Dear White People (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Chapter VI - full transcript

[orchestral music playing]

[narrator] Ah,
Winchester University,

bustling home to the leaders,

entrepreneurs and
innovators of tomorrow.

[yelling]

[narrator] A place where ideas
and community reign supreme.

- [woman] Stop! Don't! Don't!
- [all yelling]

[narrator] A place where...

this kind of shit
can still happen.

[heavy breathing]

Yeah.



I got nothing.

Reggie?

Are you there?

I was thinking about
what happened all night.

We gotta clap back...

strong.

Reggie?

♪ Billie Holiday,
I sing your blues ♪

♪ Bet your life against me And I
swear to God you'll lose it... ♪

[rapping continues]

Dear white people,

our skin color is not a weapon.

You don't have to be afraid of it.

And heads up to campus security,



nowhere in the curriculum
did any of us sign up

for Get a Gun Pulled on You

and Have Your Humanity
Stripped Away 101.

What did you think you
were signing up for?

Solving the case of the
missing midterm paper?

[exhales] I need to cool off, y'all.

Let's enjoy some soothing music.

♪ Say fuck the police,
one, two, three ♪

- ♪ Fuck the police ♪
- ♪ Yeah, fuck 'em ♪

Okay, you've been going in on
that bag for the past 20 minutes.

Girl, I have been stress-eating
chicken nuggets since last night.

Waist thin, ass thick's gonna have to
wait until America solves its race issues.

[laughs]

[exhales] How you holding up?

Gabe has been amazing, but...

is it weird that all night I just

wanted to be with Reggie?

To comfort him.

Of course.

- What else?
- [mutters]

- Okay.
- No.

You have lost your nugget-shaped
pressed meat privileges.

How dare you.

Thank you.

Mm-hmm.

Okay, we're back, y'all.

Hope you didn't go anywhere

because racism sure didn't.

Let's take some calls.
Caller, what's your question?

[man] I'm sorry, but
didn't Reggie cause a scene?

Wasn't the officer simply protecting
himself and others at the party?

Yeah, but the punishment for
being a rowdy college student

shouldn't be staring
down the barrel of a gun.

When are you gonna wake up
to your white privilege, man?

[man] Uh... I'm black.

Sorry, brotha.

Still wrong.

Thanks for calling.

Oh, and don't forget, BSU is hosting

a school-wide meeting
today at AP House.

Get informed. Fight the power.

["I Can't Breathe" plays]

[laughs]

Where did that one come from?

- [Al] Yo, this is some bullshit!
- [woman] Mm-hmm.

That rent-a-cop's probably
eating a bologna sandwich,

twiddling his thumbs right now.

[all] Yeah.

The dean is taking careful steps
to make sure this is dealt with.

- Lip service.
- [man] It's gotta stop!

[clamoring]

- [woman] Man, fuck the police!
- [woman 2] No more!

Stop, please. You're scaring Sorbet.

Think about what Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. said.

Can't we all just get along?

What? Can't we?

She's squeezing the
shit out of that dog.

Literally, there's shit everywhere.

Is it weird that a comfort dog is making

everyone but Kelsey uncomfortable?

You know, I'm starting to see it.

He gives me

James Blake,

Zac Efron, Ryan Reynolds vibes.

You're just naming random white people.

I am.

We cannot sit about and do nothing.

[Troy] Things are
being done as we speak.

I said Reggie has a
meeting with the dean today.

[Sam sighs]

If cops in the real world
aren't held accountable,

how can we expect a Winchester cop

to suffer anything but
a slap on the wrist?

Exactly. We need to make an example
out of that glorified security guard.

Yo, I want to know who called the cops.

Bring that fool to me right now.

- [man] Yeah.
- [woman] Exactly.

What the fuck were these guys
doing with guns in the first place?

- Yeah.
- Exactly.

Brother Reggie, just know that our
thoughts and prayers are with you...

Thoughts and prayers don't
stop bullets, Pastor Kordell.

We need to run up on the campus pig

and handle this ourselves.

[woman] Fuck him up.

Listen to yourselves.

Running up on a cop?

Calling them pigs?

As soon as you double
down on your blackness,

they will double down on their bullshit.

They pull guns on us.

They shoot us. They kill us.

That has not changed in 200 years.

We need to manage our blackness
in situations like these.

You're talking about assimilation?

No, I'm talking about
self-preservation.

Quote me correctly.

I grew up on the South Side of Chicago.

I've actually seen friends
and family members shot.

And every time it happens, I
wish they had done something,

anything to prevent it.

Some of y'all in here
with your liberal purity,

wasting time deciding
who's black enough.

Who cares if you're woke or not

if you're dead?

[crowd murmuring]

Time to shine, Lionel.

How people see this is in your hands.

No pressure.

I don't see any other
papers covering this.

[Kurt] Hey, Sam.

Sam.

- [groans]
- I have a great idea.

You're transferring to another school?

Come on, Sam.

How did we get here?

Who hurt you?

Well, 200 years of...

Slavery, got it, right.

Sorry I asked.

Anyway, what happened to Reggie,

that was fucked up.

And as people who have
a voice on this campus,

you and I, we need to collab.

- Kurt, that is not gonna...
- No, no, no, hear me out.

You have Dear White
People. I have Pastiche.

Together, we have
Dear White Pastiche

or Pasty White People.

It's totally your call either way.

But the point is,

we can make racism our bitch.

Weren't you the one who brought us

such feel-good hits as the lawn
jockey issue and the blackface party?

Well, that was actually our first
collab if you think about it.

I also wrote a piece called
"The Cream in the Oreo"

about my first mixed-racial threesome.

People called it "an
enlightening tale of race..."

Kurt,

I will never, ever,

never, ever, ever

collab with you on your
piece of shit racist magazine.

So you'll think about
it and get back to me?

Okay.

Hey, Reggie.

I came by your room this morning.

Hey, Sam.

Hey, Co.

Thanks for checking in, but...

I'm fine.

[Al] Yo, Reggie,

after my class, I'm gonna come
with you to the dean's meeting.

Give him a piece of my mind.

Thanks, man, but I can
take care of it myself.

You don't have to.

Joelle and I will be there.

We'll make sure that
the dean doesn't get away

with his usual bullshit and no action.

[Troy] If you all are going...

then I'm going, too.

You'll need a liaison.

I must come as well.

Power in numbers.

You just nosy.

[Gabe] Me too, man.

It'll help paint this as a student
issue, not just a black-white issue.

We got your back, Reggie.

Where the hell is Reggie?

[Dean Fairbanks] That
is an excellent question.

I'm not even sure why
all of you are here,

except to break my Keurig machine.

[sipping]

Dad, can we just wait a few
minutes until Reggie gets here?

[Sam] Or we can tell you what happened.

We were all there. That cop was...

[Dean Fairbanks] Miss White. I
don't have a meeting with you.

I have a meeting with Reggie Green.

Or at least I did an hour ago.

Yeah, but, Dad, he was
held at gunpoint by a cop.

Nothing is going to happen
unless Reggie is here, son.

Yes, sir.

[sighs] Some liaison.

Dean Fairbanks, this is not
a good look for Winchester.

The longer this goes
on, the worse it gets.

Like a toothy blowjob.

Sir.

There are protocols that
the board must go through

to review this incident,

first being a statement from Reggie.

Maybe we should change the protocols

if they favor the person with the gun.

My office is not a town hall.

This incident is under review.

And I have another meeting.

So...

please,

exit!

How would you feel if
this happened to Troy?

Troy would never find
himself in this situation.

How can you be so sure?

Because I raised him.

[Sam] I am not about to let
this shit get swept under the rug

like Brandy's vehicular manslaughter.

She was never charged.

Does anybody know where Reggie is?

- I mean, that's your boy, Sam.
- He just left.

- Is this some sort of protest?
- I don't know.

Wait, so you have not
spoken to him at all?

No. I haven't.

Okay?

I...

I have a solve.

We'll track him down, and
we'll figure this thing out.

It could be anything, okay?

We gotta do it right away, though,
'cause political amnesia's a bitch.

All right, when I was a
community organizer, we...

Ooh, check you out, Disney Channel
Obama, what did you organize?

Uh, as an undergrad, I started the
non-GMO Organic Community Garden.

You know, kale, arugula, Cruciferae.

- Cruciferae, huh?
- Couldn't just say leafy greens?

I say it using SAT words.

And if you guys haven't noticed,
outside of these hallowed brick walls,

there's a community in a food desert.

I do not believe Cruciferae
will solve this problem.

What are we going to do?

Right there. There's our opportunity.

Yeah, we'll...

form a human blockade.

- Really get their attention.
- [Gabe] Mm-hmm.

I'll bring some Beyoncé
and blast "Freedom."

Yeah, I'll get in contact
with Black AF and BSU.

We will yell them into submission!

Uh... huge fan of
yelling, you know this,

but this time, I was thinking
more emphatically stating our case

so they want to work with us
on fighting systemic racism.

#EmphaticallyStatingOurCase.

Y'all, we have a plan.

Let's move.

And in the meantime,

I'll get ahold of Reggie.

- Cool.
- Nice.

- All right.
- See you.

- My darling.
- Yes?

Are we still on for coffee?

[inhales] Ooh.

I'm not asking you to meet my parents.

Just my friends.

I mean, they're starting
to think you're imaginary.

Besides, for some wackadoo reason,

the more I see you, the more I miss you.

[kisses]

Nice one.

Okay.

- All right?
- Okay.

[chuckles]

Hey, Reggie,

uh, where are you?

We all waited for you
at the dean's office.

Anyway, um,

Gabe came up...

we came up with this

great idea to disrupt the rally tonight.

Uh, call me back ASAP.

You okay?

Call me.

[phone beeps]

[Gabe] They're gonna have it, uh...

um, a quart of organic

that actually pumps
the air automatically

when you plug it in. It's electric.

- [man] That's dope.
- But it's just keys.

It's a keyboard, you know.

- Yeah.
- Oh, hey.

- [Gabe] Sam.
- Oh.

- [Gabe] Hey.
- [Sam] Hey.

Sam, this is Milo...

- Hey. Hi.
- [Gabe] Vanessa.

- Hey.
- [Sam] Hi.

- Nice to meet you.
- [Sam] You too.

Your show, brilliant.

- You listen?
- Who doesn't?

Based on recent events,
the administration.

[Vanessa] They're really
shitting the bed on this one.

I knew we were dealing
with institutional racism,

but at least have the
dignity to coat that shit.

- [Vanessa] Hmm.
- [grunts]

- Anyone's espresso taste off?
- [Vanessa] No.

It's hard enough for POCs to
even get into a place like this.

And then when they do,

they're still subjected
to the new Jim Crow?

What do you expect from a school

that still has buildings
named after slave owners?

Gabe, are you finally paying penance

for your parents' support of
all the Bushes, including Jeb?

[gasps]

[gasping]

[Milo] Oh, she doesn't know.

Well, this is an Ivy League
Capulet and Montague situation

right before our eyes.

[Gabe] I...

told you my parents
were from New Hampshire,

I thought it was implied.

It's a swing state.

- I...
- [Milo] Can you even imagine

a Republican Gabe?

"Chaz,

come summer on my very big boat.

The deck is made of
endangered rhino bones."

[laughing]

"Roland, you must try the caviar.

It's like the salty
tears of poor people."

[laughing]

Oh, my God.

[Gabe] Oh. Whew.

I needed that.

I can't imagine what this
has been like for you.

Definitely not feeling
the school spirit lately.

But we do have a little
wake-up call set up for tonight.

Well...

we're going to form a human blockade

at the pep rally and
force the conversation.

We need to see actual movement.

No guns, consequences for things

like blackface parties

and fire that idiot campus cop.

I'm there.

Me too.

Milo, you're skipping
Cambodian Woodworking?

You love impractical electives.

Heroism requires sacrifice.

Mm, I think I ordered decaf.

[clears throat]

Have you told Reggie yet?

Uh, I...

I can't get ahold of him.

He's been MIA.

[Vanessa] Well, makes sense.

Public victim.

Public what now?

Well, in Behavioral Psych,
we've been talking about

how public victims
don't have time to grieve

because their trauma is
immediately politicized,

especially with social media
and the 24-hour news cycle.

It's a lot.

They switched to Arabica beans.

[all] Ohh.

Reggie.

Yo. What's up, Sam?

[Sam] Hey.

I've been looking for you all day.

How are you?

Fine.

[scoffs]

You weren't at the
meeting with Fairbanks.

We were all waiting for you.

Got busy.

We might have to reschedule.

Reggie, you're being weird.

Talk to me.

I said I was fine.

That was me, talking.

And it was directed at you.

Can't be more clearer.

Okay.

Well, did you get my messages
about breaking up the pep rally?

Yep. All 19 of 'em.

You know, your Beyoncé gifs

take up a lot of memory.

Worth it.

Where you going?

[Reggie] I got somewhere to be.

Okay, well, I'm coming with.

[acoustic guitar playing]

All this time I've known
you, I've never been here.

Come here all the time.

There's no need to hide it.

[Reggie] I'm not hiding anything.

Joelle's been here
with me a couple times.

Well, don't hesitate to invite me.

- I'm always down for...
- Shh.

[slow strumming, music fades]

[feedback whining]

It's totally crazy what's
been going on on campus lately,

and I just wanted to
do something to help.

I want my pain

to heal Winchester.

[percussive funk music playing]

[Sam] What is this,

Tyler Perry Presents
The Nutcracker?

She's raising the roof off of racism.

This is like some Jane
Fonda woke aerobics.

All right, girl,

time to wrap up 12
Minutes A Slave.

I love you, baby.

[applause]

They're gonna have
really weird sex tonight.

Mm-hmm.

[Sam] How many cultures did
she appropriate in that set?

[Reggie] I counted about eight.

Mm, impressive.

[inhales]

Uh...

look, I've been

processing.

I get it.

Do what you need to do.

Thanks.

Time for open slots.

Anyone have something
they want to bring up?

[feedback whines]

We hold these truths
to be self-evident,

that all men are created equal,

that they are endowed by their Creator

with certain unalienable rights,

among these life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness,

unless you're loud and
black and possess an opinion,

then all you get is a bullet,

a bullet that held me at bay,

a bullet that can puncture my
skin, take all my dreams away,

a bullet that can silence
the words that I speak

to my mother just because I'm other,

a bullet...

held me captive.

Gun in my face, your hate misplaced.

White skin, light skin, but
for me, not the right skin.

Judging me with no crime committed.

Reckless trigger finger
itching to prove your worth

by disproving mine,

my life in your hands,

my life on the line.

Fred Hampton.

Tamir Rice. Rekia Boyd.

Reggie Green?

Spared by a piece of paper, a student ID

that you had to see before
you could identify me

and set me supposedly free.

Life,

liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

For some of us, maybe.

There's nothing self-evident about it.

[applause]

That was beautiful.

Thank you.

Nah, for real, though.

You were giving me Langston vibes

with a splash of Baldwin

and the modern-day
vulnerability of Frank Ocean.

Except you actually release
your art when you plan to.

[chuckles]

Well, I'm just taking
a page out of your book.

You stir shit up.

You're Huey Newton,

running up on the state capitol

with a bunch of guns,

but you do it better

with a mic.

Just glad I got the chance
to share it with you.

Me too.

I can't believe I've
been missing out on this.

[chuckles] It's not that big a deal.

It is a big deal.

It was fearless...

and honest.

You know what?

What you said needs to be heard.

What if you shared it
at the pep rally tonight?

Sam.

Reggie.

Reggie.

We'll make sure the blockade gives
you space so you're not interrupted,

and we'll even get you a bullhorn.

That poem was for me,

not your rally.

It's our rally.

What you said is what
everyone else needs to hear.

- Sam.
- [scoffs]

If you can shake the
earth at an open mic,

you can shake the whole damn school.

My pain is not your platform.

The whole movement is about pain.

That's why we're out in these streets,

because of our pain.

You don't think Martin had pain?

You don't think Malcolm had pain?

Right now, I just need to
be a man and not a movement.

Ever since freshman year,
you have done nothing

but look to me to be the
leader of the movement.

You've put it on me every single day.

Don't you think there's
a woman under here?

Sam, I didn't mean to
put anything on you.

I just believe in you.

I root for you.

When I see you,

I see the best in you.

I see a leader.

Well, maybe sometimes,

I want you to just see me.

Is that why you chose him?

Do you know how hard it was

seeing you two together last night,

walking home together?

You've been stringing me along
since the first day I met you.

Never there for me when
I needed you.

And last night,

I was in a house full of people

and I've never felt...

more alone.

I'm here now, Reggie.

I am here.

Fuck it.

It'll be okay. Let's
just go to the rally.

No.

You stay.

I'll go.

[keys jingle]

[sighs]

[lock turning]

So, um, what are you gonna do?

Probably just put on Defamation,

do a little hate-watch

to get my mind off things.

I should go to the rally.

♪ You know kids like you ♪

♪ Ain't supposed to know ♪

♪ That the world is broken ♪

♪ And the sun is frozen ♪

♪ You know kids like you ♪

♪ Ain't supposed to feel ♪

♪ Like the earth is caving ♪

♪ And the world
ain't spinning ♪

♪ For you ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ I bet you never
knew, never knew ♪

♪ Love could be this bright ♪

♪ Ain't it something? ♪

♪ Smile or something... ♪

[phone buzzing]

[buzzing continues]

[buzzing stops]

♪ You look lost ♪

♪ You look lost ♪

♪ I see you running
into the woods ♪

♪ With your bright yellow
jacket In the woods ♪

♪ You look lost, you look
lost You look lost ♪

♪ If you heard that I'm a
threat Then you heard right ♪

♪ Shades on, but there ain't a
lens For my third eye ♪

♪ People are see-through They
ain't really trying to learn ♪

♪ But you're eating what I feed
you 'Cause it's served right ♪

♪ People see me and perceive
me In the worst light ♪

♪ Find it hard to read me I
ain't speaking, I observe guys ♪

♪ 'Cause people will deceive you I
ain't really trying to learn lies ♪

♪ Searching for meaning
With my burnt eyes ♪

♪ When I'm old and I'm gray
And I've been through it all ♪

♪ Ask me what I've learned
I say I've learned life ♪

♪ Pick up my book of rhymes,
blow it And watch the dirt rise ♪

♪ Looking down at earth
From a bird's eye ♪

♪ Searching, but
searching for what? ♪

♪ Searching for the purpose, the
words And the worth that we lost ♪

♪ My eyes ain't awake And my
mind's in a place where you can ♪

♪ Get what you ask for
Every time that you pray ♪