I met Ed Burns and Radley Balko at a summit on snitch testimony in Atlanta in March of last year.  A few months later, I spent a few days with Mr. Balko in the Lafayette area last year researching a story on the snitching crisis.  Radley is probably the best journalist on the drug war beat in America.  Check out his libertarian-leaning blog, The Agitator, here.

My wife and I get together with Ed Burns and company every free night to watch another episode of The Wire (delivered to our door by Netflix).  We are currently half way through the third season and we’re hooked.  A few days ago, Balko did a telephone interview with Burns that serves as a splendid companion piece to my Prison-shaped Communities rant and my Hard Times in Bunkie Louisiana narrative. 

If you don’t believe Alan Bean, then perhaps you’ll listen to a guy who has spent his life fighting in Viet Nam, the Baltimore school system and as a Baltimore cop.  Burns may sound burned-out and cynical, but pay particular attention to his glowing review of Geoff Canada’s work in Harlem near the end of Balko’s interview.  Burns is highly critical of most established non-profits working, ostensibly, for the poor and underprivileged.  His arguments are compelling and comport fully with my experience.

Alan Bean, Friends of Justice