When writing the essay based around the Hollywood movie I came across the heading ‘Racial politics of Casting” in the Shohat and Stam reading. I find this concept fascinating. Basically it talks about the roles that specific ethnic groups could be casted to play in films. It talked about how whites played the dominant roles with non-whites playing supporting roles. However, I was shocked to discover that in the silent period and in some of the sound period, white-skinned actor would paint themselves black to play black-skinned characters. This overtly racist stance enabled white people to play any ethnicity while blacks were limilted to playing roles within their own. To say the least I was appalled. This idea goes right back to the notion that one drop of “black” blood meant that you could not be defined as a ‘white”. In contemporary film making this overt racism has been all but eliminated by ideals of political correctness (PC). Personally I am not a believer in being PC. It does reduce overt racism but it also gives birth to a subtle, more dangerous type. This neo-racism is prevelant not just in media but within society in general. It is an inferential racism that is hard to remove from society. As a “brown” individual I personally experience this daily. Being watched while you walk through a store is more subtle then telling me they think i’m a thief but it has the same demeaning effect. I could continue with neumerous examples to reiterate just how prevelent this problem is. The fact is, racism is alive and well in this country. Anyone who says otherwise is probably “not brown”.