Let me begin this by declaring that Do the Right Thing has instantly
become one of my favorite movies and that I felt enveloped by it
within the first five minutes. Spike Lee is a genius and his depiction
of racial tensions in New York is truly remarkable. Do the Right Thing
is a fantastic film that had me on the edge of my seat and constantly
feeling a variety of emotions. I don’t know how to summarize this, so
I will run through characters and then address the ending and wait for
your reply. I will attempt to be as moderate as possible, but as I
assume they were on those Bed-Stuy streets, my emotions are running
high.
Mookie - I quite honestly don’t dislike Mookie. Much like Vito I
perceive him to be a moderate and a sensible guy. I was disheartened
by his throwing a garbage can through Sal’s window, but I understand
his rage and why he did. Rakim’s murder was inexcusable and would have
likely been ignored or forgotten within the police bureaucracy in the
coming months. He’s an absent and unpredictable father/lover, but I
ultimately like Mookie and lament that he’s lost his place of
employment (largely to his own fault). He was lazy and insubordinate,
but young men of all colors are (myself included) and so I sympathize
with him in a lot of ways.
Sal - I’m torn about Sal. I disliked his hitting on Mookie’s sister
(very disrespectful), but I think he’s a good man overall. He’s been a
good business person and not sanely abandoned the neighborhood like
all other white business owners. His customers are loyal but
disrespectful and cheap. Rakim knows the rules as does Buggin’ Out,
but they don’t respect him and they disrespect his business. He
rightfully throws them out and rightfully destroys that asshole’s
radio. They had no right to be on his property violating his rules but
they did anyway and paid for it. Sal had no role in Rakim’s murder
after Rakim violently attacked and nearly killed him. Rakim’s death
was outrageous, but so was the destruction of Sal’s business and the
loss of a beloved community establishment. Now the people have no
place to buy pizza, Sal is gone for good and Buggin’ Out and stand
outside and proudly say another community anchor has been abandoned,
another black man is out of work, and the people are empowered?
Da Mayor - A respectable old man plagued by the disease of alcoholism
(likely). I really liked Da Mayor and thought him to be a genuine old
man with good lessons and life advice. The general mentality of
disrespect towards him bothered me throughout the film.
Buggin’ Out - No words other than that he was a provocative misguided
asshole. His rage shouldn’t have been towards Sal but the police. Fuck
him, he was a fool and a thug. His careless provocative behavior got
Rakim killed but he’ll never know or acknowledge it. He refuses to
accept his own faults because blaming others for the ills is far too
easy compared to genuine self-reflection.
Radio Rakim - Never came off as a bad guy until his interactions with
Sal. The lack of communication clearly worsened the situation. Rakim
was a provocateur as was clear throughout the film, but unlike the
Puerto Ricans, Sal wouldn’t take his shit. Sal smashed that
disrespectful fuckers radio and so he tried to kill Sal. His murder
was outrageous, but the ensuing riot was nearly as outrageous (seeing
as Sal wasn’t even at fault and was simply blamed on account of his
race as many blacks are today). Rakim should have respect for Sal as
all the young should have for the old, but he didn’t and he got his
radio rightfully smashed over it. Fuck him and fuck his attitude, but
his murder was inexcusable.
Sonny - The poor hard working Korean man who invested in the community
is luckily defended by Cee and Coconut Sid who realize he’s a working
man of color who provides a convenient and desperately needed service
to the community. Black ownership of businesses would be nice in
Bed-Stuy, but this man who came here with likely little or nothing has
made one all the while the three sit there and criticized (minus the
hilarious Cee). Lee makes a good point in that if blacks are going to
reclaim their communities then they need to rise up and make their own
fucking businesses, not just bitch and whine like the impractical and
idiotic Buggin’ Out does. Buggin’ Out is right to be angry with the
low quality of his existence and the profound injustices committed by
the police and people in power, but ultimately he’s a bigot not unlike
Pino.
I love Cee, Love Daddy, and Mother Sister. Pino is alright and I
sympathize but dislike Vito. The ending of the film is fantastic and
the quotes ultimately vindicate Sal. Sal isn’t the problem, he’s the
storeowner but he’s also the victim. Rakim isn’t the problem but
ultimately the victim. Enhanced communication and integration is the
answer, but when black folks are burning down businesses and nearly
killing people and the police kill with relative freedom, then how
will we ever have peace? I will write much more on this later because
I am tired now, but it was a great movie. Rakim shouldn’t have been
killed nor should Sal’s business been torched. Injustice is born of
ignorance. All I can say as is true of so many urban black ghettos is
that a white business was destroyed and ultimately black folks paid
the price of their actions and confusion. It’s the government, not the
individuals who are at fault.
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