Just Mercy is a 2019 film that deals with the criminal justice system. It stars many people like Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Brie Lawson, Rob Morgan, Rafe Spall, and other people. The story is about the true story of Walter McMillian, who was once falsely convicted for murder of a white woman. The defense attorney Bryan Stevenson appeals his murder conviction and helps to free Walter McMillian. The film is based on the memoir of the same name, which was written by Bryan Stevenson. Destin Daniel Cretton directed the movie. Michael B. Jordan, Gil Netter, and Asher Goldstein produced the movie. The screenplay was created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham. The film had its first world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2019. It was released theatrically on December 25, 2019 by Warner Brothers Pictures. Many critics positively reviewed the film, and Jamie Foxx has a nomination at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. The film has already won two African American Film Critics Association awards and an Award from the National Board of Review. The movie shows Bryan Stevenson and his allies sacrificing their time and in many cases their lives to fight for an innocent man to be finally released from prison. Bryan immediately finds tons of evidence that proves that Walter is innocent of any murder. The movie is very emotional, because there are many innocent black men and black women in prison now. The film has the lawyer talking to Walter's family. Also, Bryan Stevenson continues to be an activist to fight for justice involving criminal justice issues. He is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. The EJI said that one out of every 10 men on death row is innocent. That is why the death penalty is so controversial, and many nations already ban it. America has never banned the death penalty nationwide in decades. The black community, for years and decades, has told the world about many of the unfairness found in the legal system. Not too many people have heard us. It is only recently when more and more people from across the political spectrum do acknowledge how unfair the criminal justice is and want something done about it. Brie Lawson plays Stevenson’s ally Eva Ansley. The movie talks place in the rural South of 1980. Karan Kendrick plays Walter’s wife named Minnie McMillian. Bryan Stevenson wanted the movie to be used as a call to action. This action is what most Americans want and what most people in the world desire. We don’t want innocent people to be murdered. We don’t want the War on Drugs ruining the lives of so many black and brown people in the States. We certainly don’t want the status quo. The system doesn’t just need some changes. It needs a complete overhaul in order for justice for all to ring true for real. This is a serious deal, and the movie Just Mercy makes that point very clear.
Terry Gilliam’s criticism of the Black Panther movie is not a product of legitimate criticism. Gilliam has shown hatred, racial stereotyping, and outright falsehoods. I will give examples of what this view is correct. This comes underneath the backdrop of the backlash against animated movies. Many directors and critics don’t like these types of films, because they view them as not filled with real acting or real storylines. The truth is that you have to judge any animated film based on its character, and not every animated movie is monolithic. Many comic book style films have great acting, coherent plots, and interesting character dynamics. The attacks on MCU or the Marvel Cinematic Universe have grown by directors. Terry Gilliam ironically was the former Monty Python animator. Gilliam made the racist remark that Black Panther makes young black kids the idea that this is something to believe in. He also said that the people who made it never been to Africa and made up African fabrics. Gilliam is wrong. The director Ryan Coogler did go into Africa to research information for his film. He came into Lesotho. He came into Kenya (where Lupita N’yongo’s relatives are from) and in South Africa. In South Africa, Coogler learned the Xhosa language which was used in the film. Ruth E. Carter was the stylist in the film. She worked with Spike Lee and Steven Spielberg. Ruth actually researched many African tribes and created distinctive and authentic looks for the various tribes of Wakanda. That is why she won her Oscar. Gilliam forgets that Wakanda is a fantasy. It isn’t real. Many black kids see Wakanda as inspiring them to love their own Blackness, to love Africa, and to aspire to do great things in life. Gilliam’s lie that Black Panther is only popular because of “identity politics” is silly. Black Panther is popular because of its storyline, actions, complex messages, talented actors plus actresses, and the breadth of its content. Many people use identity politics as code for trying to make people ignore their Blackness or their identity instead of embracing their diverse identities. Gilliam is wrong to make up the lie about MeToo movement turning people in to victims when MeToo is about ending sexual abuse (and sexual harassment). There are valid critiques of certain aspects of Black Panther, but Gilliam’s words are not some legitimate critiques. They are part of the agenda to downplay the importance to address racism, imperialism, and injustice.
The tensions among the FBA and the ADOS movements are not shocking, but it's a sad representation of how things are. Some time ago, I mentioned the truth that a kingdom divided among itself can't stand. This is true. Antonio Moore and Yvette Carnell are wrong for their xenophobia. Many ADOS followers are xenophobic by accusing their critcs of being an immigrant. Some ADOS poeple are xenophobic for scapegaoting black immigrants for the problems of black Americans instead of the system of oppression. Many ADOS people are xenophobic for disrespecting the ingueity and courage of African people. Many ADOS folks are xenophobic for dismissing the right of those of the African Diaspora to be in American films by virtue of their nationality alone. Antonio and Yvette talk about lineage, but they omit that their lineage didn't originate in America. Their lineage originated from the Motherland of Africa. Also, the majority of the people of African descent in the Americas during the Maafa were kidnapped and forced to live in South America and the Caribbean (not the British colonies). Therefore, black people in the Western Hemisphere are deserving just as much for reparations as people like me (who are black Americans). Yvette Carnell said that it is not xenophobic to say citizenship should matter in terms of American priorities. She is slick, because she omits that she wants to exploit citizenship as a means to believe that black non-African Americans are not equivalent to African American citizens (when citizenship exists among many different ethnic groups and backgrounds). The Constitution is clear that anyone born in America is a citizen. African Americans deserving of reparations doesn't mean that Africans should be dehumanized by virtue of their ancestry. Yes, Yvette and Moore are xenophobic by demanding that black immigrants show their lineage instead of demanding the people who control systematic racism to give us our compensation in the form of reparations, etc. All people are created equal regardless of citizenship. Yvette is silly to be more cordial to a person named "Frost Wizard" (who disrespects black women. He called black people "scum monkey" which is racist, and he's a Trump supporter) than actual black people who disagrees with her. Frost said that he is biracial while others say that he is white. Yvette is part of PFIR, which was funded by the white racist and eugenicist John Tanton. Now, Tariq Nasheed has been petty against Antonio Moore and Yvette Carnell. The problem with Tariq is that he isn't using legitimate arguments to refute Moore and Carnell. Moore and Carnell are wrong for their anti-African xenophobia, for their promotion of the ADOS, etc. Yet, Tariq has used Twitter to disrespect both of them of their physical appearances, their personal lives (which has nothing to do with the political arguments), etc. The reason is that Moore and Carnell critiqued Dr. Claude Anderson's actions. You can disagree with them on their Anderson critique without ad hominem attacks. Tariq Nasheed is a total hypocrite.
He or Nasheed criticized certain types of interracial relationships, but his wife is a product of an interracial relationship. A lot of people don't know that he has a white mother in law. Many people don't know that he was in Brazil lusting after white Brazilian women years ago. Many people don't know that he hanged out with pimps and he is pro-pimp. Many people don't know that he promoting misogynistic books and was once a rapper (named K Flex where he promoted an album cover of the degregdation of a black woman. Tariq Nasheed has a known history of calling black women the B word. He hasn't apologized for his nonsense) glamorizing violence. Nasheed doesn't talk about the wage gap among ethnic groups, health care issues, environmental issues, and other real issues (even when he was once on FOX News). Tariq talks about white racism, which must be exposed, but he uses that as an excuse to push his reactionary agenda. Tariq disrespected single black mothers for years, and he said that black single mothers aren't entitled to reparations. He lusted after Brooke Hogan and said that he wanted to bring the flag of Europe in the bedroom. Tariq has gone out of his way to promote disinformation like his Hidden Colors series while scapegoating Afro-Caribbeans and other Africans. Jason Black (who made Facebook posts demonizing single motherhood in false, offensive ways. Jason Black promotes Reagan-like arguments) is an ally of Tariq. Jason Black's avatar of Eldridge Cleaver is interesting as Cleaver bragged about raping women, supported Reagan, and compromised his principles. He or Cleaver wrote about hating black women, which is evil. As for me, I love black women of every nationality. Cleaver is well known for his hatred of progressive views by the time of his passing. Tariq is arrogant, profane, and a liar. I don't agree with Tariq, Jason Black, Yvette, or Moore for different reasons. Jason Black has the nerve to disrespect Dr. King, when Dr. King risked his life for freedom. Without Dr. King and others, he wouldn't have a Youtube channel. Dr. King showed his face while Jason Black doesn't. When Dr. King was fighting against the Vietnam War, Jason Black refuses to oppose imperialism in our generation. I don't follow the ADOS or FBA. I follow the agenda of black liberation and Pan African Unity. We must deal with economics, politics, and infrastructure in order for us to be free.
The big lie is that voting means nothing. If that is the case why are far right Republicans supporting voter purges nationwide in places from Georgia to Wisconsin. Why are Republican legislatures passing voter ID laws that restrict who can vote, when you can vote, what they of ID that you can use to vote, etc. Therefore, voting matters from the federal level to the local level. Registering people to vote makes sense, and it’s the right thing to do. Recently, one federal judge said that the reverse of Georgia’s decision to purge 100,000 voters will not happen. This is bad news. These purges disproportionately harm low income voters, Democratic leaning voters, young people, and people of color. Stacey Abrams has worked to undo the purge. She ran for the Governor of Georgia. One judge supported cutting as high as 234,000 voters in Wisconsin. Abrams’ group is called Fair Fight. Fair Fight restored voting rights to 22,000 people. Once, former Republican Governor Scott Walker passed the harsh voter iD law that restricted early voting, and promoted partisan redistricting. Since the infamous 2013 Supreme Court decision that gutted part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that reviewed states with a history of discrimination, voter purges have increased. These purges are a new slick tactic in trying to maintain Republican power. People, who have done nothing at all, should never have their names purged. What we are fighting for is the maintenance of democracy.
By Timothy
