If you have ever wondered about how white supremacy took its roots and continues to blossom racism to this day, there is a new HBO TV Series that takes on the issue of cultural genocide without the kid gloves.
The four part docudrama series “Exterminate all the Brutes” tells of the concept and history of mass exterminations throughout the world but spends a great deal of time focusing on the hostile colonial history of the Americas in particular.
The series was created by Josh Hartness and co-writer Raoul Peck, a descendent of the indigenous peoples of Haiti who rebelled against the Spaniards after the great conquest of South and Central America and won its independence through a passionate slave revolt.
The writing and filming style reminds us that white supremacy in its many forms has never yet been eradicated from our existence. In one such scene, a U.S. calvary general stops to take a bath in a stream. He hears some chanting in the distance and when he looks up he sees a caravan of modern Indigenous people crossing the river chanting, “You shall not replace us.” While history unfolds, the series plows to the surface the real truth behind the recorded stories for all inhabitants of the Americas.
Episode One, The Disturbing Confidence of Ignorance Part 1, is a wide-spreading footing to base the rest of the episodes upon. It examines bigotry throughout history and how it becomes institutionalized.
Episode Two is entitled, “Who the F*** is Columbus” but also reveals the true stories behind much of today’s modern accounts of historical events. Some you may know of while others will be new to the viewer.
Episode Three, Killing at a distance, talks about the residential school concepts which were born in Ireland and migrated to North America with the Pilgrims.
The final episode uncovers the full spectrum of “The colours of Facism,” which is threatening its return across the world today through neo-Nazi and Facist elements.
This is an important series to see towards understanding the different vantage points of history between the colonized and the colonizers. This series is a must-see, and both should learn much by doing so. Five stars to its creators.
