Original subtitles

My stars and garters.

President Ronald Reagan,

my hero.

Is this heaven?

Oh, not just heaven, Ruckus.

White heaven.

You see, there are many

different types of people, Ruckus,

so God created many separate but,

well, for the most part, equal heavens.

You don't say.

[GASPS]

White heaven is for decent, good

God-fearing Christians who just happen to,

well, hate everyone

and everything relating to black people.

That means no Muhammad Ali,

no hip-hop music, and no fucking Jesse Jackson.

What about Whoopi Goldberg?

Nope.

Wow. This is heaven.

REAGAN: Turns out that God really doesn't have

that much of a problem with racism.

He doesn't even remember slavery,

except in February.

Personally, I hate black people, Ruckus.

That's why I did everything I could

to make their lives miserable.

Crack? Me.

AIDS? Me.

Reaganomics?

Hmph. Come on, I'm in the name.

And God has rewarded me. Know why?

Uh, 'cause two niggas and two quarters

don't add up to a dollar?

Well, that, and because God loves white people.

And if you teach everyone on earth to love the white man,

you too can join us in white heaven.

[GASPS]

[RUCKUS WHIMPERING]

Praise white God.

♪ I am the stone That the builder refused ♪

♪ I am the visual The inspiration ♪

♪ That made lady Sing the blues ♪

♪ I'm the spark That makes your idea bright ♪

♪ The same spark That lights the dark ♪

♪ So that you can know Your left from your right ♪

♪ I am the ballot in your box The bullet in the gun ♪

♪ The inner glow That lets you know ♪

♪ To call your brother sun ♪

♪ The story that just begun ♪

♪ The promise Of what's to come ♪

♪ And I'm 'a remain a soldier ♪

♪ Till the war is won ♪

♪ Chop, chop, chop Judo flip ♪

♪ Chop, chop, chop Judo flip ♪

♪ Chop, chop, chop Judo flip ♪

♪ Chop, chop, chop ♪

[♪♪♪]

HUEY: Okay, so this meeting

of the executive board

of the committee to free Shabazz K. Miltonburough

has now officially commenced.

Let's see now. Attendance.

All in attendance say "here."

Here.

[IN HIGH VOICE] Here.

Jazmine, Mrs. Wellington isn't a member on this board.

Now, first item on the agenda:

our planned bus trip tomorrow

to visit our illegally imprisoned brother

and offer him moral support.

Have we assembled the reading material

and baked goods for Brother Shabazz?

Check.

I have the latest edition of Highlights

and two and a half Fig Newtons.

Two and a half?

Mrs. Wellington got hungry.

What about the snacks for the two-hour bus ride?

I got part of a Lunchable and a half a bottle of S-Snapple.

Oh, so you just wanna drink

the white man's poison, huh?

I don't--

High-fructose corn syrup.

Read about it.

It'll kill you.

Great.

So we'll just get a head count for the trip.

Everybody who's going, raise their hands.

Ah, come on, Jazmine.

The man is on death row.

He needs moral support.

I'm not allowed to go past the second light post.

I hope you don't treat me like this when I'm on death row.

I'll go next time.

I promise.

Well, he'll be dead next time,

but I'll tell him you said, "Hi."

[♪♪♪]

This is uncomfortable.

[♪♪♪]

[RINGS]

God bless you, Robert.

How are you this fine morning?

Hm?

You're not a Jehovah Witness, are you?

I'm in the Jehovah Witness protection program.

[LAUGHING]

Robert, I'm dyin'.

That's right.

Went to the doctor this morning.

I only got six months to live.

Tumor on the back.

They call it "biggus backus tumoritis,"

or some other big word that my tiny Negro brain

and big lips can't pronounce.

Doctors say they can't operate.

But praise be to white God and his son, white Jesus.

Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Ruckus.

You're not contagious, are you?

Just contagious with the Holy Spirit

of our Caucasian Savior.

I'm on a mission from God,

and let me share his word with ya.

Come, child of God.

Come.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Do you know what's going on?

RUCKUS: Please, everybody.

Everybody, gather around to hear the good news.

God is white, and he loves the white man above all others.

All right!

Woo-hoo!

Yeah!

Yeah!

Ye--! Sorry.

RUCKUS: Don't be sorry, white man.

Only niggas and Mexicans are sorry.

Be joyful.

God loves you.

That's why he made his only begotten son in your image.

God hates darkies.

Well, actually, I'm more of a caramel complexion.

[CHUCKLES]

But I'm outraged all the same!

Hear ye, hear ye.

White God is a good God.

Even darkies can rejoice. [GROWLING]

For even ones cursed with the skin of coal

can enter the gates of paradise if he hates his own blackness.

In white Jesus' name, amen.

What? That's right, Robert Freeman.

You must hate thyself to save thyself.

But, uh...we're okay?

Excuse me?

White people. We--? We're okay, right?

Of course.

Cool.

[♪♪♪]

So who among this flock will join me,

so that the world can hear

the joyful message of love and redemption?

Ruckus, you done lost it this time.

You really dying?

Praise God, yes, I am.

Heed the word, darkies.

I think you're onto something.

Tell me more.

Well, first of all, the Gipper is standing at the Pearly Gates.

Yeah, he's wearing a all-white suit,

got some white tennis shoes on.

HUEY: At this point, we're resorting

to what I call desperation tactics.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING] Such as?

MAN: How the hell do you expect me to do?

I'm doin' not so great.

I've sent anonymous letters to the governor,

threatening to expose his gay lover.

I wasn't aware the governor was gay.

He probably isn't,

but I figure 10 percent of the population is gay,

and probably about half

the people cheat on their spouses.

So I figure that plan has about a 5 percent chance of success.

Better than nothing. [SIGHS]

Huey.

What?

You always say I should have faith.

Well, that's me having faith.

Random, anonymous blackmail.

Huey, they turned down the final appeal.

The execution date has been set.

It's in two months.

Two months?

[♪♪♪]

That's so soon.

I've had a long time to come to peace with this.

It's not over yet.

Why don't you just holler at him?

Shit, I don't know. He's so detached.

We used to spend all our yard time together.

We used to lift weights together every day.

He doesn't even spot me anymore.

I think there's somebody else.

Jail nigga,

you gay.

RUCKUS: Well, you see, the blackness in our skin represents sin,

which is why God wants us to hate the black in us.

MAN: Ooh. MAN 2: That's interesting.

Yes, yes.

MAN 2: Yeah.

Hate the sin, not the sinner. MAN 2: Wow.

RUCKUS: You got the point, little girl.

You can't go to the Pearly Gates...

Do you believe in God, Huey?

I believe in God.

First of all, I'm gonna live forever.

But if I do die,

I'll go smack God upside the head

and go tell him to get me

a grilled cheese sandwich and some tacos.

When I want something

or I'm afraid about something,

I pray.

Have you ever prayed?

And I dare God to say something.

I'll be like,

"Say something, God. Say something.

Yeah, I thought so."

You should pray for Shabazz.

God'll get him out of jail.

They have to listen to him. He's God.

And if God say something, I'll be like this: "Ooh!

Take that, God."

I'll be beatin' God's jaw like,

bli-gah!

Blah!

Mm. Mm-hm. Hm.

Excuse me, Reverend.

Hey, hey, I know you. You Armstrong Elder.

I seen you

on the TV news.

You the only darkie that I ever seen

make any sense on the TV news.

Hallelujah!

And you talk white too.

That's very impressive for a monkey, no offense.

Uh, none taken.

Now, if you don't mind,

I'd like to talk to you about expanding your message.

I bet you got a white wife.

Yes, I do have a white wife.

Can I see a picture of her?

[♪♪♪]

It's called Operation Black Steel.

We should call it--

We're callin' it Operation Black Steel.

I like that name. We're not changin' it.

What's your suggestion?

[CLEARS THROAT]

"Jazmine and Huey's plan

to get his friend out of jail."

Why's your name first?

Because I thought of the name.

I'm callin' it Operation Black Steel.

Suit yourself.

[SOFTLY] You'll be sorry.

What? Nothing.

Whatever.

Operation Black Steel works as follows:

Shabazz K. Miltonburough will be executed

exactly 63 days from now.

That night,

there'll be a candlelight vigil.

Granddad,

who refuses to take an interest

in the fate of Brother Shabazz,

will probably stay in the car and watch Friday.

[LAUGHING]

"All the pigs' feet." That's funny. Ha-ha!

HUEY: One hour before Brother Shabazz's execution,

he will be taken from his cell

and brought to the prison hospital,

where he will receive his final examination.

At precisely that time,

I'll fake a massive heart attack.

[GRUNTING]

WOMAN: Somebody do something.

MAN: Where's his parents?

MAN 2: The kid's dyin', man.

[CHUCKLING] That's so funny.

"It's your ass, Mr. Postman."

HUEY: The guards will have no choice

but to bring me into the prison hospital

while Shabazz is there.

They'll have no idea

I'm a black radical freedom fighter

until it's too late.

I'll be able to tranquilize two of the guards right away.

After that, I've got the stun baton.

MAN: Get some help.

[SHABAZZ GRUNTS]

We got a problem here!

GUARD 2: Clear the way!

Come on, move! Move!

[ALARM BLARING]

HUEY: We'll be gone before they even know what hit.

JAZMINE: What happens then?

Then I move to Cuba for the rest of my life.

That's assuming I'm not killed in the breakout.

Yeah.

This is a good plan.

[♪♪♪]

HUEY: Shabazz K. Miltonburough was actually interning

for the Black Panthers in early 1970.

He hadn't even earned

his black beret and leather jacket.

One fateful day, he heard a gunshot...

[GUNSHOT, WOMAN SCREAMS]

...and the words: MAN: A Gun!

I, Eli Gorbinsky,

hate deputy sheriffs.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say I hate all police officers

and parking enforcers.

And that's why I,

Eli Gorbinsky,

shot this here deputy sheriff!

HUEY: Shabazz never investigated the gunshot

or the oddly expositional phrase Eli yelled out.

But within minutes,

the cops busted down the door... What's going on?

...to the Black Panther office supply shed

and arrested Shabazz... What--?

...for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Gary Fife.

[SHABAZZ GRUNTING]

Several people witnessed the murder.

One had 8mm video footage.

Another happened to be a stenographer

who had it all transcribed,

including Eli's confession,

which he oddly enough signed and dated.

The murder weapon had Eli's prints all over it,

which were clearly visible,

since he had been enjoying

a chocolate doughnut at the time of the shooting.

There was also a receipt of sale attached to the gun,

and the manufacturer warranty card was filled out,

signed and dated by Eli.

During the trial,

footage of the incident

confirmed the stenographer's note

that Gary's last words were actually,

"Eli Gorbinsky killed me."

After only 20 minutes of deliberation,

Shabazz K. Miltonburough

was sentenced to death. Guilty as charged.

[SPECTATORS MURMURING]

Man, ain't this a bitch?

[♪♪♪]

RUCKUS: Amen.

White Jesus tells us:

"In order to enter paradise,

we must hate ourselves to save ourselves."

Sound pretty simple, don't it?

I can't believe this crazy fool

is actually tryin' to start a church.

HUEY: Ruckus had partnered up

with famous black conservative Armstrong Elders

to market his "ministry."

Elders was a media vet.

He knew just how to package Ruckus for the masses.

MAN [ON TV]: So you believe God is white?

First of all, white man,

let me say that I love you,

honor you,

envy you,

enjoy your smell,

and I celebrate you in the name of white Jesus.

Um, thank you.

No, thank you. Look at that.

That's a handsome young man, ain't it?

Now, if God looked like Isaac Hayes,

do you think his son would look like this?

So black people are--?

Cursed! Cursed! Cursed!

Just look around you.

That's why we in the ghettos.

That's why we in jail.

That's why we on UPN.

Because God don't like us.

You think if God wanted to change that, he couldn't?

Hell, he turned water to wine.

He could have changed UPN to CBS.

Reverend Ruckus and his peculiar message

of race-based redemption

has begun to spread, and fast.

How fast?

Reverend Ruckus will be holding a revival

here at Woodcrest Post Pavilion tonight.

Tickets are expected to sell out.

Coming up next, time has run out

for a condemned man who many say is innocent.

After this.

I don't get it.

Who would actually follow Uncle Ruckus?

We have to put a stop to this. We're going.

[RINGS]

Yeah?

I'm calling you to say goodbye, Huey.

And thanks for everything you did.

It means a lot.

It's not over.

I promise.

I can't say much

because I know people are listenin',

but...I promise you.

Goodbye, Huey.

[♪♪♪]

[DOOR OPENS]

Damn, Morpheus. What you about to do?

I love you, man.

Ugh!

Nigga, you gay.

But, Granddad, you promised to take me

to the prison tonight--

Not tonight.

Somebody has to talk some sense into Ruckus.

But I'm tryin' to save my friend.

Me too. But I promised him.

I gave him my word I'd be there.

He's gonna die,

and there's nothing you can do about it.

[SIGHS]

You should pray for your friend, Huey.

That's all anyone can do for him.

RUCKUS [ON TV]: Martin Luther King

and the colored folks died before him--

What makes your God any less made up than his?

--dark chocolate soup.

So hate the black within you.

[HUMMING]

Row H, seats 44 and 45. Ha.

Let's roll.

[♪♪♪]

HUEY: Operation Black Steel,

the mission to liberate Shabazz K. Miltonburough,

was aborted...

'cause I couldn't get a ride.

People say to me, "Ruckus?"

I say, "Huh? Who said that?"

They say, "How do I make it to white heaven?"

Well, start by asking yourself,

"How is my relationship with the white man?"

Do you celebrate the white man's goodness every day?

Do you stop and thank the white man

for the food you eat and the clothes you wear?

Huh?

Well, if you don't, you going to hell.

Now, I want everybody who isn't white

to turn to a white person and say,

"Thank you."

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Well, there are those of you who say I'm a racist.

There are those of you who say I'm wrong for hatin' niggas.

Well, I call y'all all hypocrites,

because each and every one of you

can name 10 niggas you hate right now if you had to.

I never thought about it like that.

There's Tyrone, Leon...

Oh, Eddie.

You don't have to admit it, that's okay.

'Cause I know you done already counted off

five niggas in your head.

You're like, "I hate that nigga Jamal.

"Oh, I hate Otis.

I can't stand Usher."

Oh, my God, he's right. [THUNDER CRASHING]

I hate Usher too. What?

He's right.

I think I hate black people.

Tom, stop being stupid.

No, I think I hate them all.

I don't like Puffy.

I don't like Kobe.

I don't like-- I don't like any of them.

Tom, snap out of it. Come on. We're leaving.

RUCKUS: That's right.

Somebody out there is feelin' the Spirit.

I am. I am! I feel it!

If you black of skin and full of sin,

come forward, so I may lay my hands on you.

Hah! Oh, thank you, Jesus.

Black be gone.

Hah! [SCREAMS]

Praise white Jesus.

Hah!

[MAN SCREAMS]

♪ On the road again ♪

RUCKUS: Now I want everybody

to find the nearest black man

and lay hands on him.

But, first, make sure your hand is balled up in a fist,

so you can beat the black out of his soul.

God smiles when you hate blackness,

so you beat that darkie in the name of the Almighty.

Hallelujah!

[MURMURING, GRUNTING]

People have lost their damn minds.

What's wrong with y'all?

Hey! Hey!

That's right. Ronald Reagan said,

"Beat a nigga's ass and go to heaven."

God is good.

♪ You shouldn't let yourself Go deeper ♪

[HUEY SIGHS]

♪ In distress ♪

HUEY: I never prayed before.

I don't even know who I'm praying to.

And maybe I'm too young to know

what the world is supposed to be...

but it's not supposed to be this.

It can't be this.

So please--

♪ Oh, boy, don't cry ♪

♪ Over happiness... ♪

Governor. What is it?

They found out about Raoul.

♪ I believe in it ♪

Now, let us pray.

Lord, I have spent my whole life hatin' you

for makin' me black.

And now I see I must hate myself and all those like me,

and cause them misery,

just like your servant Ronald Reagan did.

And if any of my words don't come directly

from the Almighty God himself,

then may I be struck by lightning

right this very instant.

Halle--!

[SCREAMING]

[PHONE RINGING]

♪ Just let the world... ♪

What just happened?

[RINGING]

♪ Go 'round ♪

Would somebody like to get that?

[RINGING] ♪ And 'round ♪

♪ And round ♪ I think it's for me.

HUEY: The lightning bolt that saved Shabazz's life

seemed to have struck Uncle Ruckus on his tumor.

Doctors would find

no remaining signs of his cancer.

Some called it a miracle.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

MAN: It seemed to make sense.

HUEY: And maybe there are forces in this universe

we don't understand.

Huh? Wha--?

Get your black banana-peelin' hands off of me.

HUEY: But I still believe we make our own miracles.

♪ Just let the world... ♪

I don't know how they found out about us,

but we have to end it, Raoul.

[SOBBING]

HUEY: Shabazz K. Miltonburough was not yet free,

but for now, the mission had been accomplished.

I decided to take the rest of the day off.

I wonder if there's anything good on TV.

[♪♪♪]