Thug Life

Thug Life

First question, where the hell did this come from? I've seen some odd cultures in my time but this takes the cake. I'm normally not the type of person to comment on someone else's culture in a negative light, but I've been watching a lot of news, reading history, and a lot of other broad views of what's happened, and what's happening and this 'Thug Life' is insane. What type of culture promotes rape, robbery, murder, lies, theft, drugs, and abusing women, all in the name of respect? I don't know about you, but if I met a person like that I sure as hell wouldn't respect them, in fact I'd probably despise them and turn them into the police first chance I got. I've also heard too many people screaming whitey is holding them down. I won't deny there's racism and bigotry in the world but I won't for one second believe there's not one person or institution out there anywhere that's not willing to give someone a chance to better their life if they really want to regardless of race.

I've known several people of African heritage that are doctors, lawyers, even one judge that came from childhood homes where people were gunned down in the streets on an almost daily basis. The difference is that they tried to make something of their lives, they worked, they fought, and every time they were knocked down by life they got right back up and kept on going. They didn't give up, they didn't give in, and they eventually made something of their lives. No one ever said life was easy, fair, or kind, because it's not. We live in a world were good people die, bad people live to ripe old ages, and justice often times goes to the highest bidder with the priciest lawyers, that's life people.

I'm sure there are a number of people wondering what the race of the person who is writing this little rant is, well at first view most people would call me white. White you say?! How could a white person comment on the troubles of African-Americans. Well let me counter a few points for you that some people might bring up.

You're white, you don't know what it's like to live on the streets.

I know what it's like to live in a cardboard box and have to look for a new home when it rains. I know what it's like to starve because my single mother didn't have enough money to buy a loaf of bread. I know what it's like to live in a house where the roaches scatter when you turn the lights on at night. I've been stabbed, beaten, shot at (but not hit), put in the hospital, laughed at, made fun of. I've known tremendous physical and mental abuse in my life both at the hands of my mother and others. I've lived in neighborhoods that should have been condemned long ago and had a childhood so cheerful I can't remember parts of it, it's called 'Traumatic Amnesia' people, and had 3 nervous breakdowns before the age of 18. So I indeed know the hells life can reap on a person.

You don't know what it's like to have your ancestors brought here on slave ships.

No I don't, but I do know what it's like to have 17 million of my ancestors slaughtered by English settlers and forced onto reservations. My great grandfather was a full blooded Cherokee Native American that worked for a white family that wouldn't let him come through the front door of their house because he wasn't white. Despite my white appearance I myself am 1/8 Cherokee and I've even been told by a few Native Americans I have visible Native American blood in my appearance (much to my surprise).

I've heard, and seen on TV, a lot of African-Americans talking about how they're not respected. In my own opinion on the subject, if you want respect stop promoting a culture that glorifies all the worst possible aspects of life. For a lot of people I've talked to it's not black people they don't respect, it's the 'Gangsta' image they have no respect for and I don't blame them, I don't either. It's stupid to gun down people you've never even met because they're on the 'opposite' side of the street, or to fight over territory that's not even yours to begin with, or worse, gun someone down for a pair of sneakers.

Also I'm sure a lot of you may be wondering what I've done with my life after this childhood I've mentioned. I'm currently engaged, looking for a job, and planning to go to college to become a minister of God. Despite everything that happened when I was a child, all the things I went through and everything I endured, I overcame, made peace with my mother over our past, moved on, and moved out of those hellish neighborhoods I described. Also on a closing note, if I could change anything about my life, what would I change? Nothing, because if I were to change anything, I wouldn't be me, I'd be someone else.