How could we be deprived of this holiday season’s inspiration?

January 06, 2008 12:45 am

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I just returned from seeing this week’s box office best selling movie The Great Debaters. How the citizens of Meridian could be so deprived of this inspirational, motivational, and educational motion picture, is beyond comprehension! Especially, judging by the current state of our Public Education System!
I have to conclude, either someone missed the boat on this one, or someone decided not to inspire the African-American Community to truly appreciate what their contribution to education has been!
Based upon a true story about Wiley College, a small Historically Black College in Marshall Texas; Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington and Forrest Whitaker revealed to America a lost piece of history, regarding a few students attending this small college; and how they took on the most influential Education Institution in the world (at that time) Harvard University in a heated competition; and it had nothing to do with sports!
If our children ever needed to be inspired to appreciate education, this was the movie to do so. To challenge academically to a mental comprehensive debate, the most influential educational Institution in the United States, and win, was and is phenomenal within itself.
How could we make a decision not to bring this movie here, is beyond comprehension. The Meridian Movie Theater owners should be ashamed of themselves. The Meridian Community should be outraged! What a slap in the community’s face.
Some wonder why we are having difficulty developing race relations need only look at this type of blatant act. This movie sold out all over the country! But we did not see the need to bring this educational motivating movie to Meridian. But, two weeks ago, we brought Denzel’s American Gangster movie, depicting drug activity and the degradation of the African-American Community! Something is seriously wrong with this picture!
Just thought I would share the concern. Maybe someone else has had a chance to see this movie and would like to motivate the Meridian Public School District and surrounding school systems.

Rev. Randle L. Jennings
Meridian