🔗 Share this article

L. Burney's newest book, No Sense in Wishing, merges the intimate with the political in a memoir that serves as a tribute to Baltimore. The publication explores the artistic and cultural forces that shaped his life, weaving collectively subjects of family, fatherhood, and systemic challenges.

The Politicized Lens on Baltimore

The author notes that Baltimore has for decades been politicized and seen in racial terms. Burney recalls his early essays on police brutality, prompted by the Freddie Gray case and personal household encounters. As time passed, his method shifted to a more historical viewpoint, analyzing Baltimore's legacy of division and discriminatory housing policies.

The city has probably the most damaging PR of every urban center in the United States.

Burney contends that regardless of social ills, the city's image is often distorted by media reporting. Exceptional art and musical talent emerge from the community, yet these contributions often go overlooked by mainstream viewers.

Elevating Local Artists

Via his zine True Laurels, Burney aimed to showcase local artists often overlooked by mainstream outlets. A significant story involved a musician called the artist, who encountered alleged law enforcement targeting. While Burney's reporting, the cops implicated were charged with federal offenses, exposing systemic corruption.

• This case exemplified anti-Black and class-based policing.
• He emphasized that not all Black communities experience the identical level of surveillance.

Affective Depth and Personal Reflection

The memoir balances heartbreaking experiences with lighthearted elements, reflecting the multifaceted nature of human experience. The author focused on eliciting emotional responses in readers, believing that feeling transcends technical skill in cultural production.

He discussed how artists like Lupe Fiasco profoundly impacted his life, questioning perceptions of manhood and identity.

Vulnerability and Self-Discovery

Reflecting about private subjects—such as attending church, before-school care, and being a parent—demanded significant vulnerability. He admitted that discussing his experience as a parent and the decision to follow a career chance in a different city was particularly difficult.

Writing about those feelings was not easy. The chapter likely took me a quarter of a year to just produce a initial version.

International Connections

The memoir also includes Burney's journeys to the South African city and the Nigerian metropolis, drawing connections between Baltimore and other worldwide cities. He proposes that Baltimore acts as a small-scale representation of broader societal dynamics, including class conflict and ethnic division.

Ultimately, the writer offers Baltimore as a introduction to understanding complex social systems not just in America, but across the western world.