Talk:Second line (parades)

the basic definition needs clarification. "first line" is the organized, professional, parade itself, wheras second-line consists of amateurs/fans/spectators JUMPING IN behind the parade? is THAT what this says?

later sections talk about "holding second line parades", as if there is no first-line in front of them. this doesn't jibe with the first paragraph.

someone in the know pls rewrite first paragraph! 209.172.25.244 (talk) 01:38, 14 May 2013 (UTC)Reply

Second lines can occur both at the end of a larger parade, as the opening describes, or can occur as independent parades. In my experience, the term is used rather loosely to describe basically any parade led by a brass band in which passer-bys can openly join in. This may be the source of the confusion. I may try to clean it up but I don't have any sources and haven't lived in New Orleans long enough to know that my understanding of the term is completely accurate.2602:306:CEC4:6640:8DAB:15B2:6B9C:588B (talk) 21:06, 17 January 2014 (UTC)Reply

What is well referenced about it? I see two stories of one shooting incident. Both stress that there is nothing inherently violent about SLs.

WDSU : ""Obviously, these are unusual circumstances," Serpas said. "We have second lines that occur in the City of New Orleans virtually every weekend this time of the year."is th only general commentary in the piece, from a policeman.

NYT: Narrates the organizer used to request not to come with guns. Goes on to duggest the motivation behind the incident was personal.

This combination of personal quarrel and public event is alluded to when we read "they often prompted a debate about street culture and violence, about the rolling crowds that form on such occasions and how much they may be to blame for what goes on in their orbit." and in the next paragraph.

Then you have the words of two officials and the reporter, over five paragraphs explaining how the events and violence are not connected.

The article shifts to introducing a "air of menace", supported by one musician saying he finds the parades scary. It reminds us NO has more than its share of gun violence. Back to SLs, we get to the important point: "Neither Ms. Jackson nor others deny that violence has marred the parades, but they say this is a function of where the parades take place."

Two more shooting "near or at" SLs are mentioned, in a time "when violence was spiking". Let's say there are three parags. of this.

Another journalist denies the connection, citing another air, and a NOLA professor of sociology seems to be on the same side. A policeman and a parade organizer both agree the risk of violence is dependent upon "bad spots". We can count about five more paragraphes in this tone.

So, we have what is or close to the murder capital of the US, with 3 specific shootings in Second Lines scenes and probably a few more that were not singled out, a line of citizens and officials to do not tie the SLs with the shootings, one who prefers not to participate and a very good explanation for the coincidences that occurred.

Oh, and a disturbing air of scare talk. Don't you find it more urgent to report the incidence of sexual harassment in such sleazy institutions as Grocery stores or the effects of jogging trails on federal copyright laws infringements? trespassers william (talk) 17:38, 16 May 2013 (UTC)Reply

A horrible incident, but creating a whole section focusing on it seems to suffer over recentism and giving undue weight. If the incident is considered notable enough, perhaps a separate article about it, otherwise I think a long section about one day's incident at one parade this really doesn't belong here in an overview article about the tradition. -- Infrogmation (talk) 17:52, 16 May 2013 (UTC)Reply

Can't see justification for including the violence. The second line parade was probably unknown to most Americans outside of Louisinna until this shooting, but the connection is tenuous at best. There are hundreds of such parades each year. This section might be justified in an article about the specific parade if it was an annual event. [Andy Daniel] — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:4898:4010:1003:21AF:1E3:EB3E:C7CC (talk) 22:14, 16 May 2013 (UTC)Reply

• I've spun the section about the Mother's Day Shootings into a separate article Mother's Day 2013 New Orleans shooting. If it is notable, it is as an act of violence, not for any relationship with the second line. -- Infrogmation (talk) 14:20, 22 May 2013 (UTC)Reply
  • Ooops, others already started an article on the incident at 2013 Mother's Day Parade shooting; redirecting there. -- Infrogmation (talk) 14:27, 22 May 2013 (UTC)Reply