when they (don’t) see us
When They See Us is a four-part Netflix mini-series which chronicles the horrific, true story of the Central Park Five case of 1989 where five teenagers were accused and wrongfully convicted of the rape and assault of a female jogger. The series is presented from the perspective of these boys whose lives were upended by a miscarriage and manipulation of justice where the viewer is left wondering, “What if all boys were created equal?”
Ava DuVernay constructed a masterpiece with the cast who would take on the child and adult roles of Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, and Korey Wise. While it’s hard to watch, you need to see it.
It’s heavy, but the payoff is
It’s not the justice system. It’s the just-us system where black women also refer to us like animals or lesser than.
It’s not a story of overcoming as much as it is a story of persevering
At least look at this from the perspective of what happens when you don’t know your rights.
Most of us who read books and watch movies do so for the escapism of it all. Sure, there is a learning aspect, but at the end of the day, we just want to escape our real world of adulting and enjoy the possibility of something else. Watching a mini-series about how the justice system failed five teenagers is not exactly many people’s idea of a good, relaxing time.
It happened in 1989 but it still happens every day. Every. Day.
We say we want to be represented in the media. We prefer being powerful figures as opposed to defeated ones. But if we don’t control the narrative of the defeated ones, there will never be a Wakanda.
The conversation has started among many people on how they don’t want to see it. The subject matter is too much and the emotional impact is too close to home for many of us.
The justice system failed those boys and it’s still failing Black children today. Some might argue that it’s not failing at all when it wasn’t designed for us. It’s working exactly how it was designed to. I mean it is the Constitution that declares slavery still.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. That’s the Amendment of the Constitution that was passed in 1865 and is still active today. Today! Slavery is abolished except as a punishment for crime. This should be clear why over-policing and profiling feeds into the pockets of the state that have privatized the prisons
http://tucmag.net/movies/television/what-i-took-away-from-ava-duvernays-when-they-see-us/
Pat Buchanan Donald Trump
that sought to where they as four Black and one Hispanic teenager were labeled as guilty .
Though they were coerced into giving false testimony, all of the boys pled not guilty throughout the trial.
During the trial, all five boys pled not (Trisha Meili) in 1989. The series, which director Ava Duvernay, said she originally envisioned as a feature film, focuses on the story from the perspective of the boys and their family.
The Central Park Five, a film from award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, tells the story of the five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who was wrongly convicted of raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park in 1989. The film chronicles The Central Park Jogger case, for the first time
Having seen this case play out in real time, the portrayal was scaringly accurate. From an artistic point-of-view, this was well done and thorough in its portrayal.
This is a 30-year old case that reflects our justice system today.
People say they can’t watch but it is necessary that they do. For awareness.
We need to make sure that they don’t know what happens when they don’t see us. We are not invisible.
While it may be hard to witness even a dramatization of atrocities, we have to be the conduit to bear witness to others. We have a responsibility to make it seen. Like showing up for jury duty. Please don’t be that person who wants to get out of jury duty because..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central...
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It may be difficult to take on such emotional weight in the form of this series, but I think it’s an important film for every American to watch. Note, I did not say Black American because this isn’t a Black film. This is a body of work that shines a light on the modern justice system where people are not treated equal or with equity. It’s important that you know this. It’s important that you see this.
Can you imagine what it’s like to be in the body of someone who is not seen except for the benefit of brutalizing and punishing? It’s imperative that they see us.+
But I also felt a deep sense of solidarity and reverence, a culmination of sorts.
Something was instilled into my spirit: a measure of strength before unknown.
