English 1101
29 January, 2018
Professor Young
What is the 'right' thing to do?
What is the "right" thing to do? The script of the movie Do the Right Thing, provides the audience with scenes and examples that makes the reader question whether or not the characters did the "right" thing or not. It makes us question if the characters reacted the "right" way, when their respect, "rights", and equality were in jeopardy. If they reacted the "right" way when the build up tension between different racial groups, between cops and civilians, and between poor and wealthy exploded? If responding with violence was the right thing to do? According to Martin Luther King, Jr
"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 then win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends by destroying itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyer."We can observe how true MLK., Jr' words are; for example, when Clifton accidentally steps on Buggin' Out's sneaker, and Clifton fails to apologize for his mistake. Clifton was wrong to not apologize to Buggin' Out from the beginning, but Buggin' Out's reaction and way of seeking an apology and respect from Clifton was also not right. Buggin' Out started cursing, threatening to beat up Clifton, and humiliating him in front of the crowd that had gathered, instead of coming to an understanding by talking. Buggin' Out might had obtained a little of his respect back by using hostility, threats, and some violence this time, but using violence won't work all the time; violence will end in destruction for all as MLK., Jr' s state. and this is exactly what happens at the end of that hot summer day. It ends in destruction and death. In the of death of Radio Raheem by the force of the police. It ends in the destruction and burning of Sal's pizzeria; in firefighters turning their hoes from the burning pizzeria to the angry mob who refused to disperse. It all started with violence and tension that burst and destroyed everyone and everything.
This is what I can interpret from the scrip that violence is not the right thing to do.
