Gran Torino

[Mr Slugger]

So last night I watched Gran Torino for the first time. Honestly I don't think I've ever heard so many racial words in my life, but that's not what this thread is about.

It's about Walt. Now for anyone who hasn't seen the movie go here

Now the whole racial bashing part of him and his friend's I can understand. I mean hell one of our store's has a group of these types of guys next door. They sit in a barber shop all day throwing insults at each other pretty much. They're very much old school, and pretty much every place I've worked so far has a collection of these old guys that are like him. So that's kinda not the thing either.

What I'm curious is if anyone thinks that a person like Walt in the world we live in today actually befriend people, especially the younger generation? And especially a group of people that he supposedly doesn't like at all. Especially using the language that he uses.

[lordlundar]

You have to look past the language. While he spewed racist phrases, he also saved two people of that particular race for no personal reward. Even if the reason was to make peace for his prior actions, the actions still tell more than anything he ever says. The whole "actions speak louder than words" concept.

[Rapscallion]

I saw this back in February. If memory serves, the situation was that he was taught that the Hmong or racially similar group were not human during the war - such happens in wartime - and through events he finds out that he has common ground with them. It's sort of a coming-of-age tale at the end of a life.

Would this actually happen? I think that depends on the individual and the circumstances. Some people hate for the sake of hating. They won't give it up, no matter what happens. Others will be able to see that a group of civilians are not combatants, and I suppose it could happen. As a general rule, though, the majority of people Walt's age are going to be firmly entrenched in their ways. A story such as the film is going to be the exception rather than the rule.

Rapscallion

[Greenday]

It's completely possible, but pretty unlikely. As Raps said, most older people are set in their ways and will NEVER change them. The case in the movie would be the exception and not the rule.

[Mr Slugger]

It's completely possible, but pretty unlikely. As Raps said, most older people are set in their ways and will NEVER change them. The case in the movie would be the exception and not the rule.

Well see I think the changing of ways is possible, but he didn't entirely. I'm more or less looking at the fact that he was calling them zh and g, and yet they didn't just go fuck off old man.

[Greenday]

Well see I think the changing of ways is possible, but he didn't entirely. I'm more or less looking at the fact that he was calling them zh and g, and yet they didn't just go fuck off old man.

When he's the only person protecting them from a violent gang? Why would they?

[Tanasi]

I think I can somewhat understand Walt's thinking. He knew he did bad things but he did them to save his and others lives. Killing another person is a hell of thing to live with justified or not. That being said and regardless of the racism Walt's a just man and won't stand around and see the innocent abused or intimidated. I know men like Walt almost all are harmless unless provoked. I could be like Walt if I so wanted to be but I decided long ago to put as much of my war experience behind as possible. Occasionally I have nightmares but it's something I have to live with. I don't know for sure if I ever killed another person but I did shoot at several and several of them shot at me.

BTW Walt was a Korean War veteran, the Hmong are a Vietaemese tribe located in the central highlands. They are very very close to being aborigional to the area, that means while asian they have little chinese ancestory.

Also while I don't have a Gran Torino I do have a 1970 Torino Cobra Jet that I restored.

[Boozy]

I've found that people who hold to a racist ideology tend not to give it up easily, regardless of personal experiences that should prove them wrong.

I know someone who is consistenty saying the most horrifyingly racist things about people from Southeast Asia (India, Pakistan, etc) yet has co-workers of that descent. He likes these co-workers a great deal, respects them, and even has beers with them after work. When I challenged him on his disgusting attitude by pointing out these friends of his, he said "Well, they're not ALL like that. So-and-so is different." When I asked him how many Southeast Asians he's met that ARE "like that", I get a very non-commital response.

I believe that he's never met any Indians who have met the stereotype he holds so dear. Yet he refuses to give it up.

[Tanasi]

It's hard to discount people you know and especially if you respect them. Some soldiers especially those in combat ops will de-humanize their enemies. By doing this it makes the enemy easier to kill. It's easier to pull the trigger on a zipper-head, a slope, a gook, a nip, a kraut, haji, skinny, etc.

VN vets had/have a lot of respect for the Hmong people.