Economically Viable

     In the movie, Falling Down, there is one scene in particular that stands out to me. After the main character visits WhammyBurger, he stops by an outside stand to buy a snow globe for his daughter. This scene is rich in both symbolism and context for the message of the entire film. A black man during this particular part is standing on the corner with a sign reading, "Not Economically Viable." The man shouting appears to have just lost his job and is trying to get the attention of those passing by. The man yells that he has worked at the bank that he is standing in front of for seven years and when he tried to receive a loan from them, they told him that he was not economically viable. This is important because a well educated man working at no less a bank should be someone that is definitely  qualified for a loan, but for some reason the place denied him one. The only obvious reason is because he is African-American. This black man is no different from the main character. He had a steady job, educated, and his clothes are mirroring the protagonist, with a white shirt, tie, slacks and dress shoes but for some reason this bank denied him a loan stating that he was not, "economically viable." After about a minute the police show up and tell the man that he cannot be protesting like this, and yet while he is bothering no one and is merely speaking freely they proceed to arrest him. This action showing the blatant and clear racism that both the film and this particular scene are trying to express. Almost as if its trying to express the realities of life. When any person of color or minority tries to express their displeasure with this system and tries to do something about it(protest) the first reaction of the state is to arrest them.

     The black man while being arrested shouts, "This is what happens when you're not economically viable." I feel like this is a moment of clarity for the protagonist in the movie. Almost like he can see his own reflection in the man being arrested. While he may not realize this, it is interesting because that's exactly how life should be. How can one person think of one race as lesser than another? This question being the main point of the scene. That the world at this time, and maybe even today, sees color as a reflection of a person's worth. How a black man can be seen as not economically viable because that is how they were viewed in society. This stereotype as a whole views persons of color as financially unreliable and as a problem to society. It's sickening to think that color was the base of a persons value, with police being the enforcement to this very ideal. This portrayed as the cops immediately arrest a black man for a peaceful protest while they seem to think that its unfathomable how a white man(the main character) can be committing so many heinous crimes.

      The scene is very powerful and expresses a part of the film that needed to be seen. By contrasting the main character with this man it sent a message about the disparities and bias of the government. It shows how one is judged by their color and the oppression that develops from this fact. The scene also portrays how society must change and that nothing good can come from this unbalance of life. 

- Thomas Jacobs