"13th" Documentary Explained
Discussing the themes of the documentary "13th" and how they relate to True Crime
When you see the suffering of black people laid out on a timeline like this documentary does so unflinchingly, it is hard to deny the suffering my people have gone through. A constant stream of Trials and Tribulations that everyone seems to conveniently ignore and turn away from. We did not just suffer from slavery, there is so much more depth to our suffering in this country. This documentary paints an incredible picture of how the treatment of Black Americans in the United states is a True Crime story.
The statistics, stark as they are, echo through the corridors of my mind: 5% of the world's population, yet 25% of the world's prisoners are confined within the borders of the United States. The documentary artfully unravels the origins of this chilling statistic, tracing it back to the economic aftermath of slavery and the subsequent rise of a prison-industrial complex.
With each revelation, the film delves into the insidious role of media, constructing a narrative that has normalized the hyper-criminalization of blackness. From the savage black male images propagated in history to the fear-inducing slogans of a war on drugs, the documentary masterfully connects the dots of a system designed to marginalize communities of color.
As I absorbed the historical context woven into the fabric of "13th," I couldn't help but reflect on the powerful impact of the media in shaping perceptions. From the inception of cinema with D.W. Griffith to the ominous echoes of Reagan's war on drugs, the narrative solidifies, painting a chilling portrait of a nation grappling with its demons.