Gorilla Controversy Heightens Amid ‘Roots’ Remake

The original “Roots” miniseries debuted in 1977 as millions tuned in to watch the epic story surrounding a black man and his family’s journey from slavery to the dilemmas of his great-grandchildren and beyond. Although the miniseries was created to display the courage of Kunta Kinte and his daughter Kizzy along with the difficult challenges they encountered on a daily basis, the remake has sparked debate within the black community, especially amid the gorilla controversy which seemed to dominate Memorial Day. “Roots,” in the newest form, not only has a resounding cultural significance to present-day America but had a superior presence within the fabric of this country’s history as well.

While many fail to understand how one would have an effect on the other, for many African-Americans the connection is quite clear. The killing of an animal has seemed to trump, not only a day set aside to honor America’s fallen soldiers but also the many unarmed black members of society who are killed on a regular basis. For some angry animal lovers, the parents of the child should be … click HERE to continue reading