Lee seems to receive a lot of criticism about his remarks of Eastwood’s depiction of war films. And Lee have always received some sort of criticism whether it’s for making a historical movie like Malcolm X, or a cynical movie like Bamboozled. Lee is a New Yorker so he can take it, but I question many of the critics when they use words like “This Guy” or “Ego.” See, if Eastwood was depicted a “guy” it would be disrespectful, or as to having an “ego,” it may be true, but this wouldn’t be a good enough critique, since you must separate the movie from the man. However, when it comes to Lee, most critics believe that his movie is a representation of him. As if he is sending secret codes to African American telling them that should rise up and be respected for the wars that they fought in and died for, why would Lee ever do that? The real problem in America is that we are still uncomfortable about the topic of racism, and the past history of slavery. It is easy to say that it was in the past and that we should forget it and move on. Most African Americans have moved on and are completely over the subject of past racism. The problem that continues to rise is the attitudes towards African Americans when they make a movie about the past, or a movie that motivates African Americans to do better and White America, refuses to watch it, stating that it’s not geared towards them, when it is. Just as the story of Christopher Columbus, Too Kill a Mocking Bird, and Scarface are apart of American culture. Lee movies and others with similar topics should be respected, taught in schools and on every ones shelves when they are featured on MTV Cribs. At the end of the day, I get it. It’s hard to see your self depicted as the bad guy on TV and the person who is depicting you is the opposite “race.” That’s one thing African Americans can relate to. We are depicted as drug dealers and users, killers and abusers and the directors are usually white. So I get it. But Lee is a man who doesn’t make stories to degrade white America; he makes stories that inform America. Malcolm X’s story would have been lost if it wasn’t for Lee. The story of a man’s growth, from poverty and hatred, to wealth of knowledge and peace, it is a story that every American should know. Does Spike Lee have an ego, maybe, he is well read, educated and he does his work well. But when I hear a man like Lee being called an ego, I am reminded of the Democratic candidate who has been called arrogant. What does that tell African Americans, when they are criticized for being well read and educated? To me it says that African Americans should stay in there place, that they have no business being smarter then White America, they have no business challenging White America, they should be quiet and thankful that slavery ended. Martin Luther King was also criticizes and called arrogant and people said he had an ego. So I guess Lee is in good company.