clueless!

Tuesday, December 5th, 2006

“Hey there, young African-American men. Step out of the vehicle, please.”
“Yes sir, officer.”
“Ya know what, I’m not gonna give you guys a citation for the violation today.”
“For real?”
“Yup. Instead, hows about some of that singing and dancing you people do so well…”

automaton for the people

Tuesday, December 5th, 2006

wire

Another of the million daily reminders that we humans have to take back control of the government is the fact that that other failure of a war, the one on drugs, continues without an end in sight, a war hinged on a strategy that simply arrests black folk randomly in greater numbers every day—a plan plenty good at putting folks in jail but seriously less good at stopping drug use or trafficking. The plan’s apparently really good in Baltimore at routinely shepherding actors and actresses on The Wire into the clink after late-night filming on set. Do these people look like Robert Downey Jr to you, officer? Read the Slate interview with one of the show’s creators here. Mmm, it’s so good.

Here’s another reminder, a special nod to our former perpetually put-upon and pissed-off sec of defense. Hated to see you go, sir.