Courtesy of the Christian Science Monitor:
Since taking office three-plus years ago, President Obama has walked a fine line on race. “I’m the president of the entire United States,” he has said, when asked by black activists and reporters why he’s not doing more to help struggling African-Americans.
But there are times when the nation's first black president “goes there” on race, as when he reacted to the recent killing of unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin. “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” Mr. Obama memorably said – a comment that sparked fierce debate over whether the president was using the case for political ends.
On Thursday night, the theme of racial discrimination in America comes to the White House Family Theater, as Obama introduces a screening of the Academy Award-winning film “To Kill a Mockingbird,” in honor of its 50th anniversary. And with the president perhaps cast as “teacher in chief,” the White House has invited schoolchildren from the area to attend. The film, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Harper Lee, tells the story of a white Southern lawyer, Atticus Finch, who defends a black man, Tom Robinson, wrongly accused of rape.
Can I just say how much I love this?
Here we are once again embroiled, it seems, in the same kind of rampant racism that was prevalent before, and during, the Civil Rights movement, and our first African American President has the honor of screening in the White House the film adaption of one of the most important books concerning race relations in our country's history.
Could not be more perfect!
Here take a moment to remind yourself of the brilliance of this incredible movie.
