We're the most violent nation on earth. There's no getting away from that. But you've got to look at it on a broader level. Spike Lee More Quotes by Spike Lee More Quotes From Spike Lee I've never seen black men with fine white women. They be ugly. Mugly dogs. Spike Lee dog white men Since the days of slavery, if you were a good singer or dancer, it was your job to perform for the master after dinner. Spike Lee dancer slavery jobs I'm very careful about how I portray violence in my films. I do believe that violence, especially violent video games, are not a good thing for young kids. Spike Lee games believe kids The truth is I've been doing Kickstarter before there was Kickstarter; there was no Internet. Social Media was writing letters, making phone calls, beating the bushes. Spike Lee phones media writing What's the difference between Hollywood characters and my characters? Mine are real. Spike Lee differences real character A lot of times, we censor ourselves before the censor even gets there. Spike Lee positive My grandmother lived to be 100 years old. Her grandmother was a slave, yet she was a college graduate in the Spellman class of 1917. She taught art for 50 years and she saved her Social Security checks for her children's education. Spike Lee grandmother children art I'll be vilified if I shoot a film in Toronto for New York. And rightfully so! Spike Lee toronto film new-york I'm trying to keep up with what's happening in this turbulent world. Spike Lee trying world I live in New York City, the stories of my films take place in New York; I'm a New York filmmaker. Spike Lee cities new-york stories As a writer I want everybody to get a chance to voice their opinions. If each character thinks that they're telling the truth, then it's valid. Then at the end of the film, I leave it up to the audience to decide who did the right thing. Spike Lee voice character thinking We’ve gone through the names—Negro, African American, African, Black. For me that’s an indication of a people still trying to find their identity. Who determines what is black? Spike Lee black-history names people Surprises are good. I'm not of the thinking where you tell the audience everything. Sometimes I don't even want to see the trailers. You see the trailer, you've seen the movie. Spike Lee want sometimes thinking I'm not the go-to guy. Everybody is trying to tell their story and have different ways of telling it. Spike Lee guy different trying People of color have a constant frustration of not being represented, or being misrepresented, and these images go around the world. Spike Lee frustration color people There’s always been this hocus-pocus or magical, mystical thing associated with the making of film that sort of psyches people out and makes them think that this cannot be done; that this is a craft that cannot be learned. Spike Lee psych people thinking I think the best actors in the world are here in New York City. And this city is just so vibrant the energy is just phenomenal. Great crews here. All the technicians, all the artists that work in this industry. I've just been very happy with the body that we've been able to do, especially those films we shot here in New York City. Spike Lee artist new-york thinking I really don't deal with hypotheticals. Spike Lee deals I am a hybrid. I do independent films and also do Hollywood films - I love them both. Spike Lee hybrid hollywood-films independent And one thing Hollywood does well is sequels. Spike Lee wells hollywood doe