Taking a Bite Out of The First 48
Grab your pitchfork: How much do the producers of The First 48 generate from this show ("The False 48," Terrence McCoy, January 16)? And they declined to pay, or rather donate, $10,000 for the benefit of children in these neighborhoods. I am never watching this unethical show. How is it that they can take pictures and invade the privacy of these people? They should be responsible to the wrongly accused and not air shows in which the subjects are innocent. There should be some loopholes to shut these vultures down. We need to set up a petition to turn them off. And as for the detectives who want their five minutes of fame: Shame on those who twist the truth to their advantage. It is frightening how vulnerable we all are. Any one of us can be wrongly accused of a crime. If the producers do not have to pay for the consequences for the lives they have destroyed, then karma is a b---h. seekermld
Watch the show: This is why A&E doesn't film The First 48 in Miami anymore. If you watched The First 48, you'd know that. Andrea Dutchland
He has a point: The judicial system is the big taxpayer-money feeder source not only for TV but also for judges' pensions, police overtime, building construction and maintenance, and on and on. Ka-ching! Here in Fort Liquordale, we are building a new courthouse complex that must cost tens of millions of dollars in under-the-table deals alone. We will need all the ignorant and poor and disenfranchised people living in heavily populated, insecure, drug-infested neighborhoods to pay for all of that. We will need all the shootouts and armed robberies and drug deals gone bad in those neighborhoods to provide steady jobs for judges and lawyers and cops. FrankD
But without the famous butts: A&E probably figures this show is equal in popularity to E!'s Keeping Up With the Kardashians and encourages detectives to ham it up for the cameras. I've watched it a couple of times, but never again, now that I know. Jeffrey Knight
Yes, this: As I cringed while reading your article, I tried to not think of the lifetime consequences of the botched police actions. I hope Taiwan gets his life back, goes to college, and buys a house. I pray that Raynathan Ray, Jonathan Volcy, and their relatives and friends find peace and some closure when the real killer is brought to justice. I hope that our justice system becomes infallible. And I look forward to looking up, one day not too distant, at our police force with respect and admiration instead of with disdain and terror. Chuny Montaner
It's the racism — and the preening — that's sad: This show makes me depressed, and what's reported in this article doesn't surprise me. What most strikes me about this show is that almost all of the victims and alleged perpetrators are young, poor, and black or brown. The suspects almost never know enough to refuse to talk and ask for a lawyer. Obviously, they are poorly educated and are unaware of their most basic rights. That's how the system likes it. And what about the guns? The cops all deliver their "gosh darn, what a sad and senseless murder" sermon, but you never hear them question the ease with which these kids access guns. These kids — mostly minority kids — are absolute victims of America's insane gun laws. If white kids were getting killed like this, the laws would change. Also, the cops are mostly preening jackasses. manbitesdog
Aw, shucks: This show is a disgrace and an absolute disgusting display of our culture's thirst for voyeurism even if it is at the cost of justice and innocent people. I hate it. But thank you, Miami New Times, for doing this. You guys are an exceptional news organization! Missy Ibarra
Scandalous Analysis
Familiar with Luke's oeuvre: Regarding Luke's column about why black women love and black men hate the Kerry Washington drama Scandal ("Scandal," Luther Campbell, January 16): Welp, you can't really expect logic from a man whose albums include songs like "Freaky Bitches" "T.K. the Pussyologist," and "Dick in Ya Mouth." Typical. stephanieparrott1
A doctoral thesis on Scandal: This is yet again another sloppy, lazy analysis of Scandal and its fans. First of all, it dominates the 18-to-49-year-old demographic in its time slot. Thus, it means that more than only black women are watching the show. Second, there is more to the story than the relationship Luke wrote about in a blandly sexist, misogynistic way. There are multiple plots, strong characters, and compelling writing by one of the most talented black women writers in television, Shonda Rhimes. There are many story lines regularly discussed and written about that are purposely ignored by black men who do not even watch the show. Third, in the show that Luke clearly does not watch, the character Olivia Pope has dated primarily black men (until her complicated — meaning more than sex, actually involving love albeit also trouble, like most human relationships — relationship with the white president). Luke's column is about controlling our choices — and in a hypocritical way that favors male privilege. It's sloppy and lazy and more transparent than Saran wrap. Spare me. Trudy
