Most recent public comments by Lauren McDermott https://nowcomment.com/users/5698 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505909 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505909 Camille, you make a great point. Really, what is the purpose of all these arrests? Many of these arrests are a waste of resources, time, and tax payers money. The only reason behind many of these arrests is a racial agenda. The US currently has 20% of the world's prison population, most of them African American men. This obviously points out that our country has a flawed system. Mon, 04 Apr 2016 21:40:45 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505907 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505907 Madeleine, interesting insight. While I believe you have a valid statement, I would just like to point out that 1 in every 15 African American man has been incarcerated versus 1 in every 106 white men. Obviously there is a huge disparity, and I believe that The Wire and this article strive to make a point that this inequality is due to an imbalance of justice. Mon, 04 Apr 2016 21:34:19 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505790 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505790 We've seen images like this a lot in the past few years. While most don't show up in the media (which is another issue in itself) police brutality against African American males has marked a point of huge conflict. For example, the shooting of Michael Brown sparked a huge debate about the relationship between the police and African American citizens, as did the shootings of Freddie Gray. Mon, 04 Apr 2016 21:34:06 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505761 https://nowcomment.com/documents/52798?scroll_to=505761 Wow. This statement really packs a punch. In this class, we've talked a lot about the inequality that African Americans face in the US, but we've never really traced the history of the racism. This reminds me of a book I read for another class this semester, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. In it, Coates traces the inheritance of prejudice throughout the history of the United States. The author writes the book to his son to tell him the journey that he himself has faced, his father and his father before him has faced, and that he too will face. It's interesting to see the connection between The Wire and Between the World and Me in this sense. Each generation has faced a different obstacle that bars them from voting, and its poignant to see that the issue currently has to do with felony charges. Mon, 04 Apr 2016 14:46:00 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=452972 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=452972 I think that the show is an accurate portrayal of humanity - there are very few, if any, that are completely "good". Humans are imperfect; the show captures that perfectly, while also showing the audience how even people that are usually demonized by the media can have more good in them then those who are typically lauded as heroes. Wed, 03 Feb 2016 17:21:58 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=452958 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=452958 This is one of my favorite parts of The Wire. I love how nuanced the characters are - nobody is entirely good or bad. I think that is a big part of what makes the show so critically acclaimed. The show doesn't take a side or make an opinion about different social spheres. Rather, it shows that there are various shades of gray in every circle, whether it be the police officers or the drug dealers. Wed, 03 Feb 2016 11:28:30 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=452943 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=452943 I think that this in a incredibly important statement for the author to make. The comparison between Simon's The Wire and one of Charles Dicken's best works shows rather then tells the author's high opinion of the world building Simon does with The Wire. The statement also shows that the show is benefitting the representation and perception of Baltimore, by showing the audience members what life across several aspects of Baltimore is like Tue, 02 Feb 2016 19:47:11 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=452919 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46407?scroll_to=452919 I thought this comment was significant as well. The fact that a Brooklyn gang scoured the show for tricks on how to avoid detection shows the dedication, love, and detail that Simon put into creating The Wire. He makes all aspects of it as credible and authentic as possible, his "own Baltimore" as a precise reflection of the actual social, economic, and political currents of the real city. Tue, 02 Feb 2016 19:11:33 -0500