Most recent public comments by Paige Curtis https://nowcomment.com/users/1441 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11310?scroll_to=93038 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11310?scroll_to=93038 Lisette ends up being the success in her family, surviving her mother and brother, and ending with a decent life built for herself. Early in the article Jonathan Kozol notes that when they lived in Prince George, Lisette (7 years old) seemed far less affected than her brother who was four years her senior at the time. Even Vicky contemplated whether or not Eric had been through too much as a child when they were homeless to be able to function normally, or rebuild himself once they moved to Montana. Lisette and Eric had two drastically different ends. This leaves me wondering to what degree their four year age difference, and subsequent different degrees of exposure to extreme poverty, changed the way that they were able to function as normal adults. We have several examples of different children at different stages in The Wire. The relationship that could (potentially) most closely mirror Eric and Lisette is Michael and Bug. Michael’s age, and therefore social environment, essentially requires him to participate in the drug game. Bug, much younger however, is only shown preoccupied with snacks and homework--- not the social pressures his older brother faces. Does this mean Bug has a significantly better shot at living a normal life? On the other hand, there is Kenard, similar in age to Bug, but already wrapped up in the game. Are these kids afforded a significantly higher chance the earlier they are removed from a ghetto? It seems that Lisette has successfully broken the extreme poverty cycle in her family, and can give a good life to her children because she has the appropriate means. Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:29:03 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11235?scroll_to=92445 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11235?scroll_to=92445 Brian, this reminds me of an article that I was reading about real efforts to clean up East Baltimore by their neighbors at Johns Hopkins. There is a cultural divide between people in the projects of East Baltimore and academia. A dean moved his family to an abandoned rowhouse in the area to better understand the community they were living in. The article explains that they got a knock on the door late at night, and immediately dead bolted the door because they thought it would be an intruder. After looking through the peephole, he realized it was just a neighbor returning his keys. While not to the extent of a defensive death, I think there is a certain amount of preconditioned fear that exists in any neighborhood. These fears on The Wire are heightened in poor neighborhoods, but this goes to show as Remy points out that no demographic is immune to "the game" or the stigma surrounding it. Chances are that even doorbells ringing late at night in an affluent neighborhood will make a homeowner uncomfortable. Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:24:19 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11235?scroll_to=92437 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11235?scroll_to=92437 This was one of the really interesting parallels that I found between Anderson and Bourgois. It has been really difficult for me to see drug dealing as analogous to a real job: hours, duties, room for career advancement. But, it seems like many drug operations do operate like legitimate businesses. "Employees" are looked down upon when they partake in drugs that inhibit their ability to do good work. They are expected to do the math correctly for each day's haul. They have a specific set of skills. However as we've read, even though the drug trade does not ensure long-term, steady income (Kathryn, you mentioned this too) these jobs are still highly coveted. I think there could be several contributing factors to this, that include deindustrialization mentioned in this article(making a dealer a convenient employer) and addiction itself. Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:51:50 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11236?scroll_to=92146 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11236?scroll_to=92146 Here, Benzie references the union of his former employment, and goes on to mention the “membership shit” of yacht owners. In my mind, this draws parallels to several things. The first is the beginning of the article when Philippe discusses how the bonds of these men are often that of kin. The second are the same references to kinship within gangs that we see in The Wire. Gangs have allegiances, kinship--- biologically, or otherwise. Season Two of The Wire also shows us the stevedore union, which much like drug crews, operates under its own “membership shit.” There are arrays of relationships at work here: relationships of family members, coworkers, neighbors, and politics. Are there ties that make some of these memberships, and subsequent benefits, stronger and more enticing than others? Does the Barksdale crew promote more fidelity since many of them are of blood relation? In what ways do workers unions, like the one Benzie has been a part of, resemble gangs? What made it so easy for Benzie to drop a job and “benefits” for a different line of work and “benefits?” Is drug addiction the sole reason, or are there also social aspects? I think the this article and The Wire also show that demographics stick with their own demographics to feel comfortable in membership of a group. Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:04:16 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11157?scroll_to=91615 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11157?scroll_to=91615 As Marshall notes, there wasn't space in this particular article for this discussion, but I think this note raises a lot of questions about the portrayal of parenting in The Wire. Undoubtedly single parenting is commonplace in The Wire, but as noted, caretaking duties are shared between men, women, and families. I feel that as the bottom of the note suggests, this takes the burden off the role of motherhood as solely feminine, which seems to be a progressive view of parenting, (albeit one that exists out of circumstance rather than politics). I feel that the inclusion of Kima's and Cheryl's child, and unconventional venues like Colvin's adoption and Randy's foster mother Anna really diversify the landscape of caretaking, and contribute to The Wire's rich of commentary of how family units operate, thrive, and struggle. Do the inclusions of Kima and Anna help to undermine the idea that Donette, Brianna and De'Londa perpetuate negative television stereotypes of black women? I believe this article argues that they do not fully perpetuate those stereotypes to begin with. Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:58:47 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11075?scroll_to=91037 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11075?scroll_to=91037 I certainly think it's appropriate to link wealth equality to incarceration rates. People who are in poverty are hit with a double-edged sword: they see the streets as a valuable alternative to make money, and because of the wealth gap, there will not be many opportunities for the average gang member to escape. But, sadly, as you point out, this is a cyclical process. I think that makes the strongest argument for continuing to prepare inmates for the real world, affecting their rehabilitation as people in addition to serving time. Obviously, there are a thousand things that could additionally aid in breaking the poverty cycle, (I think education is a big one, here--- it has been mentioned on this board) but you certainly draw an interesting potential correlation between economic policy and incarceration. Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:15:08 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11075?scroll_to=91032 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11075?scroll_to=91032 Michelle, I really like the connection here between relationships and criminal motivations. Furthering you examples from Season Two, I found one of the most impacting incidents to be Ziggy and his pet duck. For (likely) the first time in Ziggy's life he had something to care for that was not only his responsibility, but also fulfilled him on an emotional level. When he failed to meet the care-taking needs of his pet, he became even more unstable than before. I think it became clear then how much Ziggy was a child parading around in an adult world. The duck gave us a much more sympathetic view of how confused and lonely Ziggy was. Here again, lack of stability in relationships leads to lack of stability in behavior. Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:55:33 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11074?scroll_to=90801 https://nowcomment.com/documents/11074?scroll_to=90801 This portion of the reading really made me think about our class discussion about exceptions to the rule, and paying attention to how those are utilized and publicized. Here, Alexander makes the case that successful African Americans like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama are exceptions to the rule--- "free blacks." This, in part, seems contradictory to the representations of race in The Wire. While none of the characters are very wealthy, many African American men make up the police department, holding blue collar jobs and to our knowledge staying out of the prison system. Can these characters be considered "free blacks" who serve as character foils to the characters of the streets, or are they also, by Alexander's definition, exceptions? This also makes me wonder about the impact President Obama has on racial issues like mass incarceration. While Alexander is very hesitant to say that his election has changed that much in "New Jim Crow Laws," she does mention in the introduction that her children will never have to grow up in an America where a black person could not be president. Does Obama's election mask the deep racial issues of mass incarceration by feigning an America of racial equality? Or does he actually stand for a huge progression in race relations? I think based on this reading, it could be a mixture of both. While monumental that an African American was elected president, I'm not sure his years in office will change anything about the prison system. Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:40:34 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10945?scroll_to=90483 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10945?scroll_to=90483 In the other reading, Simon had said that he really wanted to go with the docks for season two. He also said that he would have loved to explore immigration in another season, and it is certainly touched upon in season two. In those regards, season two may have been Simon doing what he wanted. That said, I do think it's interesting that we see some other races on the docs. The presence of Eastern Europeans is imminent, although their presence refutes this article. Instead of being a race that takes low paying jobs, they did find blue collar work, and participated in illegal trades. I think this could be a combination of Simon making a tv show (as you said) and Wilson focusing on just one facet of race, rather than examining the socioeconomic status of all races. (We talked about this in class. Poor white families in Appalachia are disadvantaged similarly to poverty of other races.) Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:01:15 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10945?scroll_to=90478 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10945?scroll_to=90478 This line made me consider how African American women are portrayed in the show. There is certainly a fair representation of black boys who are on track to match this statistic of failed education. However, there is little representation of African American women who slightly outnumber men in pursuit of education. While there are a number of black males in the police department, we know that some of them come from better circumstances than the boys on the streets. The black women present are Kima and Daniel's wife Marla, and I am not entire sure what their socioeconomic backgrounds are like. In this regard, does The Wire neglect the women of these neighborhoods? I can only really think of D'Angelo's girlfriend, Brianna, and Namond's mother, none of whom represent the women who are "outpacing" their male counterparts. Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:51:05 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10945?scroll_to=90445 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10945?scroll_to=90445 One thing I like about Wilson's writing is all of the historical background he gives. I think a lot of his background on the institutional situations that hindered African Americans from social mobility (housing, jobs, education) really speak to the importance of Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action isn't trying to rectify several years of inequality--- it's more like several decades. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:53:57 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10939?scroll_to=90419 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10939?scroll_to=90419 Kristen, I think you hit the nail on the head when you used the word "practical." Giving back locally to inner-city youth seems like such a practical and feasible solution. I'm sure there are an array of reasons and motivations for why a solution like this does not work in reality. Another theory I have is that the problem is just too large. Consider the "oil spill" analogy in this reading--- there are many problems going on here. Someone like Bunny Colvin is helping by adopting Namond, but that is just one kid. It simultaneously solves the problem, and doesn't solve the problem at all. I think a lot of the problems public school teachers face are burning out when they see their classes as a room full of lost causes. However, it is the addition of those single "wins" that can help to turn these communities around over time. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:16:18 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10939?scroll_to=90415 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10939?scroll_to=90415 Baltimore is a really interesting setting. It's one of the larger urban areas in the U.S.(Google tells me it is the 24th largest city in America). It has its own airport, huge sports franchises, major universities. Contrast this to Camden, N.J., which we have also talked about. This is a city that does not have the diverse population or resources that Baltimore has. There is likely nothing nice to say about Camden, whereas I do think that positives of Baltimore are neglected within The Wire. Can we blame this on a really close examination of one microcosm of the city? If so, are we really learning Baltimore, or just several neighborhoods? I would guess that this is where Simon's "op-ed" comes into play, rather than a documentary. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:34:38 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10939?scroll_to=90400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10939?scroll_to=90400 This paragraph recalls the moment in season four when the classroom of problem students is asked where they see themselves in ten years, and several say “dead,” an answer that was guessed even by the teacher. There is awareness among the young boys in these communities that the life expectancy is different than it is several zip codes away. The author presents these scenarios as facts--- “not just theory.” If these are facts, and it is a reality to The Wire’s diegesis, where is the theory? I’d theorize that life expectancy in these terms is another area overlooked by most media and policymakers, though it plagues many inner- city neighborhoods. It was also mentioned in this reading that The Wire gave a visual to many people who have no idea what public health is or can look like. Again, I think The Wire toes the line between fact and theory when it takes a real problem and dramatizes it to be digested for a public. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:46:26 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10377?scroll_to=84650 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10377?scroll_to=84650 Hannah, what I think is so interesting about your suggestion is that taking students to public places like aquariums and museums is doing the job of a "good" parent. Those are co-curricular activities that are meant to educate children on a level of content ("I learned XYZ at the museum and can connect it to ABC in class") but also on a social level (it is not appropriate for me to be loud in certain places). This is not a bad thing. You are right that working parents aren't bad parents because they can't be with their children after school. However, non-profits and school systems can fill the void left by working and absent parents through this sort of education. Imagine how different many of the students in The Wire would be if they had a teacher who took them places. We see the beginning of that education when Colvin takes his group out to dinner. There can be so much more to education than your standard 9ams-3pms, and in communities like these, there has to be. Mon, 04 Mar 2013 02:13:31 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10377?scroll_to=84649 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10377?scroll_to=84649 The other problem that standardized testing faces is listed in the first sentence here: the students don’t care. They don’t see how education can better their lives. I think the other thing we see in Prez’s class is an attempt to equip the students with skills that they can care about. We see that through the dice that Randy bets on with his knowledge of probability. On a societal level, I think this demands a look at the value in vocational education. SATs and liberal arts educations are not for everyone, regardless of race or economic status. But it’s amazing to think about how these kids could get off the streets by learning a trade. Instead, they are learning a trade that is illegal. Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:52:33 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10377?scroll_to=84638 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10377?scroll_to=84638 I agree with this. I think a telling element of the strength of familial ties is not whether they are good or bad, but whether they are present at all. Sometimes the parents are physically there, but still absent (like Michael's mom). I think in many cases when the parents are absent, the children are forced to assume more adult roles before they are ready. This includes things like being a breadwinner for siblings, and wrestling the physical and emotional changes that accompany adolescence. Randy is a good choice to represent "decent" here. It is almost as if he and Namond switch levels of guidance, and thereby switch circumstances. Namond's behavior changes dramatically when he has a parent assuming a parental role (not depending on him to bring in income). I also think it's interesting that you mention Ray Lewis, and below the boys think they have a considerable shot a basketball career. (Recall Hoop Dreams?) For a lot of street kids, athletics is a way out. This reinforces Anderson's emphasis on physicality and respect: two things a lot of youngsters see in athletes. Mon, 04 Mar 2013 07:16:08 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10377?scroll_to=84631 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10377?scroll_to=84631 It wasn't until I read this line that I began to think about the fact that the school the children attend in The Wire has a dress code and uniform. (It looks like the different grades wear different colored polos.) Dress could potentially be considered an outlet that allows children of decent families to express themselves and their identities more freely than children from lower families. This passage also reminds me of a Childish Gambino lyric, "White kids get to wear whatever hat they want/ When it comes to black kids one size fits all." Those lyrics refer to social mobility and self-expression, but let's take them literally. Do the school uniforms create an environment void of hierarchy? Do they force the students to find new ways to create respect? Or are they meaningless, seeing as the students change out of them immediately after school? What would be their street "uniform," and does that essentially make them immobile as part of the streets? It seems to me that while there are many sub-cultures for affluent white kids to express through dress (preppy, goth, emo, punk, etc...), but there are considerably fewer sub-cultures for street kids to identify with. (Is "hood" the only thing acceptable within a sub-culture like The Wire's neighborhoods?) Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:56:27 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10314?scroll_to=81320 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10314?scroll_to=81320 If you're examining a world that is framed as fallen, there are perhaps no clear-cut answers. Within The Wire, I do not believe right and wrong can exist on their own--- each character's motivations depend on a great deal of circumstance, background, and personal morality. That gray area demands that the viewers examine more than only facts. Additionally, I think the lack of right and wrong moves the show's bleak view of institutions within society. The ambiguity of right and wrong is a contributing factor to the sympathizing of drug dealers, and the corruption of the police force. Yet, The Wire's characters are never polar. They are simply products of institutions, moved by actions that can be analyzed from many different perspectives. Mon, 25 Feb 2013 01:34:08 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10313?scroll_to=81317 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10313?scroll_to=81317 It is worth considering that even though viewership wasn't widespread for this show when it aired, I believe it did get significant critical acclaim. There is an "art" factor that I think Simon was able to achieve through HBO. It was mentioned in previous articles (and this one) that Simon views his work as so much more than just a cop show--- higher art. The show doesn't need the cliffhanging gimmicks. It doesn't need the stars. What Simon created is something that looks, feels, and acts like an Academy Award winning documentary. And I think it's pretty interesting that instead of our culture embracing and watching the show, we have instead chosen to include it in collegiate curricula. If that doesn't speak to the content of the show, I'm not sure what does. Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:56:33 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10313?scroll_to=81316 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10313?scroll_to=81316 I think the discourse here about Omar Little is spot-on. He (like other characters mentioned) contributes to "dislodging stereotypes." There are several brief mentions of Omar's morality: he doesn't take drugs; he takes his grandmother to church on Sundays; he only takes from people "in the game." I find that what motivates Omar is very different from what motivates his peers. The death of Brandon in season one contributes significantly to Omar's vendetta against the Barksdale crew, and his willingness to help the police. That motivation differs in some ways from that of his peers. Can he be considered a Robin Hood-esque figure, or do his actions and active participation in the drug trade perpetuate the system? Does he contrast characters like Stringer, Avon, and Bodie, or does he mirror them? Omar's sexual orientation also provides a significant distinguishing factor from many other characters on the show. In what ways do his sexual orientation contribute to his ability to dislodge stereotypes? Can we separate matters of race and sexuality when discussing Omar, the groups he represents, and his motivations for stealing drugs? Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:58:45 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10314?scroll_to=81269 https://nowcomment.com/documents/10314?scroll_to=81269 Under Aristotle's definition of drama stated here, The Wire does an excellent job of separating itself from other crime shows, as listed by Walton. As we have discussed in class, one of the show's strong suits is its ability to rationalize the antagonists, which it does by examining motivations, desires, reasons, etc... We have also discussed The Wire's brutal honesty, contrasted by the fact that it is a fictional television series. Later, this article deals with grapples with idea that someone could watch this show and remain unaffected by these underrepresented communities. How much does The Wire use dramatization, as defined here, to make this point? Does the fact that the show is fictional "let the audience off the hook?" Should upper and middle class audiences, totally unfamiliar with the worlds depicted in the series, view the show as a fair imitation of reality, or a dramatization of reality? How does that affect the call-to-action of the show? Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:36:08 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/8618?scroll_to=66386 https://nowcomment.com/documents/8618?scroll_to=66386 The article quotes Yale sociologist Elijah Anderson, who claims that the show is dark, forgetting the good people within these communities that we are studying. When I watch the show, I can't imagine how a few good people can fix the intricacies of institutional problems. I believe that Simon's thesis may very well be that under the current American system of democracy and capitalism, these institutions cannot be reformed--- that considerably adds to what makes the show so dark. I think it is Simon's wish that the good guys like McNulty can change the system, but because they are consistently thwarted instead of rewarded, that emphasizes the idea that change under the current systems would be very difficult (if not impossible) to institute. Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:08:10 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/8618?scroll_to=66385 https://nowcomment.com/documents/8618?scroll_to=66385 It is well-established in this article that Simon uses his personal experiences, and fabrication, to create a fictional world that is an exaggeration of Baltimore. The article mentions the names of newspapermen at the Baltimore Sun, whose names also appear in the show. When watching the show, I made a mental note of Gregg's monologue of why she became a cop: she mentions Charlie Smoot. I don't know the validity of the thread, but a google search took me to a Baltimore Sun forum where several posters discussed that many names were based on real cases and people: http://talk.baltimoresun.com/showthread.php?t=134055. What does Simon gain by doing this? Does it add to the authenticity of the world he is trying to create like shooting the show in Baltimore? Does it make the show feel more transparent? It is a personal vendetta based on his "angriest man" persona? Or, does it further confuse the differences between fact and fiction? Sun, 27 Jan 2013 22:08:42 -0500