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13th |OT| Ava DuVernay's Netflix documentary on mass incarceration — 98% RT | 91 Meta

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People should watch it at the very least to see the extent to which the demonization of the black male was targeted and thorough. Here we are over a hundred years later and a woman clutching her handbag or crossing the street is as natural as breathing. The campaign of propaganda against blacks is the most successful in human history.
 
Watched this last night and it shook me to the core. I feel like I want to scream/punch something/etc. and I can't focus at all at work today.

As others have said, I feel that this should be shown in schools nationwide. This is a proper lesson on the history of systemic racism in this country. It's clear to me now that I did not fully understand the extent of the problem and the public education I received did not touch on ANY of it (and I'm obviously not alone on this).

And fuck ALEC so much. I just learned that my state rep. in my district is an ALEC member and I am disgusted by it.
 
It's one of the best documentaries I've seen in a bit, and while it's not necessarily filled with new information that I personally haven't known or thought about before, it still couldn't be more vital and relevant.
 
Just finished this documentary. I want to scream it from the rooftops that everyone who can should watch this.

Absolutely eye-opening stuff, especially concerning the Clinton-era I grew up in. Living life in a sheltered, lower-middle-class, mostly-liberal family in the suburbs of Phoenix, things didn't seem so bad. There are so many things coming out now that destroy the innocence I had back then, and I'm thankful for it. Our notions need to be challenged. Constantly.

I've always had a rebellious heart—my flower-child, feminist mom created it—and it took a lot of years to get up the courage to stand up against the racist, hate-filled, conservative trends my friends and family were starting to show. And then I spent a few months in Brooklyn in 2005, living and working with a family that experienced racial hatred and violence themselves. I went back to Arizona, changed, forever.

Ever since that moment I've sought out stories and documentaries and novels and memoirs and everything about the injustices served against people of any color but white. I'm not entirely surprised this only had a few stars on Netflix when I went to play it. People still like to ignore that this stuff happens. People still like to think this isn't a systemic problem. People still like to think that "racism is over".

People need to stop, sit down for a couple of hours, and watch this film. And then go watch some more. And read some books, watch interviews, go educate yourselves about this problem that continues to plague our country.
All of this.

Everyone should watch 13th. Every single human. You will learn a lot, and you'll understand why racial justice is so fucking necessary right now, not later when it feels more convenient for us.
 

Trey

Member
Been pushing all the people in my sphere of influence to see this. Everyone who I got onboard said that this documentary is required viewing.
 

Bad_Boy

time to take my meds
Girl i used to talk to called me out of the blue and told me to watch this. She beat me to it. I always knew she was woke.

Gonna watch when i get home.
 

MoeDabs

Member
Just finished this documentary. I want to scream it from the rooftops that everyone who can should watch this.

Absolutely eye-opening stuff, especially concerning the Clinton-era I grew up in. Living life in a sheltered, lower-middle-class, mostly-liberal family in the suburbs of Phoenix, things didn't seem so bad. There are so many things coming out now that destroy the innocence I had back then, and I'm thankful for it. Our notions need to be challenged. Constantly.

I've always had a rebellious heart—my flower-child, feminist mom created it—and it took a lot of years to get up the courage to stand up against the racist, hate-filled, conservative trends my friends and family were starting to show. And then I spent a few months in Brooklyn in 2005, living and working with a family that experienced racial hatred and violence themselves. I went back to Arizona, changed, forever.

Ever since that moment I've sought out stories and documentaries and novels and memoirs and everything about the injustices served against people of any color but white. I'm not entirely surprised this only had a few stars on Netflix when I went to play it. People still like to ignore that this stuff happens. People still like to think this isn't a systemic problem. People still like to think that "racism is over".

People need to stop, sit down for a couple of hours, and watch this film. And then go watch some more. And read some books, watch interviews, go educate yourselves about this problem that continues to plague our country.

Those Netflix stars are what it thinks you'll rate it. Based on users with similar taste.
 

Nabs

Member
More people need to watch this, c'mon gaf. This needs to be mandatory viewing for all Americans.

I gotta say, even though most of this is not new to me, it's still extremely sad and frustrating. I can only watch this in 15 minute sessions.
 

Blackie

Member
I put 13th on the backburner after my turmoil in the undercover prison guard thread (turmoil here) but finally was forced to watch it. Yep. Amazing documentary. Some revelations. We still have a LOT of work to do.
 

IKizzLE

Member
Powerful documentary. Just seeing all the pieces put in place for systemic institutional racism was powerful to see. ALEC being the Illuminati and literally oppressing a minority group is some blood boiling shit.

Must. See.
 

Eylos

Banned
Amazing movie, i gratuated in Law school, and this is better than any criminal Law class i had

Everyone should watch.
 
This thread along with the Before the Flood thread should have much more activity.

This was an extremely powerful documentary that hits the nail on the head.
 
What a intense and affirming doc, most of the info I expected and was saddened to hear still, it basically reaffirmed my lost trust in my fellow man.

The stats that were on display were searing however and really, utterly drove the point that despite whatever the US population might think about racism being a thing of the past its very very much part of modern America and hangs heavy around its neck. A supposed noose that if trump wins will tighten until either the nation dies a slow death or thrashes violently to avoid it's fate.

To end on a brighter note, it's extremely encouraging to see.so many POC who are very well educated, bright, articulate, passionate and driven on the matter. Let's hope they break through and defeat this terrible blight.
 

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
I thought it was about as good as it could have been as a movie, though I think it would have been far more powerful as a Ken Burns style docu series. As a result of being shackled to such a limited medium, they didn't get to dig as deep as I would have liked.

Still, it was pretty powerful for what it was.
 
I just noticed this on Netflix. Think I'm going to impulse watch without knowing anything about. I'm already in a depressed and shitty mood right now with the election nearing. So this is either the best or worst time to watch this. Not quite certain yet.

Jesus. Teared up just at the sight of the lynching photos.

Holy shit at picture of Fred Hampton's corpse after police murdered him in his sleep. That one cop in back-middle smiling over his body...
 

Dalek

Member
This is just so upsetting to watch.

It makes me furious to think that I know people that voted for Trump that know this shit goes on and they just accept that their vote says they're ok with the status quo.
 

WolfeTone

Member
This is a powerful and informative piece of work. It really captures how broken the US prison system really is.

I know the documentary was focused on the US, but it would have been nice if it had included some content on how prisons operate in other countries, particularly Nordic countries where prisons are much 'softer', conviction rates are lower, the focus is on rehabilitation and as a result, re-offenses are low. It would show that being "tough on crime" doesn't really address the issues.

Nevertheless, this is a must watch documentary. I wish more on GAF would take the time to spend 2 hours on this. It's not a lot of time compared to other Netflix content. I love that Netflix funds projects like these.
 

Not

Banned
I had a prolonged emotional reaction towards the end of this, when they intercut the black and white footage with the Trump rally footage, and gave the stat about 1 in 17 white men compared to 1 in 3 black men.

Which means my family or any other white person I show it to will instantly think it's propaganda and turn off their brains throughout.
 
I just watched this now. There is some seriously important message in here. And even in its relevance to current politics, nobody's hands are clean. That being said, the part about Trump really drove it home how history is sort of repeating itself.

The way they discussed how much of this is coded language for "putting people of color away" without ever having to say it explicitly really hit me hard. It's happening again and It's not even subtle any more.

Can't believe just how bad things got with incarceration and the criminal justice system in the US. Shameful.
 

Vyer

Member
Powerful stuff. Some people I know that should really see this, but probably wouldn't take the time. Really lays out the history that so many ignore.
 

Kaako

Felium Defensor
This is a necessary watch for everyone on this board. Do yourselves a favor and educate yourselves if all of this was not etched into your very beings already. Just please watch it.
 
Just watched it on Canadian Netflix last night. Very powerful and I learned a lot. The closing line floored me; I just sat stunned through the credits
 
How did I miss this? Absolutely powerful documentary. I've never felt so angry and furious, even though I already knew how corrupt the prison system is and how it's always restructured to beat down POCs.

Only 3 pages of discussion? Come on, GAF.
 
How did I miss this? Absolutely powerful documentary. I've never felt so angry and furious, even though I already knew how corrupt the prison system is and how it's always restructured to beat down POCs.

Only 3 pages of discussion? Come on, GAF.

I don't know what it is... but (anecdotally) trying to get people to actually take the time to watch this is difficult. They get pretty interested after seeing the trailer but only a few follow through.

Which is a shame because this has messagses that need to be spread
 

Coxy100

Banned
Watched this last night.

Holy shit USA - had no idea how fucked up your country was (no offence..)

How on earth did nobody go down for the Fred Hampton killing? Shocking.

Such a powerful documentary.
 

Lokimaru

Member
Man seeing this really brought home to me why my cousin has been in prison since he was 14 years old. He's one year older then I am and I'm now 42. Guy spent his entire Adult life behind Bars just for being a stupid kid who got in over his head. It's insane to think something like that can happen in the land of the "Free".
 
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