American Son

Starring Kerry Washington

Available on Netflix

Last evening I viewed the film American Son.  This is a film well worth seeing. It is the story of a Black woman, (Kerry Washington) who is a psychology professor, who is attempting to learn the whereabouts of her missing son while waiting in a police station. First, she confronts an indifferent police officer. Then, she argues with her racially insensitive white husband, who is an F.B.I. agent. Then, she argues with a Black commanding officer of the police department. 

The film, that was once a play, explores many of the issues of racial discrimination in this country. What I found especially striking was the conversation the main character had with the Black police commander.

That official understood that this was a sensitive issue for both parents of the missing son. Yet, he deliberately worked to provoke a belligerent response. The main character argued that the police are supposed to be servants of the people and that they should act that way.

The response of the police commander was that this is America, and here everyone knows that Black people are treated differently. He argued that Black parents need to teach their children not to challenge police officers who are being openly abusive. While many Black parents do give their children strict instructions to follow those guidelines, thousands of Black people have been murdered by the police.

When we see this film, as well as the film about the frame-up Central Park Five, as well as the day-to-day reality in this country, it becomes clear that the police are an occupying force in the communities where we live. The biggest source of crime is the massive incarceration of people of all races in this country, as well as the gross disparity of wealth that is becoming more and more obvious.

Because that conclusion is so different from the portrait of the police by the pro-capitalist media, this  is one reason why the film American Son is so important.