Four Corners: Forms of protest

SUBJECTS:  Civics and Citizenship, History

YEARS:  9–10

Imagine the internal conflict for an African American policeman in 1968 New York.

Against a background of race riots stimulated by racial inequality, African American policeman Chief-Inspector Frederick Waithe must convince African Americans to act within the law.

At the same time he sympathises with their grievances.

Things to think about

1. 1.What is 'the rule of law'? Are there ever any circumstances under which it is acceptable to break the law? If so, what are they? Discuss these questions with family and friends. Try to talk to people from a range of ages.
2. 2.What important message is Chief-Inspector Waithe trying to get across to the people who are rioting in the streets? What is Chief-Inspector Waithe's personal dilemma, explained at the end of the interview?
3. 3.How could Frederick Waithe's appointment be seen as reverse racism, and how could this affect his authority? The New York race riots of 1964 began in Harlem following the shooting of a 15-year-old African American boy by a white off-duty police officer. How does knowledge of this fact affect the way you view Frederick Waithe's comments? How might it have influenced the way people accepted what he said?
4. 4.Frustration based on treatment of racial groups has boiled over into violence in Australia. Identify an example of this. Outline the facts leading up to the violence, and briefly describe what happened in the incident, who the main antagonists were and the eventual outcome.

Date of broadcast: 19 Oct 1968

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