Danny Vinyard was influenced greatly by his brother. Derek Vinyard was basically the write hand man of Cameron Alexander, who was the leader of the D.O.C. Danny probably saw that Derek was in a high position and idolized him so therefore he took steps to someday hold the position Derek held.
2. Derek was greatly influenced by his father. In the movie they showed a flash back with Derek's father and they were sitting around eating dinner. Derek mentions Mr. Sweeney and how he was black and how Mr. Sweeney had 2 PhD's and that he had them reading black literature. Derek's dad says "Oh is it Black History Month". Soon there after his dad goes off and starts talking about how the force hired two black men over a white man who scored higher than them because of Affirmative Action. Then at the end of the scene his fathers said don't give in to Sweeney's trap.
3. Derek's father and his father's beliefs in Affirmative Action socialized Derek in a couple ways. In the dinner scene Derek explains that he is reading black literature in English class. His dad asks if its black history month, then asks if the school was making them read black literature because of Affirmative Blaction. Then he tells Derek because of Affirmative Action the police station hired a black man over a white person who scored higher than the black man. I though with his dad saying that it made it seem that all black people are dumb.
4. Derek's viewpoints changed between what his father tells him and how he responds to the media. In the movie when .
5. Derek had some negative views towards the Rodney King beating. He said that Rodney King desreved to be beat because he was in danger of killing some one on the freeway. Derek also said that it was stupid that all the black people rioted there own neighborhoods; I think he said something along the lines of that it makes the minorities look like savages.
7. Racism is practiced different than on the outside.