The
Power of Humanity
“Lee
Daniels’ The Butler” is a historical compelling film based on the true story of
Eugene Allen. Allen, an African American man, worked as a butler in the White
House for thirty-four years and served eight presidents. Forest
Whitaker gave an Oscar winning performance in his portrayal of Allen, named in
the movie as Cecil Gaines. In a riveting performance, Oprah Winfrey played
Gloria Gaines, the wife of Gaines and on several occasions her character, moved
me to tears. This film captures the very essence of the power of humanity. In the face of social restriction and racial
barriers, the most powerful testament to humanity is the ability to respect and
share in the gift of brotherhood in the face of social restrictions and racial
barriers.
Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. believed that segregation was an unjust system that
psychologically demoralized People of Color. Furthermore, its intent was to
induce behaviors of inferiority. He explained that segregation, granted White
people a false feeling of superiority. The end result of segregation was that
it existed as a weapon of racism that supported the lawless acts of violence.
During the Civil Rights Era, People of Color lived in a society that was
charged with violence, fueled by racism and any incident could ignite this
social fire of violence. Explosions of this violence plagued the Deep South. As
incidents of racial inequality and discriminatory practices increased, civil
rights activists had to comprise a method that would be conducive.
People of Color were stigmatized, alienated
and immobilized. Dr. King had to figure out how to successfully assimilate
these estranged people (People of Color) into society. Racism is a complex
social illness. People of Color were legally held captive under the United
States Constitution. They had endured two hundred years of slavery, and one
hundred years under Jim Crow. Historically, under slavery they were considered
as human property and economically deprived.
The act of prejudice is a learned behavior
that is delivered through social and political channels. Dr. King knew that all
learned behavior, could be unlearned. Dr. King had an insurmountable task; he
had to change a belief system. A belief system is formulated within an
individual. People live within the social context in which society has deemed
them and they are further influenced by their family system. The cognitive
framework of the belief system of the “inferior human being” was formed by the
dysfunctional violent social system of slavery. So, the victims of these
beliefs are unaware of the origin.
Dr. King had to devise a psychological
model for society. The hope of the Civil Rights Movement was focused on
changing the behaviors of a prejudicial belief system. The goal of the Civil
Rights Movement was to produce an culturally competent society. The
outcome of the Civil Rights Movement was to generate the construction of civil
right laws. Furthermore, these laws would be upheld and respected by the public
and law enforcement institutions. The ‘prayer’ of the Civil Rights Movement,
was for the violence to end. The violence continued.
Eugene
Allen, who Forest Whitaker embodied, influenced President John F. Kennedy and
in turn Kennedy had a paradigm shift. Recently, I exchanged respectful words
with a twitter subscriber who refused to believe that my third great
grandmother a slave named Mariah changed the mindset of Confederate President
Jefferson Davis. Civic minded individuals address and react to social issues by
confrontation. The commission of confronting social concerns begins with
community empathy. Community empathy is the act of acknowledging and thereby
being aware of the unmet social needs within society. Community empathy and the
drive to confront social matters, is powered by human compassion. Human
compassion is the ‘heart’ of a civic minded humanitarian. They devote their
time and their energy with one single goal. Their goal is that they hope that
their actions can produce social change. Humanitarians are dedicated to the
mission of serving humanity. They are rewarded by seeing social change. Social
change is the affirmation of empowerment. The creation of a productive and
healthy society is only brought about by civic minded humanitarians. Mariah experienced
a dramatic event, a violent slave massacre and this caused her to use her
voice. I believe in the compassion of the human spirit that produces the power
of humanity.
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