[SOCIALIST ACTION AUGUST 1989 15 Baltimore P.O. Box…]
1989 1989-08Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 14 →
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SOCIALIST ACTION AUGUST 1989 15 Baltimore P.O. Box 16005 Baltimore, MD 21218 Boston P.O. Box 1046 GMF Boston, MA 02205 (617) 497-0230 Chicago P.O. Box 578428 Chicago, IL 60657 (312) 327-5752 Cincinnati P.O. Box 21015 Cincinnati, OH 4521 (513) 272-2596 Cleveland P.O. Box 6151 Cleveland, OH 44101 (216) 429-2167 Detrolt P.O. Box 32546 Detroit, MI 48232 Los Angeles P.O. Box 862014 Los Angeles, CA 90086-2014 (213) 250-4608 Minneapolls P.O. Box 14087 Dinkeytown Station Minneapolis, MN 55414 New York P.O. Box 20209 Ca. Finar 693 Columbus Ave. New York, N.Y. 10025 San Francisco 3435 Army St., Suite 308 San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 821-0458 Santa Barbara P.O. Box 90644 Santa Barbara, CA 93190 (805) 962-4011 neighborhood and suggests a boycott of their vegetable shop. A second character says, "We should start our own business and keep our money" in the community. Finally, Sweet Dick Willy says, "Where are you going to get the money?" As he walks off, he adds, "I have nothing against them [the Koreans]."
The film does not provide ready answers to the problem of racism. It does, however, give us a real understanding of the rage and frustrations of these people due to their everyday realities. As bad as the economic conditions are everyone in the film struggles to preserve their dignity, self-respect, and respect from others.
The ugly ending should come as no surprise. A confrontation occurs between Radio Raheem (a Black youth) and Sal (a pizzeria Some movie critics have stated that "Do the Right Thing" advocates violence. They point to the fact that the film ends with a quote from Malcolm X.
Director Spike Lee responds: "That was supposed to be disturbing. Malcolm X isn't advocating violence, but self-defense. There's a difference."
Lee says he was inspired to make the film by the Dec. 20, 1986, Howard Beach incident. In that event, a young Black man, Michael Griffiths, was killed after he was chased by a lynch mob into the path of a car.
Scan page 15
SociAList ActioN
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