does not honor Dr. King's memory, his life, nor his death in any way. They walk all over his words and ignore the substance of his message.I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor
having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" one
day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white
boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall
be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made
straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With
this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful
symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together,
to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we
will be free one day.
And this will be the day this
will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing
with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped
Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
Dr. King was about freedom and liberty for all. Dr. King believed all lives mattered.
Words have meaning. Dr. King's words will live forever, and one day, hopefully, those who push racism from all sides will understand what he said.

Re: SELMA, the movie
Oldgringo wrote:Well done and well said.anygunanywhere wrote:Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.Oldgringo wrote:How so?anygunanywhere wrote:I probably will not watch it. That was a very important time in our history, but as it is with most of our history, it is ignored or has been rewritten.
Very few people actually have ever really tried to understand what Dr. King actually said during his "I Have A Dream" speech. If they did conditions today would be much different.
Excerpt from the speech:
Today men are not judged by their character. We are judged by the color of our skin. Black leadership does not honor Dr. King's memory, his life, nor his death in any way. They walk all over his words and ignore the substance of his message.I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor
having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" one
day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white
boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall
be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made
straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With
this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful
symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together,
to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we
will be free one day.
And this will be the day this
will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing
with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped
Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
Dr. King was about freedom and liberty for all. Dr. King believed all lives mattered.
Words have meaning. Dr. King's words will live forever, and one day, hopefully, those who push racism from all sides will understand what he said.

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Re: SELMA, the movie
I had no problem with the film at all. I don't think it's a matter of letting the past be the past. Should we say the same thing about Schindler's List? It's an important history lesson, as well as a great story of MLK for younger people and I thought the movie was well done.
- anygunanywhere
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Re: SELMA, the movie
Good article that pretty much explains the current state of affairs.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/4 ... ge-america
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/4 ... ge-america
"When democracy turns to tyranny, the armed citizen still gets to vote." Mike Vanderboegh
"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand
"The Smallest Minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." – Ayn Rand