Lee spoke for many African Americans of the time when he **voiced frustration at the "racial animus" that **pervaded the city during Koch's years. New York City seemed to have many ongoing racial disputes that Lee hoped to address in the film, presenting a deeper reality not only for New York, but also on a national level. .
Essentially, Lee hoped to investigate the polarities of the inner city. Love and hate, black and white, violence and conciliation, man and woman, but positions them entirely against each other. Although the film deals with a great amount of hatred, he counters it with tolerance and love. Even the melodic tones of jazz serve as a polar opposite to the rap statement of Public Enemy's, "Fight the Power". Lee ultimately communicated the racial climate of the time in what took place as only one day in the film. In addition, Lee adds, "The 1980's and early 1990's were definitely a low point for African Americans a time when white politicians and voters had turned their backs on African Americans and their concerns and struggles". His outspokenness and inconsistent filmography bristled against many social injustices (Cinema). Evidently, this film was sought out to bring the underlying truth and reality of the time that many were oblivious to recognize.
Upon its release, "Do the Right Thing" was received in variety of ways. The director explains his hopes for the reception; "I wanted people to be sweating from watching this film, even though they might be seeing it in air conditioning" (Lee 1). This was true, in fact, for many that viewed the film. A number of reviews felt that the film would trigger African Americans to riot after seeing it, and how African Americans were not intelligent enough to make the clear distinction between what plays on the screen and what occurs in real life, causing them to leave the theater and embark on a violent rampage within the streets (Lee 1).
