Within All American Boys, authors Reynolds and Keily stress the importance of police brutality that still occurs in the modern day. When sixteen-year old Rashad goes to his local market, Jerry’s, to pick up some chips and a pack of gum before a party, he reaches into his bag to look for his cell phone. As he is bent over, he accidentally trips a white woman, causing a scene in the store. As the lady attempts to apologize, the cop in the store is taking no excuses. The white cop, Paul Galluzzo, assumes that Rashad is stealing, and pre-judges him based on his skin color. As Paul throws punch after punch into Rashad’s body, the scene is caught on camera. And the media explodes. The hashtag #RashadisAbsentAgainToday becomes a form of “rebellion” against Paul. Quinn, a white student at the same high school as Rashad, doesn’t know how to feel about the protest that will occur against Paul and other police officers in the same situation. Paul’s younger brother, Guzzo, is Quinn’s long-time best friend. When Quinn’s father died years before, Paul stepped in as a father-like figure to Quinn and his brother Will. Now, Quinn doesn’t know how to feel: should he stand up for Rashad in the town protest coming up, and disrespect the Galluzzo family? Or should he stay quiet and support the man and his family that raised him? Standing up for what is right and fitting in take a big role in teen’s lives in this day and age.
Because Quinn doesn't know how to feel about the situation, he gets nervous around Paul and in the Galluzzo's home: “... I saw him. Paul. My stomach lurched” (103); Quinn is unsure what to say to Paul. In the typical familiarity of the Galluzzo household, Quinn understandably feels different. For example, “The Galluzzo’s had always been my second home… I felt oddly slow and awkward” (103); Quinn has a sense of uncomfortability in a place he is accustomed to because his relationship with Paul might change, Quinn knows deep down that what Paul did to Rashad was wrong. Even though Quinn knows that going to the protest would be the right thing to do, he also wonders if it's worth it to lose his best friend, Guzzo and his mentor, Paul…
In All American Boys, Reynolds and Kiely alternate between two different points of view: chapters from a white student, Quinn, and chapters from a black student, Rashad. The varying points of view allow you to understand the story from two completely different people. For example, when Rashad gets beat up by Paul, you are able to comprehend reactions from Rashad and Quinn: “‘Calm down? Calm down?...’ ‘Haven’t we been a little too calm? They get to do whatever they want to us, to him-to your son…’”(52); Rashad’s brother, Spoony believes that black people need to take a stand against police brutality, which is an interesting way to see inside Rashad’s life. Quinn, in contrast, is white, yet he still wants to take action against police brutality. Quinn forms his own opinion: “Well guess what? I’m white too… Because racism was alive and real as shit” (292); Quinn has the urge to stand up for the rights of others, even though he is white, to prove that racism is real.
Not only does All American Boys portray two different, yet relatable, points of view, it ties together these two ideas to form a social commentary about police brutality. High school is hard, especially when you know what is right, and you must decide if you want to do what’s easy or what is good. Rashad is struggling with the consequences of the incident at Jerry’s, while Quinn is internally conflicted about standing up or respecting Paul and Guzzo. Both struggle with rushing maturity from the pressure put on them to grow up and stand up. Reynolds and Kiely provide an insightful yet interesting story about today’s society and the teens that live in it, which make All American Boys and outstanding book.