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Racism In Do The Right Thing

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Although Do the Right Thing, directed by Spike Lee, was filmed in 1989, it is still relevant today. Even 29 years later, we experience the hardships they went through back then. Lee makes this movie relevant today by showing acts of racism, police brutality, and rioting. Throughout this movie, Lee presents many cases of racism. It all starts with Sal and his sons in their family owned pizzeria. Sal’s son doesn’t like Mookie because he is African American. Furthermore, Mookie’s friends come into Sal’s pizzeria and Radio Raheem questions why there are no African Americans on his “Wall of Fame.” Sal tells Radio Raheem that it is his shop and he can do as he pleases. Radio Raheem gets upset and brings his boom box into the shop blaring “Fight the Power.” After Sal asks multiple times for it to be turned off, he calls the music “jungle music” and refers to them as “niggers.” …show more content…

The fight continued and was brought outside attracting a crowd. The police show up shortly after and attempt to stop the fight that now included Sal’s sons and Radio Raheem’s friends. The police grab Radio Raheem off Sal and put him in a chokehold. When one police officer notices that Radio Raheem is losing his breathe he demands that he let go but he does not resulting in the death of Radio Raheem. Furious, the crowd and friends of Radio Raheem attack the police and firefighters which leads to the crowd getting hosed down and multiple

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