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Struggle Against Stereotypes Is Far from Over

By The Hilltop editorial board, Howard University
Black College Wire

Photo by Touchstone Pictures Playing opposite Steve Martin, Queen Latifah is loud, ill-mannered and classless in "Bringing Down the House."

In the new film "Bringing Down the House," starring Queen Latifah and Steve Martin, Latifah's character is a loud, ill-mannered and utterly classless person who confirms this stereotype of black women. The movie reminds us that our struggle is far from over.

Not much has changed since the days when white audiences cheered the racist film "Birth of a Nation" in 1915. Perhaps the message is not as blatant, but it is clear: Blacks are a subclass with laughable tendencies.

Chris Rock and Bernie Mac are starring in the soon-to-be-released "Head of State," which ridicules the possibility of a black man in the White House. The sad part is that such a movie would be released around the time that two blacks, Al Sharpton and Carol Mosley Braun, have announced their plans to run for president.

The movie "Barbershop" was another film that re-inscribed the common stereotypes assigned to black people.

It is sad that black people not only are accepting these roles without resistance, but we are paying the money to go see these films that aim to make us look stupid.

Are we beginning to accept these images of ourselves? Are we content with being seen as a people who only eat chicken, drink malt liquor and listen to rap music?

We should never be comfortable with these stereotypes. As students, we should be the ones who aim to defeat these images. We should not support movies that we know are not accurately reflecting who we are. These portrayals are unacceptable. It is up to us to strive to change the way Hollywood has established the black character.