Letters to the Editor - June 14 2006

Online responses to “Deferring the dream,” a review of the film Dare Not Walk Alone by Curt Holman, published June 8, 2006.

? ?
Dialogue: I don’t think there is a right family, or right situation to sum up the race, class or generational divide in our country. I think the presentation of the divide between eras is the film’s strongest statement. While the film leaves many questions unanswered, I agree with Mary Clark that it sparks dialogue. Your description of the film is very thorough; however, your review on the message presented seems shallow.

? ?
-- Devaughn Johnson

? ?
Constrast: I had the opportunity to see Dare Not Walk Alone in Jacksonville, FL; St. Augustine is only minutes away, and for me, I saw the contrast between the people of both eras. In ‘64, the kids were jailed for wanting to be viewed as humans. Today, the kids are viewed as human, but are being jailed for drugs and the likes.

? ?
-- Deana Jackson

? ?
The real payoff: I thought your review was a very good account of the movie, although I must disagree with the conclusions you draw. Obviously, if the film didn’t quite work for you, then as a film critic that is your view. But I think Dean’s point is that we can’t “neatly bridge” the two eras. There is a disconect in America right now and that is where the war of responsibility is being fought. We need to ask the tough questions, like “Who is responsible for the poverty gap between blacks and whites 40 years after the Civil Rights Act?” And who is responsible for families like the one Dean depicts? Is it the community? Judging from the audience reaction I saw, the film did a great job of getting people to engage in dialogue about these issues.

? ?
-- Mary Clark

? ?
.com-ments are edited for space, not content, punctuation or grammar.