The Awareness of Reality
People make generalizations about those they don’t know or understand. These generalizations can be considered a form racism and discrimination. Only when a person is taken out of the environment that they are comfortable in, do they begin to understand and learn about others and their ways of life. The television show The Wire by David Simon, helps to bring the violent and dangerous realities that many people will never witness nor understand to their attention. Awareness of the vices present in Baltimore is the first step in bettering the city. Loyola and its students are on the front lines in the attempt to spread awareness and good with things such as the Year of the City.
` After I watched a couple of episodes of The Wire, I understood that the scenarios represented in the show are realistic. Many “cop dramas” on television romanticize the good guy versus bad guy relationship. However, The Wire does not do anything to conceal or “dress-up” any event in the show. The drugs and violence that occur in the show also occur in the area of Loyola College. A ten minute walk down the road, a Loyola student can find themselves in their own version of The Wire. Most people would never consider exposing themselves to such an environment as inner city Baltimore, and very often make excuses as to why it is not their responsibility to care and assist the troubled. Loyola College’s, Year of the City, utilizes Jesuit education by exposes its students to the troubled city of Baltimore. As Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach preached, it is the responsibility of society as a whole to do what it can to promote social justice. This does not necessarily mean that one should strand themselves in one of the more dangerous parts of Baltimore, but lend our resources and aid to a city in need.
The Wire illustrates the type of people and problems that Loyola College and its The Year of the City try to help. Some may consider the representation of life in the show as pessimistic and therefore to be daunting issues to fix. David Simon even considers himself pessimistic with his outlook on the growth and development of the city. Although Simon was not always pessimistic, after years of exposing himself to the troubles of the city, he fears there is not enough good to help Baltimore for the better. Despite Simon’s pessimism, Loyola College and the Jesuits enact their commitment to social justice and good by exposing its students to the good and bad realities of the city. Good must start somewhere, and Loyola students help a city in dire need of assistance by volunteering their time to help. Hopefully by exposing its students to the city, Loyola is shedding awareness on its students and future generations. Awareness of the problems Baltimore faces is the first step in helping the city. After people are fully aware will the city begin to change for the better.
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