Just ran past S-Train. Sometimes I think I need to make a special category for the brother. Check his 9/11 post:
On 9/11, I went to a scheduled visit at the Mound Correctional Facility in Detroit, Michigan to talk to current and former gang members with less than a year left to serve. There will be about 16 of them and all African-Americans. I was invited by Warden Andrew Jackson after he heard me speak about urban sociology at Eastern Michigan University. It was quite an experience.
When talking to the convicts, I found out within 20 seconds that my "keep your head up approach" wasn't going to fly. Those men looked at me like I was a piece of crap. Now I'm here to try explain to these men about the challenges of getting out in society. Ex-cons hardly get second chances, some deservedly so, others not. And they already knew that. So I changed my approach. And hit them with some bleak, nasty stuff. I remembered most of what I said, I'll give you a little taste (I caution you, I do use strong language):
Well, let me get to the point since y'all big boys. When you step your black ass out into society, not only are people not going to give you anything, they're going to make sure you land you sorry ass right back here. Oh you can claim whatever gang set you are, the public are going to make you come back here since your hopeless. Look at you. Sitting hard and proud inside a cage, claiming gang sets like they are God's word. Man, you ain't nothing but a nigga criminal when you get out. Do you realize what I'm saying? You leaving lower than you came in. You thought you were in the ghetto before, now you reside in the sub-basement of the ghetto. Crawlin' on your belly, naked, and with nothing.
Some of you might as well not leave since you don't have the balls to do what you have to do when you get out. Because you are going to have act like Mother Theresa for you to get any trust, brothers. You going to have to submit yourselves to having your soul ripped out, rearranged, and slammed back in your heart. Your going to have to quell that sick rage in you and find an positive outlet or your black, sorry ass will die. Your going to have to challenge your very existance up to now, and win the challenge. Everything you thought up to now is nothing now. You have to think new or die
The young man has my respect (at 46 years old, I'm in a position to call him a young man, I don't know if y'all should try it).
