The size of the dog matters not
The fight in the dog matters a lot
In fighting the underdog proves to be inept not
To claim victory the bruised raptor cannot
Who would have thought?
Dollars, weapons, prayers, and more
Are the prey’s from the world that adore
The prey’s courage in the brawl
Poverty, curses, condemnation, and detraction galore
Follow the raptor who the world now abhor
Don Winslow’s ability to portray the reality of life, with characters having to choose between something bad and something even worse, makes him one of the most thrilling and realistic authors of our time. In The Border, Winslow demonstrates the often hard to see grey areas of life, complicating what many view as a straight-forward relationship between right and wrong, good and evil. This way, he lays bare the complex relationship between people and between nations, particularly the US and Mexico, and consequently critique simplistic approaches to these relationships.
The recent killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is just another, among dozens of attestations of systemic racism with which America’s social fabric is smudged. Like a cat hunts a mouse, the police, who ironically are supposed to protect and serve everyone, are more often than not an additional menace to black lives. The presumption of innocence until proven guilty is dictated by one’s skin color in the US.
The Caged Bird Sings 