Sneezyone Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 Has anyone else started watching this? I’m struggling to get through it and would love some company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 It's on my to watch. I felt like I was going to need to be in the right headspace for it. It's good but intense then? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted June 1, 2019 Author Share Posted June 1, 2019 1 hour ago, Farrar said: It's on my to watch. I felt like I was going to need to be in the right headspace for it. It's good but intense then? Yes. The first two episodes were the hardest for me. I dunno how others will feel but I felt traumatized just watching it unfold. It’s the stuff of nightmares for me. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 I watched the first one. Good lord. It was so hard to watch the different ways they railroaded the parents and kids. They were so set on this one narrative and they refused to look at reality. It’s harder to watch knowing it could all happen again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, Farrar said: I watched the first one. Good lord. It was so hard to watch the different ways they railroaded the parents and kids. They were so set on this one narrative and they refused to look at reality. It’s harder to watch knowing it could all happen again. That's the hardest part for me... knowing it could so easily happen again. Well, that and the dehumanizing language...animals, wilding, etc., the inability to see black children as children. Edited June 3, 2019 by Sneezyone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 I haven't started watching, but was reading about it.....it's horrific to think about. I don't know if I have it in me to watch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 (edited) Dh didn't watch it with me, but we were talking about it. He grew up in the NYC media orbit and is a couple years older than me so he remembered it from the time when I barely do. Like, I remember it vaguely on the news, but the only way I know anything about it is really from commentary after the fact, years later. Like, when I went to college in New England, it was clearly a "thing" that people expected that one would be familiar with and believe was a miscarriage of justice. Dh's first comment in remembering it was that this was "the time period when people said things like wilding" all the time. I don't think I'd ever even heard that term. The dynamic with the lead detective is hardest for me to watch, honestly. The male detectives are almost like caricatures of "bad cops." But the white woman who leads the team has a tiny bit more nuance. Rape is also still an under-prosecuted, underinvestigated, under-punished crime. And the anger about that problem that the detective feels is something I can actually relate to. But then she gives it the only outlet she can realistically give it in a racist system - she finds the people who are more vulnerable than women and blames them. And she constantly justifies herself by using this dehumanizing language about them. It's so maddening the way that an oppressive system divides and turns people against each other like this. And it still does it. Edited June 3, 2019 by Farrar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 15 minutes ago, Dotwithaperiod said: This is the first I’ve heard of it. Is it supposed to be pretty accurate to what happened, or is it more of a “loosely based” retelling? I remember the Ken Burns documentary a few years ago. It's a dramatization, so I can't imagine that there aren't some things being condensed slightly or things that are playing out slightly differently. But it's based on the accounts of the Central Park Five and the court and police documents as well as media reports. The articles I've seen say it's supposed to be highly accurate - at least for a mini-series of this kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 28 minutes ago, Dotwithaperiod said: This is the first I’ve heard of it. Is it supposed to be pretty accurate to what happened, or is it more of a “loosely based” retelling? I remember the Ken Burns documentary a few years ago. It is intentionally told from the perspective of the incarcerated victims and their families but, yes, it is mostly accurate. Obv. you cannot recreate exact conversations. Ms. Fairstein's portrayal is notably true to her actions/feelings on the matter. We know this because she has spoken of them (and continues to defend them) publicly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Farrar said: Dh didn't watch it with me, but we were talking about it. He grew up in the NYC media orbit and is a couple years older than me so he remembered it from the time when I barely do. Like, I remember it vaguely on the news, but the only way I know anything about it is really from commentary after the fact, years later. Like, when I went to college in New England, it was clearly a "thing" that people expected that one would be familiar with and believe was a miscarriage of justice. Dh's first comment in remembering it was that this was "the time period when people said things like wilding" all the time. I don't think I'd ever even heard that term. The dynamic with the lead detective is hardest for me to watch, honestly. The male detectives are almost like caricatures of "bad cops." But the white woman who leads the team has a tiny bit more nuance. Rape is also still an under-prosecuted, underinvestigated, under-punished crime. And the anger about that problem that the detective feels is something I can actually relate to. But then she gives it the only outlet she can realistically give it in a racist system - she finds the people who are more vulnerable than women and blames them. And she constantly justifies herself by using this dehumanizing language about them. It's so maddening the way that an oppressive system divides and turns people against each other like this. And it still does it. I agree in part. I get that those officers are, mostly, combinations of several people but they're not caricatures in an outlandish or cartoonish way to me. I know of many, many youths who've been questioned by school personnel and law enforcement officers in just that way. My own daughter. Physical violence may not be as permissible as it was even 20 years ago but the aggressive intimidation tactics, lying, denial of access to/notification of parents happens every.single.day. I had a school counselor tell me not even a month ago that she couldn't understand why my DD (clean disciplinary record) would admit to something that she didn't do only to come home and tell me the truth. Lady, because DD wanted you out of her face! She wanted to go home. She felt the infraction was so minor that it would all go away if she said what you wanted. DD was wrong for assuming but so was that counselor for going at DD without a parent or guardian involved. We have since instructed (no, drilled) each of our children that they are NEVER, EVER to speak to police or other 'authorities' without a parent or attorney present. Edited June 3, 2019 by Sneezyone 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 4 minutes ago, Sneezyone said: I agree and don't I get that those officers are amalgamations of a sort but they're not caricatures in an outlandish or cartoonish way to me. I know of many, many youths who've been questioned by school personnel and law enforcement officers in just that way. Physical violence may not be as permissible as it was even 20 years ago but the aggressive intimidation, lying, denial of access to/notification of parents happens every.single.day. They don’t seem unrealistic at all - I guess more like borderline stereotypes? But real. When the black young cop tries to assume they’ll follow the rules about questioning and they laughed - that killed me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 2 hours ago, TheReader said: I haven't started watching, but was reading about it.....it's horrific to think about. I don't know if I have it in me to watch. It's intense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 I just read about it again and am aghast that a political leader was still saying they were guilty just several years ago. What the world?!? 😡 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 15 minutes ago, MercyA said: I just read about it again and am aghast that a political leader was still saying they were guilty just several years ago. What the world?!? 😡 That is what Ms. Fairstein maintains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholastica Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 3 hours ago, TheReader said: I haven't started watching, but was reading about it.....it's horrific to think about. I don't know if I have it in me to watch. I totally get that. It hurts our hearts to even consider people being treated that way. Personally I am not sure I can watch it either, but I may force myself. Sadly, black men in our country have to live that horror every day of their lives. They don’t get a choice.😢 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 (edited) 16 minutes ago, scholastica said: I totally get that. It hurts our hearts to even consider people being treated that way. Personally I am not sure I can watch it either, but I may force myself. Sadly, black men in our country have to live that horror every day of their lives. They don’t get a choice.😢 DH and I were trying to decide if we were going to let our kids watch and I know now (I've finished it) that I can't let DS watch. He is not ready for the full story (which includes repeated instances of sexual assault in prison...it's not shown, just implied). DS has asked about it though because he is very keen on history. We decided to preview the Ken Burns version for him and/or see if we can find a biography or two. Edited June 3, 2019 by Sneezyone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 1 hour ago, scholastica said: I totally get that. It hurts our hearts to even consider people being treated that way. Personally I am not sure I can watch it either, but I may force myself. Sadly, black men in our country have to live that horror every day of their lives. They don’t get a choice.😢 that's a very good point; I may try. It's certainly something we all need to be aware of. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 I started it. Thinking about the youngest boy being only 14 kills me. 😞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyH in NC Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 I watched it. It was brutal in so many ways, but I felt like I needed to see it. I then spent more time reading online about the case, the boys, Ms. Fairstein, etc. I loved that it gave little up dates on the boys ( now men) at the end. Not to spoil anything, but seeing those helped me deal with the many emotions swarming around at the end of the program. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezyone Posted June 6, 2019 Author Share Posted June 6, 2019 It certainly isn’t the end-all/be all but I am glad I watched. I watched the Ken Burns version and, while it is a documentary and intended to be more dispassionate, didn’t feel the same emotional connection to any of the players. After watching both, I am leaning toward letting my kids watch the DuVernay version with DH and I for support. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 I haven't watched it. I remember it well because even though I was living here in FL it made national news for weeks on end. I just finished watching HBO's Chernobyl and this is what I learned: If I lived through an event as an adult (or even as an older teen) it's probably nothing like I remember it. It's not a bad idea to revisit such things to learn the real story. So, I do plan to watch it at some point but I have to get myself in the right head place first. I imagine it's going to be difficult to watch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 50 minutes ago, Dotwithaperiod said: If anything, it allows millions of people too young to ever remember learn, and cements the fact that innocent people every day are arrested and incarcerated, brutalized and often killed, for something they did not do, due to racism, ignorance, laziness, or hatred. I posted before I read all the responses, or I would have quoted you. As I said in my post, it also allows those of us who were older and think we remember something to learn that we don't know what we think we know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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