I finally was able to watch the Roots remake this weekend and I am beyond impressed. The way that the filming was done, how the actors really became their role and most importantly to me how accurate the life of a slave was portrayed. I think sometimes there is a temptation to sugarcoat life; even the bad things, ESPECIALLY the bad things. We don’t want people seeing the bad and getting angry so we try to find the bright side in horrible situations. I'm really glad that they didn't do that with Roots. They were able to find a cast who were willing to go the extra mile to make their pain and suffering jump at you through the screen.
Now for my thoughts. Watching the first episode I definitely shed a few tears, okay more than a few. I cried! The way that slaves were viewed and treated was enough to make me appreciate how far black people have come. Watching Roots made me appreciate my ancestors and the struggles that they went through so that I could be who I am today. I know that they had no idea at the time, but they were shaping my life. They were paving the way for me to be successful. They made all of my dreams, goals, and aspirations a possibility. I know that does not make what they went through okay, DEFINITELY NOT, but I feel like if I were them, I would at least want to know that my sufferings were not in vain.
Several questions that kept popping into my head while I was watching it were how did one human being look at another human being and decide that they do not deserve to be treated the same because their skin color is different? How did you look into someone else’s eyes and tell them that they are less than the pigs? How did you sleep at night knowing that you have drained the joy, happiness and purpose from someone’s life? How did you teach your children that this was acceptable? But most important questions were geared towards the white children. How did you not question what you were taught? Did you put up resistance into believing that one entire race was unworthy? Did you just willingly accept it because that’s what daddy said? How did you look at another kid your age and hate them just because their skin was darker than yours?
Because racism, slavery and the whole nine yards does not makes sense to me and here’s why. We were all made the same and got here the same way! A man and a woman got together and had you. Whether they were white, black, Asian, Russian, purple, orange, or brown. They were PEOPLE who gave created and gave birth to another PERSON. Based on that logic, blacks/Africans were and are people too. Their skin was just darker than yours. There was no special lab that you (white people) were made in. There was nothing in you that was not in them.
People are people. Regardless of race, color, or orientation, they are required and deserve to be known and recognized as people. They are not to be referred to as animals or less than worthy because they look or talk different. A person is a person and no one can ever or should ever take that away from them or you!
That’s what I took away from the first episode. My plan is to reflect after each episode. I hope you guys enjoy this little mini-series. 💋
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