-
Essay / The Embodiment of the Civil Rights Struggle in Do The Right Thing
Spike Lee, Do the Right Thing, is a touching film that provides insight into the ongoing civil rights struggle against racial profiling, police brutality, systematic racism and discrimination. Do the Right Thing is a Grammy and Golden Globe nominated film known for its exceptional and controversial take on different cultures and races within a community. On the hottest day of summer, tension builds as the temperature gradually rises. The heat from summer rays builds up until the intensity becomes unbearable and uncontrollable, leading to violent tendencies and actions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Sal, played by Danny Aiello, is an Italian-American who owns Sal's famous pizzeria; one of two obvious community businesses. Sonny, played by Steve Park, is a Korean-American business owner, known for his fruit and vegetable business. One of Sal's most valuable pizza delivery guys is Spike Lee's infamous character, Mookie; the protagonist of Do the Right Thing. Mookie is a young African-American who works for Sal. Although Mookie is a quiet man who delivers pizzas for a living, Mookie always seems to be in the middle of community gossip. Essie Davis plays Da Mayor, a troubled black man who plays an alcoholic drunk. On the other hand, Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) is an African American who doesn't have much to say. Wandering the streets of Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, Radio Raheem carries a large boombox that endlessly broadcasts Public Enemy's Fight the Power. Although Radio Raheem is a quiet man, his music serves as his voice and figure of speech. Do the Right Thing embodies the ongoing civil rights struggle and movement regarding police brutality, racial profiling, and stereotyping. This film was a foreshadow of events that took place after the release of Do the Right Thing in 1989. Rodney King, an unarmed African American, was beaten to death in 1991 after four police officers stopped Rodney for speeding . A year later, in 1992, a four-day riot broke out in Los Angeles after the four police officers were found not guilty of the murder of Rodney King. Similar to the case of Rodney King, Michael Brown was the victim of racial profiling and police brutality in August 2014. Unarmed and having surrendered, a police officer fatally shot Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. After the murder of Michael Brown, an African American man, protests erupted for justice for Michael and to combat racial profiling and police brutality among people of color. Spike Lee does an incredible job visualizing racial tension through the heat of a summer day. Although it is a controversial and emotional topic, Spike Lee uses the contrast and comparison between racial heat and tension, in order to improve the public's perception of racial profiling and police brutality. As the temperature rises, tension increases among the citizens of this culturally diverse community, until violence breaks out between different races within the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. While Spike Lee does an incredible job of proving the film's historical context and deserved classification, its entertainment classification is far more confusing. If audiences were expecting a fulfilling ending to Do the Right Thing, they were wrong. Traditional films often end with a conclusion, where the audience is given a rewarding ending to a film's storyline. However,.