You are missing the point!

Rating: Null/10 (15 November 1998)

To everyone who has misunderstood the significance of "Birth of a Nation" let me try to set the record straight. "Birth of a Nation" is not a great movie own its own merit, in fact it is not even a good movie. I am not arguing that it is not a racist piece of trash; it is. This said, the movie was and is significant because it served as a landmark for freedom of expression. In 1915 only the printed media was protected by the first amendment, movies were not protected under freedom of speech. "Birth of a Nation" was often censored by municipalities and was rightfully protested by the NAACP. D.W. Griffith went on to write a book called "The Rise and Fall of Free Speech in America" in which he argued that film, recordings and advertising should enjoy the same protection under the law as newspapers and magazines. Because of Griffith's film producers and directors today can make movies without fear of governmental reprisal. The next time you are watching "Pulp Fiction", "Trainspotting", "Chasing Amy" or any other controversial film remember that the reason you can do so is partially because of that offensive movie "Birth of a Nation".