Observational Post: *GASP* Rue is black?!?

So let me start off by saying I have not yet read The Hunger Games, but plan to in the very near future. But let me also say that you don't need to have read the novel to catch on to the fact that people are causing a stink because some of the movie characters are African American, even though in the book it clearly shows they have dark brown skin. Now I know after talking to various people online that dark brown skin can represent a lot of ethnic backgrounds, but in the novels it went on to say that the characters had thick hair. Now I don't know about you, but in my eyes that leans towards African or African American. To those of you who need it a little simpler, Black. Minus people of other races that have naturally curly hair, black people tend to be the ones with the thick hair and dark brown skin. So why is it a shock that Rue, the serious one in question, is black?

Now I know we are all guilty of generalizing that characters are white for the most part in novels. I'm guilty of it, you're guilty of it, we're all guilty of it.  But the times are changing people.  People of color exist if you want to face it or not and they are showing up in our novels and they are main characters of our novels too.  So why the sudden shock?  Why put out such hurtful tweets about how the movie was ruined because Rue was black?  I at first really got offended by this because I also am a gal sporting the "dark brown skin", and it just hurt that there is such disgust over Rue being black. Now I have been reading the Tumblr blog Hunger Game Tweets, and after reading some of the posts I have come to two conclusions about those posting the tweets.

From what I have observed, half of the tweeters are just straight out being rude and racist asses that should be called out on their rude tweets.  But then there is another half who I feel missed that line about Rue having dark brown skin and then formed a character in their mind, and when she ended up not being that character they grew to love in their mind they were saddened by it. Maybe their comments and realization that they were wrong about their beloved character came from a place of mourning.  They lost that blonde-haired girl they loved so much and just reacted in a way that kind of reminded me of the 5 stages of grief.  I mean think about it, first there is denial, these people are in denial that Rue isn't white but black. Next comes anger, they take to their Twitter and post nasty and racist comments about how Rue being black has ruined the movie for them and how a black girl is not the cute girl they pictured. Next is bargaining, not sure how they will do that here as everything is set and done. Perhaps some who learned of Rue's actress they made an appeal for a white actress to be cast instead. Now don't quote me on that, just trying to figure out how bargaining would work here.  Next step is depression, and a lot of these people are clearly depressed over the fact coming to light that Rue is black. And last comes acceptance, while some have "accepted it" they still don't like it. And well yeah there is nothing saying they have to like it, but it would be nice if these people could come to a place where the color of a person's skin doesn't describe their character for them. It should have never been a case that Rue was black, it should have been a case on if Rue's personality came to light on the screen.  I feel so sorry for the actress who played Rue. She's being ripped apart over the idiotic words of stupid assholes who didn't closely read the book. They are saying she's not pretty enough to be Rue, or that she isn't pretty at all, or plan out that she just an "N" word. What the hell people? What the hell?

Its actions like this that make me want to write the stories that float around in my head because a lot of them have main characters of color. I will just say characters of color because I want to explore all kinds of races and try to bring them to life in my stories. My novel "Jumper" has a lead female character who is multiracial, has three love interests throughout the story who are African American, biracial, and white, and a best friend who is white. Why? Because no matter how some people want to look at it, that's real life.  While I'm not denying characters in stories and mainly white, I am denying that that is the only way a book should be written or read. I hope to prove that in my stories. Now I don't plan on putting it right in your face the race of my characters because I don't feel that defines them. I don't want my readers to have a stereotypical voice in their head just because a character is a certain race. I want them to form their own opinion of who the character is after just a slight mention of what they look like. But then again Suzanne Collins did that and look how that tuned out. So I guess its a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. So I will just write the best novel I have in me and let people make their own opinions about it and I'll just keep on keeping on.  But it won't keep me from trying to introduce more color to the world.  No, I'm not an person of color who only plans to write about people of color, I actually have a novel in the works that so far only has white characters in it, but I am a person of color who feels if the character would be better off black or indian or hispanic then that is what they will be.  And that is all I have to say on that. Oh and also, Rue's black people.  Rue's black. Deal with it and move on. Thanks.


And on that note I'm going to go have my Subway flatbread sub waiting for me, watch Dancing with the Stars and Lost Girl, and then exercise. I will talk to you lovely folks later. Be good until then. Bye for now.


Ready to start her own hunger games with her sub,
M.