The Koreans are economically more advantaged than the black in the community, but they are left alone because they too are a minority. Sal and his sons, on the other hand, are constantly in the midst of controversy because they are white Italians making a good living in a predominantly black neighborhood. When they say this it is with animosity. Buggin Out, even though he was raised on Sal s pizza, feels that Sal should show some pride in the neighborhood and the people who eat in his pizzeria. The tension builds because of the fact that Sal is white and he is making money from a black community.
Economic status is a main factor in how much pride people have about themselves.
Powwow Highway feels that if he gives in to the Overdine Corporation they will be taking a part of his pride away because they would be taking his land. Buddy s land is the only physical thing he has to show that he has some sort of economic status. In both cases we see that economic status, or lack of, causes a sense of pride or a sense of animosity among the people of a community. These feelings can lead to people coming together or it can have the total opposite effect. As we see in America, it has lead more to pulling people apart and putting up a wall of separation instead of bringing them together.