| GBPPR 'Zine |
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| Issue #121 / The Monthly Journal of the American Hacker / May 2014 |
"And... so what? Another long heart tugging article by the Times that says what exactly? None are any different since all feature the poor little urchin with a heart of gold, his rag tag but really harmless 'gang' and their hopes to 'get out' of the 'hood - haven't we seen this for centuries in print, on film and Broadway, call central casting, where is the news? What is the point, the message - are we supposed to feel sorry for Shamir that he is bored in New York City, that he can't seem to figure out how to use the subway to go a museum or library or study to finish school? That he just can't help himself from instigating conflict, and that the only topic of conversation he can possible muster is about sneakers and raps stars, still? Or that the adults in the neighborhood are hopelessly poor role models? What exactly is the call to action here? No longer subject to stop and frisk or outright racism or even particularly bad poverty, it seems what exactly is standing in his way to do better? Is this an effort at a Pulitzer-winning series to coax liberal guilt and even more resources for city programs to try change decades of poor culture and decisions? Well I'm not buying it."
--- Top-rated "Reader's Picks" comment from "ST" on the New York Times article "On the Brink in Brownsville."
(nytimes.com/2014/05/04/magazine/on-the-brink-in-brownsville.html)
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