Whose stories are now allowed to be told?

One of the ugliest pastime of our American history is the erasure and belittlement of the incredible stories and contributions of fellow Americans. The military in the past was often the best option for an American of a different ethnic background, to prove themselves; their patriotism, and a chance at upward mobility upon retiring from service. Heroic tales of the boys from Hero Street USA in Illinois to Guy Gabaldon of East LA, are relatively unknown or where white washed for a general audience when it came to Hollywood telling those stories.

Guy Gabaldon, centered in picture, was a Chicano from East LA who received the Navy cross for his heroic actions in Saipan. His biopic, From Hell to Eternity, came out in 1961 and he was portrayed by actor Jeffery Hunter, left in picture.

My Grandfather made Sgt US Army Air Corps during WW2 and as well as he brother made PFC and help liberate Manila in the Pacific Theater of the war. Because of discrimination and harassment my grandfather even changed their last name as to appear more “American.” This was the case for many who served. This was the times and those regulated from the front lines to cooks and services happened to be people of different ethnic backgrounds. The sharing of these American stories are cultural treasures for all.

This week on Netflix saw the debut of The Six Triple EIght, a biopic film about, “a predominantly Black battalion of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). The 6888th had 855 women and was led by Major Charity Adams. It was the only predominantly Black US Women’s Army Corps unit sent overseas during World War II. The group motto was “No mail, low morale.”

The marketing for the film is skewed heavy with “we shall overcome the white man injustices,” almost as if those are still happening today. We didn’t have those challenges, our forefathers/mothers had during the WW2 era. I was not familiar with the true story of “6888” at all. It was a great experience to learn about these women that served and really helped the morale of all the soldiers during that final year in WW2. There’s a couple problems with the film, but it’s mainly storytelling and not for me at least, of woke modern messagings because the challenges there really existed in the world of the 688. There is even one scene where the leading general threatens to take over command and have a white lady in charge. Major Charity Adams, played wonderfully by Kerry Washington said “Over my dead body!,” which is what historically happened, pretty amazing. Those events took place in 1945 and three years later in 1948 the US military would fully desegregated, making it the first federal action to make segregation illegal.

So like I said, the storytelling has a heavy problem in that it’s got to get through all this history, some that happened some that didn’t, and it’s also has to tell riveting story. I have to say the personal one by far exceeds the historical. They take a fictional love affair of a young, white Jewish man and a young black woman from a small town of Philadelphia and use them as a through line of what this woman goes through. In fact its riveting the way Tyler Perry opens the film, as the jewish man, now a pilot, dies in a crash and his bloody last letter survives and eventually gets to his first love. Like so many other men and women had to endure with loss, this really made the movie for me.

The woke marketing did not mention this particular love affair in their trailers. This is unfortunate because I feel Tyler Perry really excels here, not to say that he didn’t want to tell this historical story but it almost feels like some of it he had to incorporate where he just wanted to get back the love story. Truly a great incredible American story told in a decent yet flawed film.

It’s also unfortunate that the movie has evolved into ignorant criticisms on social media. After seeing this film, I’d imagine most of these “influencers,” didn’t. This is an unfortunate circumstance now far to often, because the so-called “Woke,” era has ended and yet, the reaction and discourse from “based” players are equally as disheartening as anything that has come out of Hollywood the past several years. I’ll be honest with you the reader, had it were not for these awful criticisms of the fim’s trailer, I would not have seen the “6888.” As I mentioned before, one ignorant post after another completely discounting this historical story, disgraces the lives of these patriotic people who served in the military during WW2. For what? Cause you got triggered over woke marketing.

While it seems like there is a shift in entertainment occurring, which I think is wonderful, focusing on great storytelling with fully fleshed vibrant characters, which this film has elements of, there is an equal, strong tide to denigrate anything that hints of “woke.” In this case, a true story of black women that served in the Army during the dark days of WW2. I’m not surprised that these Youtubers and influencers continue to blast anything that is on any level considered “progressive,” because let’s face it now that “Woke in Hollywood,” is over what are they going to cry about now? Not surprised but very disappointed.

Finally, I think these juvenile takes only adds fuel to the fire of the mainstream audience. Criticisms that don’t consider context or historical knowledge, when its most needed. Thus making it easy for the audience to lazily label all things woke out of Hollywood. What a failure upon fandom Tubers and Influencers. Hollywood is always been a light for stories that you would’ve never heard about in your history books, which is why I think moving forward in this so called non-woke era, movies like “The 6888,” to last year‘s Flaming Hot and The Long Game will have their work cut out for them. My recommendation to Hollywood, if you do want to keep making these worthy films, kill your marketing teams and simply lean into the personal stories that are part of our American experience.