The Blindside

[proud2BlibKansan]

I got it to read over Christmas and put it down before I finished it. I don't do that very often. But something about the story really turned me off.

It's a true story that is also a recently released movie. A white family in Memphis takes in a homeless black kid. He attends the Christian high school their children attend. He goes on to play football in college and is now in the NFL.

Sounded like such a neat story. But I just couldn't finish it. I can't decide if I was more upset by the fact that there are literally hundreds of thousands of other homeless kids who need help but don't get it or because it all seems so improbable.

[spartan61]

1. I didn't read the book but the movie was amazing.

Last night on ABC they did an indepth report on the real family. The Toumy (sp?) family are exceptional people. We all need to take lessons from them and do our part to help some of these kids.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Saw that on 20/20

and it made me definitely not want to finish the book.

I must not have much faith in people I guess.

[babylonsister]

2. Maybe it was poorly written? You're a teacher, so that could

influence you. Disclaimer: I haven't read it.

Sounds like a wonderful story. Props for the kids who are helped, and those selfless people who make it happen.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Here's where it hit me:

I see dozens of Michaels every day who will never get the chance he had. And even if they are adopted by a rich white family, it is so hard to get on a pro team!

One of my kids is determined to play in the NBA. And he is a pretty good basketball player. But the chances are so remote. I saw the numbers one time. So many high school players, about 10% of them get to play college ball and less than one half of one percent of them go on to the NBA. I have seen so many kids in 30 years teaching who have this pro sports dream and not a one of them has seen that happen.

My dad coached high school for 35 years and he had ONE athlete who got into the pros. ONE.

It's just not a realistic goal for our kids so we don't encourage it. Maybe we're wrong? :shrug:

The kid I mentioned above has 3 brothers. Two are in prison and the third is in another city because he can't come back here. Don't know the details, but it's probably either gang crap or warrants.

And this kid - my student - is already in trouble. A lot. He also has a chip on his shoulder about white people. He hates them.

I just feel like a more realistic goal for him is to stay off the streets and learn to tolerate white folks.

So yes this is a wonderful story but it's like reading about a lottery winner. So a waitress in Topeka is a millionaire today. Does that mean I should buy twice as many lottery tickets from now on?

To me, this book isn't a wonderful story. It's full of false hopes and makes me sad.

[babylonsister]

9. I don't know. You see dozens, I see one who excelled. You are

there day to day, I'm not, but one triumph sounds resounding to me. Think about Tiger Woods. Here's this guy who inspired so many people (yea, until recently).

You deal in reality, but some people might really like the story of beating the odds. And it does happen.

HNY, Anne. :hug:

[HBravo]

3. I understand your torment but

all it takes is one to inspire another and another etc.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I wish it was that easy

[jwirr]

7. My sister and her daughters adopted a young black child and he

is doing well but he will never play in the NFL. He was special ed. and needed extra help.

[burning rain]

8. I'm not overly fond of those movies that appear to imply....

that what blacks need is a white savior (cf. also Dangerous Minds). A bit smelly, whatever the professed intent.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. That's where I'm at as well

I'm not trying to criticize what this family did. But it sends an odd message.

[burning rain]

11. No doubt but that the Toumys are fine folks.

But making a public spectacle of what they've done, movies, etc., appears to imply that the way to solve America's problem of grinding poverty in general, and for black Americans in particular, is to have a few rich families (almost always white at the cinema) with a sense of noblesse oblige. No, what American society really needs is social and economic justice, not just isolated voluntary acts, however admirable they may be. Housing as a basic right and a guaranteed decent minimum standard of living, for instance.

Movies of this genre appear to attempt to set up folks like the Toumys as Christ-figures who somehow redeem a society that grinds into dust poor folks by the tens of millions. In my view this sort of movie is morally dodgy, for folks like the Toumys redeem only themselves, not American society, and to imagine otherwise is avoidance of guilt and social responsibility.