Tate Modern had an exclusive screening of Detroit on August 24th, where in which I had the privilege to attend.
Detroit dramatizes America's past and shows the distressing parallels to the modern day. The film opens with animated illustrations narrating America as a segregated urban neighbourhood, where the great migration forced 6 million African Americans to leave the cotton fields of the south for factory jobs. After World War Two the Americans began their own migration to the suburbs, drawing money and jobs away from the segregated neighbourhood. In the 1960's there was a lot of racial tensions and rebellions in places like Harlem, Philadelphia, Watts, Newark and African Americans in Detroit were restricted to overcrowded neighbourhoods; patrolled by the white police force known for aggression. The promise for equal opportunity for all seemed to be an illusion and change seemed inevitable.
The film was tense, gripping, enraging, leaving people shaken with anger as we expect peace and equality however without the systems changed racial injustice will always continue. The audience can visualise the anger within the black community, striving for change, as they persistently riot. The treasons are threatening America to change, in becoming a more welcoming and inclusive society. It is unsettling and disturbing to see the white army's lack of compassion as they burn African American homes as there is no need for people to be degraded, especially due to race. As a result we feel sympathy for the African Americans in a sense that they were living in constant fear. Oddly the white police force assume that violence will cure the rioting but it only sparks more outrage as the black community become irritated by the injustice that has spiralled out of control.
Motown seemed to be a motivation for black communities that blossomed performing talents, boosting confidence, light-heartened the mood and let them appreciate self-worth. Hence it was heart-breaking to see that they were severely restricted by the police, who were evacuating the buildings. It is horrible how talented young black Americans were hidden and that they couldn't fulfil their passions in climbing up the ladder towards fame. Music gave black Americans a break from the hell outside.
It is a shame how nearly all of the white Americans perceived black Americans to be a peril to American society, shooting them as if they were shooting feral animals, these people were completely innocent and what gave the white Americans such power to perform this utterly evil act of violence?
If you think about it the white police force were hypocrites..
"Shooting at innocent people is dead wrong"~ white policeman.
But they're the ones that are interrogating the black Americans, abusing them and accusing them of being criminals.
Motown seemed to be a motivation for black communities that blossomed performing talents, boosting confidence, light-heartened the mood and let them appreciate self-worth. Hence it was heart-breaking to see that they were severely restricted by the police, who were evacuating the buildings. It is horrible how talented young black Americans were hidden and that they couldn't fulfil their passions in climbing up the ladder towards fame. Music gave black Americans a break from the hell outside.
It is a shame how nearly all of the white Americans perceived black Americans to be a peril to American society, shooting them as if they were shooting feral animals, these people were completely innocent and what gave the white Americans such power to perform this utterly evil act of violence?
If you think about it the white police force were hypocrites..
"Shooting at innocent people is dead wrong"~ white policeman.
But they're the ones that are interrogating the black Americans, abusing them and accusing them of being criminals.
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