"Remember the Titans"
"Remember the Titans" is a movie about two schools ( a black school and a white school) that become integrated into one. This was never heard of in Virginia and segregation was not allowed, but still occurred. T.C. Williams High School was born. This movie is a true story and is clearly based around the football team at this new integrated school. At first, all of the players both black and white hate each other. Then they meet their coach. Coach Yoast was supposed to be the main coach for the team because he is supposed to be the best coach around, but he got replaced by a black coach to make things "fair". This did not make matters worse. Finally, the team bonded as one and the two main football players (Julius Campbell and Gary Bertier) become best friends. The coaches still butt heads but not because of their color, but because of their coaching methods. This team makes it all of the way to state, and they won, even though Gary Bertier got into a car accident and could not play. No one thought that an integrated team led by a black coach would make it that far.
This movie relates to what we talked about last week. Wright's stories were about segregation and racism toward black people and black people being put into their place. Several of the white characters tried to put the black football players into their place, but they did not succeed. Coach Boone (the black head coach) was threatened by several white city folk about how he should not be coaching because he is black and the black man can not succeed at something the white man is good at. The older white men even had a town meeting (of all older white men) about the coaching situation and Coach Yoast stood by coach Boone and the state's decision of having him coach. Coach Boone was even harassed at his house. He was called "Coach Coon" and got a brick thrown through his little girl's window in the middle of the night. These are all ways that the white man puts down the black man to "put him in his place". This is just like when Wright got beaten up by this co workers because he wanted to learn more. Wright was not in his fellow employee's' comfort zone, so that meant that they had to do something about it.
I love this movie. I own this movie, and I am so glad that I have it. To see a real life success story on the big screen is an awesome experience. If this was a made up story, I think it would still be a great feel good story, but the fact that it was a true story just adds to the greatness of this movie. To show the racist people in the town suddenly change their views because their team is winning in football shows how Americans set their priorities. Black people are suddenly okay if they can help us win the state title. If you have not watched this movie I encourage everyone to at least watch it once, even if you do not like football. There is more of a story there than just a football game.
I found this picture at http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=remember+the+titans&gbv=2)
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