'Take A Child To SELMA' The Social Media Side Show
- Details
- Category: Blogs
- Published: Friday, 16 January 2015 18:11
- Written by Earl L. Small
by Earl L. Small
Intro by Lawrence A. Robinson
There are some negative comments on social media about taking children to see this movie, 'SELMA.' A few people think that going to see this movie shows that Blacks are desperate for entertainment instead of understanding the powerful message of courage set forth by our parents and grandparents generation.
Okay, there may be places in the movie that are not 100% accurate. What story writer did not take
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some creative liberties to add dramatic appeal to the story line? This is a real and great history lesson that WE must learn. We must go see this movie and take our children and we must talk about this movie from the pulpit, in the class room and in our living rooms. If we don't understand our history and how we got here, then we are a doomed people.
In this thread, Earl L. Small challenged people to take a child to see the movie, 'SELMA.' That challenge was coupled with a flyer from Lawanna Gelzer and the National Action Network.
There are only a few comments posted here, but Mr. Small's wise comments should have stopped the negativity.
-----From Social Media -Limited comments
From: Earl Earl L. Small "TAKE A CHILD TO SELMA"
I challenge all parents, mentors, teachers, community leaders, activist, Radio and TV personalities, Black Greek letter Organizations, Turtles and my Eastern Star sisters and Mason brothers to take a child or children to see a viewing of the Civil Rights historical movie "SELMA" and after seeing the movie post a video the children and their thoughts/reactions to the film.
In order to teach our youth to value and appreciate what they have its important to teach them how it was fought for and standing up for what they believe in.
Those same children you teach our history to could be the bright promise of our future leadership.
Please start this weekend and and let's take this challenge nationwide.
Positive change is determined by knowing where you came from and educating about and valuing your past to build a brighter future.
Challenge is on...do you accept?
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****** Excellent idea!
****** I wish I could!
****** Great idea.
****** We do lubs to B entertained
****** What age group do you think is good for a kid that will keep their attention. I wad thinking of taking my 8 y/o SD. Any advise?
****** *advice
****** Please see if first, there are some very powerful scene it this movie. I am taking my 11 year old nephew during the MLK Holiday weekend.
****** Now, i have read everything, you, a sophisticated and purportedly "learned" community 'leader' would settle, support, and subject a child no less to this unauthentic story. Are blacks that desperate to be entertained?
****** It is call Free Will. God Bless You and have Great Day, because I will https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnIozPJWTPM
****** Yes, you do have free will to pander to an illegitimate distortion of history. Frankly, given your unsuccessful bid for public office, not to mention a platform many believe did not best serve blacks, i am not surprised by your retort.
****** I can run for office can you and have you. I know my family history and the struggles of African Americans and your opinion does not matter. Great Movie MUST SEE
Earl L. Small - Sitting here at my desk, reading these threads and finding myself appalled by the total disrespect I'm witnessing.
Frankly to be honest when it comes down to liberties with history and writer/director interpretations its a known fact that Hollywood does it on a continuous basis so let's not decide to be critical of one motion picture when so many more have openly and even blatantly warped facts.
The bigger picture is that many movie goers are taking home a message not of LBJ's erroneous portrayal but a message of what true struggle was and what it took to achieve change.
Now before any negativity is displayed let me give you my history, my Grandfather was active as a very outspoken civil rights activist in Georgia, one of the most racist and segregated southern states during the 50's and 60's and PARTICIPATED and was injured in that March on Selma, he is gone now but the one thing he taught me is NEVER forget the struggle and blood that was given up for YOU.
Yes I know my history, and yes I know the movie but the take away is if it opened some young people's eyes to how it was then maybe it will be the catalyst to prevent history from repeating itself.
It takes dedication and open minded decisions to open doors.
Now before you criticise ask what are you doing to educate and make things better other that attacking and building walls?
Well said, Earl L. Small