The Butler- Serving Kindness

Since it is “hunting week” my mother and I went out to see a movie. Our first intention was to see Austenland, however we had missed the movie time. I looked up and saw that The Butler was playing, and we decided it would be a good one and it ended up being a heart wrenching film. It was a great film, I would not recommend it younger teens and children because of some of the vulgarity. I don’t know how to put in words how the movie made me feel, but I will attempt. The movie is about an African-American man who escapes the cotton fields and becomes a butler, and gets to work in a house. He became very proficient at serving and knew how to use his two faces (explained in movie). Cecil Gaines is the butler, who works endlessly to support his family so that his wife and two children do not have to work in the fields. I truly admired his work ethic and his drive to do what was best for his family. It was something that never faltered for him. After working in some classy hotels he was recruited to the White House, and begins a long career serving America’s Presidents. He waited on them constantly and was intrusted to keep is mouth closed with some of the country’s biggest problems. As Cecil served his country his son Lewis was serving in a way that at the time seemed wrong, but is what encouraged the most important cultural shift in my opinion, equality. His son was constantly arrested for doing sit in’s and peacefully protesting for his rights. I didn’t realize that all of these events had happened during a time not so long ago. As I watched Lewis get beat for sitting at a table where anyone should have the right to sit, I felt sadness and anger for him and for everyone who was not being treated equally. It made me so grateful for both the black and white Americans who fought for the equality of all humans. Lewis was louder with his actions and definitely had more impact in the media, but what I realized is sometimes it’s the quiet things that can influence others. Cecil was often asked his opinion by the different presidents, and was even responsible for raising the pay for the African-American staff  in the White House to equal the wage of a white worker in the White House. This movie reminded me how important it is to be kind to everyone, no matter the color of ones skin, height, weight, religion, orientation, gender, or age. We might not all agree on what is “right” or “wrong” in this world, but one thing we can be certain of is we are all human. We all deserve to be treated with kindness.