Culture

Will Smith on “Darkness Before the Dawn”

By
Will Smith

© Walmart

August 08, 2016 23:30 EDT
Print

The debate over race relations in America is finally on the table, says Will Smith.

In the doom and gloom where many bemoan the current state of race relations in America, Will Smith points out that things are better than in the 1960s and certainly far better than the 1860s.

The Hollywood actor has a point. It is certainly true that the US has moved beyond slavery and segregation.

More importantly, folks in the land of the free and the home of the brave are finally confronting the ugly reality about the not-so-free African Americans who are summarily shot, fined and locked up for little or no reason.

As Smith puts it: “We are talking about race in this country more clearly and openly than we have almost ever in the history of this country.” He goes on to remark: “Racism is not getting worse, it is being filmed.”

An earlier edition of The World This Week in the aftermath of the Dallas shootings examined America’s dark soul that targets its black untermensch. After the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, African Americans made significant progress. However, Ronald Reagan rolled the clock back by launching the War on Drugs.

For the last three decades, America has waged class war and criminalized poverty. The country faces not only an obesity epidemic, but also incarceration fever. One in three black men is likely to go to jail once in his lifetime. The militarization of the police and the rise of the prison-industrial complex are costing the taxpayer a fortune.

After decades of deafening silence, this issue is finally on the table.

*[Note: For those who might not want to see Will Smith clowning around, the video gets interesting from the 4 minutes 30 seconds mark.]

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

Photo Credit: Walmart

We bring you perspectives from around the world. Help us to inform and educate. Your donation is tax-deductible. Join over 400 people to become a donor or you could choose to be a sponsor.

Support Fair Observer

We rely on your support for our independence, diversity and quality.

For more than 10 years, Fair Observer has been free, fair and independent. No billionaire owns us, no advertisers control us. We are a reader-supported nonprofit. Unlike many other publications, we keep our content free for readers regardless of where they live or whether they can afford to pay. We have no paywalls and no ads.

In the post-truth era of fake news, echo chambers and filter bubbles, we publish a plurality of perspectives from around the world. Anyone can publish with us, but everyone goes through a rigorous editorial process. So, you get fact-checked, well-reasoned content instead of noise.

We publish 2,500+ voices from 90+ countries. We also conduct education and training programs on subjects ranging from digital media and journalism to writing and critical thinking. This doesn’t come cheap. Servers, editors, trainers and web developers cost money.
Please consider supporting us on a regular basis as a recurring donor or a sustaining member.

Will you support FO’s journalism?

We rely on your support for our independence, diversity and quality.

Donation Cycle

Donation Amount

The IRS recognizes Fair Observer as a section 501(c)(3) registered public charity (EIN: 46-4070943), enabling you to claim a tax deduction.

Make Sense of the World

Unique Insights from 2,500+ Contributors in 90+ Countries

Support Fair Observer

Support Fair Observer by becoming a sustaining member

Become a Member