LT. SCHRANK: [to the Puerto Ricans] What I mean is... CLEAR OUT! That's right, all of you!
Oh, I know. It's a free country and I ain't got the right. But I got a badge. What've you got?
There is no question that the Puerto Ricans in West Side Story have to endure the prejudice of others. And in one scene, we get a hint that Lt. Schrank is even bigoted toward other "immigrant scum," including members of the Jets.
And there's also no question that race has become a hot topic in the United States once again, with uprisings against what appear to be targeted police abuses toward African-Americans and others. The news stories out of Ferguson, New York, Baltimore...the #BlackLivesMatter movement...the recent increase of membership in "alt-right" and other white supremacy groups--all indicate that America still has a race problem, and that in some cases, police officers may well be involved.
What parallels exist between the events in West Side Story and those you are aware of in the recent news? What connections can you make between this fiction and our reality? What lessons, if any, were offered in the film about racism, and how might they inform our choices now?
Oh, I know. It's a free country and I ain't got the right. But I got a badge. What've you got?
There is no question that the Puerto Ricans in West Side Story have to endure the prejudice of others. And in one scene, we get a hint that Lt. Schrank is even bigoted toward other "immigrant scum," including members of the Jets.
And there's also no question that race has become a hot topic in the United States once again, with uprisings against what appear to be targeted police abuses toward African-Americans and others. The news stories out of Ferguson, New York, Baltimore...the #BlackLivesMatter movement...the recent increase of membership in "alt-right" and other white supremacy groups--all indicate that America still has a race problem, and that in some cases, police officers may well be involved.
What parallels exist between the events in West Side Story and those you are aware of in the recent news? What connections can you make between this fiction and our reality? What lessons, if any, were offered in the film about racism, and how might they inform our choices now?