The subject of gun violence continues to be a major topic...
In some parts of the country, entire neighbors live in fear of those who carry a gun and wouldn't think twice about using it. It's become something of an epidemic, often claiming the lives of innocent bystanders, including children.
And not much has changed since I first talked about this during an interview I gave in 2012 with a journalist from the New York Daily News. Gun violence remains a sad marker for the times we live in. Illegal guns have become part of the landscape in many neighborhoods and are now a part of the social hierarchy as well. It's no longer something of a surprise to see a young man carrying a gun. Nor is it a shock to hear the sounds of gunfire, be it day or night.
Sadly, those who have chosen to carry a gun really think they need one. There's a "kill or be killed" mindset on the streets. I know this to be true because I live inside of a maximum-security prison. So I get to interact with the very same men who had shot up their communities with a firearm.
I believe guns have become popular for the following reasons:
1. A false need for protection.
2. A need for power over one's peers.
3. As a means to get self-respect and
a reputation for being tough and fearless.
4. As a show of individuality.
5. As a way to rebel against authorities.
6. For the thrill of breaking the law.
7. Because of the foolish but very
prevalent belief that carrying a gun
is a way to prove one's manhood.
I often hear firsthand accounts from fellow prisoners as to why they shot one or more individuals. I would also hear their regrets. Once a man awakens to the reality that incarceration is now his lot in life and so much has been lost, he is then able to admit how carrying a weapon was a big mistake. Yet his argument for doing so will usually come down to this, "All the gang crews pack guns."
During the interview with Ms. Samuels, I was quoted as saying, "You know, (when) you get into this gang fight, all the weapons come out and everyone starts firing away without thinking, the bullets start flying. Next thing you know, for this one moment of unleashing your anger, you go to prison for many, many years."
It's not worth it. An adolescent or anyone else has nothing to prove by carrying a gun illegally, nor pointing it at someone and pulling the trigger. Using a weapon to harm another needs to be seen as a shameful, cowardly, and thoughtless act.
To be continued...
D.B.
And not much has changed since I first talked about this during an interview I gave in 2012 with a journalist from the New York Daily News. Gun violence remains a sad marker for the times we live in. Illegal guns have become part of the landscape in many neighborhoods and are now a part of the social hierarchy as well. It's no longer something of a surprise to see a young man carrying a gun. Nor is it a shock to hear the sounds of gunfire, be it day or night.
Sadly, those who have chosen to carry a gun really think they need one. There's a "kill or be killed" mindset on the streets. I know this to be true because I live inside of a maximum-security prison. So I get to interact with the very same men who had shot up their communities with a firearm.
I believe guns have become popular for the following reasons:
1. A false need for protection.
2. A need for power over one's peers.
3. As a means to get self-respect and
a reputation for being tough and fearless.
4. As a show of individuality.
5. As a way to rebel against authorities.
6. For the thrill of breaking the law.
7. Because of the foolish but very
prevalent belief that carrying a gun
is a way to prove one's manhood.
I often hear firsthand accounts from fellow prisoners as to why they shot one or more individuals. I would also hear their regrets. Once a man awakens to the reality that incarceration is now his lot in life and so much has been lost, he is then able to admit how carrying a weapon was a big mistake. Yet his argument for doing so will usually come down to this, "All the gang crews pack guns."
During the interview with Ms. Samuels, I was quoted as saying, "You know, (when) you get into this gang fight, all the weapons come out and everyone starts firing away without thinking, the bullets start flying. Next thing you know, for this one moment of unleashing your anger, you go to prison for many, many years."
It's not worth it. An adolescent or anyone else has nothing to prove by carrying a gun illegally, nor pointing it at someone and pulling the trigger. Using a weapon to harm another needs to be seen as a shameful, cowardly, and thoughtless act.
To be continued...
D.B.
