12/21/24
April 20, 2006
Flint Star.: Intriguing blog post on Flint Star "The Motion Picture" (Uncut Street Version): "[T]the most raw and uncut basketball documentary movie ever created. Featuring interviews and exclusive footage of the best athletes in the entire state of Michigan and throughout the country. #1 independent movie in the world!!" Anybody seen this movie (aside from the blogger) who can vouch for this?
posted by worldcup2002 to basketball at 01:41 AM - 7 comments
Differnent ways to come out the hood in cuffs or a casket/ or crazy or shooting 3 pointer baskets/ or maybe its the rap shit... -Nas Sad to say but its true.. the only thing people from my hood ever wanted to do was play ball or rap. We need more options and more promising horizions for these kids... they only getting worse...
posted by Robb Dubbs at 01:32 PM on April 20, 2006
The reason they are getting worse is because no one in those 'hoods wants to step up and raise above all that "thug/baller/fake soldier" bullsh*t! There are other options out of the hood, sh*t I made it out of one of Detroit's worst hoods without selling poison, rapping or playing ball! Two words; accountability and responsibility!
posted by bkdet at 09:24 PM on April 20, 2006
Yes, of course, bkdet, it is that simple. There are no bigger, more complicated issues. It is just that everyone is too stupid or lazy to understand how easy it is to get out (except you, right?).
posted by bperk at 08:34 AM on April 21, 2006
Yes it is that simple...you either do it or you don't! Who do you think tells these kids that it's okay to sell drugs and idolize material things? I'm so tired of people talking about it's hard...HELL YEAH IT'S HARD or life would be called EASY! It starts with the individual! What are the bigger more complicated issues when it comes to someone deciding what path to take in his or her life? "Should I stay in the hood and sell poison to this neighborhood cause I got to eat?" What kind of issues are we facing today that are that much worse than those issues faced by black people in the past? Man, we've got it easy compared to those who had to be sprayed, burned, persecuted, lynched, etc., just so that we can enjoy the right to be. People have fought and died for rights we take for granted every single day and how do we show our appreciation? Yeah, I guess it's not that simple for someone to put something else before themselves like an idea! What if MLK said "you know what, this is too hard! There are too many complicated issues to deal with, so I'm just going to stay at home and do whatever! Oh, damn can't do that cause somebofy has fired bombed that!"
posted by bkdet at 02:33 PM on April 21, 2006
First, I don't know anyone who has gotten out of the ghetto through their own sheer fortitude, without a whole lot of lucky breaks (blessings) and folks helping them out. Of couse, it's easy to forget once you make it out. Second, the we-have-it easy school of thought is old school bullshit. Things aren't easy for black kids today. You think it is easy to see all this death and destruction around you everyday and hope that nothing happens to you? Third, where are the black role models like MLK now -- the educated folks who are "putting something before themselves." You don't think those folks (with success) have completely abdicated responsibility for their community with this "it's about the individual" shit. The only black role models kids see are in the entertainment industry. Imagine if MLK thought that he managed to get an education, why can't everyone else? Propagating your personal accountability stance only reinforces the stereotypes that the reason black people can't get ahead is because they don't want to. It just isn't true and you should know that. I have known many people who wanted to get ahead, worked hard to get ahead, and still couldn't.
posted by bperk at 03:40 PM on April 21, 2006
First, I don't know anyone who has gotten out of the ghetto through their own sheer fortitude, without a whole lot of lucky breaks (blessings) and folks helping them out Meet more people! I got out of the ghetto without any "lucky" breaks! And the only help I got was advice! It's called preparation and hard work! Several of my friends and people I know have done the same. Old school bullshit? Where is the death and destruction coming from, who is killing and who is destroying? This is why we as a people get nowhere! There are always excuses and blame! Several people in this world work hard and get nowhere, black, white, whatever! But there are also several people who DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING and still complain or use weak excuses as to why they can't or won't! Is it easier for us to be educated versus then? Several don't choose to go to school for whatever reason...they CHOOSE to! Many before us did not have a choice! Let's just all blame someone else for all the problems we face because we have absolutely nothing to do with where we are! So tell me where does it start; with the individual or group; leader or follower?
posted by bkdet at 04:36 PM on April 21, 2006
You hear bits and pieces about that scene, and how there are so many kids for whom it's almost literally rap, dunk or die. The world of "Hoop Dreams" that seemed so bleak at the time is almost quaint now in a lot of places, and while hoops are so big in the culture, the actual issues that keep genuine opportunity from these kids are way bigger than a doc like this could ever hope to reach. That said, whatever got this guy to pick up a camera and follow his muse into a place where documentarists don't go is a good thing. (And in Flint, the hometown of Michael Moore, of all places. This is good.) It sounds like a promising subject, but I gotta admit, though; when I hear this kind of hype, my first reaction is to recall the words of the Great Prophet Flav.