Is this the right thing to do?

Do the Right Thing is a film about idols. In this case, especially those who share the same skin color as the person looking up to them. Sal clearly reveres Italian Americans like Sinatra, Al Pacino, and De Niro. Smiley looks up to Malcolm X and MLK. Mookie seemingly is a fan of Brooklyn Dodgers player Jackie Robinson and the white byciclist who bumps into Buggin’ Out doesn’t mind Larry Bird. This is actually something beautiful. Having a role model or someone to look up to is a good thing. However, here it becomes the trigger for the catastrophe.

Buggin’ Out wants Sal to put up a picture of a successful black person in his restaurant, because he is bothered that only white people are represented. I then asked myself: Does he do the right thing to demand this?

This question can be posed to almost all the characters in this film. Did Sal do the right thing destroying the boombox? Did Radio Raheem do the right thing storming into Sal’s restaurant playing loud music? Did Mookie do the right thing smashing the restaurant window, or or by being an unreliable partner and father? And what actually is the right thing to do?

In my opinion, most of the characters do not do the right thing. They fuel prejudice, hatred, and violence against one another. And yet, the film powerfully allows the viewer to understand the emotions and intentions behind their actions. Concerning the black community largely because of the visible frustration built up by systemic racism. The film shows that throughout the neighborhood, white people own businesses and drive cars while the black community must work for them just to get by. The oppressive atmosphere is further highlighted by the police officers, who are shown looking at the three men against the red wall from their car as if they were about to commit a crime at any moment. Ultimately, the racially motivated murder of Radio Raheem brings everything to a head: Sal and his restaurant become the target of the retaliation.

All of this violence and hatred, coming from all of the groups, makes communal coexistence increasingly difficult.