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Over the past two weeks I have been revisiting classic Spike Lee Joints. Not only have they taken me back to my child hood/ early teens in a unique way, but they have opened or re-opened my eyes to social situations of the day that still exist.

I saw these movies back in the early to mid 90’s and I thoroughly enjoyed them. But as a young man who had never really experienced the world on my own two

feet some of the concepts did not impact me as much as they do now.

For example Do the Right Thing. This is one of the most well written movies I have ever seen. Every scene had meaning and could be dissected individually. As a whole it illustrates how each race is victimized, hated, loved, and despised in their own ways.

One scene starts off with Spike Lee (Mookie) turning to the camera and spewing hatred for the Italian race, followed by John Turtorro  ( Pino) doing the same about blacks, then a Mexican, an Asian, and a Jewish Police officer all getting their chance to hate on the other.

The story ends sadly. Actually it ends tragically. Relationships severed, a neighborhood in ruins and even a dead man.

As a viewer you wish it would have a neat and tidy ending. But I respect Lee for not doing so. The real world is not neat and tidy and we still have problems perpetrated by stubborn tunnel vision and lack of empathy and cultural understanding.

I wish the entire world would be forced to watch this movie and write an exposition on it. A whole college level course could be based on this one film. If you have not seen it please do.

Just in case no one else did, thank you Mr. Lee!