There are no such things as alternative facts: this is the central theme that prevails throughout the mini-series created and narrated by Raoul Peck. This idea implies that the history of humankind should be examined through the lens of objective facts that are not distorted by revisionism. Nevertheless, certain pages of it remain altered by the direct interference of the people who seek to hide the unpleasant truth regarding some events of the past. A famous saying states that history is written by those who win. In this mini-series titled Exterminate All the Brutes, Peck argues against this approach and the intentional tempering with the facts. In this particular context, he explains that the descendants of colonial expansionists have been attempting to present alternative facts of the horrors endured by other ethnic groups during different periods.
The fourth and final episode of the mini-series synthesizes the stance developed by Peck throughout the previous parts of Exterminate All the Brutes. More specifically, it deals with the historical development of racial oppression from colonialism and slavery to fascism and neo-Nazism. As it is stated in the episodes, the history of the United States is directly related to this issue. It exists within a major controversy that consists of the attempts to reconcile the truth of American history with the proclaimed ideals of freedom and democracy (Peck, 2021). The struggle continuously endured by the Native Americans and the people of African origin hardly aligns with these principles. Slavery and racial segregation are a matter of the past, but, coming into 2022, their remnants still resonate within the nation. Racial oppression remains strong on individual, institutional, and systemic levels. It is the first level that directly affects its presence in two other ones (Payne & Hannay, 2021). Even though American society has made major steps toward social justice, people of color remain in a vulnerable position in terms of education, social policy, and economic status.
References
Payne, B. K., & Hannay, J. W. (2021). Implicit bias reflects systemic racism. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(11), 927–936. Web.
Peck, R. (Director). (2021, April 8). The bright colors of fascism (Season 1, episode 4) [TV series episode]. In R. Peck [Executive Producer], Exterminate all the brutes. HBO Max.