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Archive for Comm 455

Ethics in the ethnic press

Posted by: | February 29, 2016 | No Comment |

Journalism is a very interesting yet dangerous field. Journalists are among the most dedicated people to their profession and they fulfill their responsibilities with complete ambition. Journalists risk their lives daily to leak out information to the public that typical biased news corporations don’t. A prime example of a journalist putting her life on the line is the Lebanese Maronite journalist, May Chidiac. This phenomenal woman hosted a show on the Lebanese broadcasting corporation and she was very loved by the Lebanese population. She has always been the voice of the people in Lebanon, opposing the interference of the Syrian regime and supporting Lebanese freedom. After the Lebanese civil war, Syrian troops were stationed in parts of Lebanon and she was one of the few critics to be against this.

https://www.iwmf.org/may-chidiac-2006-courage-in-journalism-award/

https://www.iwmf.org/may-chidiac-2006-courage-in-journalism-award/

On February 14, 2005, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in a car explosion. His assassination was set up in place after he consistently protested against the Syrian occupation in Lebanon and the widely spread corruption in the Lebanese government. May Chidiac felt very strongly about this topic and on September 25 2005, she voiced her opinion on her show Bikol Jora’a. She exposed underlying secrets that were never confirmed to the public as well as pointed fingers to the assassinators of Rafik Hariri. Later that day, there was an attempt on her life. Her car was parked near a truck loaded with 2,500 grams of TNT, a highly explosive chemical. She lost an arm, and a leg, and had to undergo many reconstructive surgeries to sustain her life. She risked her life for the love of her career and continued to fight. Once she was able to speak out again, she got back to doing her job and got back on the air to speak out to the public. This woman was very determined and ambitious.

Journalists such as May should be honored for their commitment and devotion. She eventually resigned on February 3, 2009 from her show on TV because her disabilities were too much to sustain a consistent show. She still to this day makes appearances on TV, despite her disabilities and the public look forward to her appearances due to her loyalty in journalism and to her country, Lebanon.

To learn more about May Chidiac, follow this link: Courage in Journalism

under: Comm 455, Uncategorized
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Handguns for children

Posted by: | February 29, 2016 | No Comment |

Glock-Constitution-998x666Why would anyone be okay with a child under the age of 14, to use a gun? Last week, the state of Iowa, sent a bill to the senate proposing changes to state laws relating to guns. Currently, the state does not allow children under the age of 14 to use guns, but this new bill is asking for the state to allow those children to use guns! Imagine a 10 year old, even a 7 year old using a gun!

This new proposal has stirred up quite a bit of commotion between those who are opposed and those who are in favor.

Brian Hood, head coach of the Central Iowa Scholastic Shooters, is in favor of the new bill and says, “This is not about giving our children the combo to the gun safe. This is about allowing them in a supervised scenario, to learn a great sport.”   His 16 year old daughter agrees with her father. She brings up the point that as long as the person is responsible and is supervised, then it would be okay. grace_screenshot1_de4b99e22f5d905763359552a0a8a563.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000How do we know who is responsible and who isn’t? Being responsible enough to use a gun is different than being responsible enough to go to school and turn in your homework every day.

On the other hand, Dan Gross, who is the president of a gun control advocacy group, states, “Almost every unintentional shooting of a child… happens with a parent’s gun. It’s not some hypothetical fear, it’s something that happens every day…”  

How safe can we be if children are allowed to use handguns? It’s bad enough that there are adults that create disaster with guns, can you imagine 10 year old and 4 year olds using hand guns? That’s a disaster waiting to happen!

under: Comm 455, Local news
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Media: how we want it

Posted by: | February 28, 2016 | No Comment |
http://www.thenewsmanual.net/Resources/what_is_news_00.htm

http://www.thenewsmanual.net/Resources/what_is_news_00.htm

The media shows the public what we want to see. Journalists don’t waste their time writing articles and features about the average person doing an average thing. That isn’t entertaining. The usual, weird, and outlandish is what the public want to hear about. In Mitchell Stephens’ book A History of News there is a whole chapter (chapter 8) devoted to the outlandish stories that we crave. We want the people biting dog stories. The stories that go against the norm and the stories that are different from our daily life. For example, celebrity news.

“When a dog bites a man that is not news, but when a man bites a dog that is news“

In the Political Challenged: Texas Tech Edition students are asked a series of questions. The first half are either about United States history or politics and the second half is about celebrity news. Watching this as a history major, or as I like to say “a historian in training,” was terrifying. It gives evidence that the average American student,at least in 2014, was more concerned with what was happening to celebrities rather than what had happened and is happening to the U.S.

 

Will this ever change? The public will always crave to know more about the unusual. People want to see what celebrities go through because it’s incredibly different, though not always, than the average life we lead. I know that I. personally, hope that there will be a renewed craving for less celebrity news and more impacting news about the world, but will that happen? Only time and news will tell.

 

under: Comm 455
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Hala Gorani: unstoppable journey for truth

Posted by: | February 27, 2016 | No Comment |
140620125331-promo-world-right-now-hala-gorani-00001018-story-top

Credit: http://www.cnn.com/videos/international/2014/06/20/promo-world-right-now-hala-gorani.cnn

Since its establishment in 1957 George Mason University has accumulated a long list of notable alumni. Among them is Hala Gorani anchor and correspondent for CNN International. Throughout her career she has created a name for herself, and has become one of the most iconic women in the media in the 21st century.

Hala Gorani was born on Mar. 1 1970 in Seattle, Washington. She was raised in Paris by Syrian and French parents. Groan speaks speaks English, Arabic, and French. She earned a a Bachelor of Science from GMU and also the Institut d’etudes politiques in Paris, France. Gorani’s career began writing for the French daily La Voix du Nord and Agency France Presse. She also worked for France 3 that is a French network where she covered various stories for Paris Premiere (French cable network). Finally she worked for Bloomberg Television in London before joining CNN as an anchor in 1998.

One of her most known achievements is that she reported from every country in the Middle East. As a Middle Eastern student myself this is both fascinating and impressive. Gorani has been to report from countries with various cultures, laws, safety concerns, etc. Being a female and reporting in that area of the world is amazing because she has been able to break boundaries and report.

Currently Gorani is anchoring The World Right Now, with Hala Gorani. It is impossible to list every single issue she has reported on but the following are a few of the major breaking news stories reported on:

There is no doubt that Hala Gorani is an inspiration for many people from all over the world. She was recognized with a Golden Nymph Award for her coverage of the Haiti earthquake. The award actually represents one of the highest honors in the field of international journalism. Gorani is definitely one of CNN’s most experienced international journalists. From 2011 to 2015 every year she was named among the 100 most powerful Arab women by the Arabian Business Magazine. In 2015 she was also named one of the most powerful women by Forbes Woman Middle East. In May of 2015 Gorani was awarded Honorary Doctor of Human Letters Degree by George Mason University. She also proceeded to deliver the 2015 commencement address to the graduating class.

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More issues than Vogue

Posted by: | February 26, 2016 | No Comment |

“Sometimes I would buy Vogue instead of dinner. I felt it fed me more.”

–Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City)

http://www.soguemoments.com/2015/02/hall-of-covers.html

http://www.soguemoments.com/2015/02/hall-of-covers.html

Arthur Baldwin Turnure, the creator of Vogue, would have been pleased to witness the success that has evolved from his magazine. In 1892, Turnure constructed the influential fashion and lifestyle magazine in hopes of capturing the hearts of high-class individuals living in New York City. At the time, Vogue’s purpose was to inform its readers about trendy hang out spots as well as traditions and beliefs that were cherished amongst those with luxurious lifestyles. Not long after, the vision and content was transformed as it focused solely on women’s fashion. Conde Montrose Nast, the founder of Conde Nast Publications, made the revolutionary decision as he purchased the magazine in 1909. Nast’s perspective for the magazine will always remain legendary, as he demanded unique photographs and high editorial content.

With a solid platform to play off of, Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief since 1988, continued to uphold the magazine’s reputation of high fashion while adding in her own personal touch. She made several alterations to the magazine as well as new additions for the better of the company. Wintour is perceived as a vital source within the fashion world due to her sensational contributions within the industry. Not only does she recognize up and coming designers, but she also helped discover the CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund in order for emerging fashion designers to receive finical aid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0tm22uaFNA

For more than 100 years, Vogue magazine keeps the title as the ultimate fashion guide for all women. The magazine has created international forms as well as a teen edition called- Teen Vogue. The magazine remains true to their target market of women who feel the need to be inspired. When you are analyzing each page, you are taken into a world of pure sophistication and glamour. With every new edition that is released, you become eager to witness the art and dedication that has been put into each booklet. Whether you are looking forward to the top of the line clothing from famous designers, discovering new models, or learning about beauty, one thing is certain- you are apart of something monumental.

Interested to know more? Check out: Newsstand: 1925: Vogue America

 

 

under: Comm 455, Uncategorized
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Martin Luther & the Protestant Reformation

Posted by: | February 25, 2016 | No Comment |

During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther became widely known as one of the most powerful and forceful leaders in the 16th century. Within the PBS film, “Martin Luther: The Reluctant Revolutionary,” the plot captures the journey of a man that truly changed the course of history. Throughout this time, the Catholic Church was recognized as a more authoritative and influential source over the king and his rulings. At the beginning of Luther’s studies and career, he obeyed this strict concept in order to prevent God’s disapproval. The Catholic Church manipulated the idea of heaven and hell so that the people of Europe would follow their lead and donate unnecessary funds when asked. As a servant of God, Luther believed he would enter the gates of heaven through a life within the monastery. Luther was unable to find the enlightenment that he searched and deserved for as a monk. After several years passed, he agreed to become a professor of theology at a university. Through this act, Luther developed the idea that salvation can be reached by simply believing in God and having faith

http://whythe95thesesareimportant.weebly.com/short-term-and-long-term-impacts.html

http://whythe95thesesareimportant.weebly.com/short-term-and-long-term-impacts.html

“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say,”

Martin Luther preached. The purpose of this statement is to exemplify the determination that he possessed to take down the controlling behavior of the Catholic Church. Upon the church’s doors, his Ninety-Five Theses were nailed for the public to read. The Ninety-Five Theses listed the many reasons as to why his theory of salvation was accurate. The chaos that occurred after his construction was enormous as it spread like wildfire thanks to Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press. This piece of technology allowed his information to travel with distance and speed throughout Europe.

The PBS film documented Luther’s announcement as one of Europe’s most successful authors. The readers of his work praised his ruthless tone against authority. In addition, the film highlighted many important pieces that contributed to Luther’s success. There were several facts that stood out to me however, I captured and documented the ones that related to how Martin Luther’s acts and the printing press changed history. First, after the madness and violence simmered down, there was no longer one Christian Europe. This eventually turned over globally as the rest of the world watched and shadowed this type of revolution. Second, Luther is known as the first propagandist as he protested against authoritative figures by nailing his theses on the doors. Lastly, I was inspired by his motivation to help end dishonest corruption through the quote, “You can kill a person, not an idea.” This statement proves that his idea of salvation stuck in the minds of millions with the efficiency of the printing press. Whether the church, king or anti-followers sought out violence to be noticed or heard, the central idea was undoubtedly the leading force of it all.

Watch the PBS film now: Martin Luther: The Reluctant Revolutionary

Quote source: “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say”

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How technology is changing journalism?

Posted by: | February 23, 2016 | No Comment |

Humans have always been thirsty for news, but the way news is gathered and shared is changing every day. The velocity of journalism is changing in parallel with the evolving technological means that facilitate getting, sharing, and exchanging information.

After it used to take years for some news to travel outside of their edge, technology and the internet have been a big contribution to the way we get news. News gathering for journalists has become easier Tips-for-Twitter-Engagementin some ways,  although they still need to double the credibility of the sources. Journalists and anybody else can follow events as they are happening via videos, pictures, twitter and Facebook posts.  There is an overload of online sources, in addition to the fact that most people in developed countries have cellphones which makes the news at their finger tips.

The evolution of news from word of mouth to print to video, audio and back to word of mouth in the form of social media platforms, supports the argument Megan Garber makes in her article “The Gutenberg parenthesis: Thomas Pettitt on parallels between the pre-print era and our own Internet age”. She believes that between the era that followed Johannes Gutenberg, and era of the internet was “essentially an interruption to the broader arc of communication”.

 

under: Comm 455, newspapers, social media
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Paris: the city of love

Posted by: | February 23, 2016 | No Comment |

Bonjour and welcome to the wonderful city of Paris, France. Known worldwide as the city of love, Paris is the desired location for honeymooners and those looking for a bit of romance. From scenic walks along the Seine River to ascending the Eiffel tower, there is certainly a lot to do in this city rich in history. Here is a list of must go places to check out on your trip through Paris whether it be your first visit or returning.

The Louvre:the-louvre-16

One of the largest museums in existence, The Louvre boasts
one of the best collections of art including Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and an extensive collection of Egyptian artifacts. Visitors first enter the museum by descending under the glass pyramid and can either grab a free museum map and/or a headset to explore on their own or join any of the guided tours.

The Eiffel tower:

One of the true icons of the city, a visit to Paris is not compEiffel-Tower-Paris-Francelete without ascending this impressive landmark. Standing an impressive 984 feet, The Eiffel tower first began construction on Jan. 28, 1887 under Gustave Eiffel and his company and became open to the public on March 31, 1889. Locals and tourists alike flock to the tower year round so expect to wait one to two hours in line to reach the first of two elevators. One of the best times to get in line would be around 4 p.m. to reach the top in time to witness a beautiful sunset. Did mention champagne is available to purchase at the top level?

Notre-Dame de Paris:france-notre-dame-cathedral

Also known as the Notre-Dame Cathedral, this prime example of French gothic architecture deserves a look if time permits. Standing 315 feet, this cathedral boasts gargoyles and impressive stained class installations which was the inspiration for Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

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Features and feuds: The importance of Swift vs. West

Posted by: | February 23, 2016 | No Comment |

A good feature story is meant to not just inform, but entertain. Feature stories gravitate towards topics that the public is interested in and further elaborates on the matter in an entertaining way. A way in which feature stories garner attention is by illuminating recent controversies that the public seems to be fascinated by.

Last week Rolling Stone magazine featured the article “Taylor Swift vs. Kanye West: A Beef History.” And I find that this is the perfect topic for a popular feature story.

“Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!” – Kanye West

720x405-taylor-west

Rollingstone.com

Recognize this quote? It’s the quote that sparked the 7 year long feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West. It would be very difficult not to hear or read about Swift and West’s “beef” over the years. But for those who may have been living under a rock for the past 7 years, or just can’t seem to understand the issues between the two celebrities, Rolling Stone created an interesting and informative article on the matter.

The article combined two things that many great feature stories share: context and controversy.

The article goes over the events that have filled Swift and West’s own version of the Seven Year’s War. Starting in September 13th, 2009, when West interrupted Swift’s VMA’s speech for winning album of the year to February 15th, 2016, when Swift passively addressed West in her Grammy acceptance speech, the article adds context to the long quarrel between two of the most headline making celebrities of our time.

Laying out a timeline of the feud that has made its way through numerous media outlets over the years, the article illuminates the shade-filled dispute between the two artists. And by explaining the details of the feud from both sides, the article allows you to choose your own side.

Now while readers may find the feud to be trivial or wonder why they both can’t just shake it off, I think that deep down we don’t really want them to. Stories like this attract us and entertain us, and they always have. That’s the point of feature stories. We like controversy. We like feuds. We like feeling like we are in the know about celebrities and events.

So even if Swift vs. West lasts until 2025, I have no doubt that we will still choose to read about it.

kids.britannica.com

kids.britannica.com

 

under: Comm 455
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Trump. The rise of a demagogue

Posted by: | February 23, 2016 | No Comment |

 

Donald Trump.

By now he is arguably the most popular man in America — next to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, that is.

Well what exactly does that say about America?

Donald Trump has made his claim to wealth and fame through his various real estate ventures and by way of media. However, this American business mogul has perhaps single-handedly contributed to the degradation of American integrity in a shorter amount of time and moreso than any other candidate in recent history.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump  has run on a populist platform, using yellow journalism — which is by definition, a form of deplorable journalism catered to the working class individuals of society that is based upon sensationalism and crude exaggeration. People who support Trump say the love him for his blunt outspokenness and matter-of-fact approach.

Well — I have a cousin that loves to get drunk at family gatherings and speak his mind—does that make him presidential material?

Trump has spent his entire campaign seeking support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices of the disenfranchised working class rather than rather than using rational argument. He is a demagogue in the utmost sense and his brash, reckless and racist rhetoric pandering to an unhealthy, ethocentric and xenophobic sense of nationalism is dangerous.

University of Texas professor, Patricia Roberts-Miller define’s demagoguery as  “polarizing propaganda that motivates members of an ingroup to hate and scapegoat some outgroup(s), largely by promising certainty, stability, and what Erich Fromm famously called ‘an escape from freedom'”.

 

“What, in the changed conditions after the war, Hitler was able most signally to exploit was the belief that pluralism was somehow unnatural or unhealthy in a society, that it was a sign of weakness, and that internal division and disharmony could be suppressed and eliminated, to be replaced by the unity of a national community.” (Ian Kershaw, Hitler, 1889-1936)

 

His numerous controversial comments regarding race have served to put America in the international spotlight, reflected less as a country founded upon values of freedom and democracy, but moreso founded upon questionable ethics, run by a plutocracy where unqualified leaders are able to come to rise touting sensationalist racist propaganda and flourish politically based solely off of the number of zeroes in their bank accounts.

After a Black Lives Matter protestor at his rally was assaulted, Trump responded by saying “maybe he should have been roughed up.” But it didn’t stop there. He also later posted to his social media and propagated a “wildly inaccurate” image of  skewed,  racist motivated crime statistics originally released by white supremacist individuals. The image stated that 81% of murders perpetuated against white individuals were by black individuals when in actuality, according to the most recent FBI crime statistics, it turned out that in fact that 82% of white homicides were perpetuated by white individuals.

His comments regarding Mexican immigrants were perhaps the most strongly worded and outwardly racist. Trump was quoted publicly saying

 

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

 

The use of fear-mongering tactics and sensationalism in conjunction with yellow journalism in order to appeal to a disenfranchised working-class votes is sickeningly deplorable and unethical in the highest sense. Trump is pandering to working class, under educated individuals at the expense of already marginalized and oppressed minority groups in a country with an immensely poor track record for racial history.

When we as a country allow the rise of such dangerous demagoguery, we are telling the world that we as a country place values such as materialism and capitalism — money and chutzpa — over fundamental ideals such as ethics and morality. We are willingly and blissfully sacrificing staples such as societal progression, race relations, foreign policy and international security  — our integrity — and all in the name of entertainment.

 

 

under: Comm 455
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Roman contributions to journalism: The acta

Posted by: | February 23, 2016 | No Comment |

The Roman acta was the first example of a newspaper to be produced in Western civilization. The acta began being posted publicly in 59 BCE during the reign of Julius Caesar, and its contents were actually similar to the newspapers of today.

There were two different types of acta when Caesar decided to make the recorded information public. The first was acta senatus, a record of the senate in Rome’s activities. The second was acta diurna, or the news of the people.

Bust of Julius Caesar

             Bust of Julius Caesar

It is important to note that before Caesar decided to make the acta public in 59 BCE, the acta may have been recorded privately as early as 449 BCE. Caesar’s decision to open the information to the public was not entirely well received, and some of his successors chose to close the acta from public view.

During its time of open publication we can see through the example of Cicero just how important the Acta was to both Roman citizens at home and those abroad who wanted to keep track of the city. Cicero references reading the acta while abroad multiple times in letters to friends explaining his thoughts on current events.

Today, the Latin word acta is translated as gazette in English, another sign of the comparability of the acta to the newspapers of today. The content within the acta was similar as well, as it contained a mix of political, social, and even criminal news.

Like many people today who complain about seeing too much of the Kardashians in the news, Cicero is seen complaining about the amount of “tittle-tattle” in the acta that he believes distracts from the more important political news contained within the acta.

To be clear though the news the Romans were reading was not entirely like the news we read today in the United States. Unlike here in the States, all of the news presented by the Acta was directly from the governement; there were no independent news sources.

Roman Acta

      Roman Acta Diurna

Thanks to this control, many consuls and emperors viewed the acta as a way to reach and control the people. Some emperors like Commodus took advantage of the acta to promote themselves and build themselves up.

During times when the acta was not abused by those in power, it truly was the best source for news in Rome and surrounding areas. Despite having to be hand-copied, the acta was able to spread far and wide thanks to Roman roads and trade routes.

Overall, the acta was useful both to the general populace at home, as well as politicians abroad for staying up on current events in the world’s most powerful city. Politicians like Cicero, Cassius, and Cornificius were all able to keep track of events whether they were in Africa, the Middle East, and even parts of Asia as well.

The Roman acta certainly was a precursor to the eventual magazine that was to follow. The ability of Rome to create this type of meaningful information source for the public was something that would not be perfected until centuries later. All of this shows just how important the acta was in the history of journalism.

under: Comm 455
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The Nightcrawler of Chicago

Posted by: | February 23, 2016 | No Comment |

Local crime reports appeal to many Americans, curious about the current state of events in their neighborhood. This need for news is paired with an expectation of timeliness, and the sensational topics of the day are awaited on the 6 o’clock news. Unfortunately, the press does not have the ability to be present at every crime scene. Some news occurs so rapidly that it is seemingly impossible to arrive in a timely manner and report the happenings in detail. This job is left open for the “nightcrawler”– the freelance vulture of the digital press. I can only relate this profession to something my father once said: “theres nothing wrong with being a garbageman, somebody’s gotta pickup the trash”.

These “nightcrawlers” record the devastation of local communities, so you can see it when you flip on the television. Popular culture has idolized these individuals, as they have been personified in the movie “nightcrawler”: a popular take on a freelance journalist who reports on the various graphic crimes of Los Angeles. Despite this fictional portrayal, there have existed a long line of journalists-to-be in this wild profession.

Chicago knows no lack of violent crime stories. So far this year, the death toll has reached 91. Some see murder, others see opportunity. One Chicago nightcrawler under the alias of “Spot News” has made an appearance. This nightcrawler has appeared at crime scenes since 1991. His photos are graphic in nature, but have been dispersed to various news outlets throughout Chicago since it’s birth. These photos offer the inside look at the crime scene that every other news outlet can’t acquire. He utilizes police scanners to get to these crime scenes before anyone else can.

 

With all this negative publicity, someone is bound to get offended. Offended they are. Spot News has received countless death threats and harassment, but as Spot News states in the Daily Beast:”How do you tell the story of death without a body?”. For the families of the victims, Spot News’s images can be a shameful representation of their deceased loved one. One can only hope that this profession benefits society in some fashion. We’d like to think that these pictures will elucidate interest in preserving the lives of the youth. We’d also like to think that these images would instill some interest in fighting crime and black-on-black violence. But Chicago seems far from this state of mind, and as we progress into 2016, it seems as impossible as ever.

 

under: Comm 455
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