DTRT vs HBWB

Similarities/Differences between Do The Right Thing and "How Bigger Was Born."

Bigger number one and Buggin' Out share similarities. " His life was a continuous challenge to others. At all times he took his way, right or wrong, and those who contradicted him had to fight him...His swaggering personality is swallowed up somewhere in the amnesia...But i suspect that his end was violent," (p.435). Buggin' Out had a strong personality. Throughout the whole movie he was trying to organize a revolt against Sal's pizza place and over all just looking for trouble. buggin' Out insisted Sal put up pictures of Black men and women up on the hall of fame because he felt Sal was being racist by doing so. Buggin' Out did not accept this and paraded around all day stirring up bad feelings for Sal's place because Sal would not succumb to what Buggin' Out wanted. I noticed almost a direct phrase that both "How Bigger Was Born" and Do the Right Thing had, "maybe it was because I longed to secretly be black like him and was afraid. I don't know," (p.435). During Mookie’s  talk with Pino, Mookie says to Pino something along the lines of this. Mookie says this to Pino because all of Pino's favorite movie stars, actors, and singers were Negroes. Mookie points this out to Pino because Mookie sees that Pino does not think of Negro people the same as he does white people. this was a defining moment for Pino as a character in this movie. Wright also said Bigger number three was shot in through the back by a police officer; paralleling to how Radio Raheemdies. In Do the Right Thing, there is some sort of explanation of why the Negroes that lived on that block revolted against Sal's pizza place, but there is no explanation for why Bigger Thomas chose to revolt and murder Marry Dalton. "but why did Bigger revolt? No explanation based upon hard and fast rule of conduct can be given". But the revolts in both "How Bigger Was Born" and Do the Right Thing come down to "trying to react to and answer the call of dominant civilization whose glitter came from newspapers, magazines, radios, movies, and the mere imposing sight and sound of the daily American life," (p.439). In both worlds, the Negro community/Bigger took out their anger on the white population of America as a whole instead of focusing on aiming their violence to specific people of groups.

What are your personal (emotional, critical) responses?

I super confused on why Mookie through the garbage can into the window of Sal's pizza place. I guess I'm debating between these two options: 1. Mookie was pissed that Radio Raheem was killed by the police officer because Radio Raheem was his friend. or 2. Mookie was trying to save Sal, Pino, and Vito from getting beaten up and possibly killed from the mob that had begun to form.

Reasons for #1- I think he might have been pissed off at Sal because he might have thought Radio Raheem's death was his fault because Sal smashed the radio, causing the huge fight that spilled out into the street, leading to the police involvement, therefore killing Radio Raheem. Also, at first when Sal, Pino, and Vito were all standing outside in front of the pizza place, Mookie had been standing with them, but then as the mob began to form he walked away from them and stood with the rest of the Negro citizens of that block; then proceeding to throw the garbage can.

Reasons for #2- Mookie had seen the mob begin to form and saw that they started to corner and close in on the three white guys and saw that he needed a distraction. He must have seen and felt the anger the whole block felt at the police and probably figured since Pino, Vito, and Sal were all white like the officers, the mob would just target them as a default. By throwing the garbage can at the store, it took the attention off the men and focused on destroying the store rather than the people. I would like to believe this reason more because it is a more positive motive. Mookie had just been told that Sal thought of him as a son, so maybe he felt the instincts to protect Sal, Pino, and Vito.

 

DEMANDS

         The Coordinating Council of Community Organizations (CCCO) was formed in 1962 to protest the segregationist policies of Chicago school superintendent, Benjamin Willis. CCCO reached out to the Chicago Freedom Movement, the SCLC, in an effort to bring new energy and ideas into the organization. Operation Breadbasket was designed to improve economic opportunities for blacks. Other operations were created to deal with school reform, welfare programs, and equal housing opportunities.

          Dr. King lead a march from Soldier Field to City Hall where he posted a list of many demands for the Mayor of Chicago and for other city institutions to follow. The list consisted of demands mainly based off of discriminating practices that the black community insisted were against their political rights as American citizens. Some of the demands were the removal of contracts with firms that do not have a full scale fair employment practice, "A saturation program of increased garbage collection, street cleaning, and building inspection services in the slum properties," the right to own their own property where they choose and to stop having to pay rent, and to integrate all departments of the Chicago Housing Authority and the Chicago Dwelling Association and  all levels of employment.

Questions

How can economic policies (such as discriminatory lending and housing practices) divide a community?

Lending and housing practices will have a huge impact on a city because it makes a physical boundary of where people can and cannot live. Because Chicago limited the Black community to one housing area, they essentially created the physical segregation of the whole city; making the emotional segregation even more prominent. The city literally drew a line where black people and white people lives... separately. The city made it impossible for the two races to integrate because there were specified places where only black people lived and only white people were allowed to live.

How can such practices legitimize the exploitation of one group by another?

Because these two groups were so segregated, people of the opposite race rarely ever entered into the other's "territory"; thus brewing stereotypes and beefs between the two races. If a person of the opposite race went into the other one's town, they would stick out like a sore thumb. It would be even easier to make Black Americans feel as if they were not good enough to live in the white neighborhoods and just emphasize the segregation between the races and separation in the city. 

A Self-Relying Society

I don't necessarily think a person has to define themselves in society; but I think it is an unspoken goal for everyone to define themselves... to have a purpose in life. There are different ways a person can define themselves in society. a way that most people do is following along with whatever is popular at the time. most people change themselves because they think that's how they will make their mark on society, by following in other peoples' footsteps and faking their way through life. But for the people who are true to who they are, they make a place for themselves in society. And they do this through self-reliance. "Society everywhere is in a conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members... The virtue in most request in conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. it loves not realities and creators, but names and customs." (p.21). Emerson suggests that society is something to conform to. It is place filled with already set rules, stereotypes, and ways how people act, talk, say, and do. Emerson states the PROPER way to define oneself in society is to be an individual; to stray away from that conformity of society and to be different. There are so many unique and hidden qualities that people shove down into darkness. the way to define yourself is to show these qualities... and not only to yourself, family, or friends, but to anyone whom you might meet or talk to.

To be defined in society requires courage and confidence. "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men-is genius. Speak latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense;..." (p.19). It is important to believe in what you think, and to believe what you think applies for all people; the thought was not only meant to be true for yourself, but for everyone. If we as a people act in according to this, it distinguishes how you see society and how society will perceive you.   

Burning of the Quran's

When history was made on 9/11, I was in second grade and at school. I vividly remember sitting in one classroom at Kipling elementary School with our whole grade cross legged and whispering. We had absolutely no idea what was going on. Some kids didn't really care and just thought of it as an excuse to not learn anything, but i was concerned about how the teachers were all acting. They kept insisting that there was nothing to worry about, but the looks on their faces said different. I remember coming home from school to find my grandma and mom sitting in front of the TV and crying over something. I was so concerned and confused regarding why they were so upset. They explained what had happened to me so i could remotely understand. Looking back on it now, they really did a great job sugar coating this tragic event.

Personally, I don't really think it is that big of a deal that they are considering building a mosque at ground zero. I understand there is history here, but its a bout time they make it into something useful. When I visited new york, I saw ground zero. all it was a massive mound of dirt and dust. Its a sad place. I think it would be nice to out something beautiful there in its place. There is no reason to forget was happened, but there is no harm in moving forward.

"Opponents of the New York City mosque argue it is insensitive to families and memories of Sept. 11 victims to build a mosque so close to where Islamic extremists flew planes into the World Trade Center and killed nearly 2,800 people." I do understand how people would be against putting a mosque of all things in place of that, but there is no reason to act out in violence. it is one thing to disagree and maybe even protest and let your opinions be heard, but to take matters into your own hands and act out in violence that has the potential of hurting hundreds of thousands of people is most definitely extreme in my book. I think it is very wrong to destroy a book let alone one of the holiest books people cherish on this earth. Muslims consider the book the sacred word of God and insist it be treated with the utmost respect.

Also, this whole business of "he said, she said, maybe I won't, oh but I will" stuff that Jones is pulling is a bit first grade don't you think? Talk about being immature. "This disgraceful act contradicts the very duties of religious and spiritual leadership to enhance the value of peaceful coexistence and safeguard the rights and mutual respect among religions," al-Sistani.This guy clearly just wants to get attention and he is pissed because he isn't getting his way and  people are not rolling over backwards to make him happy. It is the definition of a selfish person to burn another's holy book and hurt innocent people of a prominent religion just because they don't like what is going on. Cleric Rusli Hasbi told 1,000 worshippers attending prayers this morning in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, that whether or not he burns the Quran, Jones had already "hurt the heart of the Muslim world."

An inspiring quote i found in my article: "They can go on burning the Quran," he said, "It's not going to destroy Islam." Its important for people, especially a huge group that practices Islam, to persevere through tough times such as this that threaten their own religion and the world community.

The guys that signed the Declaration of Independence

A question that is typically thought about but never asked is "what did happen to the guys that signed the Declaration of Independence?" I know personally i have never even thought about any of the other people who signed it other than Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and John Hancock because of his massive signature. We focus on the Declaration itself and what it did for this country, but not about the people who made it all happen. i think these men should be acknowledged because they sacrificed their whole livelihood and happiness for the livelihood and happiness for their country. By signing the Declaration of Independence, all 56 men also sealed and signed their fate and death warrants. "All in all, five of the 56 men were captured by the British, and tortured Twelve has their homes ransacked, looted, confiscated by the enemy, or burned to the ground. 17 lost their fortunes...They paid the their price and freedom was born," (p.57). Bold Men in Ruffled shirts talked about these men. They were not gods, they weer human which makes it all the more extraordinaire. "the miracle was that imperfect mortals could rise to such an occasion... that so few could, in the end, accomplish so much for all humankind," (p.59)

American Crisis

Thomas Paine is considered one of the world's greatest political propagandists. In this peice of his writing, he talks a lot about how people should have faith in the powers of God. He expresses his anger with the British government and the tyranny they have placed over thier own people and the colonists who currently live in America. "Britain has declared that she has the right (to not only tax) but 'to bind us in all clases whatsoever,' and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there no such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited a power can belong only to God..." (p.51). Paine procedes on explaining how he has faith in God and that he "will not give up a people in military destruction or leave them behind to unsuportedly perish," (p.52). I do commend Paine for his optimism on the whole situation. "I thank God that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear," (p.52). I think it is really important for people to have a possitive outlook on situations and on life in general. In my eyes, this leads to a happier life style and more successes than defeats.