Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Chillin With Da Troops


Five brothers got murdered Saturday and now we have the troops…


Was this really neccesary?

Who’s got the “I Am Not A Thug” signs for everybody’s car.

Nothing like men in military suits running around to make you feel good about coming home.

Gotta love New Orleans!!!

You know this kind of thing could happen in any city so why does the national and the useless local media act like we are the only place in the country with street thugs?

Can we just get one story about working people who chose to come home despite all the negativity?

I must not be paying attention because besides one or two areas of the city I haven’t seen anything going on at the pre-Katrina level.

I hate to sound cold but two of the victims mother was at the press conference with the mayor and city council and she didn’t really sound all that surprised that someone hurt her babies.

What were they doing out at 3AM riding around anyway?

Shouldn’t she know where they were? I would still be punished right now for staying out that late at 16.

Are we gonna punish parents if their children get caught breaking the new curfew?

Council Thomas wants to know why we don’t march on the thugs……We can’t march on the thugs because you can’t march against something you helped create.

I’m no genius. I may not even be smart at all but I think I know why black people have become so passive when it comes to murder. My reasoning is that hustling and drug selling is not a fad in our neighborhoods. It’s a career. For most young men that come from where I do, we make the choice around the age of 15 if we are going to take the long hard road to education and hard work or the shortcut and get our hustle on. Over the last 20 years we have create this unwritten law that there are two factions in the community and one of them settles disputes by their own “code”. Sometimes that code cost lives. Until we admit that we don’t care because we don’t consider ourselves to be a part of that then nothing will change.

I think I should be doing more to reach out to some of these young brothers. I have been talking about it for years but haven’t done a damn thing. I know this much, it’s hard to tell some young cat that my way is the right way to go when he is 18 years old and his car rims cost more than everything I own put together.

2 comments:

Another Conflict Theorist said...

Peace Cliff:

I thought this was completely over-the-top also. When did NOLA become a police state? When will they be sending troops to Detroit or DC or Chi-Town or Brooklyn?

And where's the outrage? Ever since those looting stories were put on heavy rotation I guess (white) America thinks any official reaction to NOLA violence is warranted. Whatever it takes to subdue the savages. Very disturbing.

Anonymous said...

Your new format is very bright. A dramatic change for you...I like it.

I've always considered you a quiet storm and yes, you are a genius. You have alot to offer these young men...some good sound advice validated by experience. You have been endowed with so much wisdom for a purpose. "To much is given, much is required".

Our counterparts start grooming their children for success from the womb. Everything they know, they impart into their children. That is almost the standard with them. However with "us", one out of every 100 families may institute this priniciple. That is where you come in, to add that leverage by educating and encouraging our young black men.

Is it your responsibility? The responsibility rests on all of us who are aware of the problem. You just happen to be the most qualified that I know.

You are bound for greatness Cliff. You should unveil the potential of these brothers and take them with you.

Ok, I am through.