RCG Readings Week 2 PDF

Preview

Summary

RCG Readings Week 2 - homework...

Description

Holy Grail of Basketball Shoes - Todd Boyd The Air Jordans changed the past 23 years. Jordan turned heads when wearing his own shoe apparel instead of the officially issued All-Star Game apparel. Everyone wants to own a pair of Jordans. The shoes represent excellence, greatness, and style. MJ made more money from his shoes/endorsements than actually playing basketball; playing basketball was just an advertisement of him wearing the shoes. Comparison of Air Jordans and Hollywood films: people camped out days ahead of movie premieres to be the first ones into the theaters, just as people camped out in front of sneaker spots. The Air Jordans surpassed the banning of themselves. These shoes represented a younger, urban energy. “Do The Right Thing” = it was such a crime to have perfect white Air Jordans stepped on. Jordan’s success broke barriers. Many inspirations for the shoe. Not just a shoe, but a cultural touchstone. Air Jordans represent a lifestyle.

10 Ways Racism Killed Michael Brown and Eric Garner****** Police ended the lives of them, but white racism actually killed them. It is ridiculous to think racism doesn’t affect the choices police make. Evidence for this claim: In the US the dominant people are white. America is a racist society. A society’s legal system/approach to punishment and incarceration reflect the values/norms of whites (the elite/dominant group). Whites associate black people with crime. This will also affect white people in the future. We need to care and stop this. Racial bias. White racial logic. Implicit racial bias = our country give these views and they come into play subconsciously.

Imus shouldn’t give hip-hop a bad rap - Todd Boyd Imus has been booted because he used words often used in hip-hop culture. There is a double standard between what Imus has said and what comes from the mouths of rappers. Rappers are characters performing a fictional life. Hip-hop lyrics are filled with words and sentences that we normally should never say. As one moves from the general to the specific, the stakes are raised accordingly. Rappers make vague, general comments. Imus made specific comments. People in theater and cinema have also used similar vulgar language like that in hip-hop. We should not use Imus as an excuse to censor hip-hop culture.

The Troubled (Black) History of the Oscars 6 African Americans received Oscars between 1940-2001. Eddie Murphy called out Hollywood. Jesse Jackson.

2002 - Hollywood has been a lot more generous. Before that it was not. Turning point = Three 6 Mafia win the Oscar for Best Song in 2006 - singing about struggles regarding the pimp game. More level playing field for African Americans in Hollywood. Denzel’s role in Training Day = the acting superseded the role. Denzel’s role in Malcolm X = the acting wasn’t up to the level of the role. Do the Right Thing was dissed/omitted. The Academy Awards is very subjective. The Academy Awards is Hollywood’s best fiction.

‘Do the Right Thing’ is so relevant now, 25 years on - Dr RJ Topics from film are still relevant now. The film explores all of the racial tensions from the 1980s in NYC. Many notable characters: Mookie, Mr. Senor Love Daddy, Mother Sister, Da Major, Buggin’ Out, Radio Raheem, Sal, Pino, Vito. The film provides no easy answers/no conclusions. The fight all starts with Buggin’ Out wanting a black face on the Sal’s Wall of Fame but Sal doesn’t want that - both positions are reasonable and unreasonable. Big message of the film = sometimes situations don’t have angels and likeable people involved. Just because the guy that got beat up or killed may have been an asshole, that doesn’t make the underlying social problem disappear and go away. Did anyone grow from what happened or learn a damn thing? Story elements for the film’s conflict comes from the killing of Michael Griffith in 1986. Discrimination that doesn’t make sense - Pino can’t be clear with Mookie. Sal has some Pino in him - said the N word. Koreans aren’t treated well. Mookie throws the trash can through the pizzeria’s glass wall because Radio Raheem was just killed by the police and he is fed up with this treatment. What happened to Mookie and Sal after the end of the film = Sal rebuilt his place in Red Hook. Had trouble with the Mexicans he hired so he reached out to Mookie. Sal finally put African Americans on the wall. Sets/colors used for the sets in neighborhood = unique feel that is both real and yet almost fable-like.

25 Years after Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee Explains Why Racism Still Explodes in America - Jordan Riefe First film that Lee felt comfortable working with the actors. Mookie’s breaking point = throwing garbage can through the window. The ending was a realistic portrayal. Great influx of whites needed to gentrify a neighborhood. The foundation of the USA = genocide against Native Americans and slavery.

Working both sides of the street - Todd Boyd Rather be white and miserable than black and rich - white superiority.

Hip-hop has gained a lot of popularity and respect. Hip-hop has been able to “speak in multiple tongues,” offering something for everyone. Rock has become very successful - he can do and say what he wants. Kanye = middle-class angst. “Walking both sides of the street.” Gets his personal message across using his rap terminology, etc. but also connects to the average person, like the middle class....