I live in Utah. UTAH! Black People make up 1% of the population in Utah. Utah. That was when the last Census was taken in 2013. Although this place Is becoming more and more diverse we black folks in Utah are Pioneers. Most people with brown or olive skin in Utah are pioneers. We miss out on a lot culturally here. There just isn't the interest or the support from the majority of Utah Citizens to learn outside of themselves. That fact, for me is a breeding ground for racial and cultural biases, prejudices and bigotry. People tend to be afraid of what they don't educate themselves of.
Recently (as in a week or 2 ago) 2 movies riddles in black culture with mostly black casts came to Utah. The more popular one is "Straight Outta Compton." The story of the rap group NWA. Although it is a true story, it also plays to the Stereotypes that most believe of black people, especially here in Utah. When speaking with most of my friends here, Majority of course white, they have seen and enjoyed Straight Outta Compton and are fans of the Rap group NWA.
The least popular movie is "War Room." About a family struggling to stay together and failing Until an Elderly woman takes it upon herself to mentor the wife on how to properly fight for you family and marriage through God. I know, I know you already feel the preachy and don't want any part of it. These movies tend to be boring and preachy with bad acting. NO worries! This is probably your que to leave. Everyone else YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
I have a new favorite movie! I loved it. LOVED IT
I am so culturally proud of the movie War Room! You see, there's a part of the black culture that the media and entertainment field doesn't really delve into and that is out spiritual side. There is a black church culture like no other. And even as a member of the LDS Church I still say there is nothing like worshiping with Grandma and Grandma's church! I have heard many men and women of God around the world pray: LDS Prophets, Catholic Priests, TD Jakes and Joel Osteen. I've hear prayers in Temples and Cathedrals', Synagogues and Mega churches. But the prayers that strike me to the core are the one's I've heard at the knee of my Momma, Grandmama's and Great-Grandmama's , praying for their families, for their men and praising their God!
As a Christian I am spiritually proud of this movie! I could relate to soo many scenes, from stanky feet to praying for my man (when I had one. Boy, that Alabaster Box Album and the song "He's Not Ready...He's not on his knees" had me on mine and in tears many nights) to walking through every room commanding in the name of Jesus that the Devil get up on outta my house!" Remembering the realness of struggling to submit to the will of the Lord and the final release when humbling myself to do so. And the faith and relief of knowing that God had everything under control. I find myself asking How did I manage to step so far away rom those moments? Now keep in mind this moments were accompanied by the relationship of a Wife who was angry and bitter with her husband and a husband who was angry and bitter at his wife with a daughter in the middle observing it all.
What saddens me the most is when a Good Movie like WAR ROOM comes along it goes unsupported. We, the black community get caught up in Piss-off-city when white people want to see and keep us in stereotypes that reflect us negatively as Rappers, Thugs, and Mad Black people. Yet when something culturally reflecting our spirituality and ability to win a struggle legally, spiritually and morally we don't support it. If WE don't support it, how can we expect others to support us in it?
I have lost count of how many of my friends and family,black and white have seen "Straight Outta Compton." I Can count on 3 fingers how many of them have seen "War Room." That doesn't include myself. I'm not saying "S.O.C" is a bad movie or a bad movie choice. What I am saying is this: I know very few white people who are going to support a movie with an all or mostly black supporting cast. When they do, it will be something along the lines of Madea, or Kevin Hart, Or Martin Lawrence or Will Smith, action filled with swearing, killing and sex. Or the antics of a Big black man dressed up like an old black woman who is most outlandish to the white community. They're going to line up to see our antics in the form of court jesters or thug.
Very few will go out of their way to see stories like SELMA or WAR ROOM. The films that WE Feel define us best to our core.
I saw the Movie SELMA earlier this year. It came out about the same time as American Sniper. Once a gain my white friends/family felt they had to choose to watch SELMA or American Sniper. Not recognizing there didn't need to be a choice. One story was just as American and Patriotic as the other. One story was just as important to American History as the other. The reality of it is WE HAVE AMERICAN SNIPERS IN OTHER COUNTRY BECAUSE OF THE BULLSH*T THAT HAPPENED IN SELMA. Does anyone else find it odd that we have American Snipers "policing the injustices of civil humanities" in other countries, while we can't even get that same support in our own?
War Room set a fire inside of me that I haven't felt for year. It gave me the desire to get back on a plan with myself and with the Lord. In a time where "all lives matter" and people a going into jails and not coming back out alive, or getting stopped by the police and sharing their last breath in the company of those in uniform, it is Imperative that everyone home have a "war room." To deal with the battle that goes on around us every day inside our homes, on our streets and in our places of business. WE ARE AT WAR with Vices we don't even see. Homes are riddled and pocked with abuse, addiction, contention and so many other things tearing families away from each other and the Lord. We've grown to proud to call on Heaven when we are in too deep and have the audacity to wonder why this nation is going to hell in a hand basket when we hear the news of what goes on out in the street. War Room was like Black folks General Conference and if you are LDS that says a lot. Every family needs to see this. And urge your allies to see it as well. There is no reason why everyone regardless of color and culture can't see this film.
It's taken me back to my black church roots! You know, the kind where you get that big white HOLY BIBLE with the genealogy pages for adding the names and birth records of all the family members. And you retire to that prayer room *war room* in the house where you pray in secret everyday and write out those special prayers for special people and situations and hand them on the wall. And you start to keep that Journal of all your answered prayers, so that when times of trouble and doubt creep in you refer back to it REMEMBERING all that the Lord has done for you and yours. This was a movie full of Gospel Principles. And I believe more people would enjoy it if they ventured out to see it. I will be owning this one.
http://ktla.com/2015/09/06/box-office-war-room-pushes-straight-outta-compton-out-of-top-spot-over-labor-day-weekend/
