Letters to the Editor
little lord baltimore
Published Letters: 164 Editor's Choice: 9
-
So far so good
[Read the article: Hot off "The Wire"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am not a reporter or a media critic. I have never worked at a newspaper or in a newsroom. For me, The Wire's depiction of the workings at the Baltimore "Sun" don't seem pedestrian, unoriginal or stock. Yes, I saw Shattered Glass and I remember Jason Blair, but I am willing to go along with David Simon and his depiction of how failures at the "Sun" are another part of what went/is going wrong in Baltimore.
I thought there were some interesting parallels in this episode, Snoop and Chris describing the importance of a stake out before their "drive by" and Lester's stake out of the alley; McNulty's substance and sexual addictions and the share by the young woman at the NA meeting; maybe even Clay Davis pleading for help and being turned away and Marlo coming to Avon and being endorsed. The Wire has been about showing that there really is not much of a line between the good guys and the bad guys ("a man's got to have a code") but it seems like this season Simon wants us to understand that there will be no heroes.
I don't know what to think yet about what McNulty is up to. Does it make a difference that he seems to believe this is the way to bring attention to the problem? I need to see the episode again. And is it too soon to hope that Michael is starting to realize the limitations of his new crew and their violence and pettiness?
Also I love, love, love Clark Johnson and I am thrilled that he is back on TV.
-
It's so unfair
[Read the article: The race vs. gender war]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There is some really relevant analysis in this article. I am black (well, bi-racial, but that's a whole other discussion) and a woman and I was really bothered by Steinem's op-ed. I appreciate that someone took it to task logically and honestly. Also, this is the first time I've come across the point that Clinton voted for the war to appear less stereotypically feminine to republicans, democrats and her constituents.
The thing that gets me though is the assumption that somehow Obama has had it easy in the press and that if pundits and reporters were less enthralled and enraptured with him, his blackness and his dazzling powers of oration, they would attack him more aggressively and they would finally show us that he is not a viable candidate. I think this is ridiculous. Obama and Clinton have identical positions on almost all of the key issues in this election. They are both committed public servants and they have both spent decades in politics and service to their communities, whether those communities were local or national. Perhaps part of the reason why right wing fanatics keep having to make things up about madrassas and muslim agents is that Obama has been relatively straight forward about who he is, his past, his family and his crises of conscience. He's admitted he did drugs, he talks about growing up black in a white family, he talks logically about finding a faith. I don't get the sense, like I do with Clinton that things are calculated and vetted before she says them.
It's unpleasant to see someone who is a woman, who is running for office, and who is claiming to be the "experience" candidate constantly be complaining about how unfairly she's being treated in the press, while at the same time parsing, side stepping and shifting after every poorly received statement. It's just not presidential.
-
They're just black votes
[Read the article: My sanest conversation on TV, ever]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It has been really difficult to read Joan's writing during the campaigns. She seems to be bending over backwards to explain and excuse Bill and Hillary's incredibly bad behavior, poor decisions and out-right dishonesty. While at the same time constantly repeating the Clinton's talking points: Obama is inexperienced; Obama is too sensitive; the media is ganging up on her; if he thinks it's bad now, wait until the Republicans get hold of him.
HIlary and Bill's comments about MLK, and the Obama "fairy tale" while maybe not racist on their surface were condescending and dismissive, and very clearly used one of the psychological weapons of discrimination ("come here, boy") to belittle Obama and his supporters. People correctly understood the tone of their words and responded accordingly. Then, as usual, Clinton (and Joan) complained that it wasn't fair.
Now I am curious to see if she has anything to say about the Jesse Jackson comments or even a follow up to Glenn Greenwald's excellent post.