Makes Me Sick

[Troutfisher]

I live in a state constantly bombarded with negative media and a terrible stereotype. Granted, West Virginians aren't better than anyone else, but it just annoys the crap out of me. I opened up our paper and saw a large article talking about the new movie coming out, called "The Express." I had been interested in the movie before reading the article; now, I don't plan on seeing it at all.

First, a little background on the movie itself. "The Express" is based on the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. There is nothing wrong with that, and is something to be applauded, in fact. However, it states that a game took place between West Virginia and Syracuse at Morgantown, WV back in 1960. The movie scene shows the Syracuse team taking the field amid the booing of Mountaineers fans and uttering all sorts of racial slurs.

This was proven false. The article says that members of both teams and both sides discredit this. The movie is supposed to be based on a true story, yet it is, once again, portraying our state in a negative way. I don't care if it is supposed to be 1960, portraying our state and members of it as racial bigots is a step backwards and makes me sick, ESPECIALLY if it's a FALSE event that NEVER happened.

Thanks for the vent. >

[Jake.]

I know it stinks, but unfortunately that's the way Hollywood is. It seems like they always streotype the South as a bunch of racists, when in fact that is far from the case.

[Troutfisher]

I guess that's just another point on the long list of reasons on why I can't stand Hollywood.  People turn to them as if they're enchanted gods.

[burleytog]

WV isn't exactly the south.  

[Eddie Munster]

WV isn't exactly the south.

I'm pretty sure he was just saying that another falsehood in movies is how they portray the south as racist rednecks not that WV is in the south.

IRT topic: with the Presidential Election getting closer and closer, expect to hear from Hollywood about how 'if Obama doesn't win civil rights will be set back 100 years' or 'if McCain/Palin get elected, the Death of America will follow shortly'. I honestly don't know why people pay any attention to actors in regard to politics. It's not like these people are scholars or anything. They pretend they're someone else for a living; i.e. they lie convincingly. :-?

[-HAWK-]

WV isn't exactly the south.

Technically it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason-Dixon_Line ;D

Southeast Bass Fishing section includes:

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

[Hookemdown.]

WV isn't exactly the south.

Do you know where the south is Burley? ;D

You didn't think AR was in the south either.

[Dan:]

I don't care if it is supposed to be 1960, portraying our state and members of it as racial bigots is a step backwards and makes me sick, ESPECIALLY if it's a FALSE event that NEVER happened.

But there WERE tons of bigots in WV in the 60's...just like everywhere else.

[Tin]

I don't care if it is supposed to be 1960, portraying our state and members of it as racial bigots is a step backwards and makes me sick, ESPECIALLY if it's a FALSE event that NEVER happened.

But there WERE tons of bigots in WV in the 60's...just like everywhere else.

There are still lots of them up here in 2008. So I'm sure they are still everywhere.

[Dan:]

I don't care if it is supposed to be 1960, portraying our state and members of it as racial bigots is a step backwards and makes me sick, ESPECIALLY if it's a FALSE event that NEVER happened.

But there WERE tons of bigots in WV in the 60's...just like everywhere else.

There are still lots of them up here in 2008. So I'm sure they are still everywhere.

True 'dat

[burleytog]

WV isn't exactly the south.

Technically it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason-Dixon_Line ;D

Southeast Bass Fishing section includes:

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

That the state is south of that line means nothing.  Arizona is below that line, as is New Mexico.  Are they southern states?

VA, TN, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, FL

[Tin]

WV isn't exactly the south.

Technically it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason-Dixon_Line ;D

Southeast Bass Fishing section includes:

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

That the state is south of that line means nothing. Arizona is below that line, as is New Mexico. Are they southern states?

VA, TN, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, FL

So Puerto Rico isn't part of the south?  Their flag even looks a little Confederate.    :-?

[Dan:]

WV isn't exactly the south.

Technically it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason-Dixon_Line ;D

Southeast Bass Fishing section includes:

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

That the state is south of that line means nothing. Arizona is below that line, as is New Mexico. Are they southern states?

VA, TN, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, FL

That's how I see it. Except my part of VA doesn't count.

[Muddy]

Eric Davis, Jackie Robinson,,Hank Aaron,Jimmy Brown and Wilt Chamberlin ( to name just a few) all had to endure racial crap no matter where they went in the USA, including on their own teams. This is a fact, I was alive and witnessed a lot of it and to base a conclusion on a few interviews with "people who were there" is to deny what happened. Wasn't just WV it was everywhere these first balck atheltic stars played.

If I had 10 cents for everyone who has claimed in interviews that they were at Wood Stock, I would not have to work the rest of my life. I WASN"T 8-)

The truth is , it happened, I did not see the movie and was your age when it happened, I do not know if it happened just like this film will depict it, but on many levels it happened and it still does today.

[Troutfisher]

I'm not saying our state was more peaceful or loving than any other state.  I understand that our state had racially charged citizens.  However, to make a specific scene in a movie which did not exist is what gets me.  

[Muddy]

How do you know? Were you on the line of scrimmage.? It is easy to deny it now , some 49 years later, the same stuff is still going on, between teams, crowds and even those covering sporting events.

One of the problems with short movie depecting an era of many years is that they tend to oversimplfy and generalize , I understand this. Having lived through that era, and traveled around the counry playing i can state that the country was far more open about their racist feelings. As long as the film shows him getting it from his own classmates, teamates and other cities, I see no great harm or injustice. Thats why you have to see a film before you judge a film.

Why would that game be any different?

[Hookemdown.]

TF, I often see racism at football games around here.  Mostly between all white and all black schools.  It doesn't really happen at my school, as we are diversified.

It's sad that people can't accept that what they are doing is wrong and  move on.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I'm not saying our state was more peaceful or loving than any other state. I understand that our state had racially charged citizens. However, to make a specific scene in a movie which did not exist is what gets me.

Look young'un...

I am a pretty big, white guy and there are still areas of that state that I have felt uncomfortable in.  I can imagine how a football team's only black player felt during the racially charged 1960's.

Bottom line is, it could have happened anywhere and it still would have been wrong.  

You said that today, both sides refute the fact that it even happned?  If you were there and participated in the taunting and racial slurs, would you admit to it today?  

You're a smart kid and yes, you do live in a state that is stereotyped to no end. (I am guilty as charged with ridiculing you, all in fun of course  )  Think about why they would be denying that it happened and then decide for yourself....

Wayne

[Joe Boss]

Keep in mind that the movie says it is "Based on a true story". the word "based" is the key word in the sentence. It means they can take one little part of the true story and exagerate and embelish all they want. Which they do since the true story sometimes is too boring to make a movie about.

[Fisher of Men]

WV isn't exactly the south.

Technically it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason-Dixon_Line ;D

Southeast Bass Fishing section includes:

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

That the state is south of that line means nothing. Arizona is below that line, as is New Mexico. Are they southern states?

VA, TN, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, FL

Hey, show some love for Texas!!  Heck, just about everyone here that didn't come from south of the border came from all of those states in the 1800's.  Much of my family migrated here from TN.

[llPa1nll]

Hell if your from Texas anything north of the Red River is just Yankee ville, am I right?

;)

[Grey Wolf]

I grew up in WV in the fifties and sixties  , you should have been there , you wouldn't be yelling so much now. Your rose colored glasses would have cracked.

Sorry to break this to you. Thank God things have started to change over racial equality.

[Fisher of Men]

Hell if your from Texas anything north of the Red River is just Yankee ville, am I right?

;)

You ARE right in the eyes of many, but I have family in Oklahoma, so I have to be nice about it. Honestly, the folks in OK aren't much different than most Texans.

Troutfisher,

Just be thankful you didn't grow up during those times. I caught the tail end of it (some places in Texas were still segregated until the mid-70's). If I'd been alive back in the 50's and 60's I'd have probably been beat down by some of those hipocrites. I believe that color of skin is in NO way the correct to judge a man. The character of a man lies in his heart and his actions, and there are idiots in every race.

I understand the pride you have in your state, but racism was everywhere back in those days. You can do NOTHING about it now, except live your life as a responsible young man of character and promote those values of respect and honor that you already do. You are part of our future generation and the generations that follow will look toward you for guidance. Learn from the mistakes of your forefathers and lead on, brother. Keep doing the right thing!!

-Fisher

[Troutfisher]

I grew up in WV in the fifties and sixties , you should have been there , you wouldn't be yelling so much now. Your rose colored glasses would have cracked.

Sorry to break this to you. Thank God things have started to change over racial equality.

I completely understand what you're saying.  Racism was prevalent and abundant.  However, you can't pin down mistakes of the past on an event which did not happen.

Our Governor issued a statement today demanding that the makers of the movie apologize, and declare that particular scene in the movie as fictional.

[Muddy]

It's useless to sing to a deaf man

The president of Iran asked the US to aplogize for aggression against his country, I don't expect that made the claim true and I would not hold my breath on that apology either. I see a bit of state pressured censorship here.