Final Quarter Blog Post


"What does it take for someone to move from a position of hate and racism to a position of tolerance and respect like the transformation that occurred in Derek?" 


     What is the definition of racism? Racism can be defined by being the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person's social and moral traits are determined by a person's biological characteristics. Racism is mostly based on skin color, language or place of birth.

    On the movie watched in class, American History X, one of the main characters, Derek, starts the movie clearly in a position of hatred and racism. His racism is caused by his dad's influence and specially intensified when his father got killed by a black person. He was also mostly influenced by an older neo-nazi man called Cameron who was their "leader". However, throughout the movie he proceeds to a position of tolerance and respect towards different races.

     The movie starts with Derek abruptly killing some black guys when they try to steal his car, which leads him to stay in jail for three years. While Derek is in jail, his younger brother Danny is following his same path, he is an extremely racist Neo-Nazi skinhead. When Derek comes out of jail he is completely transformed and states that he is not a skinhead anymore and confronts Cameron, which causes revolt on his previous group. He also asks Danny to not be part of it anymore, his younger brother is confused and Derek talks about his experience in jail. In the beginning he befriended other Neo-Nazi convicts and had to work on the laundry with a black guy, at first he completely ignores the black guy, although he becomes his friend within time. He also learns that his racist convict friends are not as good as they seem and is later gang raped by them in the shower room. Even though he expects to get beaten by the black guys, he is not touched by them. Danny is moved by his older brother's experience and agrees to leave the skinheads. The next day Danny is shot and killed in school by a black guy.

   
     For someone to move from a position of hate and racism to a position of tolerance and respect like Derek did, the person might have to go through some life changing experiences or put themselves on the other person's shoes. Derek is a good example of that because he went through many life changing experiences.


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