Twilight : Los Angeles 1992 - Essay Example

His heart and mind are full of empathy and feeling for the blacks, and he cannot help compare the judgments of the Rodney King and Reginald Denny incidents, which shows the wide differences in how the white man and the black man are treated in this society. Anna Deavere Smith’s play ‘Twilight: Los Angeles 1992’ is a welcome reminder of when public discontent can spill over on the streets and demand to be addressed properly in a just and equitable manner. The play focuses on the March 3, 1991 Rodney King beating and its aftermath.

The judgment in this case did not resonate well with the public, and just over one year later on 29 April 1992 there was a reaction for retribution in the shape of a beating by four African-Americans on Reginald Denny, a 33 year old white truck driver. Subsequently dubbed the L.A Four, Damian Williams, Henry Watson, Antoine Miller and Gary Williams were charged with the attack on Reginald Denny. Two additional men, Anthony Brown and Lance Parker were also subsequently charged with the crime making up the L.A. Four +.

The entire incident was recorded by a news channel helicopter operated by a husband and wife team. As the public began taking sides, Paul Parker was appointed as Chairman of the ‘Free the L.A Four + Defense Committee’. This paper analyzes the role he plays and reflects on the qualities that enabled him to occupy the position of Chairman of the Defense Committee in the light of Smith’s play. As Paul Parker is introduced, he is shown as a black man in his twenties, wearing African garb and therefore representing his race or community.

With pencil and lawyer’s paraphernalia in hand, he is seen reminiscing on the events of the Rodney King and Reginald Denny incidents. He recalls that his father was also shot for a petty robbery 11 years ago on the streets, yet no one took interest because it was a