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No a person of color shouldnt be automatically given the job. Last time I heard the story is about blacks and whites. Clint Eastwood has proven he’s a capable director, his name alone will bring people and cred to the film. Who makes up these topics? LOL

i guess whoever wrote this article was suggesting that spike lee do it…but clint eastwood is a great actor and direcotr, i loved gran torino

I don’t just think someone of color should be directing this movie. To me, anyone who has great directorial skills would suffice. Now, if the guy who was portraying Mandela was of a different ethnicity, that’s a problem. But since Mr. Freeman was cast for that role, all should be good. We (as people of color) tend to want too much sometimes. We want the director to be black, the cast to be black and our coffee black lol. Sometimes I think we get lost in that whole everything should be black thing to where we start sounding like we are black supremists. If it were up to me, Yeah! I’d love more color out there. But we just got a black President people, it’ll all come in due time. Let’s crawl before we walk. Even though I know we been crawling for some time now.

I’m sorry but does it really matter who does the movie?

Not necessarily…Clint Eastwood is an excellent director as well a superb actor…have u seen his movies? I have watched him since i was a lil girl and i would watch anything he puts out becuz his movies give out such a deep message..why does everything have to be about race…this is about talent and capabilty!

Another low. I bet the editor of this story was upset cause Michelle Obama dress wasnt design by a off color person.

EAT A DICK. CLINT EASTWOOD IS DAT DUDE.IT DNT MATTER WHAT COLOR YOU ARE TO BE AN EFFIN DIRECTOR OF A MOVIE. HE IS MORE THAN QUALIFIED TO DIRECT THAT FILM. CUZ IF SOME WHITE PEOPLE DECIDED TO LET JOHN SINGLETON DIRECT CLINTONS BIOPIC AND ASKED SHOULDNT IT BE A WHITE PERSON DIRECTING THIS FILM NIGGAAZ WOULD GO NUTS!

See this is a form of racism.

DIRTY HARRY !!!!!!!

Comments like that make me sick!

HELL I DONT THINK THIS IS A BIG DEAL AT ALL. AS LONG AS ALL THE FACTS ARE CORRECT AND THEY DO MANDELA JUSTICE IN THIS MOVIE IT SHOULDNT MATTER WHOS DIRECTING IT. BUT I THINK MORGAN FREEMAN IS THE PERFECT PERSON TO PLAY MANDELA SO IM SURE ITS GONE BE A GREAT MOVIE REGARDLESS.

This is a work of art, and u can’t color art! And besides Black People don’t really support each other when it comes 2 such ventures. Spike Lee made such deep, thought-provoking movies as ‘Bamboozled’ his recent one about Blacks in the second world war but y’all didn’t go watch it. EMBARRASSING! But when he did ‘INSIDE MAN’ with a WHITE MAN in a leading role, EVERYBODY saw that. Like i said, do not color art, just see it 4 what it is.

Lol, even though I agree this story was really a silly one, Some of your responses are worse than the article. I like Clint Eastwood, and believe he is a remarkable director who could really do Mandela’s story justice. But, like I said, some of you are showing your intelligence is limited, I mean, “Eat a dick”, is that really the breadth of your vocabulary?

Why should some one of color get the job as director? Clint Eastwood has been in this industry for what, damn near 50 years. Why would you try to pull the Affirmative Action card on this one. Black folks always tryna find somethin to complain about. Go sit down somewhere.

This article is racist as a mothaf**ka…

If that sh!t was reversed and it was a black director doing a movie about a white man and someone printed a bullsh!t article like this then someone would be damn near calling Al Sharpton’s fake a$$…

The hypocrasy is sickening..

No, I don’t think it brings up an issue, I think it shows that caucaian people wanna learn about our history as well as we do. As african americans we should be comfortable with that and understand that it is just showing racial harmony and respect with each other.

lmao wtf? this article is stupid.

I AGREE WITH MY MAN UP HERE.CLINT EASTWOOD IS AN ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTOR AND DIRECTOR.HE HAS PLENTY OF CREDENTIALS.HIS NAME ALONE WILL PUT BUTTS IN SEATS FOR A GENERATION WHO HAS LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF MANDELA.I 2,AM TIRED OF MY BLACK PEOPLES ALWAYS SCREAMING RACISM.NO1 COMPLAINED ABOUT MIRACLE AT ST.ANNA DIRECTED BY SPIKE LEE.BIG UPS DIRTY HARRY

Clint Eastwood is a great director. I think that is all that matters, not his skin color.

WHY??? CLINT IS THE BOMB!

The article is plain ignorant, but then again I guess if you can have a racist guy working @ the New York post drawing racist cartoons about blacks, then you can have a racist ignite on a website writing stupid shyt about an accomplished director. Fact is that we need more movies about important people that STAND for a cause and I can care less who directs it the person that wrote this never realized that Film companies like MGM, Paramount, Sony, or Tristar actually publish it and I dont thing anybody black owns either of them. Lesson? Alot of movies we view have been brought out by white men who own these companies. Nuff said.

Did Al Sharpton write this article. I am tired of these so called journalist’s doing op-ed’s on NON -ISSUES. We have bigger issues to deal with.

The article is moot and an non issue.

Whoever is writing this s**t. Stop pulling the Race Card.

LMAO first old navy and now clint eastwood?!?! why is blackplanet so COLOR STRUCK.
the issue SHOULD be…why didnt a black director step up to direct when the script was sent to production? clint eastwood is a phenominal director and actor! i think its gonna be good.

WOW, many people here miss the point of the article. Who can tell your story better than you? Who writes America’s history books that educate the children?? The people that tell the story that America wants to be heard. That’s why you never learned that ALL the founding fathers, with the exception of Franklin, owned slaves. Fighting for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness while denying that very freedom to countless others.

You guys like to make up news. You try to say everything is racist, or has some sort of race undertones.
How did any of you guys get a journalism degree?

I feel kind of sad for the author of this article because they seem to be caught in some kind of time warp. Clint Eastwood has directed some of my favorites movies of the last decade (Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven, Grand Torino, etc).
One of the first Movies he directed was “Bird”, the story of Jazz great Charlie Parker starring Forrest Whitaker. this will not be his first black film. And let’s not forget that one of the most famous and cherished Black films ever made was directed by Steven Spielburg…..THE COLOR PURPLE!

he should make dirty harry the musical instead.

What is up with all of these topics being aboiut race and if someones being racist…I mean honestly what is wrong with you guys..Does every little thing that someone does have to have some hidden racial undertone..I think who ever is writing these articles should red INVISIBLE MAN and find your own identity and stop relying on society and stereotypes to define who you are and how you interpret different issues.

hes a good director so let him direct.

WOW IT’S 2009 GUYS, isn’t this okay by now? Didn’t black people want equality in the first place? What’s the problem? I think it’s a good thing…

Im so glad im not the first person that realized that these retarded ass “writers” make everything racial. Eastwood is one of the best directors out right now. He has ben in a gazillion movies and knows what it takes to make a good flick. What difference does it make what color his skin is? Grow the f**k up. Its 2009- would we be asking the same question if they picked speilberg or scorcesse? hell nah- because they are established. But Eastwood gets the flack. Im tired of this s**t. I think if we stop commenting on these silly assed topics, they will stop putting the s**t up. I think a movie based on the life of Nelson Mandela is LONG over due- im glad someone has the balls and money to make it happen. Whether it be Clint, Martin, Steven, Spike, Will Or even John Singleton. Just Make the movie. And make it good. Church.

Im tired of ALL these damn so-called “rascist” articles! BP ya’ll need 2 step ur game up, ya’ll makin black ppl look bad, always pullin out the rascist card! Especially after that NY article about Obama bein a monkey! Damn now all i here is RASCIST this and RASCIST that- Get over it damn! BP Come on ya’ll betta than that…im waitin 4 the next one….

yo who’s in charge of these articles???? did the person in charge of this article know that steven speilberg directed the color purple???? yo grow the PHUK UP!!!! whomever did this article is racist themselves!!!! bunch of damn rookies

ebony, ivory…working in perfect harmony. i think it’s great for once. a good story on how people are uniting and working together for the greater good. if mr. mandela wants mr. eastwood to do his biography, by all means let him. personally, i’m not that big of a fan of spike lee’s films anyway. i’m not saying that he isn’t talented but it’s alright to break the racial barriers and i think nelson mandela and clint eastwood, being of the civil rights era, is a great statement for racial harmony.

I’d be honored

Not to direct myself. I am honored that Clint will be directiing.

a cheap shot, why cant he make a movie about him, why, because hes white. you make me sick

does it matter? as long as his story gets told to our youth, i dont care if lorenna bobbit directed it. why does everything have to be racist? once we move beyond lookin for racist issuses in everything we do, we would be a better country. call it out if it’s racism, but if it’s not, dont go just lookin for it. “the white man is holdin me down” lol, because spike lee’s not directin the movie? come on, its 2009 people !

I guess Spike Lee wasn’t available.

Does it matter??
No,if Mr. Mandela is in agreement with Clint Eastwood directing his Biopic,i see no problem…I say let his story be told….**Honey**

I’m thinking there’s some kind of conspiracy going on to make blacks think that everything has to be about our race. This article is totally irrelevant. It takes a black person with a racist problem towards whites to allow something so stupid to be published. It’s retarded. We should just be happy that such a great director is gonna be directing one of the greatest black men of our time. Message to Black Planet: QUIT SPREADING RACISM!!!

Boy…What a crock of BS this is!!!! Clint happens to be a very good director and if someone Black wanted to direct, why didn’t they (a Black director) step up to the plate in the first place? Leave Clint alone and let him do the job—-OH,Are you Spike Lee or related to him…./

Clint Eastwood is a first rate director. This premise is ridiculous. News One is starting to get on my nerves.

Clint do your thing!

I am black and I think if Clintt is good enough to direct then I’m all for it…

DOES MANDELA CARE IF CLINT EASTWOOD DIRECTS IT AS LONG AS IT IS WORTH WATCHING AND I BELIEVE IT WILL BE

Finally a article where all the smart people on black planet commented on. The guy has the credentials and I have yet to see a movie that Clint Eastwood wasn’t worth watching

Eastwood is a great director. He’ll do a good job, Morgan Freeman will make sure of that.

I just don’t know what to say, after all Hollywood calls the shots!

I don’t really think nothing of it because client is a great director and has a terrific way of getting his movie viwers on the edge of their seats with his movies.so no i dont think in order to direct this movie you need to be black.

The Director’s color should not make a difference. Clint Eastwood is well respected and qualified.

MAN F**K BP THEY BE STARTING RACIST BS GIVE US BETTER NEWS OF ECONOMY IF IS NOT A BARBIE RACIST COMMERCIAL IS BS DAMN BP COME ON MAN HOW WE GOING TO GET RIDE OF RACISM WHEN WE MAKE IT WORSE

IF YOU THINK BP NEWS IS STUPID WASTE OF TIME , WHACK AND THE WRITERS ARE MORONS FOR POSTING THIS STUPID NEWS PLEASE DO ME A BIG FAVOR COPY AND PASTE THIS SO THEY CAN GET THE POINT.

This is the dumbest s**t ever. What the f**k does the race of the director have to do with anything?

IF YOU THINK BP NEWS IS STUPID WASTE OF TIME , WHACK AND THE WRITERS ARE MORONS FOR POSTING THIS STUPID NEWS PLEASE DO ME A BIG FAVOR COPY AND PASTE THIS SO THEY CAN GET THE POINT. DUMMIES

Personally, I like Clint Eastwood and his movies, he is a really great director (Million Dollar Baby was the ish). As far as should a person of color direct this movie, why, as long as the story gets told. Spike Lee had all the time in the world to make this Mandela movie and so has every other black director. Its not who directs the movie, but how well the story is portrayed.

IF YOU THINK BP NEWS IS STUPID WASTE OF TIME , WHACK AND THE WRITERS ARE MORONS FOR POSTING THIS STUPID NEWS PLEASE DO ME A BIG FAVOR COPY AND PASTE THIS SO THEY CAN GET THE POINT. DUMMIES

You know what? Black Planet is beginning to become a pain in my BLACK ass Why try to mess up soemthing great. Clint is a damn good actor as well as a director who cares if he’s white s**t they found a man perfect for the job. Its sad because this shows black people are never satisified. Do you hear the Latinos, Asians, even the Indians crying about white people directing their films? No so get over this race wall because its lame. Grow up

Clint Eastwood makes great movies… so I am sure this will be just as good as Million Dollar Baby and Flags of Our Fathers….

GIVE ME A F**KIN’ BREAK!!!! So Clint Eastwood, a proven, talented director, is directing a movie about Nelson Mandela. AND JUST WHAT IS THE DAMN PROBLEM…WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE SOME BIASED IDIOT RUNNING THE SHOW??? DAMN, KNEE-GROWS SPEND TOO MUCH TIME AND MONEY ON SOME OF THE MOST INCONSEQUENTIAL S**T!!! YOU THINK LITTLE SHELDON…OOPS, SPIKE LEE COULD GIVE A NON-BIASED VIEW OF MANDELAS’ LIFE? HE’S TOO BUSY WORRYING ABOUT A CABLE CHANNEL CALLED SPIKE!!! PEOPLE, PLEASE GIVE IT A REST!!!

Goodness gracious…what???? This is AMERICA… the person who wrote the screenplay for the HBO HIT SERIES The Wire is white… and he did a stupendous job… If Clint Eastwood wants to direct a film based on one of the most importantly eminent individuals of the 20th century, let him… I will be more than happy to support him.

Eastwood is one of the best directors of all time. I’m normally on board aby time activism is needed but this is a bit far. Did anyone check to see if anyone Black even showed interest prior to eastwood getting it?

This stuff gets old. Clint did ‘ Bird ‘, were we to wait on some person of color to do it? Look at all of the positive roles Clint has had black actors in all of his movies, even from back in the day. If he has Morgan do this, and with both talents, this could be HUGE! Leave this stuff alone, go back to Chris Brown and Rhianna; concentrate on that and direct your efforst to ALL of the young black women in every single neighborhood getting ‘ hands put on them ‘.

OOopppss….that was a typo. That should have been ‘ efforts ‘.

Have you all ever heard of the phrase “If You’re Not Part of the Solution, You’re Part of the Problem?”

Newsone, you all are one of if not THE most overly dramatic race baiting headline oriented networks out there today.

life sucks. there is no INHERENT reason why a ‘person of color’ SHOULD direct the film.

if it had been an asian person, you’d see ‘ a BROTHER should direct it’.

little lesson on hollywood: the person that SHOULD direct the movie is the person that CAN:

1) sell the idea to those who have the money, or;

2) the person who HAS the money to PRODUCE the movie, and hires THEMSELVES as the director.

that’s life in the big city.

lest we forget, mandela, as great as he is, is SOUTHERN AFRICAN. blacks in the new world are primarily western african.

there is no rational between the pick of a director other then there ability to make a piece of art on film as expressive and as real to the original, for this instance on a biopic film like this whether the director is white black or any ethnicity the question should be is Eastwood up to the challenge in portraying an Individual like Mandela in the light and view that he has become well known for and personify, Not the question of his ethnic background compare to others because this is a film based off a black man and should of been directed by a Black director that jus sounds racist to me to be honest this whole articles idea on the situation is irrational, even to say whats the difference between Eastwood directing this movie and Spike Lee directing it none other then there races they have both prove to be great directors and have promising careers as directors, I understand wat the writer is trying to say about hollywood and black directors but like I said the question shouldnt be whether Eastwood should be directing it, but is he capable of portraying Mandela on film as he is in person or is their a better candidate out there for this directiorial position

IF YOU THINK BP NEWS IS STUPID WASTE OF TIME , WHACK AND THE WRITERS ARE MORONS FOR POSTING THIS STUPID NEWS PLEASE DO ME A BIG FAVOR COPY AND PASTE THIS SO THEY CAN GET THE POINT. DUMMIES.

Saying that it should be directed by only a person of color is just pure ignorance. If thats the case we might as well just segregate ourselves again on all other issues also!

well i bet spike lee is really mad now lol :)

and you think white people are the only racist fools. i agree with the girl below… if you think that… then you might as well segregate us all again and ruin what MANY people have worked so hard against. damn fools. who the hell picks these people to write this s**t?

OK OK OK PEOPLE, calm down. its not racsist, irrational, or anything of the sort to say that a film about a BLACK man should directed by a black man SIMPLY because as a black person myself, there are things that white people simply can NOT relate to from our point of view. its nothing racist, its just the way it is. I come from a family with many different races, and still those of them who are my family and are not black can not fully relate to what i deal with on a sometimes day to day basis. Weather ud like to accept it or not, racsim is still alive and kickin, so see it for what it is. Im pretty sure that those with the outlandishly ridiculos comments about segregating again because of someones opinons are NOT black urselfs…lol. so u dont have a clue, its like trying to make a candle from bark. simply wont happen. Bottom line is, Clint is a good director, BUT as someone who has admitidly called people N****RS before in his lifetime, and now has the nerve to want to direct a movie about one of our times most influential black men, is ridiculous. forget the fact that unless u r a black man, u cant pretend to know how a black man feels everyday. so to all u non blacks throwin a hissy fit. get off ur pedistol and hit ur head into some real s**t. lol life isnt a box of choclates.

If this needs to be polled, it shows just how far we have really come. If Spike Lee wanted to direct the life story of Elvis, and was rejected because he is black, there would be all types of rallies with the NAACP, Jessie, and Don King!

I find it amazing how we as a people only feel violated when we are the target of racism, but are often ignorant to the discrimination when the shoe is on the other foot.

No, I don’t think the job should be offered to a black producer just because of his race. If anything, shouldn’t that “black” producer be offended knowing that his or her credentials were not enough to merit the honor?!

IF YOU THINK BP NEWS IS STUPID WASTE OF TIME , WHACK AND THE WRITERS ARE MORONS FOR POSTING THIS STUPID NEWS PLEASE DO ME A BIG FAVOR COPY AND PASTE THIS SO THEY CAN GET THE POINT. DUMMIES..

It’s not about race. It’s about the directed who will capture the true essence of Mr. Mandela’s life, struggles and Victory.

This is the dumbest question ever asked by BP. Clint Eastwood is a great director and will have the input of many people to make the movie so the whole argument for black people understanding Mandela’s struggles better are simply stupid. Whoever wrote this article seriously has some racist issues within that they need to get rid of. Whites are not the only group that can have racist thoughts.

bottom line is i think its about time Mandela had his story heard. there are too many who do not know of the real reasons for his imprisonment and battles against segregation. I think Mandela will appreciate Eastwood for recognizing the importance of his life and sharing it with the world instead of just reading about it in the text books…

I think this is ignorant, and I’m sure Mandela would agree. Eastwood will do a great job, because this story is so important. It is petty and rather biased to discriminate against Eastwood because of his race… Mandela inspired many, regardless of nationality and race.

i completely agree wit everyone dat has recently commented on this issue. why does it have to be a person of color? matter of fact what difference does it make? the fact he as a white person recognizes our overall struggle and is willing to give light to it is a great feat in its on right.

WHOEVER WROTE THIS PIECE IS ON SOME DUMB S**T
SKIN COLOR IS IRRELEVANT!! GEEZ I AM SO TIRED OF THESE RACIST POSTS
HIS TALENT IS WHAT MATTERS…PERIOD
GET OVER YASELF

I agree with everyone else. The color of someone’s skin should not be a determining factor for choosing a director. I must say that I found the question to be disgustingly small-minded. Hopefully, the individual who came up with this question wakes up and realizes that people are people and shouldn’t be discriminated against.

I would like to know how many of you who have this ‘it doesnt matter persona’ either work in the entertainment industry or really knows what goes on behind the scenes? Because as an up and coming producer who sometimes direct and write, I can honestly tell you that it may not matter to you what color you are and it doesnt even matter to me, but in the hollywood entertainment industry IT MATTERS and it starts straight from film school. I am a honor graduate student from the los angeles film school. The other students, which the school was maybe 6% black, would get mad when i would pitch my stories with maybe a white or asian central and tell me that as a black person they would expect to see something out of the hood from me. My point is in hollywood theY feel it’s ok for a white man to make films on other ethnic groups but they expect to see only subjective, certain types from a black filmmaker such as comedy or hood gang stuff. There are many african directors who would love to bring this to the screen and what about Spike Lee, this would be great for him. It’s just a slap in the face.

this is a mold that needs to be broken. Im also really getting tired of blackplanet making these set black people back topics on mediocre s**t.

1. anyone should be able direct this movie no matter what race tey are.

2. hollywood should stop the prejudice

The Politics of Hollywood is what it is. Whom ever has the means creates the Films. Just because Eastwood is developing the piece does not mean that another Production Company can’t do the same thing. Its about knowing how and where to find the funds. Why must it always be White Vs. Black.

Folk we must also keep in mind who owns and runs BP. Okay!!!!

I DONT SEE A PROBLEM WITH CLINT EASTWOOD DIRECTING MANDELA BIOPIC. MORGAN FREEMAN IS A GOOD CHOICE TO PLAY MANDELA.

BOYCOTT BLACKPLANTS and NewsONE BS topics of discussion. First off they make us as black people look small minded. Until they change stuff up and make something worth talking about I would suggest no one to share there thoughts……BP give black people a little more credit PLEASE.

BOYCOTT BLACKPLANTS and NewsONE BS topics of discussion. First off they make us as black people look small minded. Until they change stuff up and make something worth talking about I would suggest no one to share there thoughts……BP give black people a little more credit PLEASE.
BOYCOTT BLACKPLANTS

BOYCOTT BLACKPLANTS
BOYCOTT BLACKPLANTS
BOYCOTT BLACKPLANTS

oh one more thing BP….Clint Eastwood is doing way more for black people by putting out this movie…so it can be heard then ya’ll have done every since you started posting these NewsOne BS…..

You got a lot of teens on your site so you think you helping them? DUMBASSES

Just an FYI for all the angry posters. This article is not by BP or Newsone. It’s from THEROOT.COM. Regarding a Mandela movie. Eastwood isn’t the “first” there have been several movies about Mandela, Danny Glover has played Mandela.

Morgan Freeman should be a good Mandela.

Yeah I’m big Eastwood fan. So I give this a thumbs up. Let ask me you this.You want this film done with respect. Eastwood will do this.

This article is the biggest waste of time ever! Has ANYONE seen Gran Turino?? Eastwood is an excellent director!! Quit insulting the intelligence of Black people…MY PRESIDENT IS BLACK!!

I say let him direct it. He is a great actor and director.

I grew up with Eastwood since the early days of tv Rawhide.He’s a great actor and director and nerver disrespected blacks.He is the right person.

the descussion is on clint eastwood doing this movie…
in my opinion..there are several directors in hollywood that would qualify ..but…
as a theory n history..we as black..have a right to question our dislikes..what does one have to do with the other..Mandela in any sense of the word…will be known down in history..a legend..not who directs his movie..if we studied..kept up with this great leader..we all know..the best is who he is.. keeping him a story well intended..clint eastwood ..had his chance…when he commented on spike lee’s last picture..after..which ..i was not so inclined to be a fan of his anymore..but..he disrespected..but..life goes on..i not hold grudges…if it’s a hostile gesture…then i be a lil pitored…this comes to no surprise…snake in the grass..challenges new and improved black directors anyway…the struggle still lives..anyway u see this questioning…i oppose 2 arguements..it solves nothing..bids are out as well..goes to the highest winner..u feel me..if you can’t beat em..were told to just deal with it..such as life..ours..sidney poiter dealt with it for years…
look where he is now..a man down in history..black..

LMAO…for everyone of you IGNORANT FOOLS that complain about this article and all the other “racist/race baiting” articles” one question: why are you on a site named, BLACKPLANET??!??!?!!?!? Your arguments lose all credibility by the very notion you sought out something BLACK in cyberspace. If everything is everything, there is no difference, etc…why do you want to be on a “BLACKplanet”?

I have no problem with Eastwood but Spike Lee probably could have done it also but Eastwood has been a solid director for a minute so ill go and cop tha movie out

Niggas Pleaseeeee, Stop making sparking dumb questions…. The color purple is one of the most important black films and It was directed by a white guy(written by black)so lets stop da madness.

SO I SETTLE WE ALL AGREE THIS IS A DUMB NEWS I MEAN COME ON BP WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS LIFE.80% OF MY FRIENDS ARE WHITE THE REST IS MIXED RACIAL BLACK MEX ETC. SOME OF MY WHITE FRIENDS PARENTS WERE RACIST AS HELL WELL NOT EVEN THAT THEY WERE SCARED OF BLACK PEOPLE DUE TO SOME OF US THUGGISH ACTS AND ETC BUT I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO SHOW THEM NOT ALL OF US ARE DROP OUTS DRUG DEALERS ETC ETC. WE BLACK PEOPLE DON’T EVEN HELP EACH OTHER WE WAIT UNTIL SOME S**T GO DOWN THAN WE CALL MONKEY ASS NIGGAS LIKE AL N JESSE ETC ETC TO COME RALLY AND S**T LOOK AT LATINOS THEY HELP EACH OTHER LIKE CRAZY. HEY MAN I GOT A NEW F150 CONGRATS HOMIE KEEP IT UP. IF THAT WAS US IT WILL BE LIKE I THINK HE SELLING DRUGS HE DOING THIS AND THAT. WE NEVER LIFT ONE ANOTHER STOP MAKING ANY LITTLE THING A BIG DEAL. GOD DAMN

TYPO MEANT SO IS SETTLE NO I SETTLE SORRY I WAS SO MAD LOL

Of course we should tell our own story. They will NEVER tell it right. Im not even going to comment on the cat on here talking about the Color Purple given that it is fiction and this a story of an actual African leader-Mandela. One of us can make a film and just make it better than Clint’s-bottom line. Thats how you deal with it.

Can you imagine if Norman Jewison had made Malcolm X instead of Spike Lee? It would have been totally different. How soon we forget. Spike had to demand to be the one who made it. Denzel’s portrayal was excellent as a whole.

Why does it matter if the director is white or black? I figured with a President of color and all the efforts of Black America going forward this would become less of an issue. Come on now, this is a double standard ppl, as long as Clint Eastwood portrays Nelson Mandela right I don’t see what difference it makes…. and to reply to the comment about the Color Purple yea it wasnt a biography but I bet we as a ppl was hella mad that it won no Oscars, didn’t we?

when are we gonna wake up, smell the coffee…if he wants to do it the question is not whether or not he’s a person of color, but can he do the job? now, i am not ignorant, i am well aware of the importance and significance of allowing “us” to tell our story, but unless we are the ones that are gonna put it out, and you have someone who is qualified and will honor the job and story, why is it an issue of there color…? Not that it is not important, but in the year of Obama, in the year 2009, the most important thing is to do a good job, tell the truth….(period).

I understand the feeling of wanting it to be a person of color. It seems to me that there are good black directors out there.
None of them have stepped up and took on the project. Clint Eastwood has made some very moving pictures. I would think him a good choice.
Should only doctors of color treat people of color etc.?
Let Clint make the movie and if it is historically in correct then criticize.

DOES CLINT EASTWOOD EVER PUT ANY BLACK ACTORS OR ACTRESSES IN HIS MOVIES?????!!!!!!!

I think its okay for Eastwood to direct it. He did Letters from Iwo Jima and it was one of the best movies that year. Coming from an African-American, I think NEWS ONE is so damn PRO-Black that they make a civil rights case out of every thing. Video games, movies, tv commercials? Seriously? I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, this is poor poor journalism. C’mon people we’re a little better than this.

nevermind i guess he has. anyways, you ever noticed that black people of today will come to the defense of a white person quicker than they will a black person…………interesting times we are in.

i just realized, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA! since the black people of today doesnt support any “black” movies with true meaning, a white director can bring out more black people to actually see this movie. lord knows the only time a black movie can be a box office hit is when the lead black male actor is in a dress and acting ghetto. maybe they should get brad pitt to play mandela so more black people will come out to support it!

Instead of taking time to point a finger at Eastwood for taking up the calling for producing a movie long overdue. Why isn’t a question being posed toward own people for not taking the initiative. Mandela is without question one of the greatest historic figures throughout the course of history. Yet, here it takes a man of Caucasian decent to get the job done. I personally love Spike Lee movies as he is a brother that shows no fear to say what needs to be said and tackles the tough issues that face our people and communities (Do the Right Thing, School Daze, Jungle Fever, oh and lets not forget he had the courage and strength to make a movie about Malcolm). So sad it is that today, many of us seem mesmerized by the works of Tyler Perry that help us embrace the wonders of what its like to be a loud mouth ghetto transvestite. Instead of us taking time looking at Mr. Eastwood I feel it time we look in the mirror and call ourselves higher and spend less time making movies about ghetto hip hop life and perhaps mix in a few more movies about historical African American figures; that can help prove positive role models to our youth; showing that the success of our people has come not through rap and guns but through brave courageous black men and women throughout history which sadly have long been ignored, by the people that presently reap the rewards and benefits of their struggle and sacrifices.

Clint Eastwood’s directing a biography about a black historic figure. So what? I know that he was in a spar with Spike Lee about not including any black soldiers in his last movie, but think about it, many black people wern’t really thinking about it until Spike Lee brought it up. What’s the point of causing a big fuss about a white man directing a movie on the biography of Nelson Mandela? Be glad that there is finally someone who would want to direct the movie of such a historical black figure, period.

He’s a damn good director. Point blank PERIOD
BP is steadily declining. You call this news? All these broke people out here lookin for work and yall talkin about who’s directing a movie.

Mr. Eastwood have employed lots of blacks in his movies…he mostly always have blacks in his movies…blacks and whites, good and bad…no matter what they got paid.

Are you kidding me? He is a great director. I agree with most folks here supporting Eastwood. Mr. Adkins CLEARLY needs to re-evaluate Clint Eastwood’s ability to direct this movie, and open his narrow mind.

Because no black director or film maker is making it…

Clint has always shown an appreciation for the support he has received from the Black community for all of his career…This is a great way of continuing to be a well-focused human being.

im just glad they are making this movie period…

this is the biggest problem we have in the industry right now. From all these comments most are in support of Eastwood, yes he is great at what he does and it probably will be a great movie, but what is wrong with a black filmmaker getting this job. this is the main problem with the industry black people do not support our own. Then you want to get upset when we don’t cast any black people in major roles. you are never satisfied, right now it should not even matter, your personal feelings, if Eastwood would be great to bring this to the screen. Im sure he would,but you should without a doubt support your own. You can still be racially liberal. If there is no unity, there is only fragmentation and we can’t survive. Its really a shame. Great black filmmakers have a hard time as it is fighting for jobs. And our own people makes it worse.

Who wrote this article, what kind of person uses the word “color” to describe black people in 2009?

Mr Eastwood is a multiple award winning director. I strain to think of someone more capable to direct this long overdue project.

WHY?
What is the deal with this site? Does everything have to deal with race? Nearly every article presented by this forum deals with stupidity! When are we as Black Americans going to be delivered from this primitive thinking?

Mandela has inspired many of all colors and creeds.

The world is a colorful place, its unfortunate some folks only see it in black n white. Trying to rouse up negative commentary based on clouded perspectives.

Deal with those issues and keep the writing unbiased. Its how any reputable news source delivers true journalism.

This was overdue, and nothing prevented Spike, Singleton, Perry, or anyone else who could’ve or should’ve.

Dueces

why does a black man need to produce/direct this film.. if a white man is more qualified isn’t that all that matters.. if john singleton, spike lee, or forrest whitaker wanted to do it, i am sure they could.. Having Eastwood do it, does give it a more mainstream feel. When people find out he directed it, it will bring the story to a broader audience who might not have ever seen it or knew who mandela is.. Pick your battles black people..

Dumb Dumb Dumb…It should be directed by a person of ‘color’ because it’s about a man of color? Let’s flip the script and say the movie was about Abe Lincoln and Spike was directing it…how LOUD would the outcry be if a blogger wrote that it should be directed by a “white” person? Calm down…

let me get this straight. the WHITEMAN invades africa. Makes the african slaves in his own country. Then takes millions africans out of afica to america makes them pick his cotton. Then when an AFRICAN named Nelson Mendela stands up to APARTIED inflicted by the WHITEMAN they jail him for 28 years. And now the WHITEMAN wants to direct a movie about his life and black folks is cosigning. Black folks is the DUMBEST race right now. admit it. bottom line white folks wouldn’t allow it but blacks folks will. why? cause we DUMD NEGROS. we let white folks do everthing for us but put our draws on in the morning. DUMB NEGROS!

In response to the last comment.

YOU ARE A RACIST BIGOT!

You conveniently ignore the fact that the slave trade was thriving in Africa long before the evil ‘WHITEMAN’ came along; and it still continues in Africa to this day, where Black slaves are kept by Black masters. Neither were the Europeans the first to take African slaves out of Africa, the muslim Arabs were doing that long before, but we never hear complaints about that. Also, Black people are not the only ones ever to have been taken as slaves. Slavery has blighted practically every stratified human society in history and recent research has shown that, between the 16th and 18th centuries, North African slavers were sailing to Europe to abduct white Europeans to sell into the African slave trade.

Stop wallowing in your pathetic racist self-pity. Get over your victim complex and get a life!

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