Most recent public comments by Craig Spiller https://nowcomment.com/users/28311 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735668 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735668 It's so normalized too, as things like "super predators" show up in mainstream television. It certainly doesnt help public perception to see things like this instead of more positive and realistic portrayals of people of color. It honestly opens my eyes to see how much of what we take as normal is actually layered in centuries of racism. Wed, 12 Apr 2017 19:20:29 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735663 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735663 I mean really this is about as messed up as it gets, one of these laws that makes it impossible for a group not to be exempt from it yet doesnt explicitly say which group or groups that is. That at the start of each year they would become criminals if they didnt have a job, meaning that blacks become criminals and then cant get a job and are stuck becoming repeat offenders for something out of their control. On top of this, each new year it will get any black man who was newly laid off so eventually more and more black people are stuck as criminals. The fact that that exists, and things like it still exist today is just awful. Wed, 12 Apr 2017 19:13:41 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735644 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735644 I think that it also comes from the fact that the majority of people dont want to know just how horrendously stained with racism our society is. Statistics like these exist and they're swept under the rug to try and maintain some sense that we have the right to judge other countries for the mistreatment of their people. Wed, 12 Apr 2017 18:44:45 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735643 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735643 All I can say is that I'm shocked reading this statistic, because at the very least we say that we've moved on from slavery yet this more or less states the opposite. As we've discussed being a criminal is basically like being a slave, and if 80% of these young black men have criminal records that is basically saying that 4 out of every 5 are practically slaves. decades later and still the issue hasnt changed. Absolutely disgusting. Thu, 13 Apr 2017 01:56:44 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735640 https://nowcomment.com/documents/76206?scroll_to=735640 Here we see what 13th gets at. The idea that after the civil rights movement the general public consensus is that racism no longer exists, which simply isnt the case. While there have been major strides made to move on from our racist past, there are longstanding hardships that are a direct cause of those old policies. I think that one of the biggest problems with modern society is that we think racism doesnt exist anymore which allows it to continue to thrive in the background. Sat, 22 Apr 2017 00:24:45 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668839 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668839 This is a point that I think we as an audience wonder, and that we actually see the characters in the show question as the investigation spirals out of control. Wondering how different everything could've been, if Kima wouldn't have ended up caught in the crossfire like she was, If Wallace might have lived. It would've been interesting to see an alternate reality if someone else had gotten the call on the murder of the witness. Wed, 01 Feb 2017 22:39:37 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668832 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668832 I'm totally on board with your point here. The depth of characters in this show comes from his not having an agenda on how he wants viewers to see everyone. I think that was one of the most profound things I noticed about the show, how each character left me in some sort of middle ground on who they actually were as a person. Wed, 01 Feb 2017 22:36:02 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668820 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668820 I really like the point you bring up, how people grapple with the system in the wire like its a game. Like we discussed in class they don't get heated like in other dramas, but keep up their efforts in the game. Your point also makes me think about the end of season 1, where the federal agents don't care about the reality of the people in the city. They're more focused on catching a corrupt politician instead of the ones on the street causing the problems. It kind of makes me start to question the "system" and wonder what the whole story is behind the news we read. Wed, 01 Feb 2017 22:30:37 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668814 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668814 While I do think that this show presents viewers with a reality that they aren't comfortable with, as well as one that draws them in, I can't ignore this point. If this were an entirely reality based show there would be any number of loose ends that don't make sense in the plot, and ultimately take away from the strength of the overall message of the show. Sun, 26 Mar 2017 19:14:57 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668790 https://nowcomment.com/documents/70146?scroll_to=668790 The thing with HBO is that there's always that understanding that anyone can die and everything can change at any moment. While The Wire is no different in that regard, it certainly goes further than the article says with its idea of it being a 13 chapter novel. I feel like the way that the show grapples with something that the audience feels is very real makes it a whole different animal. While shows like Game of Thrones may enthrall people with drama so they can't look away, The Wire presents a reality that people may not want to watch but need to. I agree with the point that anyone coming in mid-season will be lost, and I feel like that point will become even more pronounced later on as the seasons progress. Wed, 01 Feb 2017 22:20:37 -0500