The Talented Ten

Last night's movie was interesting.
There was a range of emotions that were evoked.
First we see a bunch of boys having fun. Why I needed to see that, I wonder. Was it to say, hey look at us, we are just normal folks who have made it. Look we can be just as loud and boisterous as the next person. I don't know. I'm not sure what role that was to play and because the dialogue was difficult to understand, maybe they need subtitles if its so important.

Then the selection of the men. We have young and old. We only hear from the young, on camera, when they want to dis them on their music and wonder if they are putting the musician up as a role model. Its like they are saying the youth didn't have any valid opinions on the other subjects that were talked about. It was good to see them include the youth, give them a camera and have them document it, but did they have a voice in this discussion.

Next, the comparisons of themselves to DuBois and his talented tenth, King and the movement, Jesse and his vocabulary. When they reached out to the common man, it was accidental through the Race in America interview with Dyson and his brother. Their discussions were heavily laden with opinion and individual belief.

The title Stand, made me think there would be something defined or mentioned to stand on and I found myself wondering exactly what they wanted me to stand on. Stand on the remembrance and belief that as African Americans we will get, have got, are still striving to reach the mountain top, the promised land, the land of milk and honey, the land of opportunity. Have we reached that economically? They were surely blessed, nice hotel, nice food, comfortable bus. Not one if them was lacking in the money area.

I am wondering what the message is to men. It was just men in the movie, a message for men, what that message is I don't know. Is it that there were men in the struggle who were supportive but still had to be covert about their support as it was when they explained the Sam and Dave song, was it the wonderful piece with Dick Gregory in the temple describing the importance and uplifting spirit of the black church during oppressive times?

I wonder if the message is that Obama has become the president but look at the road he has had to travel away from his people to make. The goal is to inform, uplift and educate. Was their classism and elitist attitudes in the movie. Of course. We will have to try and watch a couple of times to understand and decipher the message. These were men who prayed and prayed often. Can we see unity among them? We are not privy to their family lives, we don't know them as well rounded men, we know them as professionals. We see them "hanging out professionally" we interact with them on a professional level. They didn't let us in, they just kept us around.

Who are these men really and if they are going to arise as leaders and influencer in the black community they have to become renaissance men. Men of distinction who have more in their lives that profit of of the pain of black folks. They tell the story, they visit the people and they write the books, but what is it that has happened to them, what do they support happening. What is their big and bold plan for society. What is the future looking like in their hands? What kind of family men are they, if at all? Are they all single? Do they have baby mamas all over the country? What is their relationship with their children, if they have any? This movie left a lot of questions unanswered.

What of us. Can we start over. I wish I never told you to not talk to me when I found out you had been reading my diary. We need to be open and transparent as we can with each other. We have to start from square one. Day One, Fresh, brand new. A new beginning. We need to make it a fresh start from the beginning.