DARKNESS
It’s amazing where inspiration comes from. I want to thank a guy called Colin Anderson, from Twitter, for asking the burning question at the core of this article. I owe you a beer mate.
Let me tell you about the film scene that I unpack in my brain as much as any other, because until it arrives the whole film is fascinating and brilliant and suspenseful and daring. But this scene goes so far beyond those things, and it is so jarring and so out of place, and so unusual that I’m still not sure where it takes me.
I’m not saying that it doesn’t work, I’m saying that it’s so out of left field that it’s like a slap in the face. It comes at the end of A Time To Kill, the fantastic courtroom movie based on John Grisham’s first novel, so if you haven’t yet you’ll definitely want to see it before you read another word, although discussing the climax of the case won’t come close to spoiling the film.
The crucial scene comes at the end of the trial of Carl Lee Hailey, played by the great Samuel L. Jackson, an ordinary mill worker who murdered two white men after they’d raped his pre-teen daughter. The case has not gone terribly well, and in order to successfully keep him out of the gas chamber, his lawyer, played by Matthew McConaghy, has to come up with something stunning. It is, in fact, Carl Lee himself who tells him how to secure his freedom.
He asks him one simple question; as a white man with all your privileges, seeing the world through those eyes, “What would it take for you to set me free?” And the lawyer, Jake Brigance, knows exactly what it would take and the following day he takes the jury through the events of the rape, having first asked them to close their eyes and picture the little girl. And then, at the end, when she’s been tossed away to die and is lying there, discarded like rubbish, he closes his statement with the words “Now, imagine she’s white …”
It gets me every time I watch it.
It’s so powerful, so unexpected, and it actually forces you to confront your own darkness. Would it make a difference to you? To me? Does it matter that much? But in that time and in that place and in that courtroom, in that community, with all the latent racism and angst that has been building there for years and which erupts in the course of the trial … yeah, all those people on that all-white jury have to go deep into the recesses of their own souls to find the humanity that they haven’t been able to muster through the whole proceeding.
This morning, I have to be honest, I feel a sense of that injustice and anger that both Jake Brigance and Carl Lee Hailey must have felt all the way through that court-case. I feel that anger at the shameful silence that has fallen over our media and the chattering classes over those deplorable comments by Ally McCoist which we all talked about yesterday.
And I’m moved to wonder; what does a man have to do to get some justice around here? What low does he have to stoop to, what emotional pressure point does he have to hit, what sentimentality does he have to appeal to, what heartstrings must he pull on, to what part of their nature must he direct his questions and seek his answers before he gets through the barriers they have up, before those he’s appealing to comprehend how screwed up the world they’re living in, and the way they see it, really is?
Well, here’s a little thought experiment for them.
Picture Ally McCoist for a minute. Picture this ex-footballer and former manager with a history of controversial remarks behind him. He’s unrepentant about his culture and his background, about who he is and where he’s from. He sneers at any suggestion that he should renounce these things in any way. He has defended things that leave people around him uneasy. Earlier this week, a Scottish government change in the law has made the expression of some highly toxic ideas criminal offences. And instead of applauding that, he’s said he’ll be breaking the law this coming weekend in unison with 48,000 other people, and he doesn’t seem to care who knows it.
Can you see him? That former footballer turned manager turned pundit, your colleague, your mate, declaring himself ready and willing to commit a criminal act by singing sectarian and racist songs calling for, amongst other things, the deaths of those of a different religion. You got him, in your head? You ready to condemn him yet?
You ready to express outrage and shock and horror? No?
Well, now imagine it’s Neil Lennon.
Did that get you there, you hypocrites and charlatans?
Because I know it would have, and so do you.
Brilliant James. Didn’t see that coming.
Of course Neil brings it all on himself…..
is this the same ally who made out Tommy Burns was his pal and thats why he carried his coffin out of St. Marys i dont beleave Tommy was his mate i think it was a sham for to make him out to be a great guy by the irbrox fan-boy press .
Absolutely brilliant james,but we’re still waiting for a comment/anything in public from the most cowardly board in world football,shame on youz how can any of you look in the mirror.
They just look at the mirror while they’re holding their latest pay poke from us and laugh all the way to the bank.
Just look at the kickback our manager received for saying, Good Girl, wow!
Hour long debates , radio stations bombarded with people calling for his head.
Only in Scotland eh.
I believe McCoist and Neil are pally enough by all accounts…
I often wonder what was said in that rammy in the Parkhead technical area in that Old Firm Derby (as it was known as back then)…
I have a family member who used to have a wee fling going with Lenny before he settled down to family life and I was out in his company several times and he was the perfect gentleman, witty, articulate and great craic altogether so taking ma Green, White and gold tinted specs off I still find it hard to believe it was Lenny that started that ruckus at Parkhead…
I must ask him the next time I see him in Glasgow what McCoist said to rile him up to that level because as I say he is the perfect gentleman indeed…
It’s a shame that The Celtic Board caused me to give up ma season ticket as I’m less there nowadays and the chances of bumping into Lenny in Town or The West End or at Parkhead are severely diminished now…
If anyone knows the exact trouble McCoist caused for Lenny it would be interesting to hear about it…
Best wishes to Neil and I hope he’s radiant and well and that Sevco can guarantee his safety at Liebrox should he be working for The Scummy Scottish Football Media on Glasgow Derby Day…
His presence alone, should he be there at Liebrox, will definitely afford ‘G’ Division ample opportunity to asses and put into practice this new hate speech law that started this week…
Nothing is surer than that for certain !
Yes bigots and sectarian Brastards to a man. Ma Coist is a bloody disgrace??? ?????????????????????????????
Hate Crime McCoist has a certain ring to it.
How are you Hate Crime? Absholoootely Shpot On!
Excellent piece, excellent film James! One law for them, different laws for us.
Well done James?
Hit the nail on the head right there!!
It seems that cheeky racist bigot chappie McCoist won’t be at Snake Mountain, in any official capacity at least, on Sunday.
” Change of plan ” was the curt response to Alan Brazil’s question on Talksport.
Hmmmm.
At least someone around McCoist is not as daft as him.
McCoist is – now – apparently not going to be at ibrox on Sunday,
because he’s “away for a few days with his kids”.
And how could he ‘accidentally’ arrange a holiday which clashes with
a derby game – and at ibrox – which has been scheduled for months?
Sleekit McCoist being sleekit, as per.
But, has McCoist already “stirred up [additional] hatred” for Sunday?
Yet, he has decided to no longer attend the game himself!
🙁
I think it’s fair to say everyone knew exactly what Super Swally meant when he uttered those deplorable words yesterday …a tacit comprehension of his intentions ! That is what the SMSM would have called in times gone by as a ‘story ‘? Yet no one I’m aware of from any media outlet asked McCoist to be crystal clear and explain precisely what his words of intention were ? No one was interested that a public figure told the world that he would ‘ break the law ‘ ! No one deemed it pertinent to ask him what exactly it is about bigotry that he like’s intently and condone’s ?If you or I stated the same thing yesterday as MC Coist did ,I’m pretty sure ‘ plod ‘ would be making a house call or two ?
Great piece James.
Absolutely spot on.?
Brilliant James ?
Very thought provokin and ah can see the relevance. Tho ah think ye’d be banging yer head off a brick wall tae think, even somethin so cleverly challengin and truthfully put tae a lot of these bigots, would really make any difference tae their mindset, apart from trippin them up momentarily. Their prejudice runs too deep for any kind of rational thought tae have a long term impact.
Brilliant ?.
I hoped whilst reading on James that you were going to flip to Neil Francis Lennon and , of course, you did ???
I read all of your blogs but you have excelled yourself with this fantastic article.
Doesn’t look like many got your point James.
Brilliant piece. Well said.
Sure were the hateful knuckle dragging fuckers not singing recently at Dumbarton that Neil Lennon should be hanged on high, and this little ditty in front of his son who was playing for the Sons.
Fantastic piece you have written here James I love the movie and I love the way uv used it to get this point across and a very true point it is the suspense when I was reading it even tho I had an idea wot was cumin was great lol keep up the good work my freind HH
Very good James, I’ve known for years McCoist is not the cheeky chappie he portrays.
He has declared himself and I would love to see an enterprising TV producer catch him at the game and film his every word and for the benefit of those hard of hearing put subtitles on the TV screen while he’s doing it.
The little deceiver McCoist, says now very conviently! may i add he will not be at the game he is going away with his kids. Why there has not been a public outcry about this cretins statement in the media and tv is f….g disgraceful he is a horrible little bigoted man who masquerades as the so called cheeky chappy this fucking country disgusts me with the barely disguised and often on display bigotry and the redtop rags and tv are all complicit please lets hump them metaphorically speaking come Sunday…. HailHail.
excellent james…..
mcoist IS a sectarian rat….the cheeky chappie act might fool some…but not all…i remember being amazed in the early 90’s at celtic fans around the tunnel at parkhead asking for his autograph…fuk me !!!
i have NO respect for the likes of john greig…walter smith…sandy jardine, davie cooper etc…all played for or managed a club with a sectarian signing policy….ONLY in “dead brilliant wee scotland”
and as for neil lennon…well, he had red hair, irish, catholic background(i believe), played for and managed celtic fc….i mean, what did he expect..? how fukn dare he….!!
It worked for me.
First class James that’s all you need to say??
There are a couple of them who spew hatred mate but their comments never get on 🙂
What, even, if it had been a Celtic ball-boy far less Neil Lennon? Yesterday the talk was for the Celtic fans to follow the rule-of-thumb advice that FF seems to have advised regarding talking to a policeman. The only problem with that is that THEY can say things to a policeman that
Celtic fans can`t, so that`s that advice out the window.
This is an appalling piece of legislation. I think people should be able to say what they want. We know exactly who they are then. I’m not commenting on the article itself. This legislation is concerning, you will begin to see that soon, im sure.
Good that you only read what you want to since I’ve said it’s been concerning RIGHT FROM THE START.
Great Article,James. Got to share this…????