One of the biggest issues in New York City is the perpetuation of stereotypes and racial inequality. This topic has always been close to my heart, in all areas of inequality in society, not just based on race. Being Jewish, I have experienced first hand what it is like to be racially or religiously insulted. I grew up on a part of Long Island that was not home to a large Jewish population. So, Jewish jokes went around, like the throw money on the ground and if you pick it up you’re a Jew type of thing. Also I’ve heard plenty of times, “ You’re so cheap, you’re Jewish, “ and it tore at my insides every time. If I’m a target of stereotypes and prejudice myself, it certainly isn’t right for me to go out and racially insult people or perpetuate stereotypes. This is the reason that I am so racially accepting and deeply angered when I hear anybody being treated unequally in any wake of society: race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
The scenes in Spike Lee’s films, Do the Right Thing and The 25th Hour exposed these stereotypes and inequalities. Words were said about the Koreans, the Latinos, the Blacks, the Hispanics, the Chinese, mostly every race you can think of. Those scenes, to me, were like slaps in the face. My immediate reaction was, “Wow, that’s messed up, I don’t want to watch this movie any longer.” After I was able to control myself, I realized how true every word of those scenes was. Spike Lee captured the genuine hostilities, stereotypes, and attitudes of New Yorkers towards other New Yorkers. These stereotypes are never really at the forefront of the lives of everyday New Yorkers, but these scenes shed light on these overlooked feelings and animosities. Not enough people realize that these feelings and inequalities exist and affect major decisions, and some just don’t want to deal with them. The fact is that there existence is undeniable, and those who think that the stereotypes and inequalities that existed from the beginning are gone, are sadly mistaken.
I think Lee’s message is that these stereotypes do exist, that they are wrong, and need to be quelled. Just imagine if you were on the opposite side of all that gut wrenching and heart breaking yelling of the scenes in his two films. How would you feel? We all have something that could be made fun of or criticized in public, so who really has the right to judge other people over stupid minor details? No one does. Whenever I hear something being said on the basis on one of these petty differences, I want to punch the offender in the face. It only proves that the attacker is intolerant and maybe even insecure about his own life. The only thing that stops me from becoming so infuriated and insulting them about some petty detail is that I am a better person, and I don’t need to judge someone to feel good about myself.
The only moments that really stood out to me in Spike Lee’s films were the scenes exposing of the stereotypes. Those moments are also the only times when I can say that I was truly affected throughout the watching of all the films. Those scenes penetrated a moral value inside of me, alerting me to the fact that these things need to change.
