EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW THEY SHOOTIN’

I LEARNED FROM THE WIRE ^{A new documentary}
takes aim at Miami’s
About to wrap its fourth season, creator David Simon’s HBO drama has transcended the ’80s cocaine wars
cop-show ghetto and become a living, breathing virtual city featuring the best and worst of
modern American life. If you watch (and listen) closely, you just may learn something ^{In Billy Corben’s engrossing new}
documentary, Cocaine Cowboys

IDEALS ARE A LIABILI TY. Every generation starts out opens a neighborhood boxing gym. “Damn, he used (Magnolia Pictures), self- thinking it will get this ship pointed in the right direction. to be the man back in the day,” Avon’s soldier Slim described “importers” Jon But idealism can be a death sentence. Just watch Charles says. “He’s a man today,” Avon replies. Roberts and Mickey Munday and Major “Bunny” Colvin (fired in Season Three, Episode A FIEND IS A FIEND. All addictions are dangerous. self-described “assassin” Jorge Ten) create a controversial legalized drug zone called For dope kingpin Avon Barksdale’s brazen sister “Rivi” Ayala (among others) “Hamsterdam.” The crime rate there went down 14 Brianna, fast money is a hard habit to shake, and by give up the goods on Miami’s percent, but the system—legal and illegal—always the end of Season One, she pushes her own son explosive early ’80s yay trade. fights back. D’Angelo to take a twenty-year prison bid in order to Munday’s tales of smuggling KARMA NEVER FORGETS. Maybe there’s a God, maintain the crime family’s affluent lifestyle. By the over ten tons of cocaine from maybe there isn’t. But somebody is keeping score. end of Season Two, D’Angelo is dead. Colombia to the United States, After a string of unconscionable murders and double YOU ARE YOUR ONLY FRIEND. the money (at one point Miami’s crosses, drug lord Russell “Stringer” Bell finally pays Given the right circumstances, your ride-or-die branch of the Federal Reserve up in Season Three, Episode Eleven, when he’s mowed boy will stab you in the back (see Stringer and had a $5 billion cash surplus), down in a bullet barrage. Avon’s relationship). Blood doesn’t even count. and the horrific body count (621 POLITICS IS EVERYTHING. From trap houses to Just ask D’Angelo. murders in 1981 courthouses, from Mayor Clarence Royce’s dirty tricks THERE’S A THIN LINE BETWEEN SINNER alone) will be hard to homicide chief Major Rawls’ shit list—inane com- AND SAINT. for anyone born promises, bet hedging, and back-scratching are all an Forget the old continuum of good vs. evil, after the mid-’70s integral part of life. everyone is stuck balancing both. Even a to believe. Those CHOOSE YOUR O WN PATH. Whether by gun or by murderous thief like Omar Little has a con- who watched the books, we all have a choice. In Season Three, when science—the homo-thug rests on the Miami’s vices he returns to the Barksdale crew after fourteen years in Sabbath, never curses, and would rather rob unfold, know it prison, Dennis “Cutty” Wise realizes that while the big-time prey than hand-to-hand runners. was all too real. game hasn’t changed, he has. He leaves the life and Chris Ryan and Norell Giancana BMI