‘20/20’ Exposes Indifference To Racism
You don’t need television to remind you that racism still thrives in America.
Yet Connie Chung’s report on tonight’s “20/20” (ABC at 10) is shocking evidence that hate crimes can be ignored by racist law-enforcement officials.
Chung tells the story of Roy Smith, a black man who lived in a rustic mountain cabin in Giplin County, Colo., about an hour outside Denver. Starting in 1989, he was the target of a series of what he says were unprovoked attacks by neighbors and townspeople.
His cabin was vandalized, he was beaten, dynamite was thrown at him, and acid was tossed on his clothes.
In 1992, he says, a group of men broke in, strung him naked from the ceiling and threatened to castrate him.
Chung shows how in each case, despite being given specific leads, the sheriff’s department took little, if any, action, often closing the cases because of what the sheriff said was a lack of evidence.
Smith fought back. With the help of Denver lawyers he filed a federal suit against a neighbor and the sheriff’s department for racial discrimination, harassment and the violation of his right to equal protection under the law.
It is a story of extraordinary courage and considerable shame. You may be stunned when you hear how the law treated the people who caused him to live in fear.
Highlights
“Basketball,” CBS at 4:30: Isn’t it amazing how CBS’ February Olympic Winter Games of discontent dissolve into March Madness? Those who complain that CBS blows Olympic coverage by spending too much time on athlete profiles and other fluff instead of concentrating on the competition can point to the NCAA tournament as proof.
Another exciting night of college hoops features a regional semifinal double-header - and a minimum of chat.
“Players,” NBC at 8: Ice, Alphonse and Charlie (Ice-T, Costas Mandylor, Frank John Hughes) have hours to find the kidnapped son of a mob boss (Bruce Kirby).
“Boy Meets World,” ABC at 8:30: Eric (Will Friedle) gets a job on a sitcom where the characters look like those on “Boy Meets World” but act very differently.
“Dateline NBC,” NBC at 9: An hourlong documentary revisits members of a Marine fighting unit who blame faulty M-16 automatic rifles for turning an ambush into a two-week 1967 battle.
“Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” ABC at 9: Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart) buys a talking car (voice courtesy of Buddy Hackett) from the Other Realm that turns out to be a colossal headache. Meanwhile, her aunts have trouble with the Other Realm Revenue Service.
“Hiller and Diller,” ABC at 9:30: Ted (Kevin Nealon), normally the model father, finds he can’t do anything that pleases his teen daughter Lizzie (Faryn Einhorn) on the occasion of her first boy-girl birthday party.
“Homicide: Life on the Street,” NBC at 10: Alfre Woodard appears as the character she played on “St. Elsewhere” when Bayliss and Pembleton (Kyle Secor, Andre Braugher) investigate what appears to be the natural death of a terminally ill man. But there are some inconsistencies.
Cable Calls
“Commandments” (1997) MAX at 8: It’s hard to describe this comedy-drama about a man (Aidan Quinn) who strikes back at God by setting out to break all of the Ten Commandments. But when he commits adultery with his best friend’s wife, he unexpectedly falls in love. Courteney Cox (“Friends”) and Anthony LaPaglia also star.
“Edward Scissorhands” (1990), TBS at 5:35: Johnny Depp’s touching performance powers this Tim Burton film about a young man with pruning-shear hands who is taken in by a kind saleswoman (Dianne Wiest).
It’s a dreamy combination of fable and satire that works quite well. Winona Ryder co-stars.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Actor John Travolta, Lacey Chabert (“Party of Five”) and singer Jimmy Ray.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35 p.m.: Don Johnson (“Nash Bridges”), figure skater Michelle Kwan and music group No Doubt. Repeat.
“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” ABC at 12:05 a.m.: Henry Rollins.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Al Franken (“Lateline”).