Dianna Hobbs poses for a picture with her cousin, Chemeka Bryant, after watching Red Tails together in Buffalo, NY.

Dianna Hobbs, President & CEO of EEW Magazine shares her thoughts on the new movie Red Tails, honoring the the Tuskegee Airmen who protected U.S. bombers during WWII.

Red Tails challenges black people who have a myopic view of the world shaped by bitterness, racism, and hatred, to rise above it.

Just as the courageous Tuskegee Airmen who fought in the United States' segregated armed forces during World War II had to, all people of color must “fly higher” in our thinking and see the bigger picture.

In the 1940’s racial prejudice existed.

In the 2000’s, racial prejudice yet exists.

But if we focus only on that, we will remain narrow-minded as a collective group of people, never being empowered to get up off the ground and soar.

Red Tails, directed by Anthony Hemingway, starring an all-black cast with Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Terrence Howard in lead roles, impacted me deeply.

At the end of the movie, my cousin Chemeka, who accompanied me to a Saturday matinee show, and I, applauded.

Emotionally swept away, I also wiped tears with a napkin I had pulled from the dispenser after getting popcorn and a fountain drink before this beautiful story of the Tuskegee Airmen unfolded.  I had expected to enjoy the film, but I wasn’t prepared for the range of emotions I experienced while watching.

Anger coursed through my veins as I heard the noble, courageous black fighter pilots being called the N-word by their racist white counterparts. I wondered how these mistreated, under appreciated black men could find the strength to dig deep within and cast off the mental restraints imposed by the battle of racism, to win the greater war.

How did the Tuskegee Airmen sacrifice their lives to protect the lives of the white U.S. bombers, many of which despised them?

“I couldn’t have done it,” Meka leaned over to share her thoughts with me as the big screen’s flicker illuminated the crowded darkened theater.

I totally related to that feeling.

But as we chatted more after leaving the show, I realized something.

Meka is doing it in her own way, but under different circumstances, and to a lesser degree, of course.

She is a beautiful, young, urban professional building a successful career in the largely white clinical research field. She has had to deal with subtle forms of racial prejudice and still bite her tongue, keep a positive attitude, and continue working her way up.

Meka knows that being exceptional in her field is the goal, not fighting people who may be condescending because of the color of her skin. My cousin’s choice to ignore the less important battle of fighting prejudice rooted in ignorance, is helping her win a greater war.

She is advancing her career by using her intelligence, drive, and education, to bridge the economic gap that has long-existed between blacks and whites.

But too often, black Americans choose to fight the smaller battles like Joe 'Lightning' Little, played by David Oyelowo, did in Red Tails.

The immensely gifted pilot was, at one point in the film, consumed by anger. This caused him to haul off and punch a white pilot who called him the N-word.

But Little, whose name was perfect for his mentality, would later learn that harboring offense, getting caught up in tit-for-tat pettiness, and being mad at the world for things he could not change, would not only hinder him, but altogether prevent him from truly making a difference.

All his gifts and abilities would be rendered useless if he was consumed by hatred.

That, for me, is the most important message in the film, which is why I recommend that every person of color I know go and see it.

Sadly, many won’t.

They will ignore the contribution of the Tuskegee Airmen who are being honored in this film, and complain about unimportant things like: there are no black women in the film; the black man falls in love with a white woman; George Lucas acts like all black movies of the future hang in the balance if we don’t go see Red Tails.

I’ve heard and read all the arguments against it.

But that type small mentality hinders us collectively from seeing the big picture—no pun intended here.

We must shake ourselves out of a pattern of mental victimhood, anger, and sometimes, reverse racism, to really begin to change the world through our collective skills and capabilities as black people.

450 Tuskegee Airmen—150 perished—had to do it, which is why they are being honored today with a film that grossed $19 million on opening weekend.

Their sacrifice, discipline, and undeniable skill earned them the respect of their white countrymen and paved the way for blacks to get greater opportunities in the future.

Years later, their story has put black actors to work in positive roles.

How's that for overcoming?

Let us learn from their examples and be courageous.

Let us all choose to fly high above adversity, rather than being grounded by the ugliness of racism that hinders so many around us from ever soaring to the heights God designed them to.

Will you fly high or remain grounded in your life?

The choice is yours.

Did you see Red Tails? Share your thoughts about the movie by emailing feedback@eewmagazine.com.