A discussion between Birth of a Nation actress/activist Aunjanue Ellis and BLACK Co-Founder Amber Phillips on Roland Martin’s “New One Now” got HEATED when talking about black women being the cause of Nate Parker’s slave revolt film to “flop” at the box office. Also, Roland himself got dragged on Twitter for “guilting” black women to go see the film. Get it all inside….
Whoa!
Birth of a Nation actress/activist and Brown University grad Aunjanue Ellis went all the way there during a discussion with BLACK Co-Founder Amber Phillips on Roland Martin’s “News One Now” about how Nate Parker’s Birth of a Nation performed at the box office. By the way, the film wasn't necessarily a flop.
There seems to be a divide in the black community, particularly among black women, about whether or not to support the film.
During the discussion, Amber Phillips made the point that black women should not let mainstream media criticize them for not supporting Nate Parker (who wrote, produced, directed and starred in the film) after being accused of rape (that he was eventually acquitted of). She feels that regardless of the aquittal, his testimony (and others) proves consent was not given for him to proceed to having sex with an arguably unconscious woman.
She said,
“Black women owe Nate Parker nothing. Black women owe this movie nothing. If we decide that we don’t want to go and see this, we should not be reduced to being called petty, we should not be revictimized. Even Roland Martin participated in victimizing Black women who are saying absolutely this is a line that we are drawing…The movie wasn’t successful because of this controversy and because we said no. We said now is not the time and we want better and we want more. If Nate Parker can start a revolution in defense of rape then what if this is our revolution to say we’ve actually had enough.”
Aunjanue Ellis, who also stars on ABC's "Quantico," totally disagrees. She said black women (or anyone for that matter) shouldn’t be shamed for wanting to see the film and to get educated on Nat Turner due to what happened in the director’s personal life. And she was passionate about it.
“I’m not asking you for anything,” Aunjanue said. “I’m not personally asking you for anything,” said Ellis. “I’m asking for the people in Mississippi who ain’t ever heard about Nat Turner. Please. There has to be a space for that. But they don’t know, Sis. They don’t know. Please listen to me. You are coming from – and I admire the heck out of you – but you are coming from a position of privilege and you don’t even realize it. You don’t even realize it. You have information and not only that, you have the fire and presence of mind to want it and that makes you different. And this is why this movie has to get out to people who don’t have what you have. So what about them? You are not in Mississippi, Sis. Or Alabama and you don’t understand. Sis, you don’t understand. Those people don’t have the presence of mind to do that organizing. What about the folks who just want to come see a movie? I’m a black woman, too and I want more, too. We don’t have to sacrifice one over the other. That’s all I’m saying.”
Peep the clip below:
Sheesh! So, who do you agree with? Should women boycott the film because of the director's past? Or, should the film be supported due to the story its telling?
Speaking of Birth of a Nation...
Roland himself came under fire when he posted an article blaming low box office numbers on "the unrepentant pettiness of Black feminists." That set several people off and they proceeded to drag him in his mentions. As the tweets started rolling in, Roland responded with the above tweet that said, "My position is clear: Don't like #BirthOfANation because of Nate's rape allegations? Fine. Don't make it about a white wife. @LukeCage too."
This only set folks off even more. Peep the tweets:
@rolandsmartin@LukeCage You've gone from rape to interracial marriage in a handful of tweets to admonish BW for not supporting a movie
— LaSonja S. Hill (@LaSonja_Hill) October 12, 2016
@rolandsmartin@LukeCage so you're basically blaming BW for this movie flopping at the box office? I've heard not one BW say this.
— DasiaBeinFab (@morris_dasia) October 12, 2016
@rolandsmartin thank you for promoting the narrative that it's always BW fault when our asses are the ones supporting black men the most
— CG (@luxecure) October 12, 2016
Roland responded to some:
We've reached out to Roland for a statement. We're told he's working on it.
Thoughts?
Photos: TV One/Twitter
