The Whites of Their Eyes Post

“Yet every word of the programmes are impregnated with unconscious racism because they are all predicated on the unstated and unrecognized assumption that the blacks are the source of the problem.”

“The Whites of Their Eyes: Racist Ideologies and the Media” talks about the underlying racist tones in the media. The essay discusses the racist roles and portrayals of African Americans in the entertainment industry especially in films and tv shows. The essay outlines the stereotypical roles that Black people fill such as the “slave girl”, crooks, freedom fighters, scheming villains, natives and more. The roles continue to oppress and perpetrate negative stereotypes instead of creating positive roles specifically for Black people that put them at the forefront of stories. Roles must be created that highlight their importance and give them a voice to tell their stories. This quote really resonated with me as this past year I watched the movie Get Out. The director Jordan Peele has been making headlines for being nominated for an Oscar for best director, breaking the typical mold of all white male director nominees. Peele took an interesting approach to racism, the opposite approach of that of my quote. Instead of undertones of supremacy Peele handled racism straight on, Get Out is the story of overt white supremacy and racism. Black people are lured into a community of white people who manipulate them and use their bodies to live longer. It is an incredible film that doesn’t veer away from the racism our society but instead gives it a voice and a platform.