I haven't really formed my thoughts on the disgrace of Sean Bell into a coherent interpretation, but the following two blog posts speak pretty well to the issue, and I submit them for your consideration:
http://sherealcool.blogspot.com/2008/04/another-acquittal-is-our-living-in-vain.html
http://newblackman.blogspot.com/2008/04/kevin-powell-on-sean-bell-verdict.html
There's a phrase spoken by Jimmy Breslin at the beginning and end of Spike Lee's Summer of Sam: "New York--the city I love and hate equally." This always struck me as a completely comprehensible statement, especially in its self-centered logic. I'm willing to grant the stereotype a degree of veracity: New Yorkers can be a self-absorbed lot. But NYC comes by its "center-of-the-universe" status honestly; New York is the place where a lot of the shit (good and bad) goes down. "Love/hate" for Breslin, and usually for me too, but right now it's more "shame/disappointment."
Post scriptum:
The title of my April 8th blog post now carries a bitterly ironic ring, doesn't it?
2 comments:
It’s sad and maybe I am taking a few liberties when I compare the crimes of Michael Vick to that of the manslaughter of Sean Bell; but what I see in that verdict is simple a dog’s life is more valuable than this man’s life was. Thanks for the extra links in your post.
It’s sad and maybe I am taking a few liberties when I compare the crimes of Michael Vick to that of the manslaughter of Sean Bell; but what I see in that verdict is simple a dog’s life is more valuable than this man’s life was. Thanks for the extra links in your post.
Post a Comment