"Character Wins Over Prejudice"

In "Remember the Titans"; an outsider is described as position of a person holds that changes with acceptance and true character, because it is the right thing to do. The movie opens with civil unrest due by panning in on the civil unrest in Alexandria, Virginia because a white man killed a black student. The nucleus within the civil unrest is the integration of black and white students not only in the new High School, but also within the historically white football team.

The outsider position is demonstrated throughout the movie starting with the black student moving into the school. The whites firmly believe they are inferior which is demonstrated by the stereo typical slangs used such as black animal, your people, and Sambo to name a few. Julius is a black player who friend was shot by the white man and has to face a new school, new football team, and eventually Gary who is favored white player on the team. Both are scared of each other's culture and struggle, eventually becoming best friends. This particular relationship defines that positional aspect of being an outsider since Julius starts as an outsider and through Gary's friendship and the football teams success moves to an insider. Julius's character portrays so much integrity that Gary's parents even accept him in their home and lives.

Gary is clearly an insider at the start of the movie because he is white, homegrown, and the Captain of the football team. Because of his ability to see clearly what is right and just, he loses his best friend Ray who refuses to be a team player with the black players. Even though Gary is making touch choices throughout the movie, his friendship strengthens with Julius and eventually influences his girlfriend's prejudice against blacks. The shaking of Julius's hand by the Gary's girlfriend signifies the strength of her character growing and accepting; therefore changing from an insider to an outsider. As the town accepts the football team and the blacks her position and many others will change again to an insider.

Probably the most interesting character defining character and the changing of positions throughout the movie was Louie. Louie clearly is what he describes as, "white trash" and is accepted in no particular position. Because of Louie's economic status and what his perception of his lack of intelligence, he restricted himself to the label of being an outsider. Outsider for Louie had nothing to do with race, but more because of Louie's own beliefs about himself. Race was not important to Louie; his outsider position was purely based on not having the capability to get good enough grades to be accepted in college.

The term, "Outsider" is nothing but a short, narrow minded, temporary term because it limits someone’s capabilities based on some type of prejudice or bias belief. Throughout the entire movie, character is the most important component. Julius, Gary, the girlfriend, and Louie display numerous stereo types that have been perpetuated throughout America's history. The more important movie theme demonstrated from genesis to end is the quality of a person's character will always rise to the top. Race, religion, body size, intelligence, and any other bias are just mere barriers to overcome to find the truth of a person. In the end, a person's character is always more important then any type of bias regardless of its history. If we measured a person by their character instead of cultural or personal biases, there would be far less, "Outsiders" in the world because every person would have a valued position in society.