Americans aren’t strangers to discrimination or segregation of African Americans. These are two of the most significant events in America’s long history. Many have attempted to address the issue in an effort to end it. Joel Schumacher’s film ‘Time to Kill’ is a film that was inspired by racial disparity and the privileges enjoyed by white people at the time. The movie was inspired from Josh Grisham’s book, which became a bestseller. The inspiration for this great work of art came from a real case the writer, a renowned attorney, heard in 1984 at the Desoto county courthouse. He was moved by the testimony of a 12-year old rape victim and thought about what might have happened if her parent had taken revenge.

It caused me to rethink the entire justice system after watching the film. It brought out feelings of fear, sadness, disgust and even fear. My only concern was how one’s skin color could determine their fate. While I understand that the story was set in the 1950s, white people had more privilege than those of color at that time, I never thought that being white could allow for murder, rape, and violence. Carl Lee Hailey was a hardworking African American man who loved his family and went to work. Carl Lee’s little girl, Tonya, went grocery shopping with her mom. On her way back, she encountered two white grownup men. They looked at Tonya as if she was their prey. Then they got closer and it became clear that they had drunkenly sprayed her. The movie’s images show that the men raped and urinated on the child until she died. They left her bleeding on the ground and went on as if nothing had ever happened. The girl was still breathing, and they didn’t know it. The girl was finally brought to her residence by her father. The father was moved by his love for his daughter and killed both rapists in front everyone. He was charged with first degree murder. With the assistance of Ellen Roark, a white, inexperienced lawyer Jake Brigance defended him. Carl Lee was ultimately found not guilty due to the closing statement of his lawyer, which relied mainly on emotions. The jury was again told the whole story of the rape by the lawyer, even though it was murder that brought them to court. Brigance was able to touch the emotions of the jury and they decided to release Carl Lee. The movie mainly touched on three topics: racial injustice, justice, or perspective. The most obvious subject was racial inequality. It was a widespread phenomenon in America during the 1920s. This movie featured the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist organization that played a major role. The Klan was holding signs with the words “Fry Carl Lee” written on them, and the African American group held signs saying “Free Carl Lee”. The KKK found many ways to cause harm to Jake Brigance’s loved ones throughout the movie. Since the laws were the fault, the film was also intended to be directed at government officials. The government gave all rights to the fair-skinned citizens, but none to the darker-skinned. They were almost an imposter, not human and unworthy of life. At court, the lawyer made a very moving statement. “Can you see? Her beaten, raped, broken, stained body soaked and stained with their urine. Can you imagine her? You can picture this little girl. Now, imagine her as white. (Last sentence scene, time to kill) The defendant was freed because of perspective. The jury was able to see Hailey in the father’s shoes and decided Hailey wasn’t guilty.

It was a pleasure to see Jake Brigance grow as a person while I worked on this case. His lack of knowledge was no problem. The lawyer gained self-esteem and a reputation throughout the film, which helped him find his strength. Even though the film was entertaining, the vigilante that I saw kept me from watching it. Carl Lee, whether he is guilty or innocent, took the lives two people. Although they were the rapists for his daughter’s sake, the father didn’t have any legal authority to make these decisions. The movie’s logic suggests that if Carl Lee is shot by one of his family members, he will not be charged.

Because of their power and the depth of meaning, I already knew some quotes from my first viewing. One quote stood out in 2015 but it was the one that I remembered. It is the one that Carl Lee Hailey gives Brigance to explain to her that America was a war and she is on the opposing side. While the movie was fantastic, the idea that it discussed wasn’t original. The same focal point was used in many movies. The film “Do The Right Thing” (1989) and “Menace 2 society (1993) both had the same focality. This is most evident in my ability to foresee all possible outcomes before they occurred.

The movie moved me greatly because my best friend, a girl of dark skin, has suffered from racism her whole life. From kindergarten, she was treated with discrimination and ridicule by her classmates. This shows that society is very dark. Children are taught that the wrong way is the right one and blinded to the norms and stereotypes of society from an early age. I found it very comforting to watch a film which related to her story.

America is today known as a free nation where all people live in peace, love, joy. The government wants everyone to believe that. Reality is quite different. Many African Americans are still subject to racism, and are called “Negros” by whites. White people also believe they belong to a superior race. America has grown two distinct economies because of this. There are still certain stereotypes around race. For example, many people think that sports are for black people while white jobs require more education. Despite all the efforts to eradicate racism, racism persists. As citizens, we control the future of this society. If we all come together and voice our concerns about the problems in our environment, it will be forgotten tomorrow.