Martin Luther King Jr. & Malcolm X in Do The Right Thing

Martin Luther King Jr. was someone who advocated for pacifism. He did not believe in physical altercation in order to send a message. One theme throughout Do The Right Thing and also in Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, is the theme of young vs. old, youth vs. the older generation. Martin Luther King is saying that the old ideology of an eye for an eye, equivalent exchange, is outdated. Instead of trying to change the ignorant's thoughts and actions and making real change, most people would rather use violence, which King describes as "impractical and immoral." The second recurring theme that King brings up is this idea of peace vs. violence. As previously stated, MLK did not believe in violence as a way of bringing upon change, and promoted pacifism instead, unlike his counter-part Malcolm X.

Malcolm X was another civil rights activist who had different ideals from Martin Luther King. He believed in using violence when necessary and did not shy away from it. In comparison to Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X's quote represents the theme of white vs. black. Racial tension during Malcolm X and Martin Luther King's time was at an all time high. When he's speaking about the bad people that are holding him and other African Americans' back, he is referring to white people in positions of power. Malcolm X was never a pacifist like Dr. King, however he believed in self defense. This shows another theme well represented in Spike Lee's film, police vs. citizens. Police are given so much power, and at times that power can be misused or mishandled. Many African Americans were being attacked, injured, and in some cases even killed by police officers. If the community of people that Malcolm X is talking to don't stand up for themselves, they are only risking their own lives. Malcolm X refers to using self defense and violence in these situations as "intelligence."