Our Family Wedding...Should be called Black Dowry.

Source:MovieGoods.com

Imagine a young doctor falling in love with a young woman. He caters to her every whim, allowing her to lie to her family about their living arrangements, lie to her family about the length of their relationship and even lie to her family about her role in the relationship (as she is a volunteer teacher and not making any income) while her fiance supports her dream. Now imagine that young doctor heading home to introduce the woman he loves to his family and to be introduced to hers. Imagine that this young woman has neglected to tell her parents the " love of her life" the man she plans to marry is ...black.

Sounds like it could be an interesting story or movie? Or is it more of a punchline to a racist joke? Today I saw the movie Our Family Wedding and I was extremely disappointed.

Marcus a handsome, intelligent, young black man is in love with the pretty, intellectual, young Latina Lucia. They live together, they "love" each other and they plan on being married. While neither has introduced the other to their parents they plan on doing so.

Marcus has told his dad about Lucia but she has not told her parents about him. And their family introduction is the movie. Our Family Wedding had an All-Star cast but was poorly acted at times. The premise of the movie was "Be ashamed you're marrying black" even if he is a doctor, even if he comes from money and even if he loves you.

Our Family Wedding was typically racist, small minded and bigoted. Although you don't often see movies that include scenes with Goats taking Viagra. You won't miss a thing (besides beautiful shots of Lance Gross) in not seeing this movie which mind as well have been written by a goat.

The message I got was if you are marrying black, they better come with a dowry. There better be compensation for "putting" up with their blackness. That love can be ashamed of who you are and it's still love. Be thankful,(if you're black) that someone non black wants you.

The movie was a hot mess. A waste of Latin American and African American talent in a Hollywood film. But I am guessing that was the intention.

Phoebe Prince

I kept seeing her face online but didn't read the article until today. Phoebe Prince is the 15 year old Irish native who hung herself in a closet after being bullied by her peers at school. When I hear of suicides I can empathize with the suicide victim. I don't always think of suicide as a victim creating circumstance but for the most part it is. I mean a person who willingly will forsake their own life and go against their natural instinct for self preservation is a victim of some illness, melancholy or ailment in a way.

So it is reported, Phoebe moved from Ireland to Massachusetts with her family. She started at a new school and began to date one boy briefly and the another briefly. Shortly after these brief relationships a Bullying campaign began against Phoebe.
It is reported both her exes, her exes girlfriends and some other girls called her "Irish Slut", "Irish Whore", sent malicious texts and Facebook messages. By all accounts, Phoebe was under attack. According to Boston.com even after Phoebe's death the bullies attended school bad mouthing her, they slammed her on Facebook and even at a dance held 2 days after she passed.

I have been bullied and bullied as a kid. Some of it I can't believe we got away with. And some of it I can't believe was done to me. Even now in adult hood I deal with Corporate bullying and mobbing. Basically, in laymen terms, people tend to get a "Lord of the Flies" mentality when in groups. I can understand how a person can reach a point of thinking about ending it all but I just can't find a real purpose for doing it. It doesn't make a good enough point, as these bullies show, they could care less they drove a girl to kill herself. Alternatively, they chose wisely, as they selected a person who destructs inward rather than out word as we have seen in recent decades, school shootings are often chosen by the outcast.

It all saddens me. The fact that people would go so far as to abuse, molest, accost, or dehumanize another human being in this "free" North American world. The fact that bullying is allowed to escalate in what are supposed to be "safe"environments like school, organizations and workplaces. The fact that a girl could take her life and everyone is trying to skirt the blame sweep the issue under the rug.

After much outrage internationally,nine students are being criminally charged for bullying Phoebe Prince. Her family has opted to bury her in Ireland, which I think is best, they have opted to lay her to rest away from her bullies and their lies.

I hope you finally found peace Phoebe, I don't agree with giving your life to these thoughtless, void kids but I hope you have found some peace.



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