Race and religion are two views in the world that can really tie people together, or terribly separate them apart. The movie “Crash” by Writer-director Paul Haggis links several connected stories about class, gender, family and race in Los Angeles. In the Ted Talk, a Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie informs us against the misunderstanding of others. She also mentions how generations of falsification and stereotypes have controlled mainstream Western society. Racism and racial discrimination is when a person says or does something inappropriate or offense in reference to another person’s race, racism begins when people put their prejudice beliefs into action. People are, or can be racist due to many reasons, the first is that they were brought up by parents who were racist and their parents were also brought up by racist parents, and so they automatically implemented the views of them because that was all they knew was right. Secondly, we say one thing but do another. In a sense of, we tell people to not judge a book by its cover, yet we find ourselves stereotyping and judging people when we don’t even realize it. This can also be explained as prejudice meaning when you make up your mind about someone or something when you have not considered the facts or the evidence behind your reasoning. This can easily be compared to Chimamanda's video on “the dangers on a single story”, She caught herself prejudging Mexican people. But the only difference she said that many of us do not do is she had realized her mistake, she realized what she has fallen into and felt ashamed, but that did not stop her from sharing her story and growing from that. Even though she feels ashamed at her ignorance, she doesn't turn that shame outward and harshly judge others who display ignorance. At worst, her mild irritation is provoked. She gives others another chance to hear another story.
When you talk about religion and racism together things can escalate pretty quickly, Religion is a form of religious belief that many people include in their daily lives. There are many different definitions for religion, it all depended on who you ask. Some people think religion involves having faith in some type of higher power. Other people believe it has something to do with personal beliefs and how people should perceive things around them. There is also people who live their lives following the set rules in their religion. For those that believe in God or define themselves as a certain religion, is important and helps them define who they are in their higher power. Having a religion and believing in someone with higher power gives people a purpose in life, makes them feel safe, loved and complete. The Bible has a very strong view on racism, and the way you treat other people. When you live your life through the lens of religion you get one single story for everyone outside of your own circle. By being put into a religion you mostly have the idea of “I’m right, they are wrong' otherwise you would not ascribe to it in the first place.
This film is about difficulties of coexistence problems in a multi-national country. About how difficult it is for people to understand each other, especially if they are from completely different cultures, religions, and background. Not a single character in “Clash” is a total criminal or a hero. Almost every one of them is an ordinary person with all of their advantages and disadvantages. Throughout the film, we learn about every character, and who they really are, if they are able to make sacrifices, to risk their lives, who can go against society. There were no obvious good or bad characters. Each has its own truth, its own life, its own story to tell. The film attracts as a magnet, you start to feel a part of it, you start to understand exactly what people go through, the process their minds go through in different kinds of situations. The movie crash shows good examples of how racism against oneself, caused by fear and misunderstanding, is just as horrible and evil as racism against another person. Fear is what makes people act racist, fear is immobilizing and it keeps us separated. In the film, Farhad is one of many examples of a person who recognizes his own race and freezes himself through his own fear. Unfortunately, racism continues to be a huge problem in certain parts of the world. There are laws in place claiming people have a right to vote, work, and speak, but even the law has flaws that have kept people from getting opportunities they deserve because of their race. Racism sadly has led to uncaring acts of death, punishment and unfair treatment of adults and children.
The film 'Crash' and the talk given by chimamanda Adichie, “the dangers on a single story” had a lot in common. In “The Danger of a Single Story,” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says, “I've always felt that it is impossible to engage properly with a place or a person without engaging with all of the stories of that place and that person. The consequence of the single story is this: It robs people of dignity. It makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult. It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar” -Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The film crash shows good examples of how racism against oneself, caused by fear and misunderstanding, is just as horrible and evil as racism against another person. Fear is what makes people act racist, fear is immobilizing and it keeps us separated. In the film, Farhad is one of many examples of a person who recognizes his own race and freezes himself through his own fear. Unfortunately, racism continues to be a huge problem in certain parts of the world. There are laws in place claiming people have a right to vote, work, and speak, but even the law has flaws that have kept people from getting opportunities they deserve because of their race. Racism sadly has led to uncaring acts of death, punishment and unfair treatment of adults and children.
We are in this journey together and we need one another to create the world that supports the highest quality of life for everyone. We should continue on making it clear that there is no place for any racist ways of thinking and to make the effort to build bridges for one another so we can support the highest quality of life possible for everyone in this country and all around the world. that is filled of social problems, racism, and hate if we loved a little more we could solve most of these problems. Constant violence and senseless killings only happen because people have forgotten about love. The value of love in society should not be underestimated as love is the glue to our society. There are many definitions of love, but I firmly believe love can't be defined, which might sound very cliché, the definition of love is something that differs from person to person.
“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” -Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
