CRASH - CLASHING OF COLOURS?

Racism is an issue that I'm sure many of you have a say in. In Malaysia, one of the main issues discussed and politicized is definitely the issue of race. I'd like to think that there are not many racist fights in Malaysia, but maybe that would make me very ignorant because I heard there are, just that I chose not to believe most of them. The newspapers do not cover news or stories like these, no, they cover it up. So what should I believe? It is so sad and I do feel that racism is an issue that should concern us all.

I'd consider myself a non-racist, yeah, that's just me saying. But what actually defines a non-racist? 

As the world advances, it's funny to actually see people classifying other people's action by the colour of their skin. For example, Chinese are always equated as very calculative and business-minded. Malays are known for their laziness and Indians, for being the community that are poor and therefore, most criminals are of the Indian race. Every time we hear of a robbery or theft, the first thing some people would ask is...what race? I don't even know why it matters. I feel a person does what he/she does not because of the colour of their skin, but rather because of who they are, how they are raised and treated as a human being that leads them to their conduct.

To be fair, I have some really really darn hardworking Malay friends who strive their best to achieve success. And for them it's so unfair because no matter how they work, people will have that stereotype that they achieved it because of the help provided by our government. How sad! I also have some really super cool and nice Indian friends who are the most polite and generous people in the world. And the last thing they'll be are criminals. Also, to make things clear, I really hate to be categorized as calculative and stingy.

We are who we are not because of the colour of our skin.

I'm glad that, if my observations are right, then I believe that Malaysians are getting more homogenized - we are more Malaysians than we are Malays, Chinese or Indians. Well, at least the urban citizens are. I have a lecturer, whom I feel is a bit racist. Once the lecturer asked the class..."What do you refer to yourself as (as in nationality) when in other countries?" I guess the lecturer was expecting a Malaysian-Chinese as an answer but the whole class proudly answered MALAYSIAN! If you ask me, this actually shows that we ourselves do not see ourselves by the skin colour but as a nation, which is a positive start.

The modern Malaysians are a mixed-up bunch, and our main medium of interaction is Manglish. We speak the Malaysian-style English, with additions of our own mother tongue. Malaysia should be heading that way, in which all races can be friends, like extremely close brothers and see no difference in skin colour.

I have a good friend, Doy, whom I met during my internship. She has been such a wonderful companion during my production days even though she only visits during weekends to meet her then boyfriend. She was basically the only girl there, my age who can relate to me. Okay, now I have to categorize her because she's a Malay but the times I've hanged out with her, I don't feel it.

We spoke perfectly good Manglish and had some really good moments (well, at least I have haha) until suddenly we spoke of colleges and Universities. She asked me why didn't I go to local universities. She said that it's much cheaper. Well, of course because of her race, she's privileged and would most probably get the course of her choice, but I'm not sure if I'm that lucky. Of course we didn't argue, we just chatted normally about it and I realized that the only thing that sets us apart really, is the NEP, which benefits most the Bumiputeras. If only the NEP can really function as it is supposed to, and which is to help eradicate poverty, then I believe that all Malaysians can move forward together, regardless of race.

Race is a major theme in the movie Crash which I love a lot. It has a long list of stars in it but that is not what made this masterpiece.

This movie, I wanted to watch a long time ago. I have really high expectations because I've heard a lot of positive comments about it. I wasn't disappointed.

Crash has no conclusion. The conclusion is to equate it to life. There will never be a direct conclusion when it comes to issues of racism and any other problems in life. This movie is really interesting as it focuses on the lives of different characters and each character links to one another in some ways. 

A few characters in the movie, like Sandra Bullock's and Matt Dillon's are racist. They do not trust Blacks or Latinos.

Sandra Bullock and her husband, played by Brendan Fraser was robbed by two Negros. She was angry and believes that it was right that she had been terrified of Blacks all along. She then also was adamant that his husband change the locks in their house again in the morning because the previous lock was fix by a Latino. 

Matt Dillon's character molested a Negro lady in front of her husband because he was angry at another Negro lady who denied his father the required operation for his prostate problem. For one thing, Matt Dillon was very rude to that lady and has often angered her with his racist remarks. However later, Matt Dillon did save the very same Negro lady which he molested in a car crash. 

The Negro lady molested by Matt Dillon was of course angry with her husband for not standing up for her. But Matt Dillon is a cop with a gun. Plus, whatever they do, the cop can frame them anyway. So the best is to apologize even though they were obviously not at fault. If you ask me, I have no idea which side to take. It's a dilemma. If I were the lady, I'd be mad too if my husband just stood there and watch me being 'handled' by another guy. But then again, if he doesn't apologize, we might not be able to get out of the situation. The lady was right when she said that she was humiliated. I'd be too. 

Then there's Michael Pena's character who worked very hard for his family but was always stereotyped because he was a Latino. He was the one who fixed Sandra Bullock's house's lock. I really liked him here, in this movie. I've watched him in another movie "The Lucky Ones", but "Crash" made him one of my favourites. I especially love his relationship between him and his daughter. But as much as I love him in the movie, I thought the story he told his 5-year-old daughter is ridiculous and will in fact endanger her.

His daughter was afraid of bullets due to an earlier incident not shown in the movie. So in order to make her daughter less scared, he told her a story about the invincible cloak, not penetrable by any bullet or bombs. He said that it was a fairy's present and is to be passed on to his daughter when she is five. So he gave her the cloak.

So as I predicted, when Michael Pena was at gun-point, his daughter ran out to protect him since she is 'invincible'. The man fired at the daughter instead. If I had to blame anyone, I'd say it's his fault. I believe there are other better ways of convincing your daughter not to be afraid of bullets than telling her a lie that would endanger her. 

Another part of the movie worth remembering was when Terence Howard (the Negro whose wife was molested) told Ludacris (the Negro who stole Sandra Bullock's car) that he embarrassed all Negro.

"You embarrassed me. You embarrassed yourself."

What one Negro does, indirectly makes other people stereotype other Negros. Racism...but sadly, it happens.

Another part was when Ryan Phillippe shot another Negro. He was convinced (because of stereotype again) that that guy was pulling out a gun, when in fact, he was just pulling out a figure of Mother Mary, if I'm not mistaken. He then shot the Negro.

There are other issues involving stereotype in the movie that I can't really write all of them down. The best is to watch it because it involves so many characters. Overall, don't expect any endings because that's not what life is all about. Storybook endings are only there to give us hope. Hope is good but sometimes, there's still reality.

Besides, stories never end because in life, problems come and go. The end shows the characters going on with life, most problems unresolved.