Using Romeo And Juliet

Romeo and Juliet has been remade many times directly and indirectly. We often see the lovers on opposite sides fighting to be with each other. Most of the social structures have not changed much in centuries. As a matter of fact we are in a social dark age. When I first read Romeo and Juliet I was in high school. This was during the crack era and I lived in Marcus Garvey Housing. I was able to relate to Romeo and Juliet because we had groups who would war with each other. In our case it was this housing complex versus that housing complex. Many of my neighbors and friends died during this time. A lot of babies were born addicted to drugs. Almost all of these babies grew up with mental blocks or continued to carry on the violence. Last weekend 24 people were shot in New York City, four of them died. Romeo and Juliet also told me what I was starting to suspect, that adults did not have a clue about how to run a free society where we could love who ever we wanted. Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare's easier plays, but it has a lot to teach  all of us.