FD Crashed

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people,people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something."

[Graham, CRASH 2005]

--

These are the opening words of this great movie. I went to view this show on the big screen without knowing the plot and I was blown away by these spoken words. I was more than shocked by it's complexity, I was convicted.

-------

Before I carry on, I'm going to give a written endorsement to this movie, this is the kind of show that comes along every once in a while, not just to entertain but to change a persons mindset. I think it deserved to win the 2006 Oscar for Best Film. I'm not turning this blog into a movie commentary blog of sorts so all readers can rest assured, if I say it is worth watching, you had better get your hands on one. [ I will be exposing certain aspects of the show so if you want to watch it first, fair warning given. ]

-------

Crash is a show about racism. Although this movie focuses on racism in the USA - African Americans, Hispanics, Minority Migrants - one can easily juxtapose the essence of this show with the racial conditions in Singapore.

" Do you mean there are blatant persecutions of minority races in Singapore? I have always thought that Singapore prided itself on having a racially harmonious society? " - Mr Ignoramus

Well Mr Ignoramus, I would like to suggest to you that although blatant acts of racism ( in Singapore, the government calls it sedition* because racial harmony is heavily guarded by the laws of this country ) are almost non existent because of present laws, it is the more subtle expression of racism that is still rampant.

" What ever are you going on about FD, you are just being anti-partisan and overly dramatic again aren't you? " - Mr Delusional

Well Mr Delusional, Let me ask you a few questions. You be your own judge and jury.

1. Have you ever taken a public transport, only to move to a different area of that transport when a certain race boards that transport and sits or stands beside you?
2. In your mind, do you consider certain races to be more conniving, less productive and more prone to execute criminal acts?
3. Have you ever percieved certain races to be of a lower strata of society?
4. Have you ever made discriminatory remarks based on the color or attire or smell of certain races, even if it was spoken in jest?
5. Have you ever thought of yourself as being ' better ' than other races?

Cat got your tongue huh?

-------

I will tell you another snippet about himself as a prelude to the point I'm trying to make. Back when I was in kindergarden, I had a very traumatic experience. Till this day, my family know not of this incident because I just brushed it aside as I grew older. But this incident left a mark on me which was not dealt with until much later in my life. What happened? Well one day, when I was lining up, waiting to enter the playroom ( where all the toys were ) an Indian MALE student went and forcefully planted a kiss on my cheek. After that day, I would look out for that student and poised myself for a fight if that student ever tried to do that again. Unfortunately, before the year ended, I was caught off-guard a few more times.

-------

I believe that because of this incident, I have always had hints of racism in me towards the Indian race in Singapore. Like I've mentioned before, it was all subtle, I did not punch every Indian that crosses my path but I would deliberately position himself in the presence of non-Indians. In fact, for almost 2 decades, I did not step foot in Little India ( A place located in Singapore to celebrate Indian culture, very much like a Chinatown for Indians ). Later on in my life, I believe God dealt with my heart, because it was a half-Indian that brought me to Christ ( i.e. Mother was a Chinese but Father was an Indian ). And it was only after I was exposed to the Bible, that I began to change my mindset, albeit with much racist influences surrounding me. I will not elaborate on that.

-------

I believe that God was not through with me yet. This was evident when I left to pursue my higher education overseas. As it turned out, in that point of my life, one of my most trusted friend and confidant turned out to be an Indian. CRASH struck a chord with me, although it was just another Hollywood production, it protrays vivid instances of racism - blatant and subtle - and it's consequences.

"...I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today ..." - [ Martin Luther King Jr, " I Have A Dream" Speech ]

I would like to have the same dream as Martin Luther King Jr. Oh, and by the way, 2 decades after that incident in kindergarden, I got kissed on the cheeks by yet another Indian - a FEMALE one lah. Her name? Haha... I'm currently addicted to life so I cannot divulge her name.

*Sedition: Conduct or language inciting rebellion against the authority of a state. Insurrection; rebellion.