Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys a community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends by defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I think there are plenty of good people in America, but there are also plenty of bad people in America and the bad ones are the ones who seem to have all the power and be in these positions to block things that you and I need. Because this is the situation, you and I have to preserve the right to do what is necessary to bring an end to that situation, and it doesn't mean that I advocate violence, but at the same time I am not against using violence in self-defense. I don't even call it violence when it's self-defense, I call it intelligence.
Malcolm X
These two quotes end the movie, and as Spike Lee said in the published screenplay of Do The Right Thing:
King and Malcolm. Both men died for the love of their people, but had different approaches for realizing freedom. Why not end the film with an appropriate quote from each? In the end, justice will prevail one way or another. There are two ways to that. The way of King or the way of Malcolm.
Just to remind you of the ending:
I wish I could find the final final scene between Mookie and Sal: Sal throwing the crumpled hundred dollar bills at Mookie (who's "like a son" to him), and the final exchange about what they're going to do now. Sam in second period sees this ending as a hopeless one. I disagree. We'll talk about that tomorrow.
Before I ask the usual questions, here is some information that could help with putting the ending and the film itself in context. Please go to the following links. Howard Beach is what the crowd is chanting during the riot, referring to the incident I described at the end of class (not, though, in Bensonhurst, as I said). Eleanor Bumpers and Michael Stewart are name checked by the crowd as well. And as I said a couple days ago, the film was accused of wanting to incite riots. And like you guys, it left much of its audience scratching its collective head. What exactly is Spike Lee saying in this movie? On the other hand, its brilliance is grounded in that exact ambiguity. As Matthew Dessem writes:
Lee does a magnificent job of slowly applying pressure, so that when things turn violent, it's almost a relief, and I think that's part of the reason so many critics were up in arms about the movie. Lee doesn't say anything about institutionalized racism that would have been out of place on the editorial pages of the New York Times, and certainly the events of Do The Right Thing were not beyond the realm of possibility. Lee's crime, it seems to me, was to make a film where a perceptive viewer will identify to a disturbing degree with the anger felt by all of the characters, to understand why Sal smashes Raheem's boombox and why Mookie throws the garbage can. It's an article of faith in American discourse that racism is a solvable problem, an error of perception. It's also an article of faith in American films that racism is an error the characters make, for which the viewers judge them. But as Do The Right Thing forcibly reminds us, everyone has his reasons.
So:
1. Your reaction to today's viewing? In second period, there was a collective "Oh, my God." In fourth period there were a lot of questioning of what happened and why. So what do you think of the movie now that you have finished it? And what moment especially stayed with you and why?
2. If you were asked by someone who hasn't seen the film, "What is it about?," what would you answer? Don't just address this in 2-3-4 sentences, but really think about this and give a response that shows some grappling with the mess this film is.
3. For second period: who is to blame for the riot? And why?
3. For fifth period: why does Mookie throw the trashcan? And do you agree with him? Why?
4. Is this a hopeful ending? Or, as Sam and I'm sure others of you feel, a hopeless ending? And why?
This is the last blog entry of the semester. Make it a good one. See you tomorrow.
