In 1971 in Virginia, racism was a very large issue. So much of an issue that captain of the football team, Gary Bertier had to choose sides, ripping apart relationships with his white friends, his girlfriend and even his mother. The movie outlines Gary's transformation, metanoia if you will, away from his rascist views and towards belief in equality. In the begining, before the desegregation occurs, Gary and his teammates run to the streets to see a riot breaking out about the news of the desegregation. Gary is one of the first to tellthe old coach, Coach Yoast, that he will sit this season out if the new coach, Coach Boone, a Black man, takes over the Head Coaching Position. The white players don't quit and find themselves at training Cap at Gettysburg College. The team is divided, and on an early morning run to the Gettysburg battlefield, Coach Boone recites part of the Gettysburg Address, claiming that 50,000 men lost their lives fighting the same battle they were still fighting then. This scene starts the change from a team divided by rascism to a team, no matter of race, who will stick together, work hard, and play football. The main moral dilemma for Gary Bertier come in a game when His best friend Alan misses a block, purposely, resulting in one of that Black players, the Quarterback Rev Bennett, breaking his wrist and sidlining him for the season. Gary must ultimately choose to ignore this or to react and kick Alan off the team. He is torn, but his morality, knowing the right thing to do, he asks for Alan to be taken off the team. This ruins the friendships with numerous other white people, but Garty knows he had done the right things.

This moral struggle faced by Gary and the other playes showed me that things can be tough. The right things won't always be the easiest. Sometimes everyone will look down upon you and spit on you and not want to be your friend anymore, but you have to do the right thing anyway. Rascism was, is, and always will be a huge priblem not only in America but in the world. Mass Genocides are occuring out of the same hate that caused Alan to miss the block. This movie shows how tought it can be to stand up for what you believe in and what kind of morally good person you have to be to do this. It also shows how transformations can occur. Just because someone isn't the best moral follower once or twice doesn't mean they cannot change. This movie challenges me to rid my consciusness of hateful thoughts. I try as hard as I can to treat eveyrone equal, but it is very hard as a white male. White men have been in power basically for the entire History of the World, and it is hard for most of them to let go of that power and share it with everyone else. this movie taught me that morality of race is important and hsould be paid attention to.

Above is a photo of Gary Bertier after a game at TC Williams High