Do The Right Thing

 In the film, Do The Right Thing, Radio Raheem did what he wanted to.  He would carry around his boom box and listen to the music he enjoyed.  It was evident that Radio Raheem didn’t care if others didn’t support the music he liked, or if he annoyed others.  He came off as a very strong individual who focused on what he enjoyed and not others.  Radio Raheem’s personality was similar to Bigger’s in Native Son.  Wright talked about one of Bigger’s personalities which was portrayed in the book, which was similar to Radio Raheem’s.  There was a part of Bigger that shut out the rest of people’s opinions and only focused on what he wanted.  “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” (435).  The author here explains the stubborn side of Bigger, in which Radio Raheem also had.  Bigger rebelled and greatly affected other’s lives, especially when he killed Mary and Bessie.  Part of the reason why he rebelled was because he thought blacks shouldn’t live under the poor conditions in which they did.  Radio Raheem portrayed stubborn behavior throughout the movie as well.  For example, when he went into Sal’s Pizzeria he continued to blast his music on his boom box, and it wasn’t until after Sal screamed and fought with him for a couple of minutes when he shut off the music.  Radio Raheem’s stubborn behavior is similar to one of Bigger’s personalities in which Wright was describing for multiple reasons.  One being that they take action based on what they want whether it is supported by the public or not.  Both of these characters demonstrate stubborn behavior, and end up getting involved with violence due to their stubbornness.
            The film had displayed many strong messages, but the major one that stood out to me was in the title, Do The Right Thing.  The whole idea of doing the “right” thing in a given situation was shown multiple times in the film, whether it was Mayor jumping in front of the car and saving the little boys life, or when Mookie threw the garbage can at the window.  During both of these situations in the movie a decision was made, and whether it was a right or wrong decision is questionable.  The situation that was clearly the most questionable one, based off of our class discussion yesterday, was when Mookie threw the garbage can.  There were many things to take into consideration when thinking about Mookie’s actions.  Some could say that what he did was right, or that it was wrong.  However, my thoughts on this situation were more focused on why he threw the garbage can.  Personally I believe Mookie threw the garbage can to stand up for the overall injustice that was going on in their society.  I looked at the bigger picture in his situation and ruled out Mookie rebelling against Sal and his family since throughout the movie he remained loyal to them.  I believe if he really threw the garbage can because he was upset with Sal, then he wouldn’t have gone back to him at the end. 

Document 2: Kings's Mountaintop Speech

The document I read was about King's speech he delivered in Memphis at the Mason Temple Church.  His speech was regarding the previous strike that took place in Memphis.  There was a sanitation workers' union which assembled and went on strike due to the unfair wages they were receiving.  This strike was supposed to be a non-violence strike, but violence broke out.  King's speech focused on the important concepts the people in the strike and the black community as a whole needed to carry out.  He first brought up unity.  Without unity their efforts in ending injustice would fail, he made it very clear that they have to stick together no matter what and their togetherness makes their fight stronger.  A very important point he brought up later in his speech was about the individual's intentions towards justice, when bringing up the story of the Good Samaritan. King said that one should not be solely worried about themselves and how taking time out of their day to go to a strike will affect themself. However, that individual should have the mind set off of just them, but they should be fighting for all blacks as a whole, and not just think about how things only affect themself as an individual.  Throughout King's lesson he was trying to teach in his speech when he brought up the story of the Good Samaritan he was teaching his audience about having empathy towards others, and not just towards ourselves.  He made it clear that during these times of their fight towards justice people cannot be selfish and only worry about themselves.  Ultimately King was telling his audience that the black community is one and that they have to think of themselves as one, and fight for each other’s rights just as much as their own.  It all comes back to that sense of unity which King started his speech off with.  When they are fighting as one they are more powerful, and they will only continue to have that togetherness if they have empathy towards each other. 

Beloved - Memory, Rememory, and the Power of the Past

In chapter 9 we get a look at the old I24 and Sethe's journey when she first arrived to the house.  I24's past is full of good memories and Sethe believes she’s to blame for the end of it, “I24 shut down and put up with the venom of its ghost…Her faith, her love, her imagination and her great big old heart began to collapse twenty-eight days after her daughter –in-law arrived”.  Sethe blames herself for Baby Suggs’ death, and I24 was only what it was with Baby Suggs.  She created and kept the lively environment it had.  So when Sethe looks back she feels regret and she greatly misses the old house.  In the past days Baby Suggs would gather everyone in the clearing by I24 and lead a sermon for the blacks.  This is something that Sethe misses and it is shown when she goes back to the clearing and brings Denver and Beloved with her, “all three set out late one Sunday morning, Sethe leading, the girls trotting behind, not a soul in sight”.  Sethe was trying to show the girls a memory of her past, something that they didn’t experience.  However, when remembering the past something bad happens.  While Sethe is in the clearing with the girls she asks for someone to rub her neck, pretending it was Baby Suggs, and ends up getting strangled.  “‘I saw your face.  You made her choke.’  ‘I didn’t do it.’  ‘You told me you loved her.’  ‘I fixed it, didn’t I?  Didn’t I fix her neck?’  ‘After.  After you choked her neck.’  ‘I kissed her neck.  I didn’t choke it.  The circle of iron choked it.’”  Beloved lies to Denver about choking Sethe and blames it on the “circle of iron”.  This is a sign that coming back to the clearing with Beloved was bad, and maybe the “circle of iron” Beloved talks about is a reference to Sethe’s past of slavery.  When Sethe tried embracing her past she ended up getting choked, which is a sign that she shouldn’t embrace her past.  Or it is a sign that she still has to figure things out in her past, and Beloved is involved with it somehow.  Either way I believe this shows that Sethe’s past is not good and Beloved was involved in some way or another.

Emerson's "Self-Reliance"

When Emerson talks about society he says that were are all similar.  "Every body in society reminds us of somewhat else, or of some other persons".  When he says this he means in a way we are all reflections of each other.  This shows Emerson believes there is conformity in society.  With conformity there is no individualism.  Therefore, people are trying to achieve what the majority wants, rather than what personally suits themselves.  For example, "Society is a joint-stock company, in which the members agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater.  The virtue in most request is conformity".  Society does what is most beneficial for the group as a whole, they do not worry about each other as individuals.  Also in society there is an image that we all try to live up to, and pursue to be, "society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members".  However, any group of society besides the group that we try to live up to is blocked out.  The other groups are irrelevant because the only group that matters is the majority.  We are a conformity and who everyone is, is revolved around the majority. 

9/11 9 years later

Nine years ago on September 11 I was in the second grade.  That morning I was getting ready for school while my dad was watching the morning news.  While I was eating breakfast I was watching the TV and saw the first plane hit the tower.  Immediatley after my dad called my mom into the room to show her what just happened.  While they were both discussing the suprising footage that was just showed on the TV, both of them caught off guard couldn't believe their eyes.  After the second plane hit the tower my dad couldn't believe his eyes.  At this point my brother and I were both glaring at the TV clueless as to what was going on.  My mom then told us both to say a prayer.  When the crisis occurred many people turned to religion, and people still are.

After reading the article about the church in Florida wanting to burn the Muslim holy book on the 9th anniversary of 9/11, it showed me a different way of how people still are turning to religion in rememberance of the crisis.  I believe that the church is using their hatred for terrorists on all Muslims throughout the world.  However, I don't think that this is the right thing.  People shouldn't be stereotyping all Muslims and their religion with terrorists.  By stereotyping the religion as a whole with terrorists it offends the people who do follow the Muslim holy book.  Just because someone follows the Muslim holy book doesn't mean that they were on the terrorist's of 9/11 side.  Overall I don't agree with what the church wants to do. 

The American Crisis

After reading The American Crisis I can tell that Paine is frustrated with things. He does not agree with war, and nothing in the world could make him for war.  For example, "not all the treasure of the world, so far as i believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for i think it murder".  It is also obvious that he disagrees with what Britain is doing to the colonies.  He believes that we should be independent, and shouldn't have to depend on people who treat us as slaves.  He doesn't care if his opinoins differ from the others, for he thinks that the others are all cowards.  "The heart that feels not now, is dead: the blood of his children will curse his cowardice".  If anyone lets someone else treat themselves like the British treat them, he believes that it is their wrong for not sticking up for themselves.  He says, "let them call me rebel", it is obvious that Paine doesn't care about what they think, but he is going to stand up for what is right.  Paine will stick up for what is right by "perseverance and fortitude".  Paine shows that he is a leader and is willing to help the colonies, and make a change for the better.  I agree with his views, and think that sticking up for the colonies against Britain is the right thing to do.