Thoughts on “The Help”

DR. TAB Posted on 11:17, Aug 17th 2011

This article is well written and accurately depicts the plight of Black women. It seems most often that America is only comfortable with us in subservient or demeaning roles (Halle Berry in Monster's Ball). I never remember Phylicia Rashad winning an Emmy for The Cosby Show and her portrayal of a successful woman, mother and wife.
Thanks for shining the light on this issue Soror ;-)

JOHN W. FOUNTAIN Posted on 14:19, Aug 17th 2011

An insightful, well-written article that captures the complexity of this issue. Bravo! We need to hear and see the stories of African-American women and African Americans in their breadth and that reflects or ongoing story filled with its triumphs and even our struggles. I applaud the writer hear for so eloquently making this case.

IKARE Posted on 21:08, Aug 19th 2011

I am so glad you wrote this! I felt alone in my thoughts and could/cannot believe the hoopla surround this story that's basically, in my opinion is a whole lot about NOTHING! We're playing the same roles where we need to be 'saved' by others and There were no victors in the storyline. Sad to say that although I wa more emotionally attached to the characters nothing 'changed' in the movie. I believe that people ARE to afraid to say what you just wrote. YOu are correct on so many levels. Thanks Soror... you NAILED my sentiments EXACTLY!

ANDREW Posted on 10:08, Aug 20th 2011

Thanks for expressing my intuitive discomfort but didn't have the words for.

HOPE LESLIE SINGLE Posted on 10:08, Aug 20th 2011

This was wonderfully written and how I have felt for years. A former actor, with plans to head to Hollywood, I chose to give up my goal years ago seeking where roles for Black women were headed. I knew I'd spend the first 1--15 years of my career playing "Maid", "Postal Office Worker" or "Sassy Black Best Friend There to Help Move The Story Along" characters. There are a lot of independent films with strong, female, African American leads, but it's sad that the Hollywood machine keeps pushing the same, tired, and, now, largely inaccurate portrait of Black women to the masses.

You give words to my thoughts and feelings to movies like The Help and The Blind Side, as well as my feelings on The Academy supporting stereotypes by awarding statues ONLY to Black women for less than dignified roles. Thank you so much for this wonderfully written article.

GUCH Posted on 10:13, Aug 20th 2011

While I think I have only seen the Blindside and Monster's Ball, if the only thing you took away from those films was "black people need help" you missed a pretty big part of the film.

In Monster's Ball Billy Bob Thorton's character wasn't exactly a savior. To see that story as the noble white man helping the poor unable black woman would be a long long way from home. It was two lost souls finding something in the last place they would have thought.

As for the Blindside, besides the fact that it's based on a true story (sorry if real life isn't REAL enough for you) it didn't exactly paint white people in the best light either, most people didn't seem comfortable with it.

And I guess we can gloss over those films with strong black female leads too, I mean that wouldn't fit the narrative right?

Ultimately though, this is entertainment, if you're looking for a social movement they have rallies for that. If you don't like the entertainment, shut it off. I don't base my opinions on people or anything else from what I saw in a movie, and if people in this world do I say we have far worse problems in our country than our media.

LANCE C. JOHNSON Posted on 10:16, Aug 20th 2011

I enjoyed this article and learning your perspective. I have to admit that even a white guy like myself has noticed this happening all too often - stories of the black experience where the black people are secondary to the white protagonists.

I'm an English teacher, and one of my favorite books to teach is "To Kill a Mockingbird". However, one of my biggest issues is that I'm teaching my students about racism through the eyes of a white family and not the people who actually experienced it. (It's still a good book and worth teaching, but even the best books have their issues.)

At least this gets rectified a bit when I teach "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" to my senior classes.

JUDY Posted on 10:38, Aug 20th 2011

I can't argue with the review, but I'm not going to dis Mo’Nique for embracing that role in "Precious". The Monster Mother has to be one of the juiciest challenges around, and few dedicated actresses could resist. Think of "The Manchurian Candidate" or "Black Swan", or even "Medea" ( I always favored Bernarda Alba myself). Why should an African American actress be any different?

J WOODS Posted on 10:42, Aug 20th 2011

This article was wonderfully written and effective!! i will and shall be sharing this one!

~ SIL IN COREA Posted on 10:49, Aug 20th 2011

I teach English overseas, to adults, and their view of the United States is heavily affected by what they see in American films. It's time we told the film studios that we are sick of this pablum. It's time to tell real stories of real people.

CICI Posted on 10:53, Aug 20th 2011

I could not agree more! However, I think most people are apathetic and will only continue to view these type of movies/issues as "entertainment." It's a shame.

BELLEWHETHER Posted on 10:54, Aug 20th 2011

The problem has always been the absence in Hollywood cinema of true stories about the experience of black Americans. Why? Because white people did not want to make or see those stories. It matters somewhat that the limited, white POV roles given to black actors have improved in some ways, but it does not bring us any closer to the truth. And this perfectly reflects the ongoing problem in America -- the refusal to face the truth together.

JANIEBT Posted on 10:55, Aug 20th 2011

Kimberley Egonmwan nails it.Excellent!

OLDFEMINIST Posted on 10:57, Aug 20th 2011

Guch, how about some examples of better roles? The problem isn't that Black women actors are cast in villainous or stupid roles. Plenty of White women are, too.

It's that there are no major film roles for Black women actors that are equivalent to the kinds of roles that White women actors get. They can either be nice helpy women or horrifying slut monsters or fat comic mamas or sassy friends.

Billy Bob Thornton plays this monster role. He plays dramatic, comic, and terror roles. He's not just the crazy weird scary guy all the time.

You disagree? Then name all those great films and roles you referred to in your comment.

BETTY B Posted on 10:57, Aug 20th 2011

Amen !

KEVIN Posted on 11:03, Aug 20th 2011

While I see the point made and agree to an extent, I disagree with the criticism of "aesthetically pleasing" films for portraying examples of real life. Film should be a reflection of life and a film like "Precious" should not have its value lessened for portraying an aspect of society, no matter how awful and horrendous a portrayal of black women it is. I agree that studios should not allow themselves to be influenced to create these roles solely because they have been praised in the past, but that doesn't mean that should be ignored and avoided. And I would strongly argue against "The Help" being told from the lens of a white woman when in fact it's Viola Davis' character that provides the voice-over. The movie has many storylines going on but you can always identify your A story but the fact that a movie will start and end on that story. In this case, it's Viola Davis who serves as the bookend and anchor to the film.

Overall, any view about the portrayal of race from a macro perspective of Hollywood is unfair. You can't expect any one filmmaker to seek out stories solely to provide a balance in racial portrayals. Yes it might be an issue, but it's an issue with society, not the film industry. You can't point the finger and demand these stories from Hollywood, you have to go out in the world and create/promote/expose them yourself so that Hollywood will tell them.

FOX Posted on 11:04, Aug 20th 2011

Guch: Reading comprehension fail. The author of this piece isn't railing against films that show that "black people need help" - it's the other way around. She's talking about roles where the black characters exist to help the white protagonists. Whether that be in a direct role (the sassy advice-dispensing friend) or indirect (they don't intend to, but they wind up teaching those white folks a heart-warming lesson about race or class or whatever), the characters still serve to help the main white character, who the audience is supposed to identify with.

Check your privilege and read carefully before you hit "comment" and furiously type out a mess of condescension that essentially says "*I* don't think this is an issue, so shut up."

PERSONAGE Posted on 11:05, Aug 20th 2011

I haven't seen most of these movies you describe because I don't tend to watch movies much. I've encountered the criticism before, and I think it's very relevant.

From here, I think sometimes that the reason race relations are portrayed in this way (white-ish girl typing on this end) is that culturally we still feel a lot of guilt. It's mollifying to see a white person on screen help a black person, especially during a period of time when race relations were so overtly rigid and destructive. Those of us who'd like to conceive of ourselves as non-racist can "identify" with these caucasian characters and nod our heads with satisfaction and say "Yes, that would have been me." But the reality is, we can never know that. And in the end, as you describe so eloquently, while we might feel as though we're telling an uplifting story about burgeoning equality, that story can and will be seen very differently by other people, especially Black people, First Nations people, and the others whose stories we warp in service to our own.

The one good thing I can see in this is the fact that it sparks conversation, and gives us an opportunity to actually talk about these things. Many good, equal-minded white people are very uncomfortable discussing issues of race - as if broaching the subject at all is somehow participating in the oppression - and unfortunately, it can make us blind and deaf to the very real issues facing us today. In my own mind, this is illustrated nowhere as clearly as Obama's presidency, which seems to have driven the ingrained racism rampant in the US to the surface in all too many people.

We can tell ourselves pretty little stories about who we are and what that means, and we can avoid talking about race so that we don't feel uncomfortable, and we can somehow justify this to ourselves as being "non-racist," but until we lose our fear of discourse - with actual black people as they are and not as we wish them to be - we're just spinning our wheels, repeating the same mistakes, confusing the issue further and sending mixed messages to our children.

I'm glad you wrote this, and I'm glad it made me think, and I hope I didn't say anything stupid. 'Cause I do that sometimes, without meaning to. Please try to understand what I mean, and not anything dumb I may have said. Bless.

MARY SHARP Posted on 11:06, Aug 20th 2011

I agree. Thanks for writing this.

Also, from a literary perspective, the book and the film are filled with cliched, cardboard characters -- the blacks are deep and spiritual, the whites are stupid and mean -- except for the "good" one who "rescues" the black maids' stories.

That said, I have talked to more than one young person who had no idea such blatant and personal racism existed in our homes. And that has led to some good discussions about Jim Crow, Freedom Riders, Brown v. the Board of Education.

As Jay Leno proves every now and then on his on-street interviews, our young people (black and white) don't know much about history. Maybe a movie/book like this is a place to start... though I know I'm reaching.

Most people seemingly love the book and movie. I haven't been this disappointed in the collective taste since "Bridges of Madison County," another superficial story that, for some reason, resonated with people (well, woimen).

RYAN Posted on 11:07, Aug 20th 2011

I think that I understand where you're coming from, but you shouldn't attack the film itself, because it's a good movie that addresses the time period; If you've seen it, it doesn't focus on the main white character as much as you'd think, it's primarily about these female black characters rising up and learning to fight for themselves. Hell, whatever color or gender they are, standing up to fight oppression is something that's universal and uplifting. Without the Skeeter character, this type of story wouldn't have been possible plot-wise, she works as a plot device for the film, but in the end it's these black women that decide to go through with telling stories of their lives. The story ends with who is truly the main character (Abileen) who decides to quit being a servant to become a writer herself. She does this on her OWN. Not because Skeeter told her to do it, but because she is a powerful woman that is living in difficult times who is forced to make a tough decision to leave the child she loves and has raised.

But, I do understand the fact that a lot of American filmmakers seem to feel more comfortable making black actors be servants, slaves, or submissive. I agree that this should change and that we should see more variety, but I don't agree with everything you're saying. This shouldn't become a taboo subject so that people feel uncomfortable making films about this time period, or these types of characters.

KELCI Posted on 11:11, Aug 20th 2011

I certainly see your point and I think it's a horrible trend. I was trying to think of any roles for black women that might be better and the one that came to mind is the role of Zoe in Serenity (and Firefly). That was a technically "supporting" role, but I don't think she was subservient. She was second in command, the only married person on the ship, and an incredibly likable character, at least in my eyes. It certainly doesn't fix the problem to have one good character, but I'd like to hear if you agree that this one role breaks the norm (and perhaps proves the rule?).

TRYPHAENA Posted on 11:26, Aug 20th 2011

Excellent piece; I am truly tired of people looking for ways to excuse this movie/book. It was a mess and incredibly insulting. Also, people who dismiss our criticism with "it's just a movie!" are really missing the point. Entertainment reflects the culture and that is always worth interrogating.

ALDO GANDIA Posted on 11:34, Aug 20th 2011

Part of the issue, too, is that Hollywood is trying to make money. And, the majority of moviegoers are white and so they position their stories around the white protagonists.

What Hollywood should know is that audiences of any color will see a movie with a woman of color in the lead role IF the movie is entertaining. But, you have to produce those movies.

Look at Halle Berry's career. After she won the Oscar for Monster's Ball she appeared in a James Bond movie, a series of comic book super-hero movies and a few genre pictures where she plays the woman in peril. Not a single role, like the one's we see Anne Hathaway in, or Jennifer Aniston or Julia Roberts.

BRIAN Posted on 11:36, Aug 20th 2011

While I agree with the thrust of this article a solution is at hand. The technology of film making has progressed such that it is now well within the ability of any american minority to utilize. Additionally, the Sundance Foundation, American Zoetrope and many other prestigious indie film hotbeds have specific projects to nurture films from people of color and other minority communities.

The solution is to write stories that portray your vision and truth then shepherd them to fruition. Iy can be done. You can do it.

As a white screenwriter, I try to confront issues such as race and power in America as truthfully as I can. Still I realize my perspective will inevitably seem myopic to some others despite my honest effort to speak a "truth." I cannot tell a universal story so I encourage diversity of viewpoints.

A helpful postscript to your excellent analysis would have been to suggest opportunities for African-American women to actualize their viewpoints through the art of Independent film. It ain't easy but it is another step in the struggle that is more accessible every day.

JEHANNE Posted on 11:54, Aug 20th 2011

If you want to write an essay on the rarity of independent African American heroines in American film, fine; but it actually weakens your argument to make "Help" your springboard. The movie was based on a bestselling book. That's why it got made: so the studio could reap profit from a known franchise of the book's fans. It would be ridiculous to expect the moviemakers to deviate substantially from the book's plot. If you want a different sort of black character, write one!

JEAN A. Posted on 11:56, Aug 20th 2011

Excellent article, and so true. I can think of one character who does not fall into the stereotypical sidekick/helper role, however: Lilly Harper from the old PBS TV series "I'll Fly Away." True, she works as a domestic -- the series is set in the same era as "The Help" -- but she is one of the most fully realized characters I've ever encountered in film or TV, period. She is a multidimensional person. She has her own rich and complicated life outside of her job, and while she does care about the family she works for, they do not substitute for her own family. She's a wonderful creation, and she was brought beautifully to life by Regina Taylor. Now if movies could just develop equally complex and individual *contemporary* characters ...

JENNIFER D Posted on 12:10, Aug 20th 2011

You must not have seen the movie because you completely missed the point of the story. Unfortunately, at the time in which our country was in during the setting of this book, it took A LOT of white people's help to us get through the civil rights movement whether we wanted their help or not. The movie is a "time piece" and it is set during a time where sadly, this was our position in life. The movie was told through many perspectives, but if you had seen the movie, then perhaps you'd know this. This could have been a true story, easily.

You diminish the powerful work of those women, Viola Davis and others, to simply say, "I'm tired of seeing African American women in those roles". But those women of those time did powerful things. Yes, they had to raise other people's children, clean their homes, cook their food, etc. But what about the ones that were able to send their children to college like two of the characters were attempting to do in the story. That is a powerful testament to the women of that time!

Yes, I understand your point of broadening the African American roles in Hollywood. If you don't like the trend in Hollywood, help do something about it! Don't boycott a movie in which Black women can get paid and then THEY can go out and make the movies you want to see! That makes NO sense if you ask me! However, this blog post sounds like yet again, another AA woman who sits on her high horse and judges everything through her blog post, rather than going out and being a catalyst of change.

MEGAN Posted on 12:15, Aug 20th 2011

Great article! I'm sick of seeing ladies of color or larger than a size eight being stuck in the role of the best friend/helper/straight man. It's so subtly demeaning.

It's also incredibly boring.

ANNIE Posted on 12:16, Aug 20th 2011

Glad to see a post like this, especially the point to the "sassy black friend" character in modern romantic comedies. Like Egonmwan mentions, it's a far more subtle kind of racism present. These women are still presented as entirely devoted to their friend's life and problems, and rarely do we get a look at their own worlds. I think if Hollywood creates more fully developed black characters, that will also open the floodgates for other backgrounds, which is more than welcome.

OLDFEMINIST Posted on 12:22, Aug 20th 2011

Ryan: "you shouldn't attack the film itself, because it's a good movie that addresses the time period; If you've seen it, it doesn't focus on the main white character as much as you'd think, it's primarily about these female black characters rising up and learning to fight for themselves."

Do you hear what you're saying? That a White woman had to explain to them how to "rise up"?

Oh, and no one is saying don't ever make movies about the Civil Rights era. Just stop making all of them all about the White people.

"Part of the issue, too, is that Hollywood is trying to make money. And, the majority of moviegoers are white and so they position their stories around the white protagonists."

It doesn't seem so important in action movies, though, does it?

ALANNA Posted on 12:33, Aug 20th 2011

I haven't seen the movie, but I read the book and did not notice as much of this problem as you have pointed out. I don't doubt that the movie focuses on the white woman making the lives of black women better, because that's what Hollywood does, and movies can't tell stories from multiple persons' point of view. But the book does tell the story from many points of view - Skeeter, but also the two main maid characters, among others. I found their personal stories well done and not dependent on Skeeter for their well-being. The book was written by a white woman, so I'm sure it isn't perfect in terms of equality, but I think the book treated the issues better than the movie does, considering it's a movie and those never treat issues very well.

LEXUSV Posted on 12:34, Aug 20th 2011

Amen and amen! Everyone of the characters was tragic. the only forlong, the sassy fat one, the thief, etc...It was sensitive enough, but it glorified the southern white woman too much for me.

TRYSTAN Posted on 12:40, Aug 20th 2011

You DO understand, however, that the nature of the time was such where black women in subservient working environments were too oppressed to form identities beyond their white counterparts... I see a lot of misreading here. Your point that Hollywood should stop perpetuating the stereotype should be reoriented to say "Hollywood should stop portraying the subject matter." Sorry to tell you will lose your coin in the wishing well. And please don't ignore the fact that African Americans are not the only race to be subjugated to sexless, egoless archetypes... Thanks.

TIFFANY Posted on 12:44, Aug 20th 2011

I think you're looking too deeply into this movie. It was entertaining and a good story. Why can't we just enjoy that? Black...white....purple....if we stop making it an issue, it won't be an issue.

SEAN Posted on 12:44, Aug 20th 2011

What is stopping you from writing the type of women you want to see onto the screen?

ANGELA ANDERSON Posted on 12:47, Aug 20th 2011

IMHO, Ms. Egonmwan could not be more wrong. "The Help" may be fiction, but it is HISTORICAL fiction, covering the Jim Crowe era of forced segregation and subservience for blacks. To be historically accurate, the black characters had to be subservient. If Ms. Egonmwan had her way, movies involving slavery, Jim Crowe, and the entire civil rights movement would be swept under the rug. Moreover, while the black characters served as maids, they were strong and pro-active, and it was the white character who was dependent on these black women

SHAREE Posted on 13:11, Aug 20th 2011

I think it's over analyzed. This WAS reality for many BLACK women in those times. My grandmother was a maid, and truth is they did what they had to to provide for their families. So yes, many put a smile on and took their bosses shit and cared for their kids. This article reminds me of Sanaa Lathan in "Something New" trying to prove shes just as in touch with her blackness as the next person!

GUCH Posted on 13:30, Aug 20th 2011

@FOX

"Given that dismal fact, I must ask myself why, with the limitless possibilities that fiction offers, does the black woman character almost always end up in the same position, needing to be helped by Caucasian characters"

Reading comprehension fail indeed. Way to quote the example while I tackle a response geared at the heart of the article. I believe the proper response in these times are "Owned" and "Learn 2 Read".

Regardless, the point is that our media reflects society in it's current form and if this is going on the change needs to happen in society first.

MS. MONROE Posted on 13:30, Aug 20th 2011

Although it would have been a much better choice to make the maids the central characters in this story and tell it from their point of view, despite that flaw, "The Help" is still a story that deserves to be told. Yes, I am also tried of seeing Hollywood tell civil rights stories from white P.O.V. (and I am caucasian)! "Ghost of Mississipi", "Mississipi Burning" etc. However, in this case at least we departed from the outdated and boring vanity of Hollywood always making the central character a white male. Telling the story from female point of view is a step of improvement--and I am glad to see audiences embrace it. The old boys club needs to get the message that we're tired of Transformers, comic book "super heroes" and endless parade of big SFX movies that are void of story and character. Please don't encourage blocking support of this movie. Although "The Help" isn't perfect, it is amazing this movie even got made in the current Hollywood climate of SFX driven box office. When is the last time you saw a big ensemble female cast in a STUDIO produced pic...hummmmmmmmmm? Steel Magnolias? It is sobering to realize female talent once dominated the box office: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Kate Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck. As we move further and further from those days, I think we shouldn't attack the worthy efforts of these filmmakers. Obviously, the box office success of The Help indicates audiences are hungry for substance. Let's support this movie and send a message to Hollywood.

SCOTT Posted on 14:00, Aug 20th 2011

While I completely agree with your take on the book and movie, the entertainment industry is looking for what sells, and the holes you put through this type of genre don't garner large box office takes. Until people stop paying the box office, this type of book will be brought to the silver screen and people will pay to see it. On the flip side of the coin, how do you know that white men like me, who have read the book and seen the movie, aren't moved to rise up and press for societal change? Sometimes stories like this is what will take people to be stirred from their privilege and confines of their trappings to change soceity.

ANGELA ANDERSON Posted on 14:00, Aug 20th 2011

The white woman in the film did NOT instruct the black women on how to "rise up." It was the young, naive, inexperienced white woman who was schooled. It was a white woman who was dependent on strong, brave black women to risk their lives and livelihoods to further her career and their cause. The white women were all either naive, vapid, petty or cruel. The chip on Ms. Egonmwan's shoulder could not be more apparent.

DAVID Posted on 14:32, Aug 20th 2011

I don't think anyone should be censored from telling the story they want to tell. If the story is about a white person helping a black person, or of a black person helping a white person, and if it's a good story, I don't think anyone should stop it from being told. I do however understand the frustration people have with black female characters continually used as tools for the white characters to achieve their ends, especially without taking the time to make them seem like a real person, and without giving them the importance in the story as deemed by their actions.

When a black character's only purpose is to be saved at the right time by the white person to further the white person's glory, or, respectively, to simply be there to provide help the white character needs - to further the white person's glory - it's wrong. Not only is it degrading, it's bad storytelling. But if the author takes the time to establish a black character as a real, tangible personality, and to give them the portion of the story they deserve as determined by their actions, I think it's ok.

One such example is The Shawshank Redemption. Granted, Morgan Freeman is not a woman, but I think his character fits this discussion. He's a black character that is essentially saved by a white character over the course of a twenty-year friendship. I don't have any problem with this. In this movie, Red (Freeman's character) is portrayed as a strong, complex, and flawed character, and as an equal to Andy Dufresne. In the story, Red is not THE main character, Dufresne is - that's just the way the story goes. But as the major supporting character, as Dufresne's best friend, he is portrayed realistically and well. He doesn't only perform a demeaning function - he doesn't exist simply to be saved by Dufresne. His redemption is the natural result of his situation and his character, and his role in the overall story is not snubbed. As a human being, he is given his full due.

KRYSTAL Posted on 14:36, Aug 20th 2011

@Ryan: if you saw the movie, Aibileen was fired & arrested...she did not "make a tough decision" to leave behind the child she loved. Nor did the story tell us she left domestic servitude to become a writer...it only told us she would be the writer in the family...she actually said she could write her stories when incarcerated.

@Angela Anderson: thank you for correcting that oversight! And I agree with Jennifer D's comments.

Boycotting is not the answer. Only Sean has suggested writing what you WANT to see if this kind of story bothers you. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world" ... this is something the civil rights leaders & participants (whites & blacks)all took to heart in the 50s, 60s & 70s. If you want a dose of reality watch Soundtrack for a Revolution.

ANGELA ANDERSON Posted on 14:49, Aug 20th 2011

@Krystal, Aibileen was fired, but she was NOT arrested. She put the lying white woman, Hilly, in her place by reminding her that she knew her secret and would happily expose it. "They say you have plenty to write about in prison and the paper is free."

MS. MONROE Posted on 15:01, Aug 20th 2011

I'd also like to add, that although it is uncomfortable to witness these harsh prejudices on a movie screen, the facts remain...these characters accurately depict the real-life conditions of racism and cultural attitudes of 1963. And sadly, the social inequality and exploitation of labor still remains a dirty little secret. Americans don't want to admit; our culture pervasively continues to exploit the most vulnerable. Not only do wealthy families employ illegal immigrants for domestic work, everyone knows agriculture, restaurants, the hospitality industry, the construction industry and many other corporations employ millions of illegal immigrants who suffer great indignity and unfair labor practices. And because these workers have few employment options, they cannot demand fair labor practices for fear of being fired or exported. Like the maids in this movie, every new generation of exploited labor makes whatever sacrifices they must to provide for their families...and they cycle goes on. Audiences recognize, the characters and setting might be specific, but the story is universal.

MOVIE GIRL Posted on 16:41, Aug 20th 2011

I read the book and then saw the movie. Maybe my memory is poor, but I feel like the creation of it was meant to give the historical struggle in a funny storyline. I think many characters that are written about are depicted as struggling out of somewhere, hopefully to someplace better. As I read this article the first black woman who came to mind (in a previous movie's starring role) was Haley Berry in Monster's Ball. I see both movies portraying women as triumphant in the end, and I thought that was a good thing? So many movies show men, both white and black as having power and glory, and maybe we need to do a better job of showing women as competent and (dare I say) heroic. What I saw: nasty people getting their come-uppin's in the end. And I was glad for it. And the main characters (The Help) were the heroes. For those who felt slighted by the movie, I hope you take solace in the fact that some people just saw it for what it was, and not for the stereotypes that may have been rehashed. I'd like to think people are evolving at least somewhat, and can say to themselves, Oh ya, this is that same dynamic I've seen before. Lets see what THIS movie will do with it.

DEBI Posted on 17:18, Aug 20th 2011

I knew someone "of color" would come out against this fine movie and have problems with it. It never ends. We are all so tired of the same old song and dance argumentative, disagreeable attitude of people who will not see a simple movie for the enjoyment it can provide and not as yet another personal affront to blacks. Get over yourselves already.

MARIA Posted on 17:39, Aug 20th 2011

Even Hattie MacDaniel said, "I'd rather make $700 a week playing a maid than earn $7 a day being a maid," meaning that roles for Black women were few and far between. Not much has changed in 2011. If Black folks want to see different characters in films then guess what? BLACK FOLKS NEED TO START PRODUCING AND DIRECTING THEIR OWN FILMS!!!! It is just that simple. Otherwise, it is what it is.......

ANNE KINNAMON MCCARTHY Posted on 17:51, Aug 20th 2011

I did read the book (I have not seen the movie). I would argue that you could also read it the other way around in this book. The real writer of the household column is the African American woman, and her voice and the other black women's voices are the voices published in the book within the novel. The white character was just a facilitator because of the time when they lived. I remember watching an interview where Toni Morrison said that she writes more about the African American community and not its relationship with white people because that relationship does not interest her; what interests her is black people inside the community. On the other hand, if you read the autobiographical comments from the author of The Help, this relationship was one that she had a need to write about because of the African American woman who helped raise her. This woman loved her, and she loved her back. She felt a need to explore this kind of relationship because she knew this relationship. Perhaps her portrayal of the family life of the women in her book is not accurate because she was not privileged to go inside these homes; she did not know these relationships. I read a criticism of Harper Lee for not developing the maid’s character outside of the white household in To Kill a Mockingbird. If she had, I am sure she would have been criticized for that as well! Yes, The Help has flaws, but it has some merits as well. It explores a subject that makes us uncomfortable. I think books that open discussion and make us think are worth reading. I’ll let you know what I think about the movie eventually. ..

AUSTYN ELLESE Posted on 23:35, Aug 20th 2011

Excellent article! Thank you for this, Kimberly! I really enjoyed your points and many of the thoughtful responses from your readers.

@Debi: First, your use of parenthetical quotes around "of color" is both incorrect and insulting, frankly.

Secondly, the issues and conversations that have surrounded this movie AND the book that it was based on have not arisen because women of color are stuck on themselves (since you seem to feel it's ourselves we need to get over). They've come up because there are still far too many people like you, who -both as consumers and creators of entertainment media- remain clueless as to the reality and complexity of the Black American experience. Hollywood has done great work approaching/unlocking the immigrant experience, the female experience, the economically disenfranchised experience, the Jewish experience, etc.; but when it comes to handling the subject of the post-slavery/jim crow experience of Black Americans who descended from slaves, the content is far too often watered down or adjusted to be palatable for broader (read: white) audiences.

You are correct, when I pay ticket price to see a movie in the theater, I do so with the expectation of enjoying it. So Kimberly's article and my decision to wait until The Help comes out on dvd is not based on some "old song and dance" as you call it (and AGAIN, poor choice of colloquialism given this particular subject matter), it's based on the fact that there are a group of people that simply don't think they'd enjoy this particular storyline or character development enough to merit it, despite what I am sure is "fine" cinematography and costume design.

It's not a "personal affront", obviously, since Kathryn Stockett doesn't know me: it's just not my type of movie for the reasons that Kimberly so astutely pointed out.

And please know, YOU could not be any more tired than I am.

MARIA Posted on 01:39, Aug 21st 2011

I initially had mixed feelings when reading the book, but it then took on so many different meanings to me that I couldn't ignore. I then began to appreciate it for what it was. I definitely hesitated to see the movie, but since I loved the book so much, I couldn't stay away, and now I'm very glad I went. ALL the performances in the movie did the book great justice and, like the book, it got me thinking about my mother.

My mother worked during the day as a housekeeper and sometimes an unofficial nanny for these households. At night, she would work in a photo lab to have enough money to raise me and my sister by herself. I am Hispanic. My mother came to this country in her mid-30's to give us a better life.

Growing up, my sister and I watched her struggle to raise us both. Making sacrifices, learning to speak English so that she could communicate, working two jobs on minimal sleep. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the book struck a nerve with me personally.

The book is set during a time of extreme racism, but if you think that this story is just about African-American people and the actors and actresses that play these roles, then I would have to disagree. For me, it reminded me that every time I go visit home (Los Angeles) and I drive around the many neighborhoods that I grew up in, I see my mother everywhere. In the nannies catching their bus in the morning, the gardeners landscaping Beverly Hills homes, the maids and housekeepers who are ALL Latin or Hispanic or whatever PC term you want to call them. Nothing has changed for them and I'm not sure they would want to either since a lot of their jobs provide income for their families. Just like it did for my mother to support her two daughters.

SANDY Posted on 04:34, Aug 21st 2011

The problem is that Hollywood wants to make money, esp. in this particular economy. They are not going to take any chances right now. That means that most movies we are going to be seeing coming out of Hollywood will be derivative, repetitive, based on comic books, bestsellers, or sequels to blockbusters. This "creative" climate is not conducive to realistic portrayals of anyone, including blacks. Stereotypes are perpetuated in this type of climate, not challenged. Thanks to the author of this piece for speaking up. As an unpublished screenwriter I'm doing all I can to create realistic characters of all ages, races, male and female. But, I'm unpublished so far.

SANDY Posted on 04:35, Aug 21st 2011

The problem is that Hollywood wants to make money, esp. in this particular economy. They are not going to take any chances right now. That means that most movies we are going to be seeing coming out of Hollywood will be derivative, repetitive, based on comic books, bestsellers, or sequels to blockbusters. This "creative" climate is not conducive to realistic portrayals of anyone, including blacks. Stereotypes are perpetuated in this type of climate, not challenged. Thanks to the author of this piece for speaking up. As an unpublished screenwriter I'm doing all I can to create realistic characters of all ages, races, male and female. But, I'm unpublished so far.

KYMESS Posted on 05:11, Aug 21st 2011

@Maria, you echo something I said to my daughter as we left after watching this movie. Except in my case it was remembering that when I came back home (in western Canada) to raise my daughter as a single parent 24 years ago, when we'd go to the park, I would generally be the only mother there with her, surrounded by all these Filipino nannies and their little white, blond babies. It felt weird being the only parent there with their own kid. Granted, I had returned after 6 years to a revitalized city, and our old neighborhood had become one of the most expensive in the city. So the trend for upwardly mobile families to express their new status by being able to afford "Help" seemed inevitable. Still, it was weird. And I felt sad for those little babies, and their parents that weren't there with them. Yet, it's a catch-22; the nannies/domestics need the employment and money, as many help support their families back home. And their services assist the parents who often work more hours than has traditionally been worked in the past. So, I agree, this story can have far-reaching effects if we look past the simple facts of the plot. Unfortunately, there's no simple solution.

KYMESS Posted on 05:11, Aug 21st 2011

@Maria, you echo something I said to my daughter as we left after watching this movie. Except in my case it was remembering that when I came back home (in western Canada) to raise my daughter as a single parent 24 years ago, when we'd go to the park, I would generally be the only mother there with her, surrounded by all these Filipino nannies and their little white, blond babies. It felt weird being the only parent there with their own kid. Granted, I had returned after 6 years to a revitalized city, and our old neighborhood had become one of the most expensive in the city. So the trend for upwardly mobile families to express their new status by being able to afford "Help" seemed inevitable. Still, it was weird. And I felt sad for those little babies, and their parents that weren't there with them. Yet, it's a catch-22; the nannies/domestics need the employment and money, as many help support their families back home. And their services assist the parents who often work more hours than has traditionally been worked in the past. So, I agree, this story can have far-reaching effects if we look past the simple facts of the plot. Unfortunately, there's no simple solution.

IMHO Posted on 06:14, Aug 21st 2011

If any movie depicting the experience of an oppressed group was made according to Ms. Egonmwan's mandate there would never be a Schindler's List, a Dances with Wolves .. or an Amistad. Each of her criticisms could be extrapolated to fit those movies, too. In each movie the 'underdog' was used to further the story of the white protagonist. Regardless that some of these stories were based on as close-to-accurate historical representations of ugly and troubled historical times. This includes The Help. How else do you depict showing a group who initially have no belief they can rise up against their oppressor? Unfortunately, this essay only offers a distaste for the cliche but no alternatives. And, without regarding that this behaviour may've been based on how things really were. Or, in some parts of the world, may still be occurring today.

All the characters portraying the help made it very clear their survival was dependent on their employment. And, for me anyway, it was clear it was a mimimal step above slavery. Some of the long-standing relationships in The Help (between the maids and their employers) which were depicted as loving or caring, seemed it would be a natural result of people who've bonded over time and shared experiences. In fact, those relationships seemed 'colour blind', and not because a maid had little of a home life so took to loving her employer's family more. The Help quite often showed a vibrant personal life when the maids were at home, or even just socializing among themselves. They just cared for "their babies" because they were caring women. And they often were shown to have more class & dignity than the 'white babies havin' babies' that made up their employers.

The other examples Ms. Egonmwan used, The Blindside & Precious, as previouly stated were both based on true stories. So not the best examples to use. Sure, Precious could've used white people to say the same story, and no one's stopping anyone from re-imagining it that way. A few movies have already been done (think Sybil). A monster mother comes in any colour. Precious's happened to be black. And Mo'Nique was recognized for an outstanding performance. I don't think her colour had any input.

I would love to see a better story produced by Ms. Egonmwan showing the strong, historic roles for black women she wants to replace the schlock she feels Hollywood is doling out. Otherwise, this just sounds like a misguided rant.

ELLE Posted on 06:17, Aug 21st 2011

I think the essence of it is not this story should not be told, but that it has already been told in some form or fashion. It's a slightly different twist on an old theme and the point is there are other stories to tell. I am African American and in my own family history the women were seamstresses, teachers and government office workers. I'm in my 40's and my maternal and paternal great-grandparents were college graduates (Virginia Union and Bluefied College for example). There were many black college graduates in the early 20th century and their stories are not being told, and they were real people too.

ANNE KINNAMON MCCARTHY Posted on 09:04, Aug 21st 2011

Have you read book, seen the play, or the-made-for television movie about the Delany family called Having Our Say? I often teach this biography because it shows a strong, multi-generational, college educated, African American family. In fact, the Delany parents told their daughters that they were never allowed to work as a domestic in a white person's home. I think many viewpoints are available. There is not just one story.

JUDITH MCGOVERN Posted on 10:37, Aug 21st 2011

If, indeed, as the author states, "It’s time to stop ignoring the thousands of other stories that reflect the lives black women lead every day. We are teachers, daughters, doctors, lawyers, wives, housewives, heroines, villains, mothers and yes, maids, but always flesh and blood women with self-determination. Only when they begin to tell that story, will they have our attention." then it's about time black women started writing their own stories.

JG Posted on 13:13, Aug 21st 2011

@Maria (specifically), but also Jehanne, Jennifer D, Angela Anderson, and Judith McGovern

Ah, posting that "black people/women should start writing their own stories"? Are you that ignorant to believe that there are NO black writers who offer scripts, stories, and novels about the civil rights movement, or about black people's participation in society over the last century? Or that these offerings often contain real, fleshed out characters and a POV rarely seen in mainstream (or “independent”) cinema? Even a cursory internet search reveals the large number of AA filmmakers who work deep in the margins, willfully ignored by the larger, much more dominant mainstream film industry. Charles Burnett. Julie Dash. Gordon Parks. Ossie Davis. All very well respected directors and, to this very day, widely ignored. So it is certainly not as if blacks haven't been participating in the process for a loooong time. No, the larger problem is twofold:
people (mainly non-black but also a depressing amount of blacks) prefer and feel intimately comfortable with the (largely) cartoonish images of blacks in mainstream cinema. Asking them to reconsider these images has proven to be a monumental task; showing any indignation at being consistently portrayed in the least favorable light possible is yet again more of our “griping and moaning”.

Then out comes a variation that old chestnut “get up and do something about it”. Yes, that's the spirit! It's almost like a recipe for defenders of racism/prejudice at this point: imply that (black) laziness is not just the central problem but the only one, and that good old shut-your-mouth-and-go hard work is the solution! Ha, that'll show em! Back it up with a story about your hardworking immigrant nana, who came here from X (insert downtrodden hardscrabble country here) and prospered not by complaining but by hard work... and you've got American mythology 101. What relevance and resemblance it has to the current topic is of little importance, but it's a great story to tell, right? I mean, really, if you are going to comment on something, inform yourself first. As if black women haven't been MIGHTILY TRYING for decades to get a diversity of voices heard (by mainstream audiences) on this very issue.

IMO, part of the problem is the yawning ignorance of the general public towards matters of race and entertainment. There have been many, many stories, novels, and plays made about the amazing lack of opportunities (and outright racism) for writers or color in the film and television industry. Paul Robeson, Angela Bassett, James Earl Jones, Spike Lee, Bill Cosby... these are just a few of the established icons of the American entertainment industry who have spoken, over the past half-century or more, eloquently and at length about the struggles of AA telling their story. I recall reading an interview with Ursula LeGuin, the giant of science fiction whose stories often have to do with race. The story concerned how, when her most famous work was readied for the screen, she asked that the cast accurately reflect her book and include blacks, and the unyielding resistance to the idea, despite race being very central to the plot. I could go on with more stories about non-black directors, actors, screen writers – people like Julia Roberts or Norman Jewison – have discussed this issue themselves. It's disingenuous (at best) to suggest that an avalanche of simplified, negative depictions of AA might so easily be countered by someone who has no power in the film industry and faces well-documented and tremendous challenges in getting their foot in the door. Pretending otherwise is stupid, though it also seems comforting for some of the posters here.

I strongly suspect that what most people who dislike criticism of stereotyped roles for AA would like is not for the stereotypes to go away, but for AA to just shut up about stereotypes. People are fine with us singing and dancing, but the rest, not so much. I'd like to think that if black people (and more broadly, Americans in general) were, by large, the “shutting up” kind, the civil rights movement wouldn't have happened. To say nothing of the Civil War, women's suffrage, the American Revolution... in fact every movement against discrimination and for positive social change. And Maria, if you really are the daughter/granddaughter of immigrants, you ought to thank your lucky stars that you get to follow in the footsteps of loud, complaining blacks, because without the civil rights movement (and it's attendant gains for ALL minorities and society in general) where would this country be? It was at the height of the civil rights movement that extremely heavy restrictions on inbound immigration were lifted, did you know that? As a woman, or as a Latina, would you REALLY prefer to live in a pre civil rights world? Where stereotypes of women and/or Latina's went unchallenged and anyone who dared complain was lambasted? Why shouldn't blacks expect to be portrayed with some intellectual dignity and weight beyond the simple-minded offerings currently on display? We are part of the society too. How many more movies about 300 pound, folksy and sass-talking grandmothers does the world need? That's not the image I like to see presented to the world about the wealth of experience and personalities that my family and friends contain.


@Debi
You are lacking in some basic humane qualities if, upon hearing about the movie “The Help”, your first thought was to see it as a vehicle for the unfortunate blacks to open their dumb mouths again. The OP addresses the movie, blacks in movies and larger society, but you don't address her post at all. Perhaps you might be one of those “spambots” that posts similarly worded commentary on various articles on the web all day long. Well, rest assured that society is lumbering forward, and the sort of thinking you display in your post will (hopefully) be further relegated to the past, where it should be.

SHANNON Posted on 13:51, Aug 21st 2011

I entirely disagree with this article. Why should this movie spark, as the author states, "an outcry that should have accompanied the opening of such a movie in 2011." This is a quality movie based on a book that topped the bestseller list for an extended amount of time. Movies like this are opening in 2011 because people want to see them (see box office results). To me, this article is a classic example of looking for a racial problem where there really isn't one.

Furthermore, the author makes the argument that we shouldn't be telling the story of the subservient house maid because in real life black women are so many other things. She says, " We are teachers, daughters, doctors, lawyers, wives, housewives, heroines, villains, mothers and yes, maids, but always flesh and blood women with self-determination." As a black woman myself, I'm well aware that black women are all of these things, but that doesn't mean that a movie must be made about a black woman in one of these roles. I'm a teacher, maybe they should make a movie about me. You could watch me go to the supermarket after work on monday, you could watch me cook dinner on tuesday, and maybe if you're lucky they won't cut the gripping scene where I watch television on Wednesday!

This movie does not perpetuate an alleged underlying racial problem in Hollywood, it simply tells an intriguing story. If you weren't spending so much time looking for something to complain about, you might notice that as well.

SHANNON Posted on 13:53, Aug 21st 2011

I entirely disagree with this article. Why should this movie spark, as the author states, "an outcry that should have accompanied the opening of such a movie in 2011." This is a quality movie based on a book that topped the bestseller list for an extended amount of time. Movies like this are opening in 2011 because people want to see them (see box office results). To me, this article is a classic example of looking for a racial problem where there really isn't one.

Furthermore, the author makes the argument that we shouldn't be telling the story of the subservient house maid because in real life black women are so many other things. She says, " We are teachers, daughters, doctors, lawyers, wives, housewives, heroines, villains, mothers and yes, maids, but always flesh and blood women with self-determination." As a black woman myself, I'm well aware that black women are all of these things, but that doesn't mean that a movie must be made about a black woman in one of these roles. I'm a teacher, maybe they should make a movie about me. You could watch me go to the supermarket after work on monday, you could watch me cook dinner on tuesday, and maybe if you're lucky they won't cut the gripping scene where I watch television on Wednesday!

This movie does not perpetuate an alleged underlying racial problem in Hollywood, it simply tells an intriguing story. If you weren't spending so much time looking for something to complain about, you might notice that as well.

PERSONAGE Posted on 14:18, Aug 21st 2011

Well, at least we're talking.

Next step.
Listen.

Be safe out there, and remember EVERYONE has a story.

ANGELA ANDERSON Posted on 16:15, Aug 21st 2011

@JG Respectfully, I think you and Ms. Egonmwam missed the point of the movie all together. In fact, I wonder if we are all talking about the same book/movie. This movie is EXACTLY the type of film you are demanding to see. Aibileen and Minny (black) were the brave, strong heroes who risked their lives and livilhoods. Skeeter (white) was a young, naive white woman completely dependent on blacks to further her career and their cause. That is, THE WHITE WOMAN WAS THE SIDEKICK. ALL the black women were portrayed as hardworking and competent. Every single white woman was either either naive, vapid, petty, or cruel.

STACIE MICHELLE Posted on 11:14, Aug 22nd 2011

I wonder if much of the attachment to the book and film (I haven't read or seen either) has to do with a desire for people to believe that in the history of humanity, good people existed in times and places where most of society is behaving horrifically. To know that someone stepped outside of what was expected of them in order to stand up for what is right: that's inspiring. A movement where everyone is fighting together is inspiring enough, but when you step outside your own comfort and safety zone to fight the good fight - I don't see anything wrong with telling those stories. Those people did exist and it's good to remember that we, too, can stand up for what is right, and defend those who are sweating blood and tears fighting for basic rights - no matter the cost of alienation from "proper society."

That being said, I'd LOVE to see some contemporary, mainstream films (like Devil Wears Prada) featuring a black actress as the main chracter - without any focus on stereotypes or even in-your-face race issues. Just a normal story of a normal girl who just *happens* to be black: GASP!

Good thoughts overall here, this film has certainly sparked conversation and discussion and that's the most important thing.

AD Posted on 12:30, Aug 22nd 2011

While I don't have an issue with The Help (as the reality of that time is what it is) or The Blindside as that is a true story I have to always ask this..... When you have a black filmmaker who has the capacity to do the movies that counter what African Americans, myself included, are complaining about in The Help when do the articles and lamenting them start? For instance Tyler Perry. Monique got nominated for a movie that got a bigger reach because of TP and Oprah's names being on it. So if we want to complain about that in particular..hold those responsible for not putting out the movies we want beyond white Hollywood accountable too.

TPG Posted on 19:33, Aug 22nd 2011

I believe that if you have studied both American History and American Politics (like the author), you will understand why "The Help" is not "helpful" to the majority of its viewers. Unfortunately, there are many Americans of all races who do not understand the complexity of past race relations. I read "The Help", and although it was a fairly decent story, many issues were glossed over, as they were in the film. Black women were degraded on a daily basis by their white employers, and they most definitely were subjected to rape, physical abuse, and even murder at any given time. There were college educated Black women who became maids because society refused to employ them in their majors. Many Black men worked hard every day to provide for their families and did not physically/emotionally abuse their wives. To brush off, gloss over, or not even address these important issues took away my ability to laugh at things that were deemed as funny in both the film and the book.

DEBI Posted on 10:27, Aug 23rd 2011

I stand by my original post. It's always the same old song. Arrogance, anger, pointing the finger, name-calling, insults, etc. The movie was meant as entertainment, not education. You're so quick to take offense to any remark, no matter how innocent. You can't demand respect, you have to earn it, and it would be nice if you'd show some, too. It doesn't matter what we say or how we say it, in your eyes, it's always wrong.

AMANDA Posted on 10:34, Aug 23rd 2011

Debi, I think that dividing things up into "we" and "you" automatically breaks down any possibility for respectful dialogue.

DEBI Posted on 12:13, Aug 23rd 2011

Amanda, that possibility never existed on this page.
Racism reigns here!

ANGILAND Posted on 19:35, Aug 23rd 2011

PERSONAGE - You gave such an eloquent and refreshingly HONEST response...thank you! This is the first glimpse I've been provided (into the reasoning why these types of films are made) that didn't get into name-calling or defensive stances. I really appreciate your comments as a woman of color.

Please continue to speak up and out...you have really restored my hope that people will begin to understand that they may NEVER understand why a certain group feels a certain way about certain issues. And that it is ok to not understand, but it is equally important that we respect the opinions of others, even if they differ from our own.

PATRICIA OWENS Posted on 16:35, Aug 24th 2011

I don't believe the film is making a mockery of black women, The film portrays what life in the south was like for many black women. So many children of privilege don't know what your less fortunate brothers and sisters went thru, and younger generations of black children have no idea of the struggles our people face to give them the right to walk around with their pants sagging. What the film did portray was a time when we had dignity and carried and represented ourselves class. What It represents was that you get off your behind and work to support your family and not look for a welfare check.

ZANE Posted on 02:24, Aug 28th 2011

While I was reading all of your opinions and about to give my own, Rolando was cutting my grass... @Maria, thanks for sharing your views about LA (Latin Americans)- I included it in my blog - it's important not to be so self-absorbed that we don't see other people groups that are struggling too. I want to be a part of the change, the real help, not just talk about it!

PERSONAGE Posted on 06:56, Aug 28th 2011

ANGILAND, ZANE... you guys are awesome. Keep talking, keep listening, keeping Being the Change. Thank you sooo much for your insight!

NANCY Posted on 13:39, Feb 17th 2012

I'm consistently perplexed at the reactions based on race toward movies about race and social injustices. Being white those insights are impossible to get unless I'm told. Once I hear the other side it becomes very clear how little I understand about my neighbors and friends and their daily experiences with the cruelty of racism. Race Matters as Mr Cornell West wrote. It changes what we see and how we react to others.

When a white person writes a book or a movie such as this I feel there are several outcomes. Some intentional and some collateral. Some in the white privileged class are speaking to their contemporaries by showing the world how ridiculous, destructive and unchristian racism is. It's to stop us from continuing the insanity. To show that you will survive your enemies for going against the system. You will probably survive the institutions who corruptly and violently coerce us into participating and condoning the plantation mentality. This is a story about shedding the chains of mental slavery. With Skeeters of the world there would be less social justice and awareness of how we as whites help the institutions os racism when we play along so as not to become unpopular.
It's a story about caring enough about the "other". The ones who are supposed to be invisible. To care enough that you endure being ostracized by friends and most of time family. Becoming an outcast. It's not a story about the maids.
The comments here are eye opening for me. Because without them I would easily forget that race effects everything even a movie that thought had a simple message. Do The Right Thing when your likely the only one that's gonna do it. Courage includes doing the right thing even though it won't be appreciated.