History According to X - Dominic Nemmers
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.