Black Arts Journal Entry - Week 13 (4/12/23): Raoul Peck's "Exterminate All the Brutes" Continued Discussion #2

 Although in a more comprehensive global perspective, "Exterminate All the Brutes" provides insight on racism in America. In addition to examining the larger systems of colonialism, capitalism, and white supremacy that have established international power relations and continue to support racism globally, the series also investigates the historical roots of racism and its manifestations in the United States.

The ugly truths of slavery, genocide, and racism that have been utilized to establish and uphold Western dominance and privilege are exposed in Peck's series. He emphasizes how Western institutions and culture are complicit in maintaining these oppressive structures and makes the case that they still have an impact on the modern world.

The show also emphasizes the continuous battles that people of color face in trying to thwart and overthrow these oppressive structures. It calls on viewers to join them in the fight for a more just and equitable society and honors the tenacity and resistance of those who have struggled for their freedom and dignity.

In this sense, "Exterminate All the Brutes" offers a potent critique of the structural and systemic nature of racism in America and the rest of the globe, and it forces spectators to examine their own role in maintaining these oppressive structures. All those who want to create a society that is more just and equitable must pay attention to this important and essential effort and take action.