Ringside Report Reviews Netflix: Colin In Black and White

By Janet Grace

Okay, People, here’s the bottom line: Unless you’re a racist, you’re going to be surprisingly hooked; in less time than it takes to say his name.

Colin Kaepernick, is Thee Hero of The Century; not only for kneeling for what he stands for, but for being the voice of truth, a beacon on hypocrisy and for educating the masses.

This biography is the one to see for those of you who really want to know the behind the scenes scoop, as told by one “living the dream”, while black.

Colin takes us back to what it was like for him, growing up bi racial, with two white parents who would seemingly, go to bat for him — as long as it did not interfere with their “whiteness”.

He learned to advocate for himself at an early age and was wise enough to actually see and draw us a picture of what the world was growing into, from his perspective; which, when you take a gander and see it, you cannot look away.

You cannot unlearn or unsee what he shows us. You will understand the message. You’ve seen these truths. You live this reality but, you may be one of the one’s groomed to have the injustice you see, be okay. It’s not fucking okay. Know THAT.

I dwell well within the scope of any fantasy; horror, sci-fi, ‘let’s play pretend’ stuff, but when it’s a show based on the reality and true horror that the history of civilization is, I need to be in a state where I can receive the information, as an attorney revising a case would: completely devoid of any judgements and solely concentrating on the facts. If not, I might find myself fighting the impulse of wanting to react aggressively towards whomever the instigators are in the story. I purposely waited to watch this series until I knew I’d be in a strong mental space to receive it.

There are certain “alternative facts” and behaviors that leave me frustrated because I cannot immediately “fix” or come up with a solution to what I deem them to be wrong for. Meanwhile, “those” people believing in and exhibiting traits I feel are “wrong“, were raised to hate those of us who love without fear. To them, we’re the miserable, hopeless, disgusting BLM, LBGQT, “Democracy and Truth Matter” clan. What a paradox. What a shame. RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA, MISOGYNY, GREED, IMHO, are the most dangerous of pandemics. I want to see the cures for that.
So, I welcomed 2022 by having this be the first IN YOUR FACE Series of The Year.

I was prepared with my finger on the remote, should I need to take a break and digest what I might see, like I do with movies that are so good, you feel as though you’re running through the woods with whomever is being chased. As much as I enjoy them, having actually been one who ran through the woods at the speed of sound, I definitely keep my finger on that remote. CPTSD is real, Folks; therefore, I pace myself with what I might see that might remind and trigger that “fight or flight ” reaction.

Colin breaks you in gently, with as much grace as he can muster, given the situation, and just so you know, instead of reaching to press: “stop” on the remote, I was reaching to raise the volume and replay what I’d just seen a few times because as unbelievable as it is, this is our world, Peeps, and it’s up to us breathing in the racism, to eradicate it from this dimension and send that shit down to hell, where it belongs.

Roots; The Color Purple; Schindler’s List; Mercury 13; The Diary of Anne Frank; The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, even The New Testament, are all examples of documentaries and biographies that left those who felt compassion for the victims, deeply affected long after learning of their accounts.

The actual, true history of Our Civilization and Rise of Society, is; without a doubt, horrifying and brutal from the get go and we’re STILL evolving.

Those who arrived to all areas of the globe against their will; need their own monument, beginning with what we have on account, that being the Mesopotamian’s, 3500,BC; who kept slaves; throughout Egypt; The Roman Empire; The Moors, Africans, the incarcerated Spaniards who were given the choice to sail with Columbus or remain in “El Carajo”, the maximum-security prison of that era, reserved for the worst of the worst, now a slur meaning “hell”; Asians; Italians, Irish, whose servitude lasted approximately five to seven years of watching their darker-skinned fellow slaves endure tortures no living being should’ve been subjected to for one second, let alone an entire life sentence of slavery – none of these people deserved it when “we didn’t know any better”. Why THE FUCK is it still happening in this day and age, is the bloody question. Surely, we must’ve learned something by now.

At this point, Racism is now just an addiction that racist folks may need to go into mandated rehab for to break out of, because like addiction, it’s an old bad habit, and one that will take them to their graves earlier than not, just from the energy required to power up the hatred for folks because they look different. Ironically, many of these same racists tan darker than those they detest. Go figure! They haven’t realized they’re most likely black themselves. If they’re lucky, they’ll reincarnate as a POC, so they can also enjoy the sun better. There’s no need for envy. There’s enough sun to go around.

The gift and blessing given to those who withstood such trials, proving their mettle, was their ability to love against all odds; to believe; have hope, faith, and an infinite amount of reserve to rise above the centuries of fear directed towards them; solely because of their wonderful ability to withstand more of the sun’s warm blessed rays, than their fairer counterparts.

Colin points out the leopards, shows us their spots and points to their teeth and claws for all to see. He gives a 360° view comparing the similarities between then and now. I won’t divulge what you’ll learn.

Please watch this documentary. Yes, it’s “all that and a bag of chips”, and yes, I give it “two snaps up with a twist” both of these sayings being borrowed from the 80s – 90’s, when Colin’s documentary begins.

Do take the suggestion, watch and learn, watch and feel; watch and choose to act bravely, boldly, with grace and dignity.

My mother was taught that because of her caramel color, she needed to be ten times better at everything there was to be and look, dress better than anyone born with fair skin — just to — hopefully, be seen and ignored. Yes, being ignored was a blessing for POC.

We cannot allow this ridiculous atrocity to continue to be. Racism, and all the “Isms”, destroying humanity, must be abolished and denounced wherever it rears its hideous head.
Rise Above at all costs and to quote our First Lady, Michelle Obama: “When they go low, we go high.”

IMDb gave this biography a 5.2/10. I’m not surprised. (Said tongue-in-cheek) Rotten Tomatoes rated it a 78% and I rate it a 10 out of 10, touchdown, do the dance, Baby, cuz this one holds our souls, by speaking truths. Check it out!

Thank you, Colin and Ava DuVernay for your creativity in sharing these accounts and hippin’ this new world with what’s what.

Created by Colin Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay

Cast:
Colin Kaepernick – Narrator

Jaden Michael – Young Colin. Jaden Michael is an American born Actor known who, per IMDb, starred in the following: “Wonderstruck” for Amazon, directed by Todd Haynes. Recurring Role in Baz Lurhmann’s critically acclaimed, “The Get Down” for Netflix and co-starring in indie feature drama, “Custody” alongside Viola Davis and Ellen Burstyn. In his latest project, Jaden Michael will be seen in Lorne Michaels new feature film, “Vampires vs. The Bronx” with the star role, Miguel Martinez.”

Mary Louise Parker – Theresa Kaepernick. Per Wikipedia, MLP “came to prominence for film roles in Grand Canyon (1991), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), The Client (1994), Bullets over Broadway (1994), A Place for Annie (1994), Boys on the Side (1995), The Portrait of a Lady (1996), and The Maker (1997). Among stage and independent film appearances thereafter, Parker received the 2001 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Catherine Llewellyn in David Auburn’s Proof, among other accolades. Between 2001 and 2006, she recurred as Amy Gardner in the NBC television series The West Wing, for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2002. She received both a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Harper Pitt in the acclaimed HBO television miniseries Angels in America in 2003”.

Nick Offerman – Rick Kaepernick. Per IMDb,Nick Offerman is an American Actor, Producer, a professional carpenter, “most known for his role in Parks and Recreation (2009), The Founder (2016), 21 Jump Street (2012), 22 Jump Street (2014), We Are The Millers (2013), and Fargo (2014). He has been married to Megan Mullally since September 20, 2003.

I invite all my readers to subscribe to my show: Janet Grace: Inside The Mind Of Me Podcast Show on YouTube.

Peace/Out:
JG )O(

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