What Radio Raheem Taught Us….

With the passing of Bill Nunn I am moved to write about his brilliant portrayal of a pivotal character that many of us should know. Radio Raheem! That’s right, if you have seen or heard of Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” then you know just who and where this character comes from. I find myself reminiscing on the opening scene of the movie and the moment Radio Raheem is introduced blasting his radio with the song “Fight the Power”; a song that would become the song of ages defining the place and state of the Black race during the late 1980’s. Oddly, we are still in a place where we continue to fight the powers that be to revolutionize and make a world where equal is for all and color is no longer an issue. The significance of an even greater significant character taught us a lesson on how important it was for us to take a stand and walk a walk that so many talk to foster a sense of pride of what our ancestors tried and died for. I have found this character to be somewhat metaphoric, a towering Black man whose only stand was to be peaceful to the man and use his boombox to educate others of the unfortunate plans to destroy the Black race.

Peace y’all! A two word phrase that softens blows and destroys man’s desire to be in control. In today’s society peace is a universal sediment that is needed to hug the communities where war against the Black man are constant and plight. Radio Raheem knew that acting in violence wouldn’t change the problems that existed within, but dropping knowledge would strengthen the power of change to lift us higher. Speaking peace during a time where chaos is expected and using words to move a community that has been systematically neglected is a little piece of wisdom the Radio Raheem provided us. His actions to some might have been menace, because he chose to constantly blast a song that annoyed others, but it spoke on his constant battle of loving those who spite us. Today, we have many Radio Raheem’s who use their tongue to spread positive colloquialisms that inspire as all.

Being free to express yourself is what makes us unique. The freedom of expression has been more prevalent in today’s society through the peaceful marches and the uprising of Black Self Consciousness due to our current circumstances. Wearing, saying, and acting based off of the morals and issues one stands for is the art that makes us so uniquely different yet the same. There are many Radio Raheem’s who use pen and paper, canvas and paintbrushes, or microphone and lyrics to foster a sense of understanding for a need for change.  It is how we express who and what we are to a world in a freedom of choice to educate all. Radio Raheem used his radio and the lyrics of Public Enemy to encourage his community to fight against something bigger than themselves. He wanted love to overshadow hate that has caused others to discriminate based on the color of our skin and the essence of our stance from the  power within. His freedom to express was silenced and caused us to wake up and impact our communities with knowledge. Spike Lee used an unforgettable character who showed us that value of ‘white’ rule takes president over the value of a black man. His expressive behavior is what some say caused his terror, but it my eyes it is what made us wake up to what stands forever in front of us. The existence of hate and lack of love is what plagues us and destroys the ability for unity to heal a divided state of America.

Do the Right Thing is very similar to what plagues us today. Men dying and the streets crying. Mothers sighing because their kings are dying from hands that deny us the equal right of surviving. Radio Raheem was the first Black man who we witnessed that couldn’t breathe and just like today the scene is oh so real. Spike Lee is a creative producer who used the struggles of our community as the backdrop to spark a revolution. We all could learn something from Radio Raheem and stand on a social platform that moves the nation to be greater. I silence myself for a minute to honor a legend who played a character who lives within each and every one of us. Play on Radio Raheem, may your character live on forever.