Racism and Prejudice in Modern Society
Racism and other types of prejudice, like gender and ethnic discrimination, have long been major issues in society. However, some individuals think racism is a relic of the past and does not exist in modern society. However, the truth is that racial stereotypes have only recently developed, and prejudice of various sorts still exists. Several instances of African Americans being mistreated by the police and other officials come to mind. Street demonstrations against various forms of discrimination against some communities in the society have recently taken place. The latter kinds of inequalities reflect the present state of discrimination in the current society and make it clear that prejudice and racism are still a major problem in the society.
The Role of Media in Combating Racism
Therefore, the people who believe that racism is a thing of the past must be turning their back on the truth. However, the media is a major player in integrating an anti-racism society. The media through various media contents such as films, adverts, and other creative contents creates a community where people appreciate each other despite their race. The movie Remember the Titans is one example of how the media uses various ways of the problem of racism.
Remember the Titans: A Story of Integration
Remember the Titans movie is a movie that covers different aspects of the black and white race integration in schools during the early 1970s when racism had captured most schools in Virginia and Alexandria. High school football is a lifestyle in Virginia, and most of the teenagers take part in these game. The high school football is one of the highly important sports in Virginia, and the movie shows how the school's management took advantage of this fact to unite the white and the black students through the game. The recognition of the high school football in Alexandria was also characterized by various emotions as football seemed to be everything to the people in this region. However, the full foundation of the great football culture was put into test by the integration of the all-black school with the all-white school by the local school board. The integration of the blacks and whites come with many challenges coupled with a variety of stereotypes. The movie represents several stereotypes that range from cultural, gender, and racial stereotypes as depicted by some of the characters in the movie. The main characters in the movie were used to represent several levels of stereotypes and how such challenges can be solved to create an all-inclusive society.
Sunshine Bass: Embracing Diversity
Sunshine Bass is of the major characters in the movie that has been used to represent some of the stereotypes in the movie. Sunshine character was played by Kip Pardue in the movie Remember the Titans. In the movie, the sunshine arrives late after the camp had already started and his father introduces him to the head coach of the T.C William team. Sunshine Bass was portrayed as a left-handed quarterback who led the T.C Williams football team to get the state title undefeated. For example, Sunshine was on various occasions portrayed as a gay to represent the general view of the society about gay rights and accepting gays as part of the normal members of the society. Sunshine kissed one of the players as a sign to show that gays also exist in the society and they should not be judged by whom they are but what they can do to the society.
Challenging Gender Stereotypes
Portraying the sunshine as a hippie with curly and long hair also confirms the theme of sexuality stereotyping in the movie. Some people referred to the sunshine as a woman because of his appearance a fact that brought out the societal view about gender and sexuality. The society also defines how people should behave, for example, they believe that a man should not kiss another man, but the sunshine in his role in the movie tended to defy these beliefs. Instead, Sunshine appreciated every team member for what they could do to the team as far as football is concerned. The society often tries to organize people in some universally recognized social constructs that if one strays away, he or she is considered a reject. In his role, Sunshine insisted that should not matter who he is whether a gay, black, or bisexual, but what mattered was being a legendary football player.
Confronting Stereotypes and Promoting Unity
Another example of stereotyping in the movie is when some people made fun of Ronnie Bass of the sunshine for having long hair. Ronnie was often called a fruitcake and pretty boy by some of his classmates and teammates at school as a way of intimidating him. The latter shows the gender stereotyping that is one of the main problems in the society then as well as the current society. For example, the society believes that boys should not be a hippie, have long hair and look pretty which is a form of gender stereotyping. As a result of the societal view of the male gender against the female gender, Sunshine's teammates called him pretty boy or fruitcake to associate him with the female gender despite being one of the major players in the T.C William's football team.
Using Psychological Intimidation to Overcome Prejudice
Ronnie Boss was a character who not only went against the societal stereotypes and segregations but also helped to lower the racial tension in his team and contributed to both with people from other social classes. Sunshine used psychological intimidation to express his views about racism and to criticize the societal stereotypes among his schoolmates and teammates. For example, when he was seen rubbing his hair after cutting it and he also did not argue when he had to cut his hair. Although Petey teased him, Sunshine did not mind his words and just brushed it off as a non-issue. In this incident, the brushing off of the abuses by Petey was to intimidate Petey psychologically so that he can know that his attempts to tease were unworthy and he would direct that energy to do other important things to the team. Another incident when sunshine used psychological intimidation is when he called Petey and Big Blue into the bar after they were mistreated. Sunshine called these two players into the bar intentionally to show that everyone needed to be treated right regardless of their color, race, or position in the society. When Sunshine kissed one of the players as was already mentioned above, it was intentional to show that it does not matter the sexuality of a person and one should not be judged based on who he is but based on what he can do.
Achieving Cultural Integration
In conclusion, the film Remember the Titans showcases cultural integration, family, friendship, teamwork, and how people should live together in an all-inclusive society. Sunshine is an important character that helps in portraying the integration theme in the movie. Sunshine as a character also displays several levels of stereotypes as displayed in the society. He is used as a uniting factor among its team members, and he uses his naivety and low self-esteem to integrate the team members. The role of Sunshine shows him as an important character who not only made a difference in the lives of his fellow team members and the community as a whole.
