12 years a slave - time for rebellion?

I just watched the movie "12 years a slave." As the final credits rolled people sat stunned. It was hard to believe that people could legally and biblically justify such horrific treatment of another human being. The movie is based on the true story of Solomon Northrup who in the 1840's was kidnapped in Washington and sold into slavery in Georgia. This was despite his legally free status, high intellect and incredible ability as a musician.

It made me wonder "how do we know who we really are?" Solomon had to pretend to be someone else, taking on a slave name (Platt), slave talk (pretending to be uneducated) and slave attitudes to the owners (subservient, never looking them in the eye). He changed in order to survive and it made me think that many people live like this today, putting on a false person over the top of their true self. How many of us change around different people, talking different, maybe changing our accent, dumbing down or even using words we don't normally use?

In a celebrity culture full of wannabees projecting an image that's not really who they are, how do we stay true to our self? How do we avoid falling into the trap of imitating a false image, like white Londoners talking in gangster rap? Or like a reality tv show full of people putting on a false personality for the cameras? I once met the winner of Big Brother 2003. Cameron Stout from Orkney is a Christian, he received 1.9 million votes, 500,000 more than runner-up Ray Shah. He won because he was true to him self, no false image.

Despite his strong christian convictions (he said on BB that he believed in no sex before marriage) he won over the British voters. He went on to co-present Teen Commandments with Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman. No-one would have put a bet on Cameron Stout, a christian from Orkney winning, so how did it happen? I think we are drawn to genuine people who are true to their convictions, even if they are not popular. In an age of celebrity gossip, unstable relationships and casual sex, here was a guy who was unashamed of his principles and faith, and people liked it. It was refreshing, counter cultural, a mini-rebellion against what was expected.

Is it time to become rebels with a cause. Is it time for a youth movement that says "I refuse to live as a slave to this celebrity culture." Solomon Northrup returned home and started campaigning against the corruption of treating people like property to be bought and sold. Should we speak out against the toxic influences that surround teens? Solomon had his identity stolen. It took a free man (in the movie the part was played by Brad Pitt) to take a risk, and put the wheels in motion for his freedom to come. A revolution begins with one person willing to resist, is that person you?