Most recent public comments by Joelle Miller https://nowcomment.com/users/49625 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313946 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313946 I was also struck by and commented on the fact that this reading emphasized that women did play a role in the processing and success of the drug game, while The Wire largely ignores this. I feel as though the creators of the show chose to ignore the role of women in the game because they knew that this would lead down a rabbit hole of other topics that needed to be discussed, such as abuse, rape or sexual harassment, or misogyny in general. The creators clearly did not see this as a pressing issue to discuss, which I believe is problematic in itself. I understand what the creators intent was, to focus on how institutional forces affect class and race, and can appreciate it. However, to create a show full of social commentary but to ignore the role/ struggle of women that are affected by these same forces is to not tell the full story. Mon, 08 Apr 2019 09:31:44 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313945 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313945 I really appreciated your comment and the point you raise. The Wire certainly does not portray the image we see in this reading of drug dealers being addicted to their own product. I actually think it may have added significantly to the show if they had included such a narrative. Not only would this possibly offer some further realism to the show, but it would also likely garner more empathy from the audience as we see that the dealers themselves are also struggling. After reading your comment, I am realizing it would have been quite interesting to see less obvious of a divide between the drug users and the drug distributors in every character involved in the game. Wed, 03 Apr 2019 14:21:50 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313941 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313941 I believe that this topic is an important one to highlight and discuss. The Wire does an incredibly subpar job of exploring the intersections and gender and race, and how institutional and oppressive forces weaponize both factors in order to dehumanize and subjugate individuals. While, as we once discussed as a class, it is possible to argue that the show decided to focus on class moreso than race, or race moreso than gender, it is impossible to fully separate oppressive systems. Race and gender are inherently intertwined because human beings exist who are oppressed for multiple aspects of their identity: women who are POC, but more specifically black women in the context of the scene to come. I believe that if The Wire were to be made today, and not touch on the topic of gender relations and women oppression, I would not be a huge proponent of the show. Thu, 04 Apr 2019 00:21:25 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313883 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313883 I think that the point you raise is very important, that not all (and arguably none) of the people wrapped up in the drug game have entered this trade by choice. It is a consequence of their surroundings and the environment in which they exist-- including, as you discussed, the state of the economy and which job opportunities are/ are not available. It is also important to note that those whose employment is tied to the drug game are not too "lazy" to get a "real job," but rather have a job that does require many hours of labor and strategizing, perhaps even on a more taxing level than other "real" legal jobs. Wed, 03 Apr 2019 14:00:50 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313878 https://nowcomment.com/documents/136072?scroll_to=1313878 This moment where Primo and Caesar are detailing the incident of robbing a drunken Mexican man was disturbing in and of itself, but even more disturbing because of their apparent pride over having abandoned the woman who helped them in a park, alone. This incident caused me to ponder the fact that in The Wire, we do not often see women involved in the game e or performing violence, until later seasons and specifically with Snoop. Overwhelmingly, however, the drug related crime falls onto the men, while the women depend on the men in their lives to support them. With Primo and Caesar, the woman who actually plays an active role in the crime, the woman is discarded and given no support whatsoever. Their retelling stands in direct contrast to the narrative told by The Wire, but neither paint a clear picture as to what the role of women in the drug game really is, because both stories are told by men. Wed, 03 Apr 2019 23:57:28 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307715 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307715 This paragraph and your comment reminded me very much of the documentary 13th, wherein the stereotypes of black men are discussed, and refuted with the fact that the majority of rape cases have actually historically been white men raping black women. It is disheartening to see how intensely that these stereotypes pervade our modern view of the world, even though it is largely unintentional biases. I appreciated your comment because you specifically discussed how as soon as black people were no longer legally required to be submissive, they were painted as dangerous and aggressive, simply because of white frustration over feeling that their supremacy was being challenged. Mon, 25 Mar 2019 18:44:43 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307712 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307712 When I read this section, I did not interpret it as Alexander claiming that slavery was the only thing on the founders mind when the Constitution was written, but that it was a major one. In fact, the founders decided to not put the topic in the constitution explicitly because they knew how much of a divisive topic it was, and making any permanent declarations would perhaps jeopardize the future of the nation. I think that the mere fact that slavery and black people were not even fully mentioned within the Constitution goes to prove Anderson's point to some extent, as it shows that the founders were complicit with the current system and had no desire to alter the oppressive forces that were at work. I have to disagree with your point that slavery "does not entirely define" our nation's history, because I believe that it largely actually does. When a nation is built on slavery, and quite literally would not exist had forced labor not been used (and as Anderson argues, still is being used), you can not separate its history from slavery. Mon, 25 Mar 2019 18:40:36 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307704 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307704 Your comment very much reminded me of the culture of individualism in the United States. It is very difficult for mainstream American culture to blame anything but the individual for their success or failure, ignoring the role of institutional forces. We discussed this early on in our class with Professor Williams's emphasis on the role of institutions within The Wire, and I think that your connection to Stringer Bell proves this further. Although he as an individual was driven and a savvy business man, ultimately corrupt institutions led to his demise regardless. Mon, 25 Mar 2019 18:32:11 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307703 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307703 This paragraph touched on a topic that I believe is not discussed as much as it perhaps should be. A common thread among those who argue that a modern- day civil rights movement or restructuring of the criminal justice system is unnecessary is the claim that if a black man can be present, then surely such injustices are a thing of the past. In reality, all systems of oppression rely on at least a few of the oppressed "rising above" the circumstances and appearing to operate outside of the constraints of their marginalized group's oppression. During the era of chattel slavery, there were free black men, those who "rose above" their circumstances and gained liberty. But just as these free black men were still not regarded as equal to white men, neither has Barack Obama been viewed as equal to his white predecessors. On the contrary, Obama was met with opposition and hostility throughout his entire presidency. This topic vaguely reminds me of the tired remark "MLK Jr. didn't die for this- he wanted peace" from people hoping to silence modern black movements. MLK Jr. did not die for anything, he was murdered (and also a widely hated man while he was alive, the Head of the FBI could not stand him and saw him as a national threat!) There is a false and dangerous narrative that black exceptionalism signifies the ending of racism and white supremacy that must be debunked before any real progress can be made. Tue, 26 Mar 2019 00:20:30 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307697 https://nowcomment.com/documents/134033?scroll_to=1307697 The last sentence of this paragraph specifically stood out to me, as I considered the author's important distinction the Jarvious Cotton "has been labeled a felon." In mainstream media, discourse, and just general conversations, those who have been convicted of a crime are merely regarded as felons and reduced to that identity, stripped of any other aspect of their humanity. While a small distinction, I believe that it is important, as Anderson specifically chose her diction as commentary on the fact that Jarvious (and this in his situation) are not a "felon" in the permanent and dehumanizing sense of the word, they are merely labeled that way. Anderson's wording grants him his full humanity outside of his incrimination. Thu, 28 Mar 2019 04:56:57 -0400