I may not have been there but I've seen it. In my two years of mentoring at-risk youth and recent practicums working with marginalized populations, I hear this talk all the time. That's how they explain life's sufferings. And quite honestly I don't blame them. Their parents fail them, drinking and shooting away their custody rights; the system fails them, giving them over-worked, under-paid, burnt-out social workers who don't give a shit and policemen who turn up their noses at the "scums of society". No one takes responsibility for the systematic violence, structural racism, and long history of colonization that keep them in inner city projects and state pens.
That's why after a while you don't even negotiate with the government anymore. You simply blame life.
The Wire deserves more attention and acclaim in China, especially considering stupid shows like Dexter and Criminal Minds kept making more seasons than they probably should. It's one of those TV series that I'd give two thumbs up for but not recommend to my friends: it's so painfully real and just f* depressing.
Quoting Philippe Bourgois, an anthropologist who did his field work in East Harlem:
"Caesar: I was feeling really sorry for myself because I was thinking about getting hit. I could feel the pain they was feeling'cause I know what it is to be beat down by cops. They don't let up; they be trying to kill you, man! They do it with pleasure [grinning].
That's stress management right there. That's release of tension. That's my-wife-treated-me-dirty-you'll-pay. That's terrorism with a badge. That's what it is.
The cops look forward to that. They get up in the morning and go, "Yeah, Ah'm'a' gonna kick some minority ass today." [rubbing his hands together and licking his lips]
I could tell that attitude, because I would be the same if I was a police officer .'Cause you take the badge for granted. The badge gets to your head. you know what I'm saying? Makes you feel like you're invincible; like you could do whatever you goddamn well please.
...
I don't even know why they have human police officers. They should just put animals out there patrolling the streets. Word up!'Cause they're worse than animals. It's like they're animals with a mind."
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