Random Access Memories

Yes, the bumbling deeply flawed teacher from Spiderman: Homecoming. That Harrington. Why you ask? I’ll tell you.

I’m sure most of you remember this scene:

[Michelle is standing alone with a book.]
Mr. Harrington: Taking it all in, Michelle?
Michelle: Oh, yeah, I just… um, I don’t really want to celebrate something that was built by slaves.
Mr. Harrington: Oh, I’m sure the Washington Monument wasn’t built by-
[Mr. Harrington looks up at the monument. A park ranger wobbles his hand as a confirmation to Michelle’s words. Mr. Harrington purses his lips and walks away.]
Mr. Harrington: Okay. Enjoy your book.
Michelle: Thanks.

While it’s a powerful scene for multiple reasons the thing I find most memorable is that Harrington has nothing more to say. There is no debate, no questions, not even questioning the security guard. He just drops it.

To me this is critical because it means that he is accepting her views regardless of his own, even tho it could be seen as a questionable situation. (Even the guard isn’t certain.) To see this in a movie reminds me how far things have come since I was a kid, and gives me a little more hope for the future.

For those of you curious if the Washington Monument was built by slaves, John Steele Gordon, premiere historian of the Washington Monument, concludes that they were probably used as labor in the construction of the monument.