I personally was not a fan of this movie and I would not choose to watch it if it was not shown in class. I had never heard of it, but many people that I talked to after watching it really liked it including my boyfriend.
American History X gives a fictional, though clear, example of an African American who was treated unfairly by the criminal justice system based on his race. Guy Torry's character, Lamont, is a black inmate who bonds with the main character Derek, played by Edward Norton. Lamont was caught stealing a television from a store right next to a doughnut shop where he runs into three police officers. He was charged for assaulting an officer which landed him six years in prison. Lamont had accidentally dropped the television on the officers foot and it was seen as intentional. Though Derek was an active skinhead he did not think that was a fair sentencing for Lamont. Now, Derek, a white man had been convicted of murdering two men and only served three years in the movie.
This movie represents a clear depiction of the unfair treatment of criminals between races. Even the ex-white nationalist character thought his friend was given a harsh punishment because he couldn't believe it at first. You would think that they would try and find a witness to his crime if Lamont tried to fight the charges. People want to buy into the stereotype that black men are violent that is why some things can be interpreted in the wrong way. The trends within the types of crimes, victims, and offenders have made it so that some races are represented falsely. If the roles were reversed Derek may not have even served a day in jail where as Lamont probably would have gotten life in prison, or worse. African American men are seen as violent criminals by white nationalists, but most convictions made for black criminals are not for violent crimes. In this film it was the police officer who determined the fate of Lamont. Within the criminal justice system it is not uncommon for the arresting officer to influence the jury. This illegal act is to ensure that jurors are not randomly selected and will grant them the decision they favor.
The book, Autobiography of a Recovering SkinHead: The Frank Meeink Story, follows a former skinhead member and his experiences of salvaging his life. Meeink served as a SkinHead at the age of 13 and began recruiting members by 18 to join other Neo-Nazis. The big turn around in his life was when he was arrested and incarcerated with kidnapping and beating an opposing gang member. All of his actions were caught on video tape. Frank Meeink is now an inspirational speaker to youth groups and works as a coach for a hockey league.
Meeink claims that this group that he was formerly a member of is, "nothing but violent." He even calls himself a sick, twisted human being for being a part of it and the crimes that he committed for the group. For a SkinHead, to say that his group was more violent than that of the race that they are trying to protect themselves from is interesting. The only difference in the matter is that the SkinHead group thinks their actions are justified because it is their "job" to act this was and do these things. They deny the existence of violence within their group and Frank Meeink is proof of that lie with the crime that he committed. So, how is it that black people are the ones who are labeled as destructive to others? White nationalist are the same if not worse in their actions, but to them it is okay because they have a obligation to their race. And yet black with all this black people are considered the most violent of all criminals.
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