Blog 3 – The Life of the Black Man.

Blackness is a threat to society. The idea of free blacks expressing themselves has been something that society under white supremacy that has shaped the world is afraid of. A world where the color of your skin forces you to be on guard for an inevitable attack. A society where the rules that dictate society apply differently to you and only you. When the police decide that they will enforce laws they do not usually do or question you when the situation does not call for it. It is something that every black person has faced, no matter if you’re a child or a full-blown adult. Be it accidental or purposeful attacks from someone you believed you could trust or someone who society said was there for your safety. 

Police brutality is real. It is a global thing; every country has its stories about it. It is natural for this to happen, give anyone enough power to rule over the people and they will abuse it.  Here in North America, police brutality is associated with the plight of the minorities that live in the white-dominated society. Every interaction with the police is a game of sorts. How do I act as respectfully as possible? Every action is seen through the lens of making sure the police officer does not sense the slightest hint of aggression. In Get Out by Jordan Peele, there is few interactions the police that the main character Chris Washington faces. After his girlfriend Rose Armitage hits a deer while driving, they call the police to report the situation. Naturally, the driver of the car Rose, is questioned. The police proceed to ask Chris for a piece of identification and will likely question him too. He does not think about if it is right or wrong, he simply complies. He knows the possible consequences of even questioning the police authority. John Samuels is a man from Toronto, Ontario, who owns an art gallery. On New Years Eve in 2016, he was a victim of police brutality. After a police officer had seized the cashbox, he asked for the reasoning and was promptly tackled to the ground and beaten. This is the fear every black person has when talking to a police officer. The fear that if I even question their action, that you’ll be punished. That is why Chris does not think twice about giving the police officer his I.D, because he just wants to be safe. Obviously, Rose in her position of privilege can call out the officer on his wrongdoing. This is not the last time the presence of the police is used in Get Out.  “The Skin We Are in” mentions that whiteness is something treated like it does not exist, the privileges surrounding are fantasies. This is why at the end of the film, when the police arrive after Chris had escaped the Armitage household, it is a scary moment. It is a moment that you know will not end well for our protagonist. Because he is a black man, and he is going against whiteness. Rose calls out to police officers, knowing and weaponizing her whiteness. Thankfully for Chris, it was his friend Rod, a TSA agent, who came to save him.  

Black boys and girls in the Western world are aware of the role race plays in their lives. It is the small moments that non-black people would not even realize. It does not even necessarily from racist people. Microaggression does not come with malice in them. A scene in “Get Out” has Chris having a conversation with Rose’s father Dean Armitage. In the conversation, Dean mentions that he would have voted for in Obama for a third term if it was allowed. It is something that you may hear from other white people at times. But know that it is not said out of malice. But it always felt slightly weird to hear. It feels like just because I am black you assume I like Obama. It sounds like someone trying to convince they truly like black people and aren’t racist. Believing that voting for Obama a black man would exempt them from being racist. While participating and supporting institution that put black people down. In Dean’s case, he runs an operation that exclusively kidnaps and robs black people of free will.  

Desmond Cole talks about a story from his childhood. His experience of learning blackness in 1^st grade. He talks about drawing pencils and how the beige pinkish crayons would be called skin-colored referencing it like appearance to fair skin individuals. Those pencils would be worn out completely while the tree-trunk brown that was like his skin were fine. It’s a small thing that would make you feel slightly excluded. That skin-coloured pencil does not fit you, so why is it called that way? Why can’t you call the tree-trunk brown one-skin coloured as well? You can bring this back to Get Out. During the party hosted by the Armitage’s, Chris finds himself as the only black man at it. Not only was he a city boy now in a small town but he was also black, surrounded in a sea of old white people who may not have the greatest opinion on him because of that. You can tell that Chris kind of feels standoffish in his conversations that are filled with unnoticed racism. He only becomes himself when he sees Andre a black man at the party. But he is instantly weirded out at his old-money white way of speaking or even Georgina’s absent knowledge of simple slang words like “snitch.” 

Blackness itself is something that every single black person born in the Western world is aware of. The way you operate in life is determined by it. The different manner of speech and your decision making is determined because of it. You do not want to seem like a threat, because it could only be used as a weapon to ruin you. 

Blog 3; What difference does colour make

In today’s society we will often say that people’s mentality’s have changed, and the old way of thinking is no longer current but that is not true for many reasons and certain people were brave enough to speak up or in some cases artistically display their beliefs. In Desmond Cole’s book “The Skin We’re In” and Jordan Peele’s movie “Get Out,” we get a close look at the challenges Black men face in Canada and the United States. These works show us the deep-rooted racism Black men deal with daily, making us face the hard truths about racism in both countries. Although the movie could be an exaggerated reality, this blog post will discuss how Cole and Peele highlight the experiences of Black men with society in Canada and the US and what we can learn about the ongoing issues of racism from their stories.

Desmond Cole’s book, “The Skin We’re In,” talks about the tough experiences Black men face in Toronto. He mixes his own stories with the history of racism in Canada to show that these problems have deep roots. Cole points out that the unfair treatment of Indigenous people in the past has led to racism that still affects Black men today. He shares personal stories about being unfairly stopped and questioned by police, showing how Black men in Toronto often feel watched and judged. Cole also talks about how racial profiling affects people’s mental health and trust in the community. He discusses how issues like money, education, and social attitudes add to the challenges Black men face. Throughout the book, Cole challenges common ideas about Black men and how they should act. He says these stereotypes can lead to more racism and unfair treatment. By breaking down these stereotypes, Cole wants people to understand and empathize more with the experiences of Black men in Canada. In “The Skin We’re In,” Cole wants to show the real problems of racism in Canada today. He uses his stories and arguments to push readers to see and tackle the racism that’s still a big issue in Canadian society. The book reminds us that fighting racism is an ongoing effort that needs everyone’s attention and commitment to make real change.

Jordan Peele’s movie “Get Out” is an impactful look at what life is like for Black men in the United States. The film mixes suspenseful storytelling, clear messages about society, and even some twists to keep people watching interested while making them think. One important thing about the movie is how it turns around common stereotypes about Black men. Instead of showing them in the usual, limited ways we often see in movies, Peele makes characters that feel real and multi-dimensional. Chris, the main character, is shown as someone who thinks deeply about things, and his story helps us understand more about the challenges Black people face in America. The movie also works as a scary story that tells us something deeper about race. It shows how people of color can feel when they’re around mostly white people, feeling like they’re being watched or judged all the time. Through Chris’s experiences, Peele points out both the small, subtle ways people might be racist without realizing it, like making offhand comments, and the bigger, more obvious ways racism shows up. “Get Out” also makes us think about how racism works today in America. It shows that racism isn’t just about people being openly mean or hateful. Sometimes, it’s about the smaller, everyday things that can still make people feel unwelcome or less valued. Peele shows us that racism can be deeply rooted in the way society works, affecting everything from how people are treated in public to how they feel about themselves. In the end, “Get Out” is a movie that makes you think hard about race and identity in America. By breaking down stereotypes, telling a scary story that’s also a message about society, and showing how racism can be part of everyday life, Jordan Peele’s film pushes us to think more about these important issues. It reminds us that fighting against racism is something everyone needs to be aware of and work on to make real change. 

Desmond Cole’s book “The Skin We’re In” and Jordan Peele’s movie “Get Out” both give us a close look at the challenges Black men face in Canada and the United States. Even though these two countries have different histories and cultures, Cole and Peele show that Black men in both places deal with many of the same problems because of systemic racism. These works make us think hard about the uncomfortable truths of racism in both Canada and the US. They point out that the racism we see today has its roots in past events like colonialism and slavery. Cole and Peele help us understand that these old problems still affect Black men and other people of colour today, shaping their lives and opportunities in unfair ways. Also, Cole and Peele stress how important it is to listen to and understand the experiences of Black men when we talk about racism and social justice. By sharing their own stories and perspectives, they create space for important conversations about race. They show us that tackling racism is not just about individual acts of kindness or tolerance, it’s about working together to change the bigger systems and structures that keep inequality and unfairness in place.

In conclusion, “The Skin We’re In” and “Get Out” are both powerful and thought-provoking works that help us understand the ongoing challenges Black men face in Canada and the US. Through their writings and storytelling, Cole and Peele show us the deep-rooted racism Black men experience every day and challenge us to face the hard truths about our countries’ histories. These works remind us that fighting racism is an ongoing effort and that we all need to work together to create a fairer society where everyone, regardless of their race or background, is treated with respect, dignity, and fairness.

Blog 3: The Perpetual Struggle of Being Black

In the contemporary era, it is sadly all too common to hear stories of Black people being unfairly treated due to the colour of their skin. From the cases of the Rodney King riots in 1992 as well as the George Floyd riots in 2020, stories of abuse and repression towards Black people has never gone away. In the movie “Get Out” as well as the text “The Skin we’re in,” the creators Jordan Peele and Desmond Cole demonstrated the struggles black individuals must deal living in a white supremacist society.

For starters, lets analyze the struggles Chris, the protagonist, faces in the movie “Get Out.” Throughout we can time and time again examples of the racism Chris faces. When the police talk to them about the collision Chris and his girlfriend Rose have with a deer, the police officer asks for Chris’ id, despite the fact he wasn’t driving. Chris, being used to this type of treatment, offers to give his id to the police officer. However, Rose fights back against the policeman’s orders, calling them “bullshit.” Although this might seem like a minor example, Chris’ attitude towards the police officers request speaks volumes. It is abundantly clear through that example that Chris is accustomed to being accosted by police and therefore expects it to happen. Due to the white supremacist hierarchy within society, Black people, like Chris, are treated unfairly relative to white people. Systematic racism is sadly all to common nowadays and I cannot imagine a police officer asking the same of a white person. This doesn’t only occur with the police officer though; it also happens with Rose’s family. When meeting Rose’s family, many of them often ask him uncomfortable questions. Some, even touch him. What’s even more bizarre however, is Chris’ reaction to being touched and asked odd questions. Chris, seems to brush these things off, telling himself that these are old white people and that they are therefore not used to seeing Black people. This is because Chris is used to being treated differently because of the colour of his skin. Throughout the movie we can see flagrant examples of racism and microaggressions be shrugged off by Chris as being normal. This exact same treatment can be seen in the text “The Skin were in” by Desmond Cole. In this text, Desmond often talks about how when riding the bus people would oftentimes ask him if he was related to other Black people, as many white people think Black people look the same. When Desmond Cole met up with many other Black people to support John, he states that many of them were not surprised by what had occurred with John. Many of them have had similar experiences with law enforcement and are therefore unsurprised that the police would be overly violent towards a Black man. These microaggressions seen in “The Skin were in” and “Get Out” demonstrate how society is inherently white supremacist, as I could never imagine being treated this way as someone who is white. If I were touched or asked very odd questions I would be personally offended and say some quite unsavory things. However, for someone who is black, they are used to it and consider this treatment to be normal in their lives. This normalization of subtle racism is what makes our society inherently racist and causes society to normalize Black people being treated this way, often resulting in acts of violence towards Black people to be so flagrant they cause people to revolt in protest.

To continue, we can see throughout the text “The Skin were in” as well as in the movie “Get Out” we can see the difficulties both characters face in terms of identity and belonging. In “The Skin Were In” by Desmond Cole, we can see that he often questions his place within Canadian society. Desmond notes that in grade one he became conscious of his “Blackness” when he discussed how worn down all the cream-coloured (white skin) crayons were and how the tree-trunk brown was his favourite colour to draw himself. As well as this, he talks about how when he visited his friends, they would watch tv, ad, how on tv there were very few Black people. When a Black person would appear on the tv, his white friends would often turn to Desmond and say it looks like him. Here, we can see that Desmond finds himself questioning his place within society, and states that he began to associate his blackness with shame and isolation. We can also see this in “Get Out,” where Chris feels as if he does not belong within Rose’s family. He feels alienated when he is with them and feels unable to be accepted by even black members of the family. He is seen, like Desmond was, for his race and not for who he is, and this makes him feel out of place within Rose’s family. We can see that in both examples black people are often a minority in society. Because of this, they stick out like a sore thumb in a white population, leading to black people questioning their places within society. This is because our societies are inherently white supremacist and have no need to consider or represent the minorities within our society, as most famous and successful people are white. Black people cannot fit in no matter how much they try, and this can be seen in the text “The Skin We’re In.” The only time Desmond Cole felt as if he was in a group in which he belonged was when he and many other Black people visited John to help him. The reason is because in that group everyone can empathize and understand one another with their lived experience as well as the fact that they have all had similar experiences like John did with the authorities.

In conclusion, we can see in these two works the struggles Black people go through. Whether it be finding their place in society or being treated differently for being black, we can see the different ways in which black people are mistreated within our modern white supremacist societies. These stories, are sadly, all to common and are a representation of the hurdles and difficulties black individuals must deal with relative to the lives of white people.

Bibliography:

Cole, Desmond. “‘negro frolicks (January).’” The Skin We’re In, Doubleday Canada, 2020, pp. 1–17

Peele, Jordan, et al. Get Out. Universal Pictures, 2017.

 

Blog 3: The Hate in Our Society

In the Jordan Peele film “Get Out” and Desmond Cole’s memoir “The Skin We’re In”, racism takes on a more subtle and effective role. While we have moved on from the days of open persecution and slavery, racism still seeps into every aspect of our society, working to influence our very thoughts and actions as it turns citizens against one another and creates biases and prejudices in the place of love and acceptance. Both the film and memoir illustrate the less blatant ways in which minorities, especially black men, are persecuted by society on the grounds of their differences, which are treated as flaws. Although slavery and segregation have long since disappeared from western society, the scars of injustice are still continually forced open as countries such as Canada and America practice more subtle forms of discrimination against Black people.

 This subtlety is best shown in “Get Out”, where Peele demonstrates the racism from self-professed liberal families. From the moment he meets his girlfriend’s family, Chris is subject to comments and remarks which are very much unwarranted. From the all-Black housekeeping staff to the way they objectify Chris based on his race, discrimination is brushed aside as nonexistent and Chris is made to feel as if his complaints are nonsense and paranoia, despite their truth. This is also highlighted in Desmond Cole’s memoir, where he explains that “…whiteness is often about endless disavowal. Whiteness pretends to forget its own name when called, and refuses to acknowledge its desire for dominance.” (Cole, 9)

Despite this endless disavowal, there are clear signs of prejudice in our society. Cole tells the story of a young black man living in Toronto who was assaulted by police in his own art gallery for no reason, treated like a criminal because of his race. This experience is common, and black men are taught to fear the police, who can kill them on a whim and escape punishment. In “Get Out”, Chris is similarly racially profiled by the police, and his fear is the fear of all Black men who experience discrimination and hatred. Despite this clear and blatant discrimination from the very institution which is meant to protect us, Black people are still told that racism has disappeared long ago, and that their complaints are an insult to our equal and just society.

This is just one facet of the subtle method in which control and dominance is established over black people. By telling them we are equal while treating them as inferior, Black people are firmly placed at the bottom of our country’s hierarchy, sealing them shut behind a glass ceiling which displays all the wealth and power of our society which they will never be allowed to have. In Peele’s “Get Out”, the family tries to take his brain and give it to a rich white man, painting a direct picture of just how Black people are forced into submission and control by society, as it seeks to control their minds and trick them into accepting this unequal society. By doing so they are no longer free, but rather turned into second hand citizens subject to rampant discrimination and are powerless to fight back.

In conclusion, both Peele’s film and Cole’s memoir show the constant struggles Black people, and especially Black men, go through in our society which constantly labels and derides them due to their race. Although they are constantly educated on the equality of modern society, their experiences are much more negative and discriminatory. Although many people refuse to accept it, racism is still very present and only through acknowledging its existence can we begin to fight it.  As Cole said, ” You can’t ask people who have been oppressed their whole lives to forget that and ignore the fact that it might be happening again.” (Cole, 2)

Blog 3; What is it about skin color

Everybody knows the meaning of racism, we’re exposed to it on social media and in our day to day lives, honestly way more often than we should. “The Skin We’re In” by Desmond Cole and “Get Out” by Jordan Peele are one of many cultural examples that demonstrates a black man’s perspective and experiences. They talk about systemic racism, discrimination and the exploitation that Black men go through. Properly demonstrating their pain and fear to the public.   

Most people believe that Canada isn’t as racist as the United States, probably because most cases of police brutality happen in the Sates and social media doesn’t seem to mind Canadian police brutality cases as much. In “The Skin We’re In”, Desmond Cole explained that Black people exist everywhere regardless of the fact that other people may not want them to. Therefore, it’s not about the place but about the people around and the authorities. I can’t seem to know the reason why Canadian and US society still tend to hate on Black men. History is probably engraved, and some people can’t wrap their head around the concept of change and acceptance. In the movie “Get Out” we can see that Rose’s family still had black people serving them and doing their chores. It was said that they were part of the family, but truly they were dressed differently and had a purpose. 

Cole’s book title reflects on the experience of Chris and the other characters of the movie considering that they were targeted because of their skin tone. Rose’s family had an obvious pattern for their victims, they were all black and I believe that they knew that society and the police wont focus on their disappearance as much as if they were white. The media attention would not be as big, and their case will be forgotten or classified as runaways instead of a kidnapping. Their skin color is the only reason why they were selected. Taking into consideration Desmond Cole’s memoir, the police associated black folks with criminals, patiently waiting for a reason to arrest them and taking the smallest thing like a noise complaint to apply force.  

Which brings the subject of stereotypes surrounding black men. John, the art gallery owner in Cole’s text, was suspected of selling drugs without evidence just for being black. Chris, Georgina and Walter in “Get Out” were chosen by the Armitage family. They had this idea that black people are “properties” and that they have a right to detain and control their consciousness, comes from the fact that we were once servants. The Armitage believed that they could steal someone’s soul and body for their own good, just like the slave owners believed that black people have no rights and are only good for certain things like chores.  

In conclusion, Desmond Cole’s memoir and Jordan Peele’s movie displayed what black men go through and the injustice, discrimination and exploitation that stuck with them after all those years. 

Discrimination against minority

Over many centuries, white supremacy has continued to expand its force, using systemic discrimination and practicing violence against non-white people. In both Canada and the United States, white colonizers have been treating Indigenous people and Black people unfairly, believing that their own race is superior. From taking control over Indigenous people’s ancestral lands, and dehumanizing practices of slavery towards Black people, oppression and inequality against them are still persistent through our societies today. Throughout this blog, the discriminatory experiences in Desmond Cole’s writing The Skin We’re in and Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out will be discussed. 

The horror-thriller movie Get Out portrays manipulation and dominance against Black people through the themes of racial exploitation, and psychological control and manipulation. The Armitage Family uses young Black people’s body to transfer the consciousness of a White person, for their own benefit. The Armitage family represents a perfect illustration of how the white community have been brainwashing and exploiting black people. Rose Armitage is acting as if she really loves Chris Washington, by giving him affection and being the only person to who Chris can express his discomfort and unease of being with Rose’s family. What Chris does not realize is that he is being completely isolated from potential safety and sources for help, so he has no other choice than trusting and be dependent on Rose. Even after Chris realizes that there is something wrong going on with the Armitage family, he still trusts Rose since he thinks that their love is real. Rose’s manipulative actions are for example, being the only one that listens and tries to help Chris by comforting him, showing her love to Chris, and accepting to run away together from the Armitage house. In addition, hypnotizing black individual and transplanting white people’s brain is an ongoing historic form of exploitation and black labor, as well as contemporary discrimination and assimilation. White people buying black individual’s body is a tradition in the movie Get Out, and this action shows how white people are seeing black people as objects or animals. Overall, this movie is a powerful representative of modern racism, in which it reveals both individual and systemic level. 

In Desmond Cole’s book The Skin We’re In, he reveals his and other’s discriminative experiences as Black individuals in Toronto. He first mentions the incident on New Year’s Eve of 2016, where Toronto police attacked an art gallery of a black man called John Samuels. The police broke the glass window and attacked John with a taser. For many years, the police have been attacking and arresting black people for no reason, so Cole was not surprised by this happening: “The police are just doing their job: a central responsibility of policing has always been to discipline Black people on behalf of the ruling class” (Cole 4). This statement shows how those police’s duty is not to protect and treat equally all individuals, no matter their races, but rather to benefit of their power as police to enforce discriminatory ruling and laws, targeting black community. Cole also mentions how he felt marginalized and have been aware of the injustice towards himself because of his skin color since he was in primary. He realizes that his skin color has become something to laugh about. For example, while Cole was watching TV with friends when he was still very young, every time a Black person appeared on the screen one of his friends was shouting: “Hey, that looks like you!” (15). His friend making comparison between the Black person on the screen and Cole himself, implies that all Black people look the same, which is a form of racial stereotype and microaggression. I think that Cole wanted to highlight the fact that racial stereotypes and microaggressions could be in everyday interaction, even among friends. Cole draws parallels between the experience of black people and Indigenous people in North America, emphasizing both of their history of racism: “My ancestors and the Indigenous people who signed the Treaty 7 have a critical common experience: both were oppressed by a group whose legacy is so unquestioned today that we usually don’t even name it” (13). Through personal anecdotes and history of discrimination and oppression, Cole reveals the nature of racism in North America, interconnecting Black and Indigenous people’s victim journey.

In conclusion, even though racism is less practiced nowadays, there are still present systemically or in a more discreet way. These two examples, The Skin We’re in and Get Out, showed us a more evident type of discrimination against minority. 

Cole, Desmond. “‘negro frolicks (January).'” The Skin We’re In, Doubleday Canada, 2020, pp. 1-17
Peele, Jordan, et al. Get Out. Universal Pictures, 2017.

Oral Blog Post: Boys Vs. Girls Meme

There is a common saying that is often brought up when people start discussing relationships to their friends and families: communication is key. Oftentimes, people – both men and women – have difficulty communicating with one another, which in turn damages relationships and oftentimes leads to misinformation and confusion amongst people. Over time, people have noticed these differences in the way men and women speak to one another and have chosen to exaggerate the differences as a means to shed light on the problem, resulting in a string of memes being brought to life commonly known as the Guys vs. Girls meme (although it has other names). This meme format highlights the perceived differences in how men and women communicate, express emotions, and approach various situations. While exaggerated for comedic effect, it reflects a common observation that gender socialization can lead to distinct communication styles and perspectives between the sexes.

In this meme, one can see a pair of girls and a pair of guys talking to one another in some context, situation or prompt. The girls would then talk to each other with the use of text, followed by the guys talking with one another. However, the two conversations – both discussing the same context/situation/prompt – are vastly different from one another in most cases. 

Oftentimes, the conversations held by the women are long-worded and aimed to be more “nice” untoward each other, whereas the guys have a very stoic/spartan type of short speech and would rather say some very bizarre things towards one another, which in turn sometimes means that they are rude to one another. 

These memes were written up around the same time as the “for the boys” meme or “boys will be boys” meme, which are similar. Ultimately, most men reading these memes tend to be able to understand what the two guys in the meme mean when they speak to one another. This meme spreads the stereotype that guys are often misunderstood by women and mostly understood by other men, which is a sad but proven truth. These memes also comment on the societal norm that men have difficulty understanding women – this idea can be found in other memes, like the memes regarding men not understanding when a woman tries to flirt.

The differences between the two conversations helps us understand that being masculine can still imply being stoic and sometimes out of pocket. However, the comedic value of the meme can also be used as a way to allow for change in the way men and women communicate, resulting in a less-confusing system of communication between both groups. 

Blog 3: Exploring Black Experiences

Although it’s commonly said that Canadians are usually respectful, racism does exist in people. Racism in Canada and the US is the same. Through literature and film, Desmond Cole’s essay The Skin We’re In and Jordan Peele’s film Get Out provide deep insights into the lived experiences of black men within these societies. Black men’s interactions with Canadian and American societies are depicted by Cole and Peele, who also expose the racism and discrimination inherent in each country’s histories. We can uncover the historical foundations of racism in the US and Canada by closely examining their works, and we can also learn important lessons that will help us better comprehend the struggles that black communities face today.

The article by Desmond Cole offers a deep look at the challenges Black men face on a daily basis in Canada, revealing the complexities of racist systems that are strongly embedded in social structures. Cole clearly describes situations of racial profiling and police brutality, drawing from his own experiences and those of fellow black individuals: “Over the course of the next few years I would be stopped or followed dozens of times by police in Kingston and Toronto, where I relocated shortly after dropping out of university” (Cole 16). His narrative exposes the harsh realities of living under constant surveillance and suspicion, as black bodies are policed and surveilled in public spaces: “The police are just doing their job: a central responsibility of policing has always been to discipline black people on behalf of the ruling class” (Cole 4). Moreover, Cole’s analysis delves into the larger political and social context, highlighting the historical legacies of colonialism and slavery that continue to shape modern race relations. Cole gives readers a better understanding of the fundamental injustices that support racial injustice in Canada by putting individual experiences within a larger historical context.

Similar to this, Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” delves into the black experience in America, using the horror genre to highlight how subtle racism can be. Themes of cultural appropriation, fetishization, and exploitation are deftly woven together in Peele’s story. Peele reveals the layers of racial manipulation and fraud that hide behind seemingly innocent interactions through the character of Chris, a black man visiting the family of his white girlfriend. The white guests at the tea party, for instance, were drawn to Chris, the main character, because of his skill and strong build in the film (Peele “ Tea Party Scene”). They view him as an object that they can use to fulfill their special needs, like having the ability to see or fight. Ironically, despite the fact that white people tend to ignore them, black people are wanted by them because of their abilities. Black people’s constant fears in mostly white environments are captured in this film, which deftly navigates the complexities of racial identity and belonging. Chris’s black friend, Rod, repeatedly forewarned him when he was among white people. For example, when he revealed to his friend that his girlfriend’s mother practiced hypnosis, the friend urged him to leave the house (Peele “Scene with Chris on call with Rod after waking up from a dream with the mom”). In general, Peele’s use of symbolism and visual storytelling enhances the story to consider how much they may have contributed to the upholding of racial hierarchies and stereotypes.

Furthermore, the historical and social backgrounds that support modern racial dynamics are carefully explored by Cole and Peele. Cole explores the foundations of systemic racism ingrained in Canada’s colonial past and its continuing legacy, going beyond isolated anecdotes. Cole provides perspective on the systemic injustices that sustain racial inequality by placing individual experiences within larger historical narratives. The film “Get Out” by Jordan Peele deftly examines the history of racial exploitation and oppression in America, fusing contemporary concerns with the past. In order to force viewers to face the difficult realities of America’s racial past, Peele uses symbolism and allegory to reveal the enduring power dynamics that define black-white relations. Cole and Peele emphasize the critical need for revolutionary social change by forcing audiences to confront the enduring ways that the past continues to shape contemporary reality through the historical consciousness that informs their works.

In conclusion, Jordan Peele and Desmond Cole’s writings provide insightful analyses of Black life in both Canada and the US. Both Jordan Peele’s film Get Out and Desmond Cole’s essay “The Skin We are In” offer deep insights into the real-life experiences of black men in these societies. Both Cole and Peele show how black men interact with Canadian and American societies, but they also expose the racism and discrimination that are deeply embedded in both countries’ historical narratives. We can better comprehend the historical legacies of racism and oppression in the US and Canada by actively engaging with their stories. It is essential that we keep raising the voices of those who are excluded and seek to eliminate the systemic injustices that still exist in our communities. Cole and Peele’s works serve as potent reminders of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality.

Bibliography:

Cole, Desmond. “‘negro frolicks (January).’” The Skin We’re In, Doubleday Canada, 2020, pp. 1–17 

Peele, Jordan, et al. Get Out. Universal Pictures, 2017.

Blog 3: Racism in North America

The black community, more specifically black men have struggled for many centuries when it comes to racism. In North America especially, there are more and more conversations regarding racism, with many saying that it has died down and that there is much less of it, Jordan Peele and Desmond Cole’s stories say otherwise. The movie Get Out produced by Jordan Peele from 2017, as well as Desmond Cole’s novel The Skin We’re In from 2020 grasp on many concepts, concepts which surround that of racism towards black men in the United States and Canada. These concepts are issues with law enforcement, casual racism or micro-aggressions as well as the ever so large white privilege.

First of all, law enforcement exists to enforce the law, yet they are far from just. Especially with the recent event and uprising concerning the death of George Floyd, a black man who was unjustly killed after a white officer refused to get off his neck during an arrest. Demonstrated by both authors, they both seem fed up with police officers. The example of this in Get Out is when a police officer asked Chris Washington, the protagonist of this film, as well as a young black man, for his drivers license even when it was his girlfriend who was driving whilst the accident took place (Peele). This can be seen in the video clip below. What Jordan Peele is trying to push is the fact that the law enforcement in the film is unjust toward black men. Considering that there was no probable cause or suspicion towards Chris, the police officers attempt to identify him appears to be based on prejudice. To is abuse of power by law enforcement and a perfect example of unjust treatment to black men in the United States, as this movie is based in the US. As if in routine, this is very similar to how black men are treated in Canada. As said by Desmond Cole in his novel, “Over the course of the next few years I would be stopped or followed dozens of times by police in Kingston and Toronto” (Cole 16). This quote mirrors the experience in Get Out, a young black man is being treated unjustly. Desmond Cole tells his personal experience of being a black man living in Canada. Cole is trying to imply that just for being a black man, he has been followed and identified by law enforcement explicitly based on prejudice. This is unjust towards black men and a clear example of racism being disaplayed. Both Peele and Cole are trying to display the fact that black men in North American struggle with racism from those in a position of power, specifically law enforcement.

Yet it is not just law enforcement. It is also random people who can display racist characteristics towards people of colour. They can be displayed through casual racism or micro-aggressions. Peele chooses to demonstrate this element through the white old men who were present at the gathering taking place at his girlfriend’s parents house, which of course the audience did not know until later in the film was a gathering for the auction of Chris Washingtons physical body. This is of course a reference towards black slaves being auctioned to rich white men. The white folks at this gathering would give racist remarks toward Chris in many ways. Whether it was the stereotype of black men being good in bed, or saying that black was in fashion, or trying to connect with Chris by mentioning a popular black figure (Peele). This is displayed in the youtube video below. The constant remarks by the old white people at the gathering were often seen as a  “backhanded compliment” to Chris Washington. It would seem that they were admiring him, more explicitly admiring his shell. Only seeing what was on the outside and less who he was. Only one person had a remark for his skill in photography, that being a blind man who proceeded to buy his body in order to see again. The constant commenting on Chris’ physique (of course hints at the auction coming later in the day) but also the fact that they are saying this without explicitly realizing what they are saying is negative, as they all seem extremely positive about it. They only seem to be commenting on his physical ability, look, one even mentions that being black is in fashion. This is important as it hints to how slaves used to be treated, not what was in the mind, but what they were physically capable of. The ability for those in privilege not to realize what they are saying is harmful is often regarded as an attitude those in white privilege have. Peele is trying to demonstrate how often black men are displayed to casual racism and microaggresions, especially in the United States, pushing for the case of how racism is still very present to this day. This is also the case in Canada, use Desmond Cole’s novel as an example. As writen, “Someone asked for the “skin colored” pencil”(Cole 14), as well as “In time I realized white people just assumed black people in their city were related. Schoolmates would ask if I was the brother of the other two Black girls in my class–even though our families were from three different countries.”(Cole 15). Both of these incidents display microaggresions. Although none of them were explicitly said in order to display racist connotation, they can often be interpreted as that and be harmful to the victim. In the quote regarding how schoolmates would assume all black people were related, this connects with white people of privilege only seeing black people for what they look like. The dark skin caused people to automatically assume that they were related, even when there are so many more aspects which can display an actual family relation to someone else. Growing up with casual racism all around is a negative thing, Cole’s novel perfectly demonstrates this. Both Peele and Cole’s examples of this display how black men have to deal with racism all the time and how it is still very much present.

Lastly white privilege is one of the hardest things a black North American man must live with. The main issue of white privilege is displayed constantly in both the film and the novel. Considering that both Canada and the United States are both countries which exist due to white men and women taking over and appropriating that land, it is inevitable that white privilege is everywhere. Take Get Out for example, the people at the girlfriend’s parent’s house all display a humongous amount of wealth, and they are all white, with exception to a few (Peele). This of course is a hint to how white people tend to be in better financial successs compared to people of colour. Of course this is Jordan Peele trying to explain through his movie that white people tend to be at the top of the financial ladder in many cases, whether this is due to generational wealth or how life is much easier when they do not encounter racism during their journey to it. This of course is apparent in the United States, as common knowledge is that most wealth is controlled by extremely rich white men. I mentioned before that white people tend to face less obstacles than people of colour, this is also something that happens in Canada. In Desmond Cole’s novel, it tells the story of a black man who struggles with enforcement, mentioning that it is racially motivated. As written here, “When John applied for liquor licences for gallery events, the police found further excuses to harass him. Interestingly, John said white gallery owners who heard his story were surprised he even bothered to apply for liquor permits; they admited that they never did” (Cole 5). White people live in privilige, often unknowengly. This quote is trying to show that black people face many more obstacles than white people trying to do the excact same thing, this is racism. Peele demonstrates how white people are much more successful, and Cole shows how black often face obstacles on their way to be successful due to the obstacles they face whilst subjected to racism.

To conclude, racism towards people of colour, and black men is still very present in today’s society, whether it is the United States or Canada. Jordan Peele and Desmond Cole expertly demonstrate how law enforcement, micro-aggressions, casual racism and white privilege will always be obstacles towards black lives unless action is taken.

Works Cited:

Cole, Desmond. “‘negro frolicks (January).’” The Skin We’re In, Doubleday Canada, 2020, pp. 1–17

“Get Out: Casual racism HD CLIP.” Youtube, uploaded by Binge Society, 24 February 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCijS9vAWPw.

“Racist Cop Scene Get Out (2017)” Youtube, uploaded by Fear: The Home of Horror, 21 December 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2vNiY_AuPs.

Peele, Jordan, et al. Get Out. Universal Pictures, 2017.

Blog 3: The “Other”

Discussion about race has always been relevant in North America ever since the formation of the United States and Canada. In recent decades we’ve seen many different opinions on the subject. Although it is obvious that a lot has changed regarding how black people are treated in North America compared to how it used to be a hundred years ago, there is still so much that needs to be improved. In Desmond Cole’s memoir titled The Skin We’re In and Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out, the spotlight is put on the experience of Black men in the United States and Canada.

To start off, it’s no secret that history has enforced this way of treating Black people as “other” that has persisted through the years, until now. However, many of us fail to realize how much the effects of the past persist today. Some may argue that this is the case for almost every other race, that everyone’s had a bad past with colonizers and that everyone has experienced negative treatment from them as well. Although that isn’t necessarily false, the fact is that this is much more severe when directed towards Black people. In The Skin We’re In, Cole defines white supremacy as a “system of power that seeks to benefit white people above others.” (Cole 8) Evidence of this is that for centuries, Europeans have gone above and beyond to ensure that they stay at the top with all the power. This has been particularly evident when it comes to Black people. For example, in 1785 Nova Scotia, officials in the town of Shelburne created a bylaw that forbid Black people from “dancing” and “frolicking.” It is explained that this could’ve meant “anything from drinking to gambling to mere socializing.” (Cole 7) So basically, they were painted as criminals and persecuted for simply being and it’s because of countless laws like this one that a kind of fear surrounding Black people was created long ago. For many generations, their mere existence was unjustly seen as a crime so it’s no wonder why there is a divide that persists to this day. Perhaps one of the best evidence of this in our day is the disproportionate use of force by law enforcers against Black people. Cole’s memoir recounts a horrible incident that happened to his friend in on New Year’s of 2017 where his friend got arrested by police officers for no reason and got his art gallery destroyed. It then explains that this is no isolated incident and that there exists a pattern where police are more likely to scrutinize Black people as they did to his friend. Because of this, he states that they are “subject to surveillance and physical searches without a warrant, to target [of their] homes and businesses with multiple police units in response to non-criminal issues; to arrests using overwhelming physical violence, to charge [them] with violence after using violence against [them]; to steal [their] personal property, particularly [their] money, as if [they] have no claim to it.” (Cole 6) Even though many claim that Black people are treated with equality today, it’s clear that if you pay attention, this isn’t the case. And it’s not because they don’t work hard enough to get higher up on the social ladder; these attacks are done without any good reason. Sure, it isn’t “as bad” as it used to be, but the inequality towards them still very much exists and it’s still bad.

Because of this fabricated difference around Black people, they are sometimes seen and treated as inhuman. I think that the movie Get Out demonstrates a few of the many ways this can occur. In certain cases, Black people are subject to fetishization. In the film, the members of the Armitage family are perpetrators of this. For example, during the family dinner Rose’s family, her brother insinuates that Chris has supposed physical advantages because of his race and tells him: “With your frame and your genetic makeup, if you really pushed your body […] you’d be a fucking beast.” (Peele) Similar peculiar statements and actions were made by guests all throughout the day of the party from touching and getting a feel of his body to making comments about how “black is in fashion.” (Peele) They do all of this without second thought or remorse which is indicative of how they don’t see Chris as a person like they are. I’m sure that if he was white like they were, they wouldn’t have made such remarks. Going back to what I said in the first paragraph, white supremacy seeks the benefit of white people above others. (Cole 8) This means that most of the time, white people won’t bother understanding or changing a system that benefits them. A great example of this was made in the scene where Chris is explained when he’s explained what they plan to do with him. He asks the blind man why it is that they choose Black people in particular and he’s met with a chuckle followed by a chilling response: “Who knows?” (Peele) He doesn’t care to find out and know the reason behind the system that benefits him even though it obviously particularly affects and targets Black people, possibly because he doesn’t exactly see them as human or as equals. Through the examples given in Get Out, it’s made clear that there is an issue about how Black people aren’t seen and understood as regular people like it should be.

In conclusion, The Skin We’re In and Get Out give us insight on the realities of Black people in North America. These works help us understand the historical origins of the injustices that they’ve had to live with and the ways that they manifest in today’s society. I think that further understanding and education concerning this issue is imperative for creating real change that’ll ensure the betterment of the lives of Black people.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cole, Desmond. “‘negro frolicks (January).’” The Skin We’re In, Doubleday Canada, 2020, pp. 1–17
Peele, Jordan, et al. Get Out. Universal Pictures, 2017.