America Has Always Needed Spike Lee

When Do the Right Thing came out in the summer of 1989, I went with my sister into NYC to see it. It was some theater in Manhattan and it was a sold out show. We were wide eyed, white kids from the suburbs and this experience became a seminal film going experience for us. The events of the plot revolve around one very hot day in Brooklyn. About midway through the film, the air conditioning in our theater stopped working. I remember wiping the sweat out of my eyes (or was it tears) many times throughout the viewing. When the film ended and the credits ran, the audience spilled out of the theater into a cool, summer New York evening. Standing under the marquee with a huge smile plastered on his face was Spike Lee. The image of him signing autographs for a bunch of sweaty, excited fans was seared into my memory. Did I think Spike asked for the AC to be cut out so the audience could have a cinéma vérité experience? I think so.

BlacKkKlansman is the first film of Spike Lee’s where the main African American character is a member of law enforcement a.k.a. one of the “good guys.” The black community understands better then anyone that the cops have never been around to help them. Quite the opposite according to history. In his usual unflinching style, Lee takes on this sort of internal racism. Of course a black man can be a cop, but the white establishment doesn’t have to make it easy and they sure as shit don’t approve.

Lee is a filmmaker unafraid to open the masses' eyes Clockwork Orange style with his evocative & controversial films. Maybe this is why many people push back so hard against his work. Or they desperately want to think what is being portrayed is greatly exaggerated. The past several years has shown that’s not the case. As Public Enemy states “These days, you can't see who's in cahoots, cause now the KKK wears three-piece suits.” Fight the power!