Crash (2005)

Crash (2005) is a movie that presents the different aspects of racism and discrimination through the eyes of various people of different backgrounds. Throughout the movie, several racial issues were illustrated. For example, a white, upper class wife held on tighter to her husband as they walked past two black men who noticed her act of paranoia. Visibly unhappy with what the woman did, they complained about it fitting into such a stereotype. This stereotype would be the scenario of a white individual, usually female, clutching a valuable item such as her purse when a black male walks near them. In this case during the movie, the woman clutched her husband's arm as a sense of security. Even though the two black men ridiculed her action, they proceeded to fall into their own stereotype by attempting to rob the couple as soon they entered their vehicle. Left terrified, the woman ordered that her house locks be changed. Yet when she noticed the appearance of one of the workers, she demanded that they be changed again the next morning. He was a Hispanic male who she assumed to be a gang member who would sell her keys to his gang friends, who would then break into her house. This stereotype was assumed because the worker had a semi-shaved head with tattoos covering much of his arms; characteristics that embody many Latino gang members.

With the above details from the movie, the scapegoating theory can be easily applied. The two black men who robbed the white couple evidently expressed their dissatisfaction with having been "prejudiced" against by the white woman's move. With this, they took their hostile feelings and harshly placed them on the couple.
Another issue raised in this movie is that of racial profiling. Racial profiling is an act initiated by law enforcement based on race, ethnicity or background. The issue was accurately portrayed in this movie when the police officer sexually assaulted the wife of a black couple in front of her husband. I do feel racial profiling can be, and in most cases is, abused and used as a legal form of racism. Looking at it from both ends, everyone, including white individuals, are racially profiled; the difference is that since their characteristics do not normally fit into the stereotypical category of illegal behavior , they are not hassled by law enforcement. I believe racial profiling should be erased; if this were to occur, equal treatment would have to be given to every individual who comes into contact with the law.

Some intergroup hostility is illustrated with, again, the two black men. The one who shows himself as more dominant and aggressive often appeared disgusted at his friend who did not have the same characteristics as he did, such as enjoying hockey.

Institutional discrimination was also portrayed in this movie in all of the included story lines. One such story is the Persian family who faced discrimination with their shop, which ended up being destroyed, because many people thought the family to be Arab. The closest instance to reverse discrimination I found in this movie was from the character of the head police officer who would not act fairly in fear of him losing his coveted position to someone who may have been more fair or qualified. Overall, this movie was reasonably accurate in its depiction of prejudice and discrimination. I think everyone's story line in the movie can be used as an example to reduce discrimination and eliminate stereotypes. It was a powerful movie and though its message was clear, it is not enough to result in an outpouring of positive changed behavior that is necessary to drastically reduce the prejudices in this world.