I've often been cited saying that a certain film is important to see. While many people roll their eyes when I say it, my faith in the power of cinema to inspire and educate was and is exponential. A good film-maker has the ability to dig under our skin, embedding the struggle and emotion of the characters into our spirit. Great movies command action; while they're often underused in this manner, it is a powerful medium.
Until this past month, I thought it was a strong enough medium on its own. Films like "Bully", "Milk", "Wild Tigers I Have Known", and "Garden State" have all touched me deeply at various points in my life. Still, this was largely influenced by my relationship with the problems at hand. While I was soaking someone else's story in, the emotions were already dwelling within me. Yes, it takes a true artist to conjure up the emotions again, but does it fully create a personal relationship with the social issues at hand? As harrowing and upsetting films like "City of God", "Precious", and "Maria Full Of Grace" are, am I actually connecting with these people while watching on a 60" LCD TV in a fully furnished basement?
The screen creates a disconnect between the viewer and the subject material, alienating the content as an "other-worldly" issue, ineffective to us. Removing ourselves from the situation also removes the pressing gut reaction to act, to pursue justice. When the screen goes blank, you may be moved, but the event is done. However, when you live it, you never leave the experience behind.
For the readers who know me, you understand this is referencing my most recent service trip to Ghana. I spent 3 weeks in the village of WoraWora living and working with the amazing residents. There are problems in Ghana we are (vaguely) aware of; extreme poverty and hunger, tribal conflict, insufficient healthcare opportunity, education deficit, widespread HIV infection, and leprosy. But there is so much that is undocumented and completely horrific to occur within a fairly well-ranked country on the National Peace Index. To see, not just to read, about these issues was like taking repeated sharp jabs to the abdomen.
50% of Ghanains are self-employed, selling items streetside from sunrise until around 9 PM; many will make less than a sidi (50 cents) a day. One hospital served 180,000 with a single doctor employed. They didn't have gloves, no windows in the OR, offensively outdated tech, and a useless X-Ray machine; the doctor diagnoses based on guesswork. There is a single library in all of the region's villages, made almost entirely out of recycled grocery store bargain bin grabs. Children begin either working or become responsible for their siblings as young as 7 years old.
And when I passed the 5th or so building decorated with a tapestry proclaiming, "BATHE THIS HOUSE IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS!", I knew I had just scratched the surface. The common law in Ghana is loosely based on harmful biblical interpretation, misquoted to create discrimination and hatred. For people so loving and kind, they have internalized the same horrific beliefs of the Westboro Baptist Church. From backwards patriarchial beliefs (If a woman doesn't cook two nights in a row she gets severely beaten, women who lose their virginity before sex are believed to deserve death), to those victimizing children (disobedient children should be stoned), and demonstrating a particular loathesome attitude towards homosexuals, implicating they deserve death for their lifestyle choices. It was terrifying, and I couldn't imagine the burden that must lay on those people who have no escape from their situation.
What was worse was the flagrant miseducation that was published in Ghanain textbooks. For example, "those who are celibate are often suspect to being witches or wizards", a quote from a University sexual education book published in 2004. While I was teaching disease prevention, some of the high school students believe HIV was curable by sleeping with a virgin. The country is in desperate need of reformation, to adapt attitudes conducive with their normally welcoming behavior.
So why am I saying all of this? Partly to publicly rant about the injustice I saw while in Africa. But also to implore you to explore the world and the many social injustices yourself. Going to Ghana was cleansing and humbling, helping me realize the multitude of priveleges I have,encouraging me to appreciate my rights fully, and to never stop pursuing social justice. I will continue to work for better opportunities for WoraWora, and now I plan on volunteering for Identity House, a peer support network for LGBTQ youth. Whether you travel or work within your own community, get up, make a change, and understand the importance of solidarity in the global human struggle.
No comments:
Post a Comment