The D Is Silent

I recently went to see Django Unchained and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.  I’m not doing a review of the movie, Emperor Cole did a very good job of that.  Rather, I want to dissect a couple of issues that came out because of the movie and what I feel is the main message I got from the almost 3 hour actionfest.

Spike Lee, Travis Smiley and Katt Williams have huge issues with Django Unchained.  Spike is as hot as fish grease that Quentin Tarantino had the audacity to make a movie such as Django Unchained and took to Twitter to express his displeasure. https://twitter.com/SpikeLee/status/282611091777941504

Travis Smiley called Django a “spoof of slavery”.  http://www.michronicleonline.com/index.php/local/breaking-news/9195-tavis-smiley-slams-django-unchained-calls-it-spoof-of-slavery

And my boy Katt Williams went H.A.M. on QT:

I respect all three of these Black men.  When they speak on issues, I listen.  I just can’t agree with them on this one.  I saw the movie.  I will see it again when it gets to the $1 movie.  I will buy the DVD.  I was ENTERTAINED by Django Unchained.  I cheered when Django and Dr. King Schultz shot and killed anybody.  I laughed when Django got dressed in that ridiculous blue outfit.  I almost fell out of my seat laughing when Stephen said his first words of the film.  I was disgusted when the dogs ripped that man to pieces and Broomhilda was in the “hotbox”. My chest swelled with pride when Django went back for his wife and doing whatever he had to do to get her out of slavery.  All the way through the movie I was ENTERTAINED and I truly believe this is where Mr. Lee, Mr. Smiley and Mr. Williams miss the point.

QT uses nigger/nigga A LOT in his movies.  I don’t like it, I don’t feel it’s necessary and honestly it’s just down right wrong.  In the case of Django Unchained, the 110 times nigger is used is totally on point.  We are talking about the times of slavery.  White people didn’t generally use our “names” when referring to Black people.  Black people were property, cattle, items to be bought and sold and to be used as they saw fit.  Black people were considered beasts of burden subjected to the whims of the more powerful and highly enlightened white man.  There was no need to call Black people by their “names” when nigger/nigga would suffice.  So I don’t have an issue with nigger/nigga being used, I don’t have an issue with the context is was used under and I don’t have an issue with the white actors saying it so many times during the movie.  It is what was said during those times.  I have more of an issue with nigger/nigga being used today by Black people that have the freedom, education and knowledge to know better.  Katt Williams coined the phrase “in the history of Niggadom”.  I don’t believe there is a difference when a white person says nigger or when a Black person says nigga.  You just said someone was less than a man, you called that person an animal.  When you listen to Trinidad James and his chorus goes like: Gold all in my chain, gold all in my ring       Gold all in my watchDon’t believe me, just watch Nigga nigga nigga and you aren’t offended, then you, kind sir/madam are a stone cold hypocrite!I feel the most important aspect of Django Unchained that nobody is really talking about is the love story.  Django and his wife Broomhilda were runners.  When they got caught, Django begged for his wife not to be beaten and for him to take the punishment instead.  Dr. King Schultz came looking for the slave that could identify the men he was looking for and made an agreement to free Django for his assistance.  Django could have taken his freedom and got missing.  Instead, he performed his duties and went looking for his wife with the help of the dentist.  He schooled the dentist on how he and Broomhilda believed in marriage.  Dr. Schultz didn’t understand at first but once Django broke it down for him, he had to respect it.  Every man needs a Broomhilda in life.  That woman that he is willing to put it all on the line for, that woman he would kill for, that woman he will die for.  Broomhilda is the woman that we, as men, should aspire to have and once we have her, we should be like Django and do whatever we have to do to protect her from the world.