I often wonder what it would be like to live in a world where racism, violence, and injustice don’t exist. A world where everyone, no matter the race, can live in harmony without war, bombings, murder, or any other form of prejudice. I firmly cling to the belief that we are all equal beings. Beings who desire to love and be loved, dream and hope about the future, and want to feel safe and wanted. What if racial integration could be the step toward the goal of complete equality? Evidently, in this world that we live in, that cannot yet be accomplished, but plays and texts like 12 Angry Men could be the shift our world needs. Despite being over 50 years old, 12 Angry Men, draws attention to issues such as racism, violence, and a flawed justice system. Being taught these issues and their effects from an early age, as part of the school’s curriculum, may prevent us from making the same mistakes as our ancestors, in the approaching years.
12 Angry Men, set in the 1950s, is a brilliant play written by Reginald Rose, depicting a young Hispanic boy who is on trial for the murder of his father. A diverse, all-white jury must then come to a methodical, unanimous vote to determine the young boy’s imminent verdict. A preliminary vote revealed that most jurors held a strong stigma towards the young boy due to his race and the fact that he grew up in the slums. Issues like racism are all displayed in this educative play and are still very much applicable to today’s society. Donald Trump, the American president, is a visibly guilty candidate of racism, with his offense by, once again, bringing to light the dark, old-fashioned past of racism. Trump didn’t even have to be on the jury for another legal case involving the Central Park 5, in which 5 young, black teenagers were falsely convicted for the rape of a white jogger, to conclude that the defendants were guilty. (include your opinion of this)
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Standing up against these incredibly opinionated topics can be a tough feat and Rose demonstrates this very notion in the play-a lone voice, standing up against a sea of judgment. Juror number 8, a compassionate man who seeks truth and justice, doesn’t vote ‘not guilty’ because he simply thinks that the defendant is necessarily innocent, but because he believes that the group should properly discuss a case with such severe consequences before coming to an undivided vote. He begins to use facts and logic to analyze the case and sway the jury’s decision to provide an accurate conclusion. For example, Juror 8 provides the fact that one of the witnesses would have been unable to hear the boy kill his father due to the train running by the apartment building. One-by-one, the jury begins to see the case from a whole new perspective as juror number 8 enlightens them with the truth.
Today, race still has a large impact on jurors' votes on certain crimes. Although it would be nice to consider that it didn’t influence their decision. I have heard of many instances in which a Hispanic or African American person has been treated differently due to their race and countless people resent the fact that racism can shape and affect one’s life and even determines life or death. All of this is like an ear-piercingly loud airhorn, yet many pretend they can’t hear it. The jurors who believe the defendant is guilty constantly refer to the defendant as 'they' and 'them,' as if the boy's race or social status is a factor in their final vote. Similar to the jurors who give an automatic vote of guilty due to the young boy’s race, today’s society is much the same where people immediately judge depending on their background. That old-fashioned stereotype, still, has not been broken.
Of course, I do think that it is sad and disappointing that a play from more than half a century ago is still significant to issues that occur today. But I am hopeful that future generations will not conform to the cultures and beliefs of past generations and that one day, racism will no longer be a problem that instigates individuals' worry and fear. We want a world where racism does not exist and working towards that by educating students on these issues and their effects, is one of the greatest actions we can take. Our skin color should not determine the way we are treated and the way we treat others. The only thing that should define us is who we are as a person. There is only one race and that’s the human race.
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