1.
Given the neighborhood that Sal’s pizza parlor
was located and the residents that he was serving do you think that the demands
that “Buginout” made were fair in requesting that pictures of African American
celebrities be put on the walls of the pizzeria? Explain in detail.
I think that it is a fair request that
Buginout wanted to see the population Sal was serving’s portraits displayed on
the walls. However, the way he went about getting his point across was a bit
extreme. “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”
To disrespect someone in their own
establishment is offensive and uncalled for. Yes, I am an African American and
I do support the whole Black power movement and understand Buginout’s message
he was trying to communicate. But, still I feel he did no go about it in the
right manner. I feel that Buginout could’ve potentially made progress had he
not taunted Sal the way he did. The fact that Sal’s pizzeria predominately
serves the African American population he should be grateful and appreciative
of them because after all without the customer there is no business.
2.
Where do you think Sal’s frustration really came
from and why?
I think
Sal’s frustration really stems from the fact that he is trying to maintain
loyalty to his fellow Italians/ Italian Americans which would include sharing
the same toxic bias, prejudice, racist mindset and ideologies as them. Yet,
still maintain in good standing with the Blacks he serves in the community.
This causes Sal to face an internal conflict.
The fact that Sal serves the Black neighborhood and actually
has a bond with its inhabitants can potentially damage the reputation he has
with the Italian community. I believe Sal feels conflicted because as an
Italian immigrant he feels a sense of familiarity in the injustices faced by Blacks
in their struggle for acceptance and equality in society.
Nativism in the early 1900’s played a big role in the
hardships faced by Italian immigrants. Earlier settlers like the Irish although
once in the same predicament showed no remorse for the later Italian settlers.
They felt threatened by the Italian’s arrival, thinking that it would
jeopardize their standing in America by drawing attention to immigrants once
again after they had overcome. Americans were no better seeing them as dirty
and problematic, using them as scapegoats.
Sal’s eldest son Pino is a prime example of the racist
mindset that has a negative influence on him and puts pressure on him. He is
very ignorant and a walking contradiction. A memorable moment in the film was
when he referred to Blacks as niggers and Mookie pulled him aside and asked him
who his favorite artists and sports players were. Every answer was of a person
of African American decent.
Mookie then asked him an important
question “Do you wish you were Black?” Pino responded with laughter. I think
that the problem with him like many other Whites/ Caucasians is that he wants
only things that he finds desirable from African Americans. This would include
style of dress, hairstyles, accomplishments i.e. celebrity status/fame, music,
body features i.e. big butt & hips or full lips etc.
This
can be seen today with celebrities like Kim Kardashian i.e. surgically enhanced
large buttocks, lips,
hips etc. This phenomenon is known as cultural appropriation.
Pino is infatuated with the
“positivity” surrounding or associated with Blacks but not the undesirable
experiences faced i.e. slavery, segregation, police brutality, discrimination,
racial profiling etc.
There was another scene where
Sal and Pino had a talk in which Sal expressed his appreciation for the Bedford
Stuyvesant community he had served for over 25 years. He said he was proud to
know that he watched the kids of the neighborhood grow up on his pizza.
Pino was concerned about what his other Italian friends thought of him,
as he was allegedly the laughing stock of his group of friends because he
worked at a business in a “hood” part of town. However, the problem with Pino
is that he is not able to relate to his father Sal because he did not witness
or go through the hardships that earlier generations of Italian migrants had to
face. Therefore, he is not able to empathize with African Americans because he
cannot make the connection between Blacks and Italians. He finds no similarities.
Pino’s friends’ remarks put pressure on him.
Toward the end of the film when the town
had torched and destroyed Sal’s shop they made their way across the street to
the Korean fruit stand where someone shouted “Your time has come” Referring to
destroying his shop as well. However, the Korean kept shouting “I black, I
black like you, I black too!”
This can be interpreted in different ways.
Some might not be able to comprehend his statement because they may think he’s
referring to his outward appearance being that of a Black person. But, I got a
deeper meaning from this scene.
I think this scene actually symbolizes is
that every group of immigrants have faced a struggle. From Italians like Sal
across the street to Koreans like Sonny. They’ve all experienced the struggle
to belong, the hatred and discrimination expressed toward them.
I feel it represents a class struggle as
well and the division of the lower classes. Yes, it consists of minorities but
Caucasians as well. People of the working class all face the same problems
because they are being forced to abide by the “state’s” (ruling class’) rules.
The fact that this class does not realize their similarities keeps them at a
constant disadvantage because instead of uniting they’re feuding. They don’t realize their suffering is not
caused by other minorities but by the ruling class. They are all being
exploited and oppressed.
There is also significant division and
tension amongst Latinos and Blacks. This is illustrated in the movie in a scene
where Radio Raheem comes onto a block with some Hispanic kids sitting on their
stoop with his stereo boom box blasting his famous Fight the Power tape. The
Latino boys were already listening to a Spanish station on their radio. But,
Raheem proceeded to try to drown out their music with his tape. This started an
uphill battle between the two groups of whose music could be louder. At one
point a Latino kid can be heard making derogatory remarks against Raheem
referring to his as Black and making fun of his appearance.
The fact that there is separation between
Blacks and Latinos leaves no room for progression because after all Latino or
Hispanic is a mere ethnicity where as Black or Caucasian is an actual race. The
African diaspora is widespread throughout the world due to the colonialism by
French, Spanish, British, Portuguese, and English colonizers.
With colonialism came the African slaves
adapting to their masters language but still keeping parts of their own
culture. This resulted in an infusion. Thus the Latino ethnicity was born.
Hispanics derived from Africans and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Latinos
though, fail and refuse to identify with Blacks. However, the ironic part is
that Caucasians will not claim Hispanics as a part of their race. They will be
considered Spanish speaking Blacks.
3.
Do you think that the situation with the police
could have been avoided?
Yes, I certainly believe that this
incident in particular could have been avoided. However, I do feel like sooner
or later an event of a similar nature may have taken place. The police had it
out for minority kids during this time. There was a great amount of hostility
between police and minorities. In the movie there was a scene where the camera
was sort of interviewing people close up. The police had a lot of derogatory
and highly offensive things to say about minorities.
With the Bedford Stuyvesant
neighborhood undergoing gentrification there was a lot of tension between old
residents and the newcomers. There was a scene where a White guy on a bike was
approached by Buginout and others. They had an exchange where they expressed
displeasure in the recent White migrants to the area.
There was another scene where a
White man in an open top car was driving through while the youth were playing
with a Johnny Pump (opened fire hydrant). The man advised them not to wet his
newly bough vehicle however the teens being their mischievous selves wet the
car anyway. They told him he didn’t belong on their side of town. The man then
summoned the police.
Buginout was living up to his name
and doing exactly that Buginout (overreacting, causing a scene). Bringing Radio
Raheem into the equation didn’t help at all either, it just added fuel to the
fire and didn’t help him get his point across. Radio Raheem was a horrible
candidate because he uses his large size for intimidation and fear. His size
provides him with a false sense of superiority and confidence. Radio Raheem
believed he was invincible.
His stereo constantly playing the
same Fight the Power tune over and over speaks volumes (literally). Radio
Raheem represents the fight to gain respect and justice by Blacks.
Buginout’s request seemed
plausible, but you can’t expect to get results when you’re disrespectful.
Saying Blacks should “boycott” Sal’s was a bit much because he did not approach
Sal in a respectful manner to begin with. Sal could not grasp or comprehend his
request because he was angry and when you’re angry you’re irrational and when
you’re in a heated argument one’s only concern is getting THEIR point across.
No one is willing to hear the other one out.
Threatening to shut down his business was
highly confrontational and you can’t expect someone to hear you out if they’re
not in the right frame of mind or mood. Although Sal’s pizzeria serves a
predominately African American population, Sal is still of Italian decent.
Imagine the look on the Chinese restaurant
workers face if you went in and demanded they place Blacks on their walls. It
is not an African American food restaurant it is an Italian one therefore I
would expect Italian to be on their walls because it is their culture.
Buginout going into Sal’s when it was
supposed to be closed was out of line. He had been previously told that he was
banned from the restaurant and entered anyway and harassed Sal. Instead of
having a civilized conversation with Sal he decided to cause a scene and
challenge him in front of customers. Of course Sal will defend his honor by
responding with violence because he is trying to assert his authority and stand
his ground. Sal had nothing to do with the outcome of the police murdering
Radio Raheem.
How was he to know how the police would
handle his situation? He was threatened and trying to protect himself. Had
Buginout been serious about his cause he would have done better planning and
approached Sal in a manner where Sal would actually understand him. He decided
to go about it in a chaotic manner and this is the end result.
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