Original subtitles

Chinese people helped build the railroads

a long time ago.

Today, Chinese people are famous mostly for Chinese restaurants,

where they cook many fine things like

egg rolls, chop suey and shrimp fried rice.

Chinese people are also very good fighters.

Many people who aren't even Chinese say Bruce Lee is the best fighter

even though he is dead. The end.

That was very good, Wanda. Thank you.

[applause]

We are really learning a lot about all the different kinds of people who make up America.

Zachary, would you like to go next?

The title of my essay is,

"Why White kids should help Black kids?"

White children should help Black ones.

If you look at the statistics,

you will see that the average White 13‐year‐old scores 20 points higher

on the standard reading test than the average Black 13‐year‐olds.

[indistinct chatter]

Other students take the SAT tests.

And the average Black kid scores 95 points lower...

‐What the heck? ‐...on the word part.

And a hundred and five points lower on the math part.

Zachary, where did these numbers come from?

The Educational Testing Service.

The National Center for Education Statistics.

And you think this report is in the spirit of the multicultural awareness day?

Well, I thought we should help.

‐What's he talking about? ‐[Winslow] Settle down, everybody.

Now, you listen to me.

Black people aren't any less smart than White people.

Yes, they are, Ms. Winslow, and I found out why.

‐Oh, you found out why? ‐Mm‐hmm.

Their brains are smaller and they think about sex all the time.

‐I looked it up. ‐[Winslow] All right, Zachary, you're coming with me.

‐[indistinct yelling] ‐All right, everybody, take your seats.

Take your seats and sit down now.

[theme music playing]

[theme music ends]

Smaller brains and obsessed with sex.

‐Where did he pick something like that up? ‐Show me the report.

He's made a mockery of multicultural awareness day.

Here I am trying to make it work, trying to make these

kids see the beauty of the American Mosaic.

Jimmy and I do not tolerate bigotry of any kind in our house.

We teach our children to respect all people.

I have to spend next seven months with these kids, what am I gonna do now?

My God, I can't believe he wrote this.

Well, he's gotta do the paper again if he wants to pass the assignment.

The problem is much worse than that.

I'm afraid I have no recourse,

but to suspend the boy.

What?

That is out and out hate speech.

Anybody who would preach those things is absolutely poisonous

to a good learning environment, especially now.

‐Michael, let me talk to Zack. ‐[Oslo] By all means.

Talk to him. You have to.

But for now, he's suspended.

Well, I... I really don't have the facts so I can't comment.

But... if the son of our temporary mayor and our sheriff

is spewing out Black hatred, we all have to be concerned.

Makes me wonder about the parents.

But again, I can't comment without the facts.

Do you think it will be an issue in the election?

Well, if the people in Rome are

sensitive to racial prejudice,

yes, I'm sure it will be an issue.

But I gotta go now, I got mail to deliver.

This isn't Chicago, you know.

[Jill] Ugh!

[sighs] What do I do?

First, talk to Zack. I'll convene the school committee.

But what about my response? It's already on public access.

You condemn what Zack said.

People can't blame you, you're just his mother.

Yeah, right. I'm just his mother.

[indistinct chatter]

What up, man, what's going on?

Y'all got the cash?

First, you got what we came for?

‐Fifteen each. ‐All right.

Come on, man.

So, what...

Oh, yo, you got the mad toe boots.

Matty, yo, we need to get something like that.

Yeah, right, shorty.

Check out them tips, yo.

Here you go, man. Straight out of Green Bay.

Cool!

Ooh!

[Matthew] Gotta get back to school.

All right, man. Word.

Overall, I'm disappointed.

But we've got a lot of ground to cover.

‐[boy] Oh, man. ‐I don't have to back up and go over old material.

But if I have to, I will.

Now, on a positive note...

the best paper in the class came from

one of our newcomers... Aiesha Campbell.

In fact, she demonstrates such a, uh,

grasp of the information and for subtlety with language.

It might do us all some good if she would read it for us.

Ms. Campbell.

Ms. Goody.

[Jason] Would you please, uh, come up and read your paper for us?

I'd rather not.

One of these days, we're gonna have to break you of that shyness.

But take my word for it, people, she wrote a terrific paper.

Actually, maybe we can figure out a way that you can tutor other Green Bay students.

[boy clears throat]

‐Mr. Steinberg. ‐Malik.

You so unhappy with us, why don't you try teaching us some real world history?

Oh... like what, Malik?

Well, like, how...

Caucasians are the most aggressive race on Earth

because of how they adapted during the last Ice Age in Europe?

That's crap.

Oh, you think so, huh?

And, uh, where did you acquire that piece of analysis, Malik?

A book called The Ice Man Inheritance.

See, I just don't read what you teachers tell me to.

Who wrote that? Farah Khan?

Oh, you know nothing about it.

I read about it before they sent you guys.

They wanna teach that crap in school.

Quiet. Quiet down!

Do yourself a favor, Malik,

spend less time thinking about the Ice Age

and more thinking about how you're going to adapt to an "F" in this class.

Anything you say.

You're the teacher.

You don't wanna do well?

I didn't say that. I said I wanted to look like I don't wanna do well.

Why?

Look, it doesn't really matter, all right?

Why?

[sighs] You wanna be liked, Kimberly?

Well, me, too.

So if you do well in school, you won't be liked?

One day we get the news that some judge wants to send us to, uh...

school in some new town.

Then we hear that...

everyone in this town is doing everything to keep us from coming in.

I mean, they even sent cops with guns to try and stop the buses.

Then we're supposed to try and do well to please them?

Those same teachers who didn't even want us?

We're supposed to work hard to make them feel like good teachers?

It wasn't anything personal against you.

Yeah, well, when a gun is pointed at your head, you take it personal.

So when my friends see me...

trying to succeed in this...

Look, Kimberly, trust me.

I wanna get good grades, okay?

And I'd love to get a scholarship and go to college.

But I gotta ride that bus every day.

The children, they are the main issue in this election.

They're caught in the middle.

I don't disagree and I'm trying, but...

Try harder, endorse me for mayor.

Oh, Carter.

What if Ed Lawson wins? You think about that?

You have an influence, John.

Carter, endorsing you is a waste. You can't win.

I can win!

If I could just get people to allow for it. I can.

Jill Brock tried to block those buses.

Yes, I know that.

So how can you support her?

I can support her as a lesser evil than Ed Lawson.

Are you sure about that?

Ed Lawson, you can see it coming, it's clear what he is about.

Jill Brock, she's perceived as liberal, enlightened. She could be more dangerous.

Jill Brock's influence is at work right now,

go down to the schools, check things out.

Who put these things in your head?

Nobody.

Then where did you get these ideas about Black people?

Well... For us ten‐year‐olds, the bused‐in kids

don't do as well in class as us.

And they're all Black.

Then I looked at the statistics.

But what about everything we taught you?

You know how we feel about prejudice.

You went to jail because of it.

No. Now, that was a little bit more complicated.

Have we ever suggested to you that one race of people is better than another?

No.

Then where did this come from?

All the stuff about the brain size and sex?

Where did you get that?

The encyclopedia.

What?

The Encyclopedia Britannica.

"Mentally, the Negro is inferior to the White.

The growth of the brain is arrested by the premature closing of the cranial sutures."

I never knew that was in there.

"After puberty sexual matters take the first place

in the Negro's life and thoughts." The Encyclopedia Britannica.

The 1911 edition. But we have updated versions

without this information. We must.

Why is this edition in the library at all?

Well, it's actually a classic.

Oh, I don't care about that. It contains harmful information.

‐You should take these books‐‐ ‐Really?

I mean, this is one of our most valuable assets.

It contains racial material.

I know, but...

Well, what about Huck Finn?

The word "nigger" is all over that book.

Mark Twain's books are filled with racist material.

This isn't Mark Twain.

Jill, this is a classic edition.

Museums would kill for this set.

I don't think we should just throw it out.

Get this encyclopedia out of this library.

You know, if I had read that paper today...

I won't even think. I mean...

it was bad enough being smart in an all‐Black school

but if I get good grades here...

[Marcus] Hey, brainiac.

You're gonna find time to start tutoring us ignorant Negroes?

Do you see? Do you see?

You get punished for being smart?

‐Just forget it. ‐[Marcus] Hey, Aeisha.

‐Get your Black ass on the bus where you belong. ‐Come on, babe.

[Malik] You've been hanging out with that White girl all day long, sister.

It still ain't gonna make you White.

Maybe you should get your Black ass on the bus.

‐[boy] Busted. ‐Malik.

Maybe you should just leave her alone.

[boy] Get on the bus, man.

[bus engine whirring]

Pulling us out of class, we're missing important education.

Look, I pulled you out of class because I, uh...

I wanted to apologize about what I said yesterday

at the bus stop...

to you.

I'm District Attorney John Littleton.

Look, what I saw at the bus stop yesterday, it brought out the worst in me.

Okay? I haven't been able to let that go.

I wanna know why you were giving this young woman such a hard time.

I was just joking around with her.

We joke like that.

Well, do you have a problem with her getting good grades?

I got a problem with her thinking she's better than everybody.

Tryna act White.

What's acting White, Marcus? Studying?

See, man, you don't know her.

All you know is them grades.

She's always been like this.

Don't hang out in the neighborhood,

stay at home all the time.

Then Bam... they send us over here,

she start hanging around them White girls.

[Aiesha] Well, I've got Black friends, Marcus.

They just don't spend six hours in a day on a basketball court.

[Littleton] Where did this idea get started that if you do well in school

or if you have White friends that that makes you less Black?

If she makes friends,

if she gets good grades, that helps her.

That might help you, too.

Oh, so if we try and impress these people or this community,

they'll accept us that much quicker, huh?

And that's supposed to be good?

Look, man, this school was designed by White people,

run by White people for White people,

with nothing whatsoever to do with our African reality.

So why should we care if we are accepted here?

What they call it, um... Mainstream.

You've been mainstreamed, Mr. D. A.?

Maybe we don't wanna be mainstream.

Did anybody in this town ever think about that?

Did you ever think about that?

Okay. I got you reinstated but only because that stuff came from an older encyclopedia.

You understand how wrong that information was you put in your report?

‐Yes. ‐Do you understand why?

‐Because I got expelled. ‐No.

No!

It's wrong because it's wrong.

No race of people is superior to another.

What about Iranians?

Hi, John, what are you doing here?

I wondered if I could speak to you for a second. Alone.

Oh, sure. Zack, you remember Mr. Littleton.

Yes.

He's an exception.

[Jill] You wait right here, honey.

Jill, do you have any idea as to situations going on at the high school?

Oh, of course, I do. It's what we were all afraid of.

And how do you plan to address it? Simply with cops on the corridors?

I don't like your tone.

I don't care.

If things do explode, I don't want people running around

bragging about how right they were.

I don't want them putting the trouble off on the Black students

when they should be pointing the fingers at the mayor.

What?

You're not doing anything, Jill.

Well, give me a chance, this just started.

Things could explode any second, what are you doing?

‐I... ‐There should be counseling sessions

‐Yes. ‐You should be recruiting ‐Black faculty.

‐I plan to. ‐When?

[sighs]

Jill, I don't know if I could support you for mayor.

What?

You've been taking a lot of things for granted.

Don't.

Black's are the best race. They dress better, they act better.

Hey, try this one, G...

my cousin Compton hooked me... Oh, yo.

You've got the coolest T‐shirts.

Now, boy, I've got the dopest T‐shirts. Period. You know what I'm saying?

whoa, whoa.

What's up with this, G?

Oh, uh... I got shot

last year.

‐You didn't hear? ‐Word!

Damn, that in the chest, too.

You must have a heart of steel, homie.

Who did it? Who capped you?

A guy in school.

He's in juvenile prison.

Shoot. He popped the cap in your ass,

he should've breathed his last breath, yo.

Check it, if I was your homie back then

I would've had your back, man.

Word, like Warren G and Nate Dogg, straight regulating.

Boo‐yah! That's what I'm talking about.

"Their brains are smaller and they're dominated by sex drive."

This, from one of our fifth‐grade students. Who?

Zachary Brock. The son of our mayor pro tem.

If this is how she parents her child, how can we let her parent this community?

This son of a bitch.

‐I'll kill him. ‐Jill...

Of all the cheap exploitative crap, what the hell is that?

‐It's politics. ‐That's not politics.

And it isn't Carter...

Not the Carter I know.

Ask those Green Bay kids how hard they laughed

when our sheriff's department stared them down with guns.

We have a problem here.

We have a situation.

He can't lead this town.

I like Carter but he can't command respect.

Yeah, but the problem is, Jill Brock can.

What's that supposed to mean?

I mean, she's persuasive. People follow her lead.

I'm not sure I like her lead.

Well...

You can't be for Ed Lawson.

The devil you know is sometimes less dangerous.

You couldn't possibly plug Ed Lawson for mayor.

I don't know.

I don't like Ed Lawson but he is what he is.

He's not hiding anything.

All these White liberals that went down there to stop those buses,

Jill Brock included, they are the ones I feel betrayed by.

John, not Ed Lawson.

...than me.

I'm not just a medical examiner,

I did two years of political science.

I'm your leader.

I am your next mayor.

I only need you.

I don't want trouble.

Then why did you write that report?

I looked it up, I thought it was true.

You said it 'cause you hate us, didn't you?

You don't want us here.

I know karate. Haa!

[kids in unison] Me, too.

I have a big bladder and a magic penis.

I can get all of you.

You gonna pee on us?

First one who takes a step, gets it.

I'm not kidding.

Go ahead. Make my day.

[all] Ewww.

He did what?

You heard me.

It was self‐defense.

I was outnumbered.

Where on Earth

did you get the idea to do anything like that?

It was non‐violent.

[Oslo] First, he gives that report

and now he urinates on the Black students.

I have to at least suspend him.

‐Oh. ‐One week. I'm sorry.

It was self‐defense.

And non‐violent.

Certainly, it's a sad day when any fifth‐grader release himself on another child.

The psychological question I would as is this...

Was it self‐defense?

Or was this a case of a White boy feeling the need

to mark his turf in the face of Black students?

In any event, I would like to know what goes on

in terms of discipline at the Brock household‐‐

Why don't you save your attacks for tonight's debate, Carter?

Or is it easier without me in the room?

Gee, Jill, I can't be guaranteed that you would dignify my attacks at the debate,

I mean, my candidacy is ridiculous, right?

How about a moment alone?

You'll have to excuse me.

How dare you vilify me in public?

Attack my children, humiliate them in front of the...!

Maybe I should've invited you over to my house over a nice quiet drink,

told you that your candidacy is a joke.

‐Would that be less humiliating? ‐What we did was

‐in the spirit of our affection! ‐Affection?

If you call the affection, keep it to yourself!

I'm tired of being the brunt of your ridicule!

I'm tired of you trying to rid this town of "Potato Men"

‐and witches and Blacks! ‐I am not doing that!

You are doing that!

You want a nice tidy little village

where everybody hops around in harmony. Well, that's great.

But I happen to think that people here have been too damn content for too damn long!

What the hell is happening to you, Carter?

I was betrayed by the Picket Fences! That's what happened.

Smiling faces, the compassion on long sleeves

covering up all the narrow‐mindedness!

Carter Pike is adorable as a medical examiner but let him be mayor?

Douglas Wambaugh is right. This town has a silent wasp mafia.

While I'm gonna muck everything up!

As long as the White kids are pissing on the Black ones,

I'm gonna dig up all the goo

and expose Norman Rockwell to be Norman Bates!

You're cracking up.

Well, cracks are good, Jill.

Rome, Wisconsin, needs more cracks.

Cracks are good!

I don't know what's happened. This whole town has gone mad.

Well... everybody's a little on edge.

I probably shouldn't say this 'cause it makes me sound prejudiced.

But this town hasn't been the same since those Black students arrived.

I'm not saying it's their fault.

It's probably ours.

I'm just saying that things have changed.

I think Carter's point is, things...

maybe are coming out that have always been here.

Which is all the more reason that Rome needs to be completely integrated.

The only way to take the schools out of the vice

is to integrate the whole township.

[Jimmy] You mean...

‐your residential plan. ‐Yeah.

You realize you won't get elected on a platform of making the town more Black.

Well, no, I should probably just say no new taxes and universal healthcare.

But after I get elected.

Then I'll mention the residential plan.

[hip‐hop music playing]

Yo, Matt, this box is old

but the batteries in this bad boy is bringin' it to school.

♪ I gotta get drunk Before the day begin ♪

♪ Before my mother Starts bitchin... ♪

‐Excuse me. ‐[music stops]

That's much better.

Yo, Matt, you didn't tell me your sister was so fly, man.

Ooh, and ooh, baby, you've got it going on for real.

Mm‐mm‐mm.

I like to eat that for Thanksgiving.

[chuckles] Who are you?

No, what are you?

My name's T. J.

But you can call me Daddy Longstroke.

Matthew's new homie.

Pick a cheek, sweetness and bite me good.

Oh, you're tryna act Black, right?

It's dope. White people are lame.

[music starts playing]

Hip‐hop is very, uh, exotic here.

MTV and Nike ads are the extent of exposure.

Hip‐hop is very romantic.

What do you mean he talks Black?

He runs around talking like MTV.

T.J. that's his name.

Matthew brought him down by my office, you know.

He's got the little white hair buzz cut.

Rings to his ears, and he talks like that rapper,

what's his name? Ice Coffee.

Ice‐T.

Whatever. I knew it was something with caffeine.

Henry...

we've got White kids wanting to be Black,

teachers teaching the Black children that they are good as White.

And the little kids are running around like T. J.'s

talking flip‐flop so that the grown‐ups can't understand.

Hip‐Hop.

Henry, I'm a little scared

this town feels a little angry.

The kids are tensed and the old people are nervous.

The reason I asked you to dinner...

Ed Lawson as mayor will fan the fire.

Carter can't lead and Jill really doesn't want to.

There's only one man that can step in and be a rudder.

Only man that is made of the stuff

that can see this town through this crisis.

We both know who that man is, Henry.

So I'm asking you for the good of the town.

If I do run for mayor, will you back me?

Doug...

try to receive this with the spirit it's intended.

If you stand up there and announce your candidacy,

I will have you jailed!

‐On what grounds? ‐Whatever I can think of.

This is a serious election.

Our town's future hangs on the result.

Don't you make a mockery of it.

Well, somebody has to talk to the young people, Henry, I can do it.

I'm a character. They‐they'll like me.

You will not run for mayor.

Good. End up with Ed Lawson.

I'm sure he'll make you very happy.

[theme music playing]

[Matthew] Picket Fences will return.

[theme music playing]

[sighs] All right, keep your composure.

Don't let Lawson rattle you, he's gonna try.

I know, I know, I won't.

Jimmy...

do you think I can lead this town?

Oh, absolutely.

Absolutely.

We're gonna leave now to get good seats.

Is it okay if Aeisha spends the night?

It's gonna be a little late to drive her home after the debate.

‐Sure. ‐Kids will be all right alone?

Oh, they'll be fine. T. J.'s still upstairs?

‐Oh, yes. ‐Who is T. J.?

He's Matthew's new friend. He wants to eat Aeisha for Thanksgiving.

Bye.

[hip‐hop song playing]

[music stops]

Yo, what's up with that, pops? That's the bomb right there.

What's going on?

This my boy, T. J.

Well, T. J., would you run along home, I wanna talk to him.

Matthew.

We were gonna watch the debate together on TV.

It's cool, man, I need to get my grub on, anyway.

I'll let you lead, Matt...

What's up?

What were you listening to?

It's T. J.'s tape.

They are talking about shooting cops and you're singing along?

It's hip‐hop.

White boy music is lame.

Where did you get that shirt?

I bought it from one of the bused‐in kids.

Cool, huh?

You think guns are cool?

You think singing songs about murdering policemen are cool?

This is disgraceful. I don't care...

I don't care how popular that music is, it's is disgraceful.

I'm just trying to get along.

With who?

With what?

Now, you take that shirt off, Mr. Cool, I don't wanna ever see that again.

[Littleton] Are you all right?

Carter.

Why won't you speak?

[high pitched voice] It isn't fair, dammit.

Oh, God.

[high pitched voice] I can still be a good mayor.

Carter...

I can't endorse a chipmunk.

What?

[high pitched voice] You're endorsing me?

Yes, I am.

God, come on, let's work on your singing exercises.

♪ And crown thy good With brotherhood ♪

♪ From sea to shining sea ♪

‐This really gonna be good. ‐You don't even know.

Douglas Wambaugh, your moderator.

I won't waste time with the rules because we never stick to them.

Basically, the candidates could ask questions of each other

with 45 seconds to respond.

And I as your moderator,

will ask the first question

which goes to mayoral candidate, Pike.

My question is this, Carter.

Who do you think you're kidding?

I'm glad you asked that. [clears throat]

I'm an organized person. I revolutionized the coded

subsection latitudinal autopsy and published on that.

You work on dead people.

Well, better of with you, a redneck bigot

who champions prejudice like‐‐

Hey, you wanna make me out a bigot for standing up against busing?

Fine, I'll wear the label.

Our schools like ticking bombs right now, right?

And your attitude doesn't help.

Fear is something you can't really control.

Anybody who says you can is a liar.

Behavior you can control, and my behavior...

has not been bigoted.

‐Certainly not illegal like hers. ‐What?

Political opposition is one thing, Jill.

But when you sent troops in, that was just plain vigilante stuff.

‐What would you have done? ‐Obeyed the law.

What does it say to the kids when the mayor decides

to act illegally that leads to chaos? Next...

we'll see our children urinating on each other.

‐You're out of line. ‐What's out of line is

a mayor who not only thinks she's above the law

‐but also above the whole town. ‐What?

The way you stood up here a few weeks ago and wailed about

"Oh, this is the saddest day ever in Rome, voting against busing.

Always us, what kind of awful people are we?"

How dare you try and shame us for being scared?

‐I didn't do that. ‐I got news flash for you, Jill.

White people are afraid of Black people. Let me say that again.

White people are afraid of Black people.

Is it wrong? Of course, it is.

But can't just outlaw fear.

So, let's look at the prejudice in the face

and work like hell to deal with it.

[crowd muttering and agreeing]

‐I'm dealing with it. ‐[Ed] You're not doing anything.

What plan do you have for getting us over our prejudices?

Well, I've come up with a residential zoning plan

which provides for affordable housing for low‐income Blacks.

I beg your pardon?

‐[Jill] It, um... ‐[woman] What kind of plan is that?

The idea is to integrate the adult population as wells as the student.

Wait, wait, wait a second. You have a plan to introduce

a low‐income Black population?

Yes, I‐I developed this with Judge Nance.

It's called dealing with the race problem, Mr. Lawson.

How are going to look these people in the eye and tell them,

you're gonna destroy the value of their homes?

You're gonna overcrowd their schools,

you're gonna fill their streets with unemployed?

I won't do that. Carter, would you?

Carter?

No. I think a town should provide low‐income housing, but...

to devise an incentive for poor people to move to Rome,

we run the risk of turning Rome into a ghetto.

We have to be careful about that.

Tell me something, Jill.

Was this plan part of

the deal for Judge Nance letting you out of jail?

[sighs]

I thought we agreed you wouldn't bring up the residential plan.

I know. I...

When he challenged me on dealing with the problem...

[knock on door]

‐Carter? ‐Hey.

Exit poll shows 44% for Ed Lawson,

28 for me,

‐22 for you, Jill. ‐Oh, wow.

Mention the idea of Black neighbors.

Stupid me.

Jill...

Our differences aside. I don't think either one of us

want to see Ed Lawson in the Mayo's office.

I'm prepared to drop out and pledge my support to you.

We can call a press conference first thing, 7: 00 a. m.,

get it on public access and word will spread.

No.

I am dropping out.

Let me pledge my support to you.

‐What? ‐Oh, Carter...

the only reason that I asked you to withdraw was

because I didn't think that you could win. And, now...

It's clear that I can't win and so our best shot against Ed Lawson is you.

‐Really? ‐Yeah.

Really.

They are all so jumpy.

This is a jumpy town.

Most of the people in this town are good, open‐minded people.

It's just that everybody's so nervous.

‐You know, about... ‐I know.

I know it's harder for you than it is for me.

What about...

what about your parents?

What's the deal?

What do you mean?

I mean...

they were the ones behind the guns. You know...

trying to stop us from coming in.

No, no.

They were just afraid of all the panic.

They're very pro‐integration, they are.

So when you say that...

most of the people in this town are good,

open‐minded people...

Your parents fall into that group?

Yes.

As you can see...

not only is Jill Brock pledging all her support for me,

so is Jimmy Brock,

John Littleton

and Deputy Maxine Stewart, as well as Douglas Wambaugh.

The leaders of this town agree. Carter Pike should be your mayor.

[Ed] Not all the leaders.

Standing with me is Deputy Sheriff Kenny Lacos.

Mr. Henry Novotny's pledged his name to my campaign

also Father Gary Barrett.

This is my press conference.

Yeah, well, Carter, what if you win?

Who's gonna run things here if you get abducted by aliens?

Pay no attention to him.

People of Rome...

this is a defining moment.

Lawson?

You're endorsing him?

Free country.

[Carter] This is a time for change.

I don't see why they don't let us vote? I mean, we're the ones effected.

I'm 18, I did vote for Carter.

[hip‐hop music playing]

Oh, no

Matthew...

‐[music stops] ‐What are you doing here?

Mm‐mm. Yummy.

Shut up. This is the high school.

We're just moving some stuff.

Dude, check this out.

Like what you see?

Tony, beat it

You know what they call guys like you?

I know what your momma calls me.

Whiggers.

‐You're a whigger? ‐Get the hell lost.

So this is who you hanging with now, huh, Aeisha?

Look your butt's getting flat already.

Let's be cool, man. Nobody got at...

What you suppose to be?

As‐salamu alaykum, brother.

‐Please, kid. ‐He's a resident whigger.

‐What you say, pale boy? ‐They should make you move.

Hey, he's a punk‐ass, cuz.

Hey, get off me!

[siren wailing]

‐Is he hurt? ‐He's fine. But he's been arrested.

‐You had your own son arrested? ‐John Littleton over here,

he wants to prosecute, make an example.

And I think he's right.

Douglas Wambaugh for all of them.

I have a special place in my heart, Judge, for juveniles.

[Littleton] Nice try.

I'd like to prosecute them as adults, Your Honor.

Specifically, under sub‐section 3621.

‐Hate crimes. ‐This was a playground fight?

Yes, Your Honor. Race‐related.

[Judge Bone] Sit down, both of you.

You know what the American dream is?

You grow up,

have a family,

a home...

Live in a nice community you care about.

Then as trusted members of that community

you might even get someone for service.

To sit in this jury box

representing society.

Imagine the irony.

That you kids got in this box way ahead of time

wearing handcuffs.

I'd love to look at you and say...

you're not society.

You're just a bunch of hoods.

But I know better.

Complete with all the pinnings of fear,

insecurity, maybe hatred,

you are very much society.

We are all struggling with this busing thing.

More than anything else that's what growth is all about...

struggle...

It's easier to resist it, to say, "No. No, I'm not gonna change.

I'm staying just the way I am.

I'm not gonna grow.

Leave us be."

But there's no courage in "leave us be."

Courage comes with a willingness to accept one another.

So...

how tough are you guys?

How much dare have you got inside?

Kids before you turned to hatred.

Kids after you will do so, too.

Most of your parents will turn to fear!

It's easy.

Sitting down together...

trying to make it work...

that's what's hard.

So...

how tough are you? I wanna know.

You got the guts to accept him?

You strong enough to talk to that guy?

How the hell tough are you guys?

Huh?

Bailiff, take the handcuffs off them.

All charges dismissed.

Go on out there and show us...

what the future holds.

[TV announcer] Polls have just closed and it's still too close to call.

Final tallies are being made and we should announce our winner within the hour.

This whole campaign has been turned on its head recently

by Dr. Jill Brock's recent announcement

‐that she has dropped out of the race... ‐Hi.

Hi.

‐John. ‐Hey, Jimmy.

Sorry to intrude. No, that's all right.

I was wondering if I could talk to your son for a second.

I'm sorry, I won't fight again, I promise.

Well, you're wanna be Snoop Doggy Dogg, Matthew?

Actually, I wanna talk to Zack for a second.

I read your book report, Zack.

Zachary, do you think that I'm less smart than a White lawyer?

I don't know.

I'd understand if you did.

When I was in law school, a lot of my White classmates thought I was only there

because of a special favor.

Affirmative action?

Yeah. Yeah.

Now I'm gonna tell you something else

and this is something I haven't told anybody else in Rome.

So let's just keep this between you and me, okay?

‐Okay. ‐Okay.

Um...

When I was your age...

I lived in an all‐Black neighborhood in Chicago.

And some of the kids there, they made fun of me because I'm dark skinned.

‐Other Black kids picked on you? ‐Other Black kids...

because I'm darker.

See, that's one of the evil things about racism.

Even Black people can believe it sometimes.

You know about slavery?

I saw Roots.

Well, um...

Slavery has a lot to do with it.

And today...

some Black people still have to deal with these feelings

that they're not as good.

And some Black kids even...

if they don't realize they believe it...

they believe it.

And it holds them back.

Maybe that helps to explain why they don't get as good grades.

Score lower on the SATs.

I'm sorry.

I know you are.

We all are.

What'd you say to him?

Oh... stuff.

You know, nothing he probably hasn't heard before.

Maybe.

[TV announcer] ...and this just in.

Results are now in. It is now official

in one of the closest races ever.

Eleven thousand eight hundred and seventy‐three votes

to eleven thousand eight hundred and sixty‐one.

A twelve‐vote margin.

The new mayor of Rome Wisconsin is...

Edward Lawson by twelve votes.

It was an unusually large turnout,

and an exceptionally tight margin.

We are now going to switch you to Ed Lawson's victory celebration

at O'Cali's Pub.

‐[bottle pops] ‐[Ed] Obviously, I'm very thrilled.

Now I have to just do the job.

This is a new beginning for Rome, Wisconsin.

Monday I take office.

And when I show up, I promise I show up.

The people of Rome have spoken.

And I have an obligation to them.

They've called for a new order.

And I've heard them loud and clear.

Rome, Wisconsin is about to change!

[cheering]

[theme music playing]

[theme music ends]