Most recent public comments by Laura Troyano https://nowcomment.com/users/19136 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505977 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505977 I think this sentence could honestly be placed at the beginning of every episode of The Wire, as it helps us understand Simon's intentions and difficulties in the show. We often criticize the show by noting the lack of women, immigrants, etc. and their issues and marking this as a shortcoming of the show. However, as this quote suggests, perhaps there is just too much to tackle with every issue deserving its due attention, so the easiest thing to do is just focus on the most prominent issue because that alone is hard enough to portray. This may be what Simon had to do with the show as well, explaining the lack of attention to other extremely important issues. Tue, 05 Apr 2016 01:09:03 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505972 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505972 This sentence brings up an important point. I think that sometimes when people hear on the news or elsewhere that a new law has been passed, they think that a moral wrong has been corrected. However, changes in legislation do not always lead to changes in results. A multitude of factors including personal biases or practical implementation can make a new law practically useless. It's important to realize that discrimination occurs despite nominal legislation that may lead us to think otherwise. Tue, 05 Apr 2016 00:44:31 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505971 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505971 Ryan, I was also raised "not to see color" and to treat everyone the same, etc etc. However, we cannot assume that everyone was raised that way. There are still tons of people living all over the country who have racial biases instilled in them by their parents due to the way they were raised. Unfortunately, this has an extremely negative effect on trying to move the country forward ideologically and otherwise. Tue, 05 Apr 2016 00:39:11 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505968 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505968 It's very easy to criticize the criminal justice system, especially when they're doing something that for decades has been ineffective. But it's not very effective either to criticize without coming up with a logical solution. The large majority of people working in the system (at least 90% I'd imagine) is just following orders from the higher ups. The higher ups can't really try to change anything with any radical ideas without the risk of losing their jobs, as we see with Bunny Colvin. So while I agree that the system is ineffective, what can they do and who has the power and will to do it? Tue, 05 Apr 2016 00:35:11 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49882?scroll_to=483707 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49882?scroll_to=483707 While this situation is not exactly the same as Bubbs and his sister, it certainly reminds me of their relationship. I felt that the show unfairly demonized Bubbs' sister for never opening the door for him and for being cold toward him. Seeing Bubbs' sadness made the audience feel that the sister was not giving the newly sober Bubbs a chance. However, I would make a case to stick up for her. What we see on the show of their relaitonship doesn't at all allow us to see the probably tumultuous relationship that the brother and sister probably had as Bubbs spiraled into addiction. With the potential for countless unshown lies, attempts to get sober, and more that could have happened over the years, the sister may have more than enough good reason to be wary that Bubbs had truly changed. It must be hard for her to trust him if he put her through a similar situation that the author describes that the woman went through. I think my favorite shot of the entire series was at the end when we see Bubbs sitting at the dinner table with his sister and niece - I teared up! Tue, 01 Mar 2016 23:58:34 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49882?scroll_to=483684 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49882?scroll_to=483684 I have to say that this scene with Weebay really surprised me. I really didn't expect him to have just given up that easily. However, I think we may be underestimating the power of Bunny in this scene. Bunny was not only present, which showed Weebay that Naymond had someone looking after him, but he made an extremely convincing argument to Weebay. Weebay knew that Bunny was police and probably took what he was saying more seriously because of that. Therefore, while Weebay did show responsible parenting skills in his decision, I would be wary about overglorifying him as a perfect parent. I really think that he wouldn't have let Naymond go if Bunny hadn't been so convincing and reassuring. Thu, 03 Mar 2016 10:03:32 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49882?scroll_to=483681 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49882?scroll_to=483681 This paragraph emphasizes the sheer number of seemingly insurmountable obstacles that people living in the conditions the author described face. Malnutrition, drug addiction, and so many other issues faced by the poor all have lobbyists advocating for funds, as though money is the cure-all for these deep-seeded problems. The first issue that arises is that with so many tragic realities, where should money be alocated? The Wire shows us such tragedies - Bubbs' drug addiction, hunger, homelessness, etc. and makes you want to fix all of them. With so many tragic realities and limited resources (money), where do we advocate funds? Backing that up even further, what do we do if money is not the answer? How can we stop these issues at the roots? Wed, 02 Mar 2016 20:52:46 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49882?scroll_to=483673 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49882?scroll_to=483673 That story line completely broke my heart. I think it potentially has less to do with ethics, though, and more to do with addiction. The fact that she was knowingly able to leave her children hungry to get high shows just how much power her addiction had over her judgment. Tue, 01 Mar 2016 23:28:27 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49881?scroll_to=482873 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49881?scroll_to=482873 This perfectly sums up what the show depicts happens following a murder in Baltimore. The bodies lie in the street seemingly uncared for because whoever the dead's "boys" were have to run to save themselves rather than care for their departed friend. They are rarely mourned for long, at least by their fellow gang members, because the most pressing issue is to fill the gap and get revenge. For example, after the death of Prop Joe at the next co-op meeting, after briefly mentioning Joe's murder the most important issue was filling his shoes to keep the business running. Life keeps going and the game keeps being played. To me this shows that everyone in the drug game or even in a gang is just a pawn, because even the kingpins can be easily replaced. This is the priority; no one stops to back up and reconsider the "gang problem" or "drug problem" as a whole because they are too lost in the forest of the game. Thu, 03 Mar 2016 16:46:01 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49881?scroll_to=482870 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49881?scroll_to=482870 I agree, T'Keyah. Season 5 shows that it's not just the media who cares more when the victim is white, it's the politicians, too. This was the motivation for McNulty's big scheme. He has a realization that the bodies in the vacants and so many similar deaths were eventually forgotten about and underfunded because the victims weren't white. He is able to predict that he will get more attention from the media and more money from the government if his victims are white. Sadly, this premonition actually comes true, which speaks volumes about inequality. Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:47:58 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49881?scroll_to=482868 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49881?scroll_to=482868 This sentence and the following ones are interesting to me because it illustrates that there are multiple types of terrorism. After all, the word's definition is simply "the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization". While nowadays and especially in the political sphere this has come to be synonymous with threats from the Middle East, this paragraph shows that this is not the only type. If people in poor communities are more deathly afraid of being shot in front of their own house than bombed by a foreigner, does that mean it should be as much of a priority for the feds? Tue, 01 Mar 2016 18:29:08 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49881?scroll_to=482864 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49881?scroll_to=482864 So far the debate has centered around what separated the greek gangs vs. the black gangs in The Wire. But what connects them? Perhaps Anderson's "street" values are mutually accepted and adhered to by both and that's why we can place the two in a similar field. After all, the "loyalty" mentioned here seems to be valued the same as by the greek gang as it is by the gangs in The Wire. Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:36:42 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49884?scroll_to=482829 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49884?scroll_to=482829 Hi Chelsea and Austin, I agree about all that you brought up. There are certainly numerous issues in addition to the ones that you all pointed out (paternity, religion, relationships) that are left out in the show. In some ways this absolutely does leave room to doubt the accuracy of the show in real life. But after all, the show tried to tackle such a wide variety of issues (the drug war, bureaucracy, politics, the education system, the legal system, just to name a few). Perhaps from a television standpoint it's simply not realistic to expect a single show to deal with every single issue. Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:16:31 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49884?scroll_to=482827 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49884?scroll_to=482827 Margaret, I completely agree that The Wire significantly lacks the presence of and experiences with women. Though there are certainly some sparse interactions with women (the ones you mentioned were good examples), I think the show significantly undermines their affection as a draw to participate in the game. It is often assumed that women are a benefit of being a rich kingpin even as much as the money is. I think the show underplays men's (assumed) desire for female attention and overplays their desire for just money. In addition, I think the season 4 progression of the boys as they seemingly transition from boyhood to manhood misses the introduction of girls, hormones, and sex drive into the boys' lives. I think sexual experiences and desire is a pretty driving force in life, and The Wire for the most part ignores that. But perhaps money is the real motivator for them - I really don't know! Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:12:04 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49884?scroll_to=482823 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49884?scroll_to=482823 This sentence has a direct correlation to what President Obama said of Omar. He said that Omar is "this gay gangster who only robs drug dealers, and then gives back. You know, he’s sort of a Robin Hood." This allusion to Robin Hood is certainly not one that I thought of when I watched Omar. Perhaps I am forgetting some, but I only recall one scene of him giving back to his neighborhood. Otherwise, though he is more humanized, moral, and nuanced than most of the other gangsters, for the most part he plays the game the same or even dirtier than the others. He adheres and even bends the rules of the game. I don't see the connection between Omar and Robin Hood. What do you all think? Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:05:20 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49884?scroll_to=482821 https://nowcomment.com/documents/49884?scroll_to=482821 This paragraph reminded me of a scene that particularly stood out to me in The Wire. When defending one of his kids, Cutty is shot and has to go to the hospital. The nurse is extremely rude to him, assuming by his look, clothing, and situation (gunshot wound) that he is just another gangster who comes in expecting free treatment. As the audience knows, Cutty had worked relentlessly to get out of the game and make a better life for himself, despite the difficulty that came with it. However, just based on his looks and situation, he was assumed to be just like the gangsters. Looking at it from the nurse's point of view, after she had seen the same thing come into the hospital time after time, she was probably jaded and it was natural for her to assume. To me this emphasizes the need to resist judgment based on race, appearance, class, etc because everyone has a story. It also is a testament to The Wire's ability to get us to sympathize with the characters. Tue, 01 Mar 2016 19:50:46 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456158 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456158 I agree with what you all have been saying about fiction. I think there is another aspect at play as well. Consider the traditional commercial success of fiction compared to documentary (though Making A Murderer proves an exciting new exception). If the Wire was done as a documentary, would any one have watched it or cared? Would it be tuned out as is much of the gang violence we see on the news? Perhaps fiction is the best vessel to convey a message while also garnering the viewership necessary to commercial success. Thu, 04 Feb 2016 00:21:12 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456151 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456151 There is a fine line between awareness and action. As we speak of The Wire, I'd be cautious to equate its ability to open eyes with its evoking of tangible change. After all, the riots in Baltimore a decade after the show may be a sad indication that not much has changed. Thu, 04 Feb 2016 00:11:28 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456144 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456144 Mallory, I completely agree that there are multiple ways to measure success. I also like that you mention that both instant popularity and longevity are both equally important. I think when we consider this, money (ie, commercial success) is inseparable from the conversation. After all, while not reflective of the show's value, a show can't exist unless it's drawing enough revenue to keep it running. I'd be interested to learn how the show was received as it was being aired, including viewership and revenue. Thu, 04 Feb 2016 00:07:16 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456131 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456131 No question about it that in the department, "those who exhibit dedication, talent, and loyalty" are time and time again "punished for their efforts". However, from what I've seen in season 1, this statement does not apply to the gang as Bowden says it does. In fact, I would say that dedication, talent, and loyalty are the highest regarded values in the gang. It is those who stray, or worse, those who betray, who are punished in the gang. For example, Wallace is praised (and paid) for pointing out Brandon in the game room and making the call to D, as it was seen as an act of utmost loyalty to the gang and attention to detail. It is only when he loses this dedication and loyalty to the gang that he is punished. In this regard, the gang seems a far more equitable system than the department. Perhaps a more accurate way to draw a similarity between the two would be to say that anyone who strays from the status quo in both the department and gang are punished. Wed, 03 Feb 2016 23:55:09 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456126 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=456126 I am glad that Anderson brought up this important aspect. Many television critics as well as several of my classmates have noted that The Wire goes to great lengths to nuance the characters. It gives us a glimpse into their pasts, their relationships, their decision-making. While I agree that this is done very well, I also agree with Anderson that the "something important" being left out, along with "decent people", is religion or spirituality of any form. Though it is obviously not a part of everyone's life by any means, I believe it is negligent and not representative of human nature to exclude it entirely from the show. No characters ever mention anything about any beliefs or inner thoughts about religion. In this regard, I do see a gap in Simon's often heralded ability to nuance the characters. However, this could be part of the underlying bleakness and cynicism that Simon conveys. Perhaps he wanted to portray his characters as not being able to see a higher power that transcends their institutions (ie, not being able to think of life outside of "the game" or of work). Wed, 03 Feb 2016 23:42:46 -0500