The Death of a Nation

Horrifying. Easiest word to describe the 1915 film The Birth of a Nation. Listed as a “epic drama”, this film is the embodiment of racism, brutality, and white supremacy. The idea of such blatant discrimination and hatred is unfathomable in our day and age. Do not get me wrong, our society still, after long trials and tribulations, has its fair share of racial profiling and systematic racism issues— which, let us be honest, is due to this extreme kind of segregation and hatred that existed for far too long in this country. However, even within its time, this film garnered a lot of controversy because of its radical political and racial viewpoints. It, unfortunately, still made it as a blockbuster hit, and is described as a "landmark film".

The silent film is set in the time of the Civil War, and director, D.W. Griffith depicts his not so subtle perceptions of slavery. He depicts kind slave owners and confederate soldiers as heroes. It is no wonder his idea of a dystopian society is a rise in black power. Every ‘black’ person in this film is actually a white person in black face; portraying a truly repulsive stereotype. Ultimately, the Ku Klux Klan comes to triumph in this film, and all peace is restored. * insert eye roll and gagging *

The only entertaining part of this film is when Flora Cameron flings herself off a cliff to avoid Gus — a black man who is seemingly going to be sexually aggressive towards Flora. Now, the insinuation or attempt to abuse a woman in any context is never funny. However, the scene unfolds in quite a ludicrous fashion. Gus proclaims he is not going to hurt Flora, however, she still finds it necessary to flee to such a dramatic extent that she kills herself to avoid him.

Now this is insane. 

This ideal trickles from the notion that black men were violent; relentless in their need to take advantage of a poor white woman. To be quite honest I had to contain myself from laughing because of the ridiculousness of it all. But the truth is, it is not funny. None of it is. To live in today is to be cognoscente of my own existence. A mixed person of race that would have barely been tolerated even 60 years ago. Of course this film will make most people within the last three generations infuriated; but it is a fact of history. A time when I would not have been considered worth anything. To watch this film, to analyze its not so subtle white supremacy undertone, is to face a part of this country that -- though eons from where it once was -- is not yet in the review mirror.