A look at the short film inspired by By George Clinton,Space Traders and a reimagining of the ending!
The first segment, “Space Traders” (directed by Reginald Hudlin ), not only explores the profound white supremacy of US political and popular culture but looks at how structural racism is promoted by the media and interlinked with economic and environmental crisis. In this story, extraterrestrials approach Earth, and their spokes-alien, taking the shape of Ronald Reagan, offers to solve all of the economic and environmental problems of the US in exchange for the country’s entire Black population, which are to be handed over to the aliens for unknown purposes. After a moment of feigning outrage, the white leadership and majority of the population begin organizing to make the sacrifice.
Part I: A conservative African American politician must choose between his people’s survival and appeasing his white colleagues when space aliens propose to share their profound knowledge in exchange for all black people on earth.
Cosmic Slop
In the year 2025, extraterrestrials arrive on Earth and offer the United States gold, safe nuclear power, and other technological advances in exchange for all of its Black citizens. They require a decision in 5 days. Gleason Golightly, a prominent Black conservative, participates in the cabinet's discussion of the proposed trade. Golightly, ordinarily an "Uncle Tom" on racial matters, is adamantly against the trade for moral reasons. The completely White cabinet discounts his moral objections because they believe the trade will fix the United States' practical environmental and economic problems.
Later, Golightly attends a meeting of Black community members. He suggests that if Black people pretend that they are getting the best part of the deal, White people will oppose it out of envy. A black preacher responds that Golightly's understanding of White psychology has merit, but he cannot go along with such a cynical ploy, and the group votes instead for boycotts and protests. A prominent group of American Jews forms the "Anne Frank Committee," intending to smuggle Blacks out of the country before the trade. The FBI publishes the names of the Committee's members and they are forced into hiding themselves.
A Constitutional amendment is proposed, authorizing Congress to induce Blacks into "special service," with language modeled on the "Selective Service Act of 1918 [sic]". A national referendum on the amendment is scheduled for the 5th day by phone vote. The Supreme Court rejected several legal challenges to the referendum process, citing as precedent the majority opinion in Giles v. Harris (1903). White Christian conservative televangelists line up in favor of the trade.
On the 5th day, the national referendum is held. The trade is approved by a 70/30 margin. The darker skinned Black population of the United States (including Golightly himself) are rounded up by the military and sent into the extraterrestrials' ships. The ships are emptied of the promised gold, minerals and machinery, and then filled with 20 million Black men, women, and children - stripped down to a single undergarment and bound by thin chains. The world watches as the ships fly off into the unknown.
Derrick Bell mentions in this story that the state enacted the Twenty-Seventh Amendment to the Constitution. This law legitimized the deportation of black people.
In the present we see that the MAGA faction of the American public would readily approve of such a law eagerly for the benefits that it could offer. Even though such a law would deprive them of their civic or human rights. In fact, they would have given a free hand to the state. It is no longer when looking at this film in hindsight unlikely that American people would consent to this legislative act. Many would embrace it despite their loss of freedoms. But is the authors evaluation of American society too pessimistic?
The narrative emphasizes the idea that racial prejudices still exist in modern society and one cannot turn a blind eye to them. This concealed racism is particularly clear in the governmental officials. For instance, the President felt hostile to minority groups only because they did not vote for “him or his party.” We have seen this mindset in Republicans and Democrats alike. Similarly, the members of his cabinet can find many excuses for the deportation of black people without actually considering the ethical aspects of this decision.
the flood of phone calls and faxes urging quick acceptance of the Aliens Offer expressed the view that what the nation would give up its African-American citizens – was as worthwhile as what it would receive. The statement accurately reflected relations at the dawn of the new century. The President had, like his predecessors for the last generation, successfully exploited racial fears and hostility in his election campaign.
There had been complaints, of course, but those from his political opponents sounded like sour grapes. They, too, had tried to minimize the input of blacks so as not to frighten away white voters.” This inhumane decision, demonstrated by the white race, to banish all blacks without knowing where they will go solidifies the fact that whites will never allow the black race to become part of the American people. This unethical act toward black Americans allows the reader to understand that racism will continue to exist in American culture, and that inhumane acts toward man can indeed exist. If the aliens wanted the members of the white race would America be so willing to release them? Absolutely not!! In my opinion, the major motivation for this country is for blacks to not have anything whites do, and by accepting “the space trade” offer that goal would be accomplished.
So let us go aboard the ships for the ending you did not get to see.
EPILOGUE: SPACE TRADERS
Gleason Golightly is seated with his family, somehow they are restrained to their seats by a tiny chain wrapped around their wrists that won’t allow them to stand or run, all his immediate family are there with the exception of his wife Grace, the love of his life. The ship is bare and utilitarian but well lighted they have been there for a few hours and most of the cries of terror and weeping have stopped he and his family were in a seeming amphitheatre of approximately 10,000 seats as far as he could tell it was like a football stadium without the sky view. Suddenly the room started to grow dark and as people looked up gasps could be heard like the rush of the wind as the ceiling seemingly opened up to reveal the cosmos. Some froze in their seats in terror their were sounds of weeping and retching. But even Golightly felt his stomach turn as he watched his son vomit on the floor from anxiety and fear, miraculously the floor cleaned itself, and all foreign objects and smells dissipated from its pure pristine surface.
Soon the alien Ronald Reagan appeared before them. Golightly could only assume this broadcast was being seen by all 20 million of the former black citizens of the USA now captive on these alien ships. The voice of Reagan began slowly yet with no tone of malice. “Greetings my friends,'' the voice began. ``Please pay attention to a special broadcast from your home planet, all will be explained afterwards.” Simultaneously there appeared multiple faces of newscasters from across the United States each beginning urgent reports Golightly thought momentarily perhaps the US had woken up and decided after all to reject the aliens offer and they would be returning home! But soon it was apparent that what they were viewing was not a call for their return, but a plea from those on earth for the aliens to come back for them!
“Stay inside!” a FAUX News Reporter admonished viewers “Fallout is most dangerous in the first few hours after the detonation when it is giving off the highest levels of radiation. It takes
time for fallout to arrive back to ground level, often more than 15 minutes for areas outside of the immediate blast damage zones. This is enough time for you to be able to prevent significant radiation exposure by following these simple steps:”Another anchorman from a New York based Station appeared as was noted since the Aliens departure there has been a nuclear attack in the Ukraine that has been a hotspot of unrest since the fall of Ukraine to the Russian Federation in 24.” “The removal of all American debt has unhinged a radical fringe group that wants to sell its ethnic undesirables as well.” China has rounded up millions and is broadcasting on all bands that it will bargain for Taiwanese and Koreans or any brown skinned Southeast Asians that the Aliens might like. Responding to allegations of human rights abuses, the UN has sent 10,000 special corps investigators its "eyes and ears," special rapporteurs or representatives of the Secretary General, to monitor compliance with the various international human rights instruments and investigate allegations of abuses that the removal of the American Blacks has inspired. The US President has tried to become a voice of peace but internationally he is scoffed at as the Nations of India, all Sub Saharan African nations and the majority of South American nations have cut ties politically and economically with the US Government The wife of conservative pundit Gleason Golightly will address the UN tonight in attempt to stave off global nuclear war. .What we thought would be a new age of peace and prosperity has become the world on the verge of global catastrophe” This is Stryker O’Rourke signing off for WNN World News Now.”
The Images were suddenly gone and the face of Reagan appeared this time clear and defined as the alien reached up and pulled off a mask revealing a smiling human appearing black man’s face! We are sorry to present you with such news. As you can see we are not very different from yourselves in fact a thousand millennia ago most of our people left this planet and we have routinely come back to make sure those who opted to stay behind were doing well. We have kept close watch on the social and technological dynamics of your planet as it is no longer our home but a revered point of origin in our history. We see you as remnants of our primitive past and so wanted to save as many as we could. When we found out a year ago a global nuclear war was imminent. China, Russia, and the European Union had decided to eradicate the USA and was just biding time until the country was at its most vulnerable. The missiles are already at the launchpads and counting down.
“This was our only way to save as many as we could without causing global hysteria. It seems mankind always makes this mistake, we allow the least fit men to lead us. Men of Ambition, Greed, Lust, arrogant intractable men and women of course, who think selfishly always lead us to this road. But as before there will hopefully be survivors who pick up the pieces and put it all back together again. If you look at the armrest of your seat you will see a glowing square. If you have a question, think about it and the 20 most prevalent questions from all 20 million of you will be answered. “First Question: Is this my true appearance? Yes, like the original ancestors of all humanity we are black skinned people. Melanin is a very important substance in space travel with the exception of silicon based life forms but there is plenty of time later to learn about those other entities.”
As each question was answered Gleason grabbed his child by the hand and they both cried.
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