It's so difficult to begin and then continue to engage in a real dialogue about race and racism in America today. The problem of being 'fair' and/or discussing the issue is difficult for many black and whites alike.
The crying need for an absent necessary dialogue has been made more difficult by the director of the film "Selma" Ava DuVernay and her comment about the actions, or in her view, non-action of then president Lyndon Baines Johnson during the 1960's fight for Civil Rights.
The young woman considers herself to be a "student of history at that time" and is questionably comfortable with a film that is historically incorrect in its portrayal of LBJ.
www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/2egtbl/selma_director_on_lbj_criticism_I_wasn't/
Her excuse, and what else could you call her petulant response, "I wasn't interested in making a white savior movie" is just another highly publicized nugget that will clearly inhibit real and necessary dialogue about race that is so sorely needed.
There are far too many people on both sides of the issue of whether racism still exists, regardless of their racial background, that speak with authority about race and the experience of racism, that either lack knowledge about the issue or clearly ignore the facts.
The point is - the movie, the men, the women and the children's lives choreographed in the film would not have been diminished if the director had chosen to portray what LBJ honestly contributed. Civil Rights then and now can only be won by individuals of all races and backgrounds and adding to the murky, often unexplored reality of the true events that occurred is just as dangerous as David Duke making an appearance on Fox courtesy of Bill O'Reilly.
Anger has always clouded one's ability to think rationally and when anger trumps thought (oh truculent NYPD officers) exactly what have we gained as human beings?
In closing, I was a teen during the 1960's and I lived the history. I never considered any man, or woman for that matter, a "savior" and perhaps that is why I understand everyone should be acknowledged for the good that they accomplish in their lives instead minimizing those selfless and humane actions because you think an audience is too uneducated to understand and know the facts.