The Central Park Five (2012, Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon) explodes back on the scene as part of the Trump spectacle. And since this film has been in the news recently (more on this in a moment), I thought I would add my voice to those who emphasize its importance. To my mind, this thoroughly engaging documentary is one of those vital documentaries that everyone should see! I say this because to my mind it documents what was essentially a modern day lynching of five African American and Latino youths: The five teenagers were wrongly charged with the heinous raping of a white female jogger. What the film reveals is how a hyper charged emotional atmosphere (prompting and compounded by a sensationalistic media frenzy), combined with deeply ingrained racist stereotypes — that African American and Latino youths are more primitive, dangerous — can still instill a groupthink (mob) mentality in people. The film is so edifying because it not only holds up a mirror for our own primitive beliefs but it also tells us how crucial critical thinking is for us when coming to important determinations, especially when our emotions are hyper-charged!
The Trump Factor:
Just a note on why this film has been in the news lately: At the time of the incident, Donald Trump called for a reinstatement of the death penalty, implicitly suggesting that the five youths be put to death. When the boys were finally exonerated (after serving their full sentence), despite DNA evidence and a confession to the contrary, Trump maintained his belief in their guilt. What is so disturbing is that Trump still believes in their guilt today! To my mind, when we factor in what else Trump has said and believes in (crazily, he believes climate change is a hoax), I think it is pretty clear that Trump’s inexplicable standing by his initial belief speaks to either his deep racism (e.g., that because these are black and Latino males, they must be guilty) and/or his anti-science (anti-critical thinking) sensibility and/or his inability to admit he is wrong, any of which are troubling symptoms for anyone much less an individual running for president!