Black Bird-men...
That was the term-of-respect the flying Nazi�s used to describe
the Tuskegee Airman�s skills and dogged tenacity.
Those
who respected them, wished to imitate and emulate them
called them, Colored Flyers while far too many
of their military peers, US politicians and American Citizens
of that era referred to them as merely...Flyin� Niggers.
Niggers, That�s the term-of-resentment, if not mole-blind hatred this
nation openly applied to the Black aviators of that time,
regardless of their service to, dig this...�their country.�
Need I mention, Nigger was the word used to describe
�Buffalo Soldiers,� the US Calverymen of the US
Western frontier by the noble American Indians, based
not only their �woolly hair,� like the great Buffalo,
but they fought to the death with valor, as the mighty
Buffalo did.
See, I�ve always contended this Black patriotism is
one of the more interesting aspects within the tragic
tale of Black folks in this country. Like all other immigrants
to America, despite being the only forced-at-gunpoint
immigrants, we�ve understood the so-called principles
this nation claims to be built-upon - liberty, freedom
and equality - all three critical elements of the American
Dream which Blacks were denied are inherent, god-given
expectations.
We, as Black people, have seemingly always understood and
bought-into the big picture of �what� America professed
and aspired to be. So much so, we fought for it despite
being denied it. Nevertheless, we struggled with then
what we still struggle with today� How does my country
feel about me ...and how do I feel about my country...?
Ain�t that a bitch?
Now,
granted, the army has always represented �three-meals
and a cot,� the opportunity to escape, travel, see the
country/world, get out of Buggtussell n� Hotterville,
more structural fairness then the private sector; nonetheless,
we when put on that uniform...we took names and whipped
ass.
Black soldiers saved these fly-boy bombers in WWII, saved
Teddy Roosevelt�s ass, and the asses of his famous
Rough-Riders at San Juan Hill, and saved the asses
of many a settler/pioneer who was coming West...at the
expense of the proud and noble American natives.
Nonetheless that�s another convoluted story for another time...
Red Tails, the George Lucas big-budget Hollywood story of the Tuskegee
Airman is a complicated one worthy of discussion and
dissection in a university classroom; the story that it
is, of an America where apartheid was the law-of-the-land
and able-bodied Afro-American men/women were forbidden
from serving alongside whites, alas defending a nation
Blacks built, with their own blood, sweat n� tears
over a period of 300 years...talk about contradictions!
Who�d have been shocked if Black Americans refused to
defend a nation which still in 1941 regarded them as a
step-above cattle?
The setting, the time period of the movie itself is but one
story: the thought of these men, their patriotic attitude
of wanting to defend a country which still in 1941 deemed
them semi/quasi human, and would go on to treat Nazi POWS
(Prisoners of War) better then they treated Black soldiers
risking their lives over the skies of Berlin is astounding
and ought be applauded by those folks who today refer
to themselves as �real Americans.� The TEA Party folks,
for instance, ought be at the opening day, January 20th,
cheering these brave men, giving them a standing ovation...considering
the circumstances in which they stepped-up.
I take that back; this tale drags in enough of the hideous
essentials of the American Story - it ought to be discussed
in high schools, if not middle schools, in order to define
the climate and environment which ruled the land.
Next you�ve got the by now well-published George Lucas charge;
Hollywood, land of the alleged �Good White People,�
the cool, hip n� colorful down with the everyday
American-of-Color White folks, those highly touted enlightened
liberals of �La-La Land� who, according to Lucas - blatantly
refused to make �Red Tails� because it lacked a White
Super Hero to appeal to not just White movie-goers
across America, but the world.
Translation: his revealing of what we all already knew...shouts
of the denial still deeply woven into the privileged psyche
of everyday White folks, be they Liberal or Redneck -
this refusal to admit to the horrors of the 20th century,
Jim Crow, Separate and Unequal and government
sanctioned and enforced �Apartheid� as an American
Way Of Life... that most White Americans supported
either via their open endorsement of racism or their deliberate
and strategic silence which embolden and enabled the atrocities
to continue for decades.
And on a deeper �please lay down on the couch� level, I�m
stunned by the insecurities which must be deeply seeded
within White American Culture, this notion, and that�s
all it is, that they must always be the �good guy�
in all stories, as well as this arrogance which seems
to believe that people from all around the world can only
relate to... 
White
people in movies. The only interesting, compelling, entertaining
stories which can be told center on and cater to White
people.
So for Red Tails to work, think Tim Tebow in a P-51
Mustang...
Can it be true Asians, Latinos, even Africans can only see
the world through the eyes of a White person? No, Hell
no!
This was the behind-the-big-studio door�s unofficial yet
�official� opinion held by a so-called commie/pinko bastion
of alleged... �Nigger lovers.�
Good God, if this is how Black America�s friends treat
us, if these are our allies and comrades in the cold civil
war still being waged in America...do we honestly need
any enemies?
And let�s not pretend nor be shocked by this; the entertainment
industry�s racism, sexism and exclusion of people-of-color
in the industry has been well documented. Liberals appear
to be troubled and conflicted when it comes to depicting
Black folks as just about anything but co-staring, mindless
mandingos or angry Black sapphires.
Not to be left out, we�re about to discover if this new Hollywood
production, created by a man, Lucas, who is deemed a master,
who has unquestionably created silver screen masterpieces,
will be able to entice and entertain White folks? Will
White guys take their dates, their kids to see
an action-packed movie, with all the hi-tech bells n�
whistles Lucas is noted for - where a White guy is not
the alpha-male teaching, enlightening and saving Black
folks. The subject matter is not about Ghetto-life, which
according to white writers is the only life experienced
by Blacks -� the tales of pimps, hookers, hoes, thugs
and gangsters...
See that�s the �supremely superior� holier-then-thou role
apparently millions upon millions of White folks prefer
to see themselves in, and this exclusionary mentality
is one of the reasons behind Blacks not being depicted
in movies as able-bodied, intelligent, honorable people
with the ability to fly fighter-planes, hold political
office, be crowned Miss America or Quarterback the New
York Giants, in order to mask, pacify and placate these
types of frailties and insecurities.
The jury is out on whether Red Tails will attract
Black movie goers the way anything as popular n� profitable
as Ice Cube Friday�s productions do, or
as a Tyler Perry flick does. Which means, sadly,
tragically there�s the question if Black folks
will be interested in the movie, will we spend moo-lah
to go see it.
It won�t be Atlanta Housewives nor NBA Wives come
to the big screen. Will we, as Black Americans have the
interest, the intellectual curiosity, the �knowledge of
yesteryear,� to want to be entertained and enlightened
by a movie not based on �gettin� rich or dying tryin�?
How deeply have we been brainwashed by the film making
industry to ignore �good movies� but line up to see �Black
exploitation� movies?
I�ll be there on opening day, because I believe, wholeheartedly,
these men are role models heroes.
BlackCommentator.com Columnist, Desi Cortez, was hatched in the
heart of Dixie, circa 1961, at the dawning of the age
of Aquarius, the by-product of four dynamic individuals,
Raised in South-Central LA, the 213, at age 14 transplanted
to the base of the Rockies, Denver. Still a Mile-Hi. Sat
at the feet of scholars for many, many moons, emerging
with a desire and direction� if not a sheep-skin. Meandered
thru life; gone a-lot places, done a-lot of things, raised
a man-cub into a good, strong man, produced a beautiful
baby-girl with my lover/woman/soul-mate� aired my mind
on the airwaves and wrote some stuff along the way. Click
here
to contact Desi.
