When you walk through the garden...

It's been a while since I've posted in this space, but it's not because I haven't been thinking! Actually, one of the reasons that I have neglected my blog posting is the topic of this post tonight. Over the last couple months, Emily and I have been watching our way through the TV series, "The Wire". I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the dirty workings of inner-city America...and to anyone who has a tolerance for HBO-level language and content. Currently, we're in the middle of season 3, which focuses on the political ramifications of an increasing homicide rate in Baltimore. The wealthier population is fleeing the rising crime, and the political incumbents are losing their tax base. So a lot of pressure is on the police to bring the crime rate down. The result of this combustible mix? Backroom deals between politicians, drug lords, and developers, more drug deals, gang shootouts, broken relationships, and ruined lives. It's a sad story of people using and abusing each other for power, money, and pleasure. Sounds like a depressing show...why do I watch this again?

Well, there are compelling characters, humorous moments, exciting plot twists, and mysteries behind each corner. It's an extremely smart and well-written show. Further, it’s believable that this is what could be happening in cities all over America. It's incredibly illuminating. And it promotes cynicism towards those in power (but not complete cynicism...there has to be some hope). There aren't really any "good guys" in the show, mainly just the bad and the worse. It's a sobering reminder of the injustice and evil in this world.

So what does it all mean? What's the point? I think The Wire succeeds in painting the complexity of social injustice in urban America. There isn't one, or two, or even a few causes to poverty, drugs, crime, and corruption. All these elements are intertwined and related. And while there may not always be a high-level conspiracy that reaches from the top of the political ladder to the bottom of the sewer, what happens in politics is related to what happens in the street. In Chicago, things like Cabrini Green and the Olympics (doh!) have far-reaching implications. People’s lives are affected, and the people who have the least power are usually the ones that are most adversely affected.

Thinking about this makes me want to hold our leaders, whether in politics, business, or religion, to a higher standard of integrity. When I hear of new laws or policy, it makes me ask, “how will this affect those with the least influence?” or “what personal benefits might a leader accrue from this?” These are easy questions to ask of hated politicians, but it’s important to keep our beloved figures accountable too. Corruption is a scourge of society, and I believe strongly in fighting it wherever it rears its ugly head. And because of The Wire, I now have a sense of how seemingly innocuous actions committed by either suburban families or charismatic politicians (or urban yuppies like myself) can hurt those that have no protection.