The Hunger Games: Racism in Movies?

  The Hunger Games is a young adult novel written by Novelist Suzanne Collins. It was originally published on September 14, 2008, by a company named scholastic in hardcover. It is based on a post-apocalyptic world called Panem where North American once stood. This story is narrated through the eyes of sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen. The Hunger Games itself is a Televised annual event where one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from 12 distracts surrounding Panem must battle to the death. The catch is there can only be ONE survivor in the end!

   Now that sounds like a pretty interesting novel, simply a page turner. However, here's when the racism plays in. On March 23, 2012, The Hunger Games Movie hit theaters in the United States. It was one of the most anticipated novel turned movie since the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. Everyone seemed to enjoy the Movie until Rue (An African American character in the movie) graced the screen. The excitement turned into disappointments and anger once the unveiling of Rue came on screen. Now clearly in the novel she's African American, there's no confusion there. What saddens me is the fact that the ignorance of people caused them to turn a great movie into a race war simply because she was "black".

   I would have thought since we live in such a multi-cultural environment like The United States, such things would not matter. The days of segregation and bigotry would be far removed, and we would just live in peace and harmony forever...WRONG! Racism is well and alive and sadly won't go away for a little while longer. I wish I could say that 13 year old actress Amandla Stenberg; who plays Rue would just be judged on her performance alone, but then I would be lying. People can't watch a movie without pointing out something so little as a specific character being black. Why does that even matter?

   Something similar happened with the movie Red Tails when George Lucus, a world renown director couldn't get anyone to help produce his movie because the Cast was mainly all black with major roles. It sickens me to know that African Americans are still not treated with the decency and respect we deserve when we are just as important as everyone else is. I could go on a long banter and say how African Americans helped shape America, which would be the truth. But there's no point when you can look in the White House and see who represents America. I pray that people wake up and realize that bigotry amongst anyone is wrong. No matter what background or complexion they may may have they are still apart of the HUMAN RACE. Hopefully barriers will not hinder equality amongst people, because if that's all it takes, then we are in a world of trouble and I am worried about our future.