American Politics & Pop Culture

American History X is a great film that offers opinions from either side through one character, the ex-neo Nazi Derek, and the post-prison-reformed Derek. The scene where the Vinyard family is having dinner with Mr. Murray, the history teacher from Derek and Danny’s high school and Derek begins his racist rant describes the opposite end of anti-racism, that Blacks had “enough time to get their shit together”. The rant offers a lot of point that pro-White members seem to agree with; the movie legitimizes pro-White opinion and justifies there action against minorities, but as we see Derek change throughout the movie and he reforms after befriending a Black inmate and betrayed by his own neo-Nazi group, the positive change and regret that Derek feels offers hope to the audience that racism can be ended. After all of the graphic violence depicted earlier in the film, the reformation and determination of Derek to get his family out of this mess – from his neo-Nazi former friends, Cameron, and the place they grew up and restart the film seemed to be moving towards a positive ending, except the eerie soundtrack foretold that something wasn’t going well. In a way, the ending is appropriate commentary that racism isn’t something that can be eliminated so quickly. Racism varies in form and origin relates to everyone in one way or another and simply “moving away” will not hide the fact that the neo-Nazi group led by Cameron is still looming in that city.
I agree with Beck’s commentary on the film (“Although the hero image is the…”) especially the scene with the most heinous crime within the film where Derek curbdrops one of the Black males that sought revenge after a lost match on court. The movie is stretched out to slow motion, and as the police yells orders at Derek to resign without protest, the black and white colored segment accentuates every color depth and the car light illuminating him from behind made him seem almost at his highest, as if he did nothing wrong. Although if you think about most of the pro-White members never questioned whether their actions were justified or not, they had to be right.

Posted by lungx009 at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A film like American History X, on its own, is not powerful enough to perpetuate racism. Those who go into the film with racism in their hearts or a history of racist activity may identify with the ideas and behaviors of the racist characters in the film but, ultimately, it is a film, a story, not meant to incite or illicit behaviors. That is the danger in film, and music, literature, etc. you can only control the product, not the reactions or actions of the audience after consuming the product. Similarly, Boyz ‘N the Hood was not meant to propagate black urban crime or negative attitudes and language towards women, but I am sure there were some that walked away from the film thinking that the characters’ bad behavior was “cool,” even though it was meant as an example of the negative aspects and a “what not to do” learning experience. American History X surely had similar consequences. Some people are just incapable of “getting it” – understanding the true message, because they can only see with their limited vision, and will only choose to believe that their way (racism) is right and that this film serves as proof.

This film intentionally or unintentionally does not reveal the insidious ways in which racism creeps into popular culture. Racism exists – fact. Sexism exists. All forms of discrimination exist today – whether or not we witness these acts on a daily basis – they are there. People have histories rooted in bigotry, families perpetuate certain ideals. These forces are much more powerful than a film. We cannot blame a movie for a critical and unresolved dilemma in our nation. Rather than pointing a finger at the entertainment industry, we should focus our attention on raising education levels and breaking the vicious cycles and influences of racism.

I agree with Beck in that sure, maybe the villainous character is attractive, but only in the sense that “The Joker” from Batman or “Tony Montana” from Scarface is attractive. It’s not that we “like” these characters, but they serve an attractive purpose in the film. We are attracted to these dark characters because of their unattractive ways – but in no way does that mean we try to emulate them. In a movie we may root for the “bad guy” or find him more interesting, but I can guarantee, in reality those of us free from the ignorant history of racism and with any sense of morality are rooting for the good guys – because we are the good guys.

Posted by rinas001 at 09:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The film American History X touches on many of the social issues in America, such as racism, hate crimes, affirmative action, and immigration. These topics were covered at a very superficial level, I believe it some what perpetuates racism. The movie leave viewers with more questions then answer, which is great that it leave us to question our society we live in. But in movies such as this that deals with hot topic like racism, just barley mentioning many controversial topics like affirmative action, poverty and immigration without fully dissecting these issues could be very dangers. Unless viewers are in academic setting where they could follow up with many of the issues that were addressed in the films, must viewer will answer many of the questions that were raised in the movie on their own. Answers and expansions will depend on viewer’s background, most of the time with incomplete information. This films “are problematic because individually and especially taken as a group, they ironically privilege a particular ‘white’ experience and interpretation of struggles….. that is an interpretation infused with white supremacist ideology” (Madison, 405) I also think it gives hate groups their own voice in popular America. It tries to justify their hate, anger and rage.

Posted by mula0013 at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“American History X” was indeed a shocking portrait of the ugliness that humans can possess if influenced ever slightly in the wrong way. We know that one main argument about this film is its stance on racism, whether it be pro or anti. The film shows qualities of both, I assert, which are fleshed out mainly by Edward Norton’s character, Derek. Beck stated that Derek “shows the very different sides of the character as villain and hero. Although the latter image is one offered for the audience’s approval, the former one may very well have the greater impact.” That is, the inhumanity seen in Derek’s character as the leader of his “skinhead” gang is gruesome enough and strong enough to almost wipe out his redemption, thus making the film very much racist. For example, black stereotypes in the film are more unintentional I think, but they are still there, when most of the men in the prison are black, when it is black men who are breaking into Derek’s car, and even when it is black men who will fight at the drop of a hat on the neighborhood basketball court. Especially seen and spoken through the eyes of mostly the gang Derek and Danny are tangled up with, the feelings of white power and racism are prominent in this film.

This film takes a great turn while Derek is in prison and upon his release. As Finley states, the film “implies that prison is an effective way to reform racist individuals yet we know that in reality many racists formulated their notions of white superiority while incarcerated.” We see that Derek is a good measure of the way prison supposedly reforms racists, and Finley goes on to say how Derek “becomes almost a sympathetic character.” In this light, as Derek discontinues his old ways and tries to get his brother and other friends to follow suit, he does become somewhat part of the “white hero” myth, not for reasons of power, but for his personal triumphs against racial emotions and violence towards minorities. We can only hope that after the ending scene, where his brother is shot by one of his black schoolmates, that Derek’s experiences have been changing enough to prevent a recession into his past behaviors.

Posted by joh02361 at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

American History X has been praised as a powerful anti-racism “must see” film. I actually believe that the film perpetuates racism that it might claim to reveal. According to B. Beck, “what could be more attention grabbing than the image of bad people trying to harm us?” (Beck 19). Who are the bad people? The people that started the gangs. Who are they? Blacks. One of the reasons the neo-Nazi gang formed is to protect themselves. Danny said, “There were no white gangs in Venice Beach prior to the organization of black groups. Venice Beach used to be a nice, quiet place to live in” (American History X). Majority of the black people are depicted in a stereotypical fashion. To name a few: the beginning of the film opens up with three black males trying to steal Derek’s vehicle, another scene shows three black kids beating up one white kid in the bathroom at school, and yet another scene, probably the prime perpetuator of racism from this film, involves a black kid shooting Danny, for no apparent reason, as he finishes urinating. Danny false into the urinal and lays there as if he is some kind of white trash. Finley said the following as he referred to blacks, “The most frequently used stereotype is that of a violent thug” (Finley 230). This film depicted just that. I viewed the ending of the film as almost justifying the white aggression towards the blacks. I felt great compassion and sympathy for Derek over his loss. If this film strived for anti-racism it should have presented different perspectives of both sides of the groups equally. The film seemed one sided in that we connect with the white people, Derek and Danny, mainly but not with the black people. There is no one black character that stays long enough through out the movie for the audience to connect with. Their, blacks, side of the story is almost concealed from us with the exception of the black man working on laundry in prison.

Posted by karp0040 at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After seeing American History X, there are certainly two ways in which the violence in the film can be interpreted. For some, the brutal acts in the film expose real world violence that they cannot relate to. In this sense, the film can be seen as a learning tool, in which the violence reinforces morals and warns viewers of the consequences of such acts. On the other hand, the violence used in American History X can perpetuate systems of prejudice, discrimination and brutality. If the characters and their acts in the film leave an impression of power and dominance on the audience, then violent images and content may indeed keep these systems intact. This is a strong argument made by Bernard Beck. I completely agree that, often times, villains and their actions are misconstrued to leave the impression of power, excitement and emotion. This can go against the purpose of the film in the sense that instead of exposing and abolishing bigotry and acts of violence, the images tend to promote such negative actions. I wish to add something to Beck’s argument as well. The environment and conditions under which you view such violent films is greatly important. In a classroom setting in which you are given relevant historical background, such a film as American History X can be used as a great learning tool. In this way, the cultural backdrop is set and the audience can view the film with the knowledge of the true consequences of violence and bigotry. Violent films can also be learning tools in the home if they are presented as a means of curtailing violence. On the other hand, however, if such films are viewed without the proper historical knowledge, Beck may be correct—the villains may seem more exciting, relatable and able to imitate. This is how violent films, such as X, can perpetuate violence in society instead of helping to alleviate it.

Posted by stap0069 at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

American History X perpetuates the thinking that only wild extremist groups can be privy to racism. It also perpetuates it by highlighting the white racists as a radical group of individuals segregating themselves from the greater normal (non-racist) white population, while the black student who shoots Danny at the end of the movie is seen as almost the norm of a black person, and the principle, Dr. Bob Sweeney, is seen as the anomaly. The hero in the movie is portrayed as having less impact on the people around him, and on the audience. This shows him as being a more powerful character and therefore more appealing to the audience while still being portrayed as the ‘villain’
The film only lightly shows the opposing side of those who commit hate crimes. One example of this is the black policeman, who although a functioning member of society and one with an honorable profession, is just as racist as many overt characters in the film. Another example is of the black student who shoots Danny. He is somewhat shown as fighting back against the people who were victimizing him, but the film seems to show that only against white people.
Derek as the “Anti-racist white hero” is perpetuated by the film. This is only slightly muddled by the film showing him being hesitant to help out the police and act as a hero. The film does perpetuate black stereotypes; one of them being the struggle of the principle to gain respect as a black man in his position, and the black students as aggressors against the weak student in the bathroom.
The ending does shift American History X as a slightly more nihilistic film because of Derek’s change occurring before Danny’s death, something that might have been the catalyst for change in his light, but doesn’t make it an overtly one. Danny’s life seems to have been unimportant because the changes Derek makes in prison are totally discrete from the evolution of Danny into a skinhead. Since his change happened separate from Danny, the act of his brother’s murder would only show Derek that there is more to being racist than just skin color.

Posted by nemme003 at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Other than Derek’s father, the movie depicted most of the characters in gangs as being racists. This path of showing how racism comes about in America does not explain why people really hate each other. It rather provides a narrow pattern through which many people would conclude that gangs play a huge role in enforcing racism.

Derek’s was released from prison and his life seemed to quickly change to becoming a better person. Even though the movie seemed to explain how much of a role that sending gang members to jail would play in eradicating racism, it is not really credible in the minds of American people.

Too many people had been and continue to be sent to jail, but such solution does not do much to helping better the society. Not to say that the movie producer was definitely trying to show that sending bad people to jail is the only solution to the problem within the society, but I do not agree that in reality racism will go away by sending more people to jail.

Posted by onon0006 at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

American history X is more of a nihilistic film than Boyz N the Hood. There is no resolve. No one got out of the circle of hate. Derek was probably brought back into the hate because of the loss of his brother. Even though Derek had reformed, those neo-Nazi beliefs run deep. Because it was a senseless loss of life (Danny) Derek would be more likely to return to his racist ways because he would be looking for answers to questions like, “Why did this happen?” The neo-Nazis would be able to give him an answer. It wouldn’t be the morally correct answer, but since the Nazi rhetoric would be familiar to him, their explanation would make sense. By accepting their rhetoric again, Derek would be able to dissolve back into the circle of hate he so desperately wanted to get out of. This is the opposite of Boyz N the Hood. In that film, Tre actually leaves and goes to college and presumably never returns to that lifestyle that Furious deters him from. Perhaps that’s a big difference as well. The influence of a father figure. Both of these movies promote the idea that the father figure and his ideals have significant sway over the young men that they raise. Their influence can be positive, in the case of Furious and Tre, or negative, in the case of Derek and his father. Using that as evidence, maybe race relations all start at home? No matter what the influence we may think the media has on people, movies like these would support the theory that racism or tolerance begins at home.

Can you believe that up until this past December, the National Socialist Movement, a hitler inspired neo-nazi group, was headquartered in Minneapolis? We can all think we live in this progressive liberal state, but truth is that we are just in our university bubble and naively think these things don't exist...but sadly the biggest neo-nazi group in the country was under our noses. Think about that.

Posted by byro0028 at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

American History X, despite its best effort to shun racism, instead reinforced some of the very stereotypes which they were trying to debunk. For example, with the exception of Dr. Sweeney, every black actor or actress was either in a gang, in jail, or was made out to be a "thug". We see this early on in the movie when Danny walks into the bathroom and sees three black kids beating up one defenseless white kid. Verbal threats are thrown at Danny, arguably unnecessarily, from the three black kids, and Danny blows his cigarette smoke in one of the kid's faces instead of threatening the three kids or fighting back (I guess it can be argued that him blowing the smoke could be some sort of "challenge" or degradation, but I think its better than saying racist threats back, or trying to physically fight back). We find out later that the kid who Danny blew his smoke at actually ends up shooting and killing Danny. I think the movie, perhaps without meaning to, portrays most of the black actors and actresses in the movie as being apathetic and willing to kill over the smallest thing. Danny was supposed to be the bad guy when he first blew the smoke at the beginning of the movie, when I thought it was really the other kids who should have been "bad". Danny never threatens those kids again in the movie, but still he is shot. I think also they made Dr. Sweeney black to avoid being an overtly racist movie; he was the only person we see of authority that is black in the movie, don't you think there would be other teachers or administrators who were something other than white? All in all I think this movie was definitely trying to portray an anti-racist message, but they still reinforced some of the stereotypes which they were trying to prove false.

Posted by ruppx051 at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The film "American History X," is a film that seems to condemn racism. Though the main character is incredibly racist and makes intellectual claims as to why he is racist, the film portrays him as incredibly barbaric. The things him and his group of followers do are terrible and have little backing. Although Derek will make intellectual and factual claims to support his cause, it is through his social interactions with the black man in jail and with his former teacher, that make him realize how he may be very wrong on his views on race. Because of that, this film makes it clear that even intelligent people can skew facts and thoughts in their mind so that they justify their actions and beliefs. However, once put in real-life social situations it is clear that people can drastically change their minds, as is the case with Derek. It may be a little of an exaggerated change in Derek, yet it shows that just one person can really effect the way a person views the world.

Posted by Martine Schroeder at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The film American History X dives into a world of extreme racism, hate and violence. Throughout the movie, we see the main character Danny deal with the racism that has been instilled in him ever since he was a boy. With the help of his brother Derek, who was once an influential member of a group of racist skinheads, Danny finally looses his hatred towards other races. The majority of the film is somewhat anti-racist in tone, revealing the devastation racism can bring to a family and a community; however, when Danny is shot by an African American student in the final minutes of the movie, it leaves audiences to believe that acceptance and peace between races is almost impossible if only one group attempts to change. This lead to one major critique of the film that white people are depicted as the only ones who can make change and stereotypes black people as violent. Another critique of the film is that it portrays racists as violent skinheads and does not take into account that racism can be found in not so obvious ways as well. I would agree that American History X is an extreme in its accounts of racism; however, the scene where Derek and Danny’s father, who is a well respected fireman, talks to Derek about his racist views shows that not all racists are extremists.

Posted by colb0086 at 10:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This has got to be the most intense movie I have seen in a long time. The opening scene is just a shock to everyone and it is just one of those things you don't want to watch but can't help it. There is such an intense hatred between the supremacists and everyone else that it is hard to see why they are doing such violent acts. Although Derek attempts to give an explanation as to why they do what they do, it is very hard to agree with in any way. His father also gives a convincing lecture about people getting jobs because they are of a different race. However that benefits so many more people than one would expect. I do believe being of a different race helped me get into the university, as there were people ahead of me but got denied. Having a school or work of only white people also leads to the racist accusations that no one wants to hear. The things you see in this film leave a lasting impression and especially a chosen few scenes dont leave your memory in any short time.

Posted by leex2727 at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since previewing the syllabus in the beginning of the semester I have been looking forward to viewing the film "American History X." Luckily I had not read the article “The White Supremacist in Anti-Racist Films” written by Laura J. and Peter S. Finley prior to Wednesday night. I was actually rather disappointed in some of the views depicted in the article. One of my favorite characters was Lamont, Derek’s prison laundry room partner. The article, however, describes him as “happy-go-lucky” and says “it is as if he doesn’t really mind the fact that he is in prison for dropping a television on a police officer’s foot.” In the conversation between Derek and Lamont where they are learning about one another, I saw a lot of emotion behind his explanation of what had landed him in prison. He is clearly not happy about being there, but there is nothing he can do to change the situation. I saw him as charismatic, bright, and friendly; three qualities that are beneficial for any individual, regardless of race, gender, or religion. It is obvious through the character development of Lamont that he is well liked and has a lot of persuasive power in the prison since Derek makes it out alive despite being liked by almost no one. A “happy-go-lucky” or carefree prisoner would probably not have that kind of support. Lamont was also the seed of Derek's transformation. He taught Derek to open his eyes and his heart, and I don’t believe that any of it was unintentional as the article implies.

Posted by weir0041 at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think what bothers me most about American History X is it complete lack of finesse in terms of being an effective commentary on the state of American race relations. As we discussed in class its shocking content raises issues with whether or not the film actually stands as a conductor of constructive conversation. Obviously since the film is able to generate some discussion, whether we can really determine if its productive or not in terms of the message its trying to relay, its worth considering even if its just to help reveal the misconstruing power of the American media. The part of the film that’s most effective for me, and probably the most successful in the eyes of most viewers, is Derek's journey to understanding through going to prison. This is mostly because the plot is compelling in a way that doesn’t occur throughout the rest of the film. It is more poignant and meaningful and realistic than any of the over the top occurrence that appear throughout the rest of the film. While an extreme sect of society is focused on in the movie I mostly find that it is lacking in any sort of critical analysis. The extremeness of the situations in which they are portrayed in untypical. While the violence and hatred being acted upon or vocalized isn’t necessary untrue it manages to become a caricature of itself and perpetuates idea about where hatred is cultivated, how it festers and how it is projected into the world. A lot of hate is entirely harbored through conventional practices and this film treats racial relations as though hate and fear exist due to these extreme sorts of sources. It’s also so rudimentary in its final message that it’s a little offensive. It manages to reel you into a plot in which you ultimately fear for and have compassion for all characters involved but finally in the end leaves with a rotten taste in our mouth. “Hate transcends all” is definitely a valuable message but in dealing with such a complicated issue that is so specific to American communities it seems this film can only be strictly based on projecting a vision of society that is going to be shocking on exploitative in order to promote ticket sales, not inform. Boo-urns.

Posted by tapol001 at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

American History X is a very strong film that shows conflicting racism in America. The film uses racist symbols, and acts to perpetuate the racism in the film. Many critics deemed the film as racist, despite the good intentions of showing Derek’s change during the film. Black stereotypes are reinforced in the film. This is obvious as the hero of the film is Derek, a white neo-Nazi racist. Finley emphasizes this by calling American History X racist thanks to the use of a “white hero”. This film intentionally reveals the insidious ways in which racism creeps into popular culture. Slowly throughout the movie you could see how the death of Derek and Danny’s father led Derek especially to Cameron’s neo-Nazi group, eventually becoming the leader of the harmful and destructive hatred towards other races. However in the end I do not believe that Derek would return to the group, even after the death of Danny. The film also intentionally shows how change can be brought about even if you have very strong beliefs about something. Derek spent three years in jail, slowly changing over time, understanding that any race can be good or bad. For Derek to change took very powerful actions. While the other neo-Nazi men in prison raped and bashed Derek in prison, the use of Derek’s black workmate in prison was just as effective to change Derek. Derek had so much hatred for Blacks, and was stubborn to get along with his black workmate. Change in Derek began after the conversation about “sheets reminding him of women and sex”. Beck explains “Although the [hero] image is the one offered for the audience’s approval, the former [villainous] many well have the greater impact on the audience… what they condemn in words is made attractive visually on the screen”. Derek’s speech before the grocery store raid was very powerful and made attractive visually on the screen thanks to the use of powerful close up shots of the villainous leader, and black and white camera shots. Its use of words is the most powerful hatred I have heard in a film, and the lighting lead the audience to believe something powerful, and shocking is about to occur.

Posted by campb503 at 10:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My initial reaction when our instructor said, "There are images in this film that you won't forget..." was that it takes a lot more than some violence to create a permanent place in my memory banks for some radical image. I won't say that I am fully wrong, but the film as a whole fills me with a sense of dread. As depicted in American History X racism is a long deep pit with almost no way out. The main characters are moved to doing what they believe is right for all of society, or at least those that belong in society. But when they realize that their worlds are completely out of proportion it is too late too leave. Danny may day at the end of the film, but what happens to the rest of the family? Left with us to ponder the ramifications of one person on the rest of the family unit the only reasonable solution to their problem of violence would be to relocate. This movie is not just about racism and urban war in America, but also the future of those left for dead or have a price on their heads from certain anti-race groups. My last remark is about the scene where Derek stomps a man's face into the curb. This seems symbolic for the destruction of voice by an anti-minority group. The victor is the one who stands victorious of the cold and lifeless body, but is actual defeated by the picture and memory of the person, which speaks more than words.

Posted by Chris Lewis at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The first word that comes to mind after viewing American History X is powerful. It's a film that deals with one of the great struggles in America; Racism. It is a film that doesn't really give concrete solutions to the serious problems with racism, but it forces the audience to open their eyes and expand their minds on the issues. Derek, played masterfully by Edward Norton, allows hate to creep into his heart after his family suffers the loss of the father. The film uses an interesting use of color to show the different states of the mind. While the film is black and white, Derek is viewing the world and other issues from the perspective that things can actually be viewed in terms of black and white. After jail, when he is able to change his beliefs, the film changes to color and we see a completely different person in Derek. As far as him being a hero, I don't believe he is. He deserves to be commended for his ability to overcome the internal hatred that was so firmly planted inside of him, but he is not a hero. He is very complex character, as I see him as both perpetrator and victim at the same time. The leader of the D.O.C. in Venice took advantage of him during a time when he was most vulnerable, but ultimately he made the choices that led to his incarceration. His incarceration was very metaphorical in the sense that while his body was behind bars, the better person within himself was freed. This film is so honest in its depiction of the human heart and mind. Hatred is something that exists within all human being, but we have the ability to accept it or reject it. Racism has always been a problem in this country and it will continue to be as time moves on, but we as individuals can make the decisions to treat all people with the same respect and consideration we'd like to be shown in return. It's a violent film depiciting a violent country's fears and prejudices as they really are. Racism is fueled by ignorance, fear, and hate and in order to defeat those evils, we need to start very early in life in terms of educating our children and young people about the dangers that come with racism.

Posted by moros007 at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think Edward Norton was awesome in this film. He played both villain and protagonist believably. In Bernard Beck’s article, he states that in dramas, “the villains must engage our emotions. They must arouse fear, hate, anger, and combativeness. Those are the resources the moviemaker needs to propel us through the plot; their resolution at the end is what leaves us satisfied” (Beck 20). From the start of the film, Derek definitely engaged my emotions, beginning with his vicious killing of the black men. His unfounded hatred certainly brought on feelings of anger as I watched; not understanding how he could hate with so much passion and actually believe what comes from his own mouth. The fear aspect came from the skinhead group, or “strange, frightening figures who are homegrown” as Beck refers to them (21). Though this was only a movie, a quick Google search illustrates that they are many groups like this still in existence today. I don’t understand how in a country founded through diversity, there are still people filled with so much hate toward other people, even in 2008. Of course, racism is far from over and has transformed itself into more concealed forms, this blatant, full-on hate, seems to have left the minds of many today, except in groups like this. Derek’s passion for hate, leads the audience into feelings of odium, however once he returns from prison, it’s a whole different story. Beck comments that Derek “is transformed into a wise, loving, redeemed figure” (21). After having built up disgust with Derek for half of the film, it was a little hard to let it go and see him in a different light until he starts talking with Danny.

Had that been the end of the movie, as Beck discusses, the resolution would have left me satisfied (20). After such an emotional roller coaster, I was down with the movie, before the end. Guy was evil, now he’s good and teaching his brother, ok, great, got it. But then, “the triumphant climax leads to catastrophic tragedy” (Beck 21) when the young black man comes in and shoots Danny for no good reason. (On a side note, in our latest two films, I think the black men are shown as ultra-irritable, which does have some merit, but I question the extent. In BNH, Ricky bumps into a guy who later comes back and shoots him while in AHX, the boys get into it, as many boys do, and the black boy comes back and shoots him. Is that a fair portrayal or stereotype? It is just something to think about.) For me, this seems to un-do the progress the film had made. However, others argue that the scene demonstrates we don’t live in a perfect world, and though individuals may change, hate/racism does not. I understand that side as well, but it seems like it adds fuel to the fire and gives reason for racists to say that Derek’s former way of thinking was right and that “you trust these people and they turn around and stab you in the back”. In the end, racism wins and I know for sure that if Derek remains under his transformation umbrella, his tolerance will be put to the test. I know it would be difficult or near impossible for me not to return to that mindset, if not one, but TWO members of my family that I loved dearly were killed unnecessarily by members of a race that I already had learned to hate. Hopefully, Derek was able to stay committed to his new cause and not revert.

Posted by Jasmine Omorogbe at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“American History X” is a film that, after first viewing it when it came out in 1998, inspired me to become more of an activist for social causes. I had supported and been interested in organizations that fought for civil rights, justice, and change, but this film was the catalyst that got me off the sidelines and more actively involved. Because I viewed “American History X” as one of those “important” films, I found the articles, “Legitimation Crisis and Containment: The ‘Anti-Racist-White-Hero’ Film, by Kelly J. Madison, and “The White Supremacist in Anti-Racist Films” by Laura L. Finley and Peter S. Finley, somewhat jarring and my opinions in need of some reevaluation. Not before these articles, did I ever encounter any dissenting beliefs regarding this film, and, though I still feel it has some relevance to the issue of racism in America, I now view it with my rose-colored glasses removed and an awareness of the “Eurocentric” and “Anti-Racist-White-Hero” threads that run through it.

In “American History X,” as Madison states, “the ‘white’ protagonist is the subject; we experience ‘reality’ through his eyes. In comparison, ‘black’ characters are variously objectified, seen largely from the outside through the eyes of the ‘white’ hero (407).” The film follows brothers Derek and Danny, the former an ex-neo Nazi recently released from prison after serving time for murdering a black man, and the latter a budding neo-Nazi, looking to follow his older brother’s example. Through flashbacks, we learn what perpetuated the racist views of the brothers, but in real time, we see those views eventually disintegrate. Derek trying to steer Danny away from a destructive path, relates to him the paradoxical nature of his friends and enemies in prison, with his closest acquaintance being his black colleague in the laundry, and his adversaries being the other neo-Nazis. With the cleansing scene of the brothers taking down their Nazi paraphernalia, we are led to believe that all is well, that the brothers have reformed their ways, and that they will ride off into the sunset, two repentant souls. We are soon jerked back to reality, however, when Danny is gunned down by a black schoolmate.

The entire premise of the film closely adheres to the narrative structure Madison found to be prevalent in many films that discuss race, at least from the “white hero’s” point of view, with the “white hero sacrific[ing] a great deal…to further the cause of the black people’s struggle…suffering terribly for his or her efforts (405).” Aside from Danny’s principal, who is black, the film portrays only the white characters as making any headway in improving race relations. Derek prevails in removing Danny from of a life of hate and violence, and even agrees to work with police in an attempt to bring down the community’s neo-Nazi leader, Cam Alexander. In this film, we “delve into the complexity of the experiences of the ‘white’ protagonists,” but the black characters are left to perpetuate stereotypes, as discussed by Finley and Finley. They are depicted as “aggressive” towards both whites and members of their own race, drug abusers and dealers, unintelligent, and equally racist (230-31). Not only are the negatively and stereotypically depicted, they also contribute nothing to improving rapport between the races. This job, of course, falls solely on the “white hero.”

Posted by palaz012 at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In response to idea number 2, I think that this movie, as well as society in general has a hard time grasping racism. The idea that only people who commit hate crimes are the stereotypical racist groups is completely fallacious. While I believe it is true that these types of groups may be more racist than some, even as much as an internal thought about hatred towards a person of another race, to me, would be considered racist. While I don't know exactly how to classify a "hate crime," I don't think burning crosses or walking around flaunting swastikas are the only things included. I think as far as the claim that younger people who watch movies like American History X will get the idea that that only type of racism is organized group racism is fairly true. They may get the idea that if they do not belong to an "actual" supremacy group that they are automatically not a racist. If they take on this mindset, they could think that they are exempt from being a racist because they do not belong to a group. They need to know that it does not take something as extreme as burning a cross to be considered a racist who is capable of committing a hate crime. Something as simple as harsh words can be considered a hate crime because not just physical acts do harm. Racism will always be a problem because many humans live by tradition. Since that is the case, there will probably always be people who are racist because it is a family norm. Cracking down on organized racism is just a small dent in a very large problem.

Posted by cloy0004 at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

American History X was such a powerful movie. With all of the violence, racism, and life changes, it would be hard to catogorize this film as "non-interesting". Derek's character really depicted the lifestyle of a real-life preson growing up in those same conditions. Anyone who grows up being told specific people are bad and not worth being alive, are going ot think that same thing. Derek, although having to serve time in prison to do so, realized that this was not the person that he was and changed his lifestyle to try and put an end to all of the racism and hate people have for other races. I think this film was showed people that anyone can change their ways no matter what the extremes are and that you don't always have to follow in someone's footsteps; be your own person and make your own choices. I also think that racist people aren't just the ones that show it on the ourside, like tattoos and shaved heads. I would have to say that those people are true racists, but there are far more racist out there that don't show it and keep their opinions in until a situation comes around where they show their feelings. Racism is all around us and we really need to make it stop. We are all human and that is all that matters!

Posted by Katrina Heikes at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

By: Elizabeth Bassett

Featured throughout many civil rights movies throughout the decades, the “anti-racist white hero” is a common theme. After watching American History X, I see how this idea was touched on in the film. At the same time, however, I recognized many contradictions to this ideal in relation to Danny and the various individuals he meets in his metamorphosis from racist to good guy.
In first looking at the idea of the “white hero” myth in relation to American History X, I feel that it is strongly contradicted at the beginning of the movie. This is apparent as the white people are the “bad guys” with organized crime when they break into the store and terrorize both the multi-racial workers as well as the caucasians who employed them. Contradictions of the “white-hero” are also seen when Derek forces the black man to bite the curb so he can break his skull after shooting both of his friends.
This movie exhibits complete opposition to many myths related to the typical civil rights movie as the story progresses and Derek finds himself in prison. Derek meets his black friend whom he folds clothes and talks with which calls forth the black stereotype into question. Boyz in the Hood revealed the black stereotype to be of men who had no purpose in life without proper jobs and extreme racism against white people. As Derek works with his black friend who cares about his job and Derek’s well-being, the stereotype of black men seen in Boyz in the Hood is reversed in American History X. As Derek is leaving the prison and saying good-bye to his friend he expresses that he wouldn’t have been able to make it through without him. Somehow, his black friend’s kindness and work ethic had helped to reverse Derek’s ideals regarding racism and white supremacy. Ultimately, his black friend becomes the hero of the story, completely defying the “white-hero” myth.
Finally, many people have suggested that this movie is very Eurocentric. In my opinion, I think it exhibits the very opposite of this ideal. Derek’s black friend initiated the friendship which greatly aided in Derek’s transformation. Had this film held greater Eurocentric ideals, Derek or another white man would have been more likely to instigate a friendship thereby aiding in changing the black man’s ideals. The ideal of Eurocentrism was also defied at the end of the movie when Danny was killed by one of his black school peers. Had Danny taken the role of the murderer, a Eurocentric attitude may have been more prevalent.

Posted by basse044 at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The “white hero” myth is said to be depicted in this week’s film. Derek, who forces the audience into sympathy, shows how one can convert or transform his/her radical beliefs. Moving from evil to good is quite honorable but does this conversion earn a “hero” status? Madison notes, “The white hero sacrifices a great deal at the hands of white racists to further the cause of the black people’s struggle,” as a bullet point for a typical narrative structure. Derek’s sacrifice or unfortunate interaction with the other white racists may have came in prison, but it was not his will and even though it may have lead to his epiphany, his intentions at the time were not to help black people’s struggle. If Madison’s criteria is to be followed to classify a character as a “white hero” then Derek isn’t. He may be someone who underwent a transformation but it appears that he was forced into these converted beliefs.

Posted by luli0004 at 09:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I completely disagree with critics who believe that the film was sending a message stereotyping racists. After watching the film it didn’t make me think that people who committed hate crimes had shaved heads swastika tattoos or burned crosses and whore white sheets. L & P Finley argue that “American History X depicts hatred as a group phenomenon and that rednecks are depicted as the worst possible racist losers (233).” I think that this is partially true. Many neo-Nazi members are from small towns and are thought of as rednecks. Although this is true the intent of these characters was not to make the audience think that these characteristics distinctively belong to someone who would commit a hate crime. I also do not think that the film gives false cues to the audience about who is a racists. The film just gives an example of a notorious depiction of a racist in American culture. When many Americans think of a neo-Nazi they think of someone who has a shaved head, a swastika of some sort, and they may burn crosses and run around in sheets. The audience knows that these are not mutually exclusive with racists so this film does not give false cues.
I think that the depiction of hate groups in the film in some ways allows viewers that cracking down on racists groups will eliminate racism. I think if that is really the only exposure to racism then the audience might think that eliminating these groups would eliminate racism. Unfortunately racism is something that needs to be changed at an individual level. These groups would not exist if people were not racists. If you get rid of the groups you don’t remove racism but just displace it.
Grant Flatgard

Posted by flat0101 at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After seeing the film American History X in class I believe that it is both a great anti-racism film, while at the same time perpetuating racism. The film was very anti-racism if it was really listened to and the viewer really thought about what they were watching. There were many, many points in the film that pointed out the flaws in the beliefs of the racists. The racists used facts to support their beliefs, but these facts were twisted to support the view of the racists and if fully thought out the twisting of these facts were extremely obvious. At the same time however, if the viewer did not fully think through the facts that were being given they heavily supported racism.

The movie called attention to the flaws in the logic of the racists by having the main character realize the flaws himself. Despite this, the average viewer who was just going to the movie out of a desire for entertainment most likely still did not think hard about what this meant, meaning that the viewers simply listened to the very racist opening. The producers of the movie meant it to be an anti-racism film, as they expected people to really think about what they were hearing. Unfortunately people did not do this and their good intentions ended often ended up perpetuating racism rather than lessening it.

I found one part of this movie extremely disturbing. This is the first movie I have ever watched and have been really disturbed by. The thing that disturbed me was how the movie had me feeling about the crime Derek committed. The crime in and of itself was horrendous and sickening to watch as he stomped on the mans head. This in and of itself was disturbing and extremely wrong. I did not realize this while watching the movie but afterwards I realized that I was happy while watching the film that he had only gotten three years of jail time for his crimes, as in a way the movie made you like Derik and feel like he did not deserve more time. In afterthought while analyzing the movie I realized that I feel like the Derik should have had life in prison. For a crime like the one he committed I do not think he should be allowed to walk free again, regardless of his change of heart.

I think it is important to realize what is stated in The White Supremacist in Anti-Racist Films. The main characters that were pushing for equal rights and were fighting against racism, were not the minorities, but were instead white males. This shows unintentionally how white supremacist the film industry was as even in the anti-racism films white males were the ones who were cast in the positions of leadership and were given the main roles.

Posted by andre368 at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

First off that I want to say that I really enjoyed American History “X” because it presented an interesting, and often conflict of racism in American society. I felt that the creator of this film was not supporting racism, but rather sending the message that racism is unnecessary in any society across the America. Even thought some of the scenes were very explicit and gory, it was necessary for the viewer to understand that racism is not just words of hate, but also acts of deadly violence. There are two examples violence in the film I remember most clearly is the beginning scene where Derek kills the three men for attempting to break into his car in the middle of the night. The other scene was when Derek’s little brother whom was also a skin head was shot a killed at school. Both of these scenes are perfect examples how racism and hate can escalate in to deaths.
Another aspect to the film that I found to be very interesting was how after Derek was released from jail he was perceived as a hero. Prison had an effect on Derek and once he got out of the penitentiary he cleaned up his life and wanted nothing to do with the “skin head” and wanted his brother and girlfriend to also get away from the scene. Some may say the a hero figure is more boring compared to a villainous figure, but this movie was about sending a positive message and I do not believe that would have been established if Derek would have went back to his old ways once being release from jail. Beck stated, “although the [hero] image is the one offered for the audience’s approval, the former [villainous] many well have the greater impact on the audience… what they condemn in words is made attractive visually on the screen” (21). I agree with this statement and feel by showing Derek as changed person it shows how people can change their ways and also the power evil can have on individuals.

Posted by white968 at 08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I do believe that this film is misleading about what people in society can be considered racists. The film was much to adamant about placing every racist character in the movie in a gang of some sort. The only exception I observed was Derek's father, but his appearance was short and near the end of the movie, long after the gang stereotype for racism had been established. This practice is dangerous, as it gives misleading ideas about how to prevent and eliminate the racist problems found in America. The problem is not the gangs and individual people that commit racist acts, but the general stereotypes and prejudices that have invaded our entire country. The war on drugs has suffered similar setbacks. Too much time is spent focusing on individuals, low level people who are sent to jail but change nothing in respect to the status of our country (in terms of drug usage and distribution, for the purpose of this example, but the same idea applies to the racists who are put in jail). In order to change something that has saturated people's minds as thoroughly as these subtle racist nuances, there needs to be more changes at the top. Eliminating gangs changes nothing. Even eliminating the usage of certain, racially charged words changes nothing. The only way things change are to overhaul an entire society, to think and act differently, and to forget about the past. This will never happen, as personal experiences speak louder than any government words or mandates, so people will continue learning from older generations, who grew up with the (usually) subtle racism we see today.

Posted by hanse978 at 08:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In class this week we watched the film American History X. I had first seen this film last year for another class and never really paid that much attention to it. I was kind of in shock when I saw it the first time because I just thought that it was a really racist movie and never thought that they were actually trying to show how bad racism was and just how extreme these people really are. Derek was the head of a neo-Nazi racist group in Long Beach, California. He grew up hearing things from his father about how the blacks were just trying to take over the world and that whatever they said was total B.S. These things that Derek heard come from his fathers mouth were the words that helped shape him into the ideologist and terrible racist that he was. Derek's scene of when his group raids the grocery store was just a fine example of how crazy and insane these skin heads were and how they really believed that no one who was born outside of this country should be allowed to come here and take the Americans jobs. They went in there and absolutely terrorized innocent people just because they were not white. The beliefs of these people go to the extreme ends of the totem pole and they will let nothing get in the way of what they believe. This movie used racist acts and symbols to try to get the audience to see how bad racism really is. In the article L&P Finley argue that, "American History X depicts hatred as a group phenomenon and that rednecks are depicted as the worst possible racist losers" (233). I don't exactly agree with this statement because I believe that if he used a different group, such as an all black hate group, then the blacks would be viewed as the worst possible racist lovers. Danny, Derek's brother, idolized him wanted to be just like him. He did not always believe all of the stuff that Ethan told him to believe but he said it because he felt like that was the right thing to do because everyone else believed it. Derek's jail time proved to be a very positive and eye-opening experience for him. He went in thinking that no one could touch him and that he would be just fine because of his reputation. Danny soon finds out that the jail, just like in everyday society, has its own little checks and balances system and when he sees that one of his group members is dealing with a "spick" as he called it, he becomes very angry. He thinks this is totally unacceptable and because of the way he reacted to this, he is unfortunately raped later on in the shower. Danny soon realizes that what he is doing is completely wrong and his old principal Dr. Sweeney helps him realize this. Dr. Sweeney completely changes Derek’s opinion on the whole skin head group and his racist views. I believe that this film is an amazing depiction of what happens when you have these extreme views and what it really does to people. I definitely agree that this movie is an anti-racist film but it just shows it to us in a different light. As Beck puts it in his “Your Worst Nightmare: The Siege, American History X, and our Views of Enemies Foreign and Domestic” reading, “The horrors of the neo-Nazi movement are offered as a warning and as an object of condemnation, but they are also presented in exciting images of power, passion, and self righteousness.” I really feel this quote explains the movie in that it shows how bad racism really is but it shows it in the context of how these terrible racist skin heads view it as. This is not just a hobby for them, this is a way of life, they live, breathe, eat, and sleep for this hate group and soon they will find out what they have been doing to these innocent people will bite them in the butt in the end.

Posted by kapla137 at 08:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After seeing this film I can understand why people might see American History X as more of a pro-racist film than the anti-racism message it was actually trying to get across to the viewer. The first half of American History X is extremely racist and comes very close to glorifying some of the horrific things that Derek does. This film also plays on a lot of negative racial stereotypes such as that all black people are in gangs or are drug dealers and have some kind of firearm. American History X however by the end of the film completely condemns all of Derek's previous radical beliefs and racist ideals. All of Derek and Danny's previous friends come off to the audience as ignorant, confused, angry people that have no real idea of what they are talking about or what they are fighting. I can't see why anyone would be tolerant to blind hate just because of skin color or ethnicity after seeing American History X. I can see that this film does touch on how racism has made its way into our popular culture. I don't know if this was intentional or not but this film shows a lot of situations and conversations that many people have all the time. People still talk about Rodney King, affirmative action and illegal immigration problems; these are things that will continue to be popular issues because of how relevant they continue to be. I agree with Beck's statements that the flashbacks were there to show the brutality and pure hate that Derek previously had inside of him. It’s the Derek that has gone through the changes of prison and life that the audience will put judgment on. He now supposedly knows what is racist and should try to get Danny to change his life too.

Posted by hove0107 at 08:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As I was rewatching Boyz N' The Hood their was a conversation that reminded me of some lyrics from Sister Act I. They go like this,

"If you want to be somebody,
If you want to go somewhere,
You better wake up and pay attention."

These same lyrics have brought Derek to his very own feet of who he wants to be. In American History X, I found that Derek was pushed around from the start of his life through the words of wisdom of his father. He from there developed that very same hatred, that the world has started to come to. He believed that the African Americans were outsiders to his white supremacist environment that he lives in. He explains this through his actions of killing the African American men that were trying to steal his car.

Later, we find that a lot of people do end up learning through example. We see this in the eyes of Danny when he speaks into the camera to Seth, "I hate anyone not Protestant. They are a burden to the race and they are the enemy. I hate the fact that it is cool to be black." We find that this bothers Derek, because as he found out...He had to wake up.

I find that Derek as himself took a step back when he was in prison and watched how everything in a society worked. Yes, we have people fighting for our backs at all times, but if you mess with the wrong people they will come back to bight you in the butt. Both Derek and Danny found this out the hard way, because the hate groups were responsible for Derek's shower incident as well as Danny's death in the bathroom. The thing was that these two really didn't do anything wrong except for embarrass his white supremacist group in public and look at the wrong person the wrong way. Yes, these are both extreme cases and "The black characters in each of these films are depicted in stereotypical fashion," we still see trends in the gang violence in places like LA, New York and other parts of the world. It's the hate that people need wake up and see, because if they don't it will only continue.

Posted by carr0445 at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I first saw "American History X" several years ago, I felt a sense of unease. It wasn't clear to me until midway through the film that the intention of the filmmakers was to debunk racism, rather than support it. The ending of the film also left me with that uneasy feeling. It wasn't until we began to discuss it in class that I was able to verbalize the discomfort. "American History X" is a racist movie. I would agree with Beck's assessment on the film. Derek is portrayed as a hero. The scene on the basketball court where the skinheads are playing for rights to the court against the African-Americans, the musical score inexplicably rises in triumph when Derek and his group win. Derek's racist diatribes are mixed with just enough statistics to be compelling and persuasive. It strikes me as illogical that so much screen time would be devoted to Derek's reasoning when the film is trying to convey the opposite meaning. Derek's body is also framed in disturbing way by the camera, especially after his murder of the two gang members who tried to break into his car. The camera swept over his muscular, chisled body in an adoring, almost pornographic way. The look of pride on his face was probably meant to convey Derek's insanity; however it makes him appear like a hero. The anti-racist sentiment of the film is much more subdued and less flashy, which means it is less likely to stay with the average movie-goer. It is unlikely that audiences of a mainstream film are going to analyze each movie they see in the way we do as part of this class. The message is lost, and the racist attitudes are left behind.

Posted by Melissa Green at 07:52 PM | Pe