Better Times

Yesterday day, my mom and I went to see the movie "The Secret Life of Bees". I had not done a lot of research about the movie, which I usually do before watching a movie. I had seen the trailers and watched a little of the interview with the actresses on Oprah. First of all let me say the acting in this movie was really good. Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and Sophie Okonedo were all wonderful and it would be hard to say who did the best. But what I wasn't prepared for (since I had not read the book) was the subject matter of this movie. I thought it was about child abuse and it was, but was not prepared for the racial discrimination theme throughout the movie.

I just wonder in the year 2008 what it is like to be African American and make a movie like this one, or for that matter to just watch a movie like this one. I am not sure that brining up so horrible memories of our history helps bring healing. Although in this movie a group of black women befriend a white girl, the white people were so very cruel to the African Americans.

I lived in Mobile, Alabama during the 60's. I was there from the 5th-8th grades. When I was in 7th grade, they integrated our schools. I remember "white only" water fountains and restuarants. I remember being in one when a black man and a young boy were denied entrance. I don't know that I remembered that there were also separate entrances and seating places in the movie theater. I know it was a big deal when Rosa Parks would not go to the back of the bus. It makes me realize that we have come a long way. These memories also made me realize why it really is a big deal that we have an African American running for president. I just wish it was someone more like Alan Keyes (who is actually running as well but we did not have him on our ballot in Texas).

One thing this movie did make me think about is where were Christians during this dark time in our country? Did they stand up for social injustice? Would I have? While I lived in California I had a dear friend named Rubin White (who was black) and she was an intern during the Johnson administration. She had to take a test to qualify for the internship and was beaten in the bathroom by a group of white girls.
Her father was actually murdered by the Klu Klux Clan and she told the story of how he gathered her at his bedside and told his family to not let Satan win by hating the men that did this to him. One of those men was an elder in the church of Christ.

God's heart must just break to see what we do to one another when His love does not rule our prejudices. I pray that those days are over, but unfortunately you still get glimpses of them today. My greater prayer is that I will not be an onlooker, but that I will love unconditionally and if called to do so stand up and be a defender of what is right.