Social Injustice in the Media

This week in my social work class we are learning about social injustice and human rights. The Color Purple is a monumental film about this topic and focuses on female black life in the 1930's taking place in the southern United States.  I had a chance to watch a short clip of Oprah Winfrey punching the lights out of a white male because she refused to be his wife's maid.  When she refused the man got offended and tried to intimidate her by using competitive language.  The scene got out of hand as other white men surrounded her and started calling her names and labeling her in society.  In class I learned that when we decide to label others based on their culture, race or gender, we oppress them from fulfilling their potential. I think the color purple illustrates this concept well and was great at helping me learn about human rights and the worth of the individual.  Definitely a film all people should watch to help promote awareness and also to mark how far we have come as a society.