Actor urges 'Cold Mountain' boycott, claims slavery ignored

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 1.27.04 | Bob Longino

[BenLurkin]

" . . . Hollywood missing another prime opportunity to tell some truth."

Mr. Dellums, We need not be propagandized at every turn. That would make us no better than the hapless denizens of an Orwellian nightmare.

" . . . another Hollywood epic in which black contributions to history -- namely the Battle of Normandy -- are left out."

Black Americans undoubtedly part of the D-Day effort, but IIRC there were no black combat formations involved in the landing.

[VRWCmember]

I was going to NOT SEE this movie because it looks boring, depressing, and like a general way to waste 2+ hours. Now I need to NOT SEE this movie because it decided not to preach about slavery?

[Ditto]

It was taxes on exports that caused the war.

LOL. What don't you show us some documentation on the export tax. When was it passed? What was the rate?

I think you had better read some history instead of whatever myths you have been getting duped by. There was never a tax on exports and if you don't think the slavery issue was the root cause of the war, you would have to call all the Southern leaders who pushed for secession liars when they said it was about slavery.

[Tacis]

Issues related to the involuntary servitude of blacks in the US MUST be minimized in the media. To do otherwise, deeply offends the Africans whose ancestors were not rescued and sent to America. Black chiefs selected other Africans to be saved and sent to the US. They had nothing left to pay for the trip (the African empires had long ago fallen) and so, they wpould work off the debt, much like indentured servants from Europe did.

The unrest in Africa caused by the screen depictions of the lucky blacks selected to go to America and wealth and freedom as a contrast to their situation could become more significant. That is why most movies for the international market don't emphasize what a relatively wonderful life American blacks have today compared to what they would have been had their ancestors also been trapped in Africa.

[carton253]

Sorry, if I over-reacted.

[Alouette]

I apologize for the "white trash" comment. It was uncalled for.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Maybe you should recommend "Gods and Generals" to Mr. Dellums. General Jackson's cook/orderly had an interesting hue. Also, The lady who stayed behind to proctect the house in Fredricksburg from Union looting.

[Dionysius]

"Semiotician"? WTF is semiotician? I just looked for it in Webster's, and it ain't there, Bubba.

[cyborg]

I find slave movies about as entertaining as watching grass grow. They should take note of the miserable failure of 'Beloved'. People go to movies to be entertained not to get more of the same stuff from 'real life'. I can always learn about slavery but can't always watch a good movie.

[DollyCali]

The movie was excellent. it was a love story. It was a story about problems revolving around the civil war and the absence of the men & boys from their families. It is about the people left behind. It had nothing to do with the politics that precipitated the war. Just like all of the movies on Viet Nam.. do you recall many(well, I know a few) of them giving the reason for that war? or emphasizing it?

I get tired of a few sorry black folks embarrassing the rest of the blacks who have a handle on reality.

I suppose Dellum would like half of the movie's profit to go to some way out black cause to soothe his hurt feelings.

Poor Baby. The sad thing is that people do listen & parrot back junk like this

[GOP_1900AD]

Duh, and how would one characterize the practice of Slavery in the hard scrabble mountain towns of Western North Carolina? THERE WAS NONE - THEY COULDN'T AFFORD IT AND IT WOULD NOT HAVE HELPED SMALL FARMERS! DUH!!!!!

[Rebelbase]

Understood, thanks.

[Corin Stormhands]

No need to apologize. It's an easy enough assumption to make.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Too late... saw it Sunday night. It's a good movie.

Who gives a rats as_ about the politically correct issues of today. It's a movie. They didn't have fits about women's voting rights either.

[RunningJoke]

"The 1828 Tariff, which was the highest in history, was called the "Tariff of Abomination." Southerners wanted an open market for manufactured goods; northerner's wanted an exclusive market, rid of foreign competition. The tariff forced southerners either buy norther goods at inflated prices, or to buy highly taxed imports that went to enrich northern coffers." There's more, you can find it in the library. I know all the history you needed, you learned in Public School.

History is surely written by the victors and swallowed whole by the ignorant.

[hosepipe]

[ He is the son of former Rep. Ronald V. Dellums, D-Oakland, and attorney Roscoe Dellums. ]

Very queer sounding names unless they grandfather and son and grandson..

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Geez.... Don't these People ever get tired of whining and portraying themselves be the victim of Whitey! I get so tired of hearing this crap!

This is why I'm seriously considering checking Hispanic on all govt. forms. That way I will be able to reap the benefits by being the victim of my previously white self.

[mhking]

Very queer sounding names unless they grandfather and son and grandson..

His mother's name is Roscoe (she is pictured further up the thread).

[freekitty]

He needs to get over it.

[Aquamarine]

Thank you. It's easy to generalize things around here.