Brent Staples grew up in a rough, industrial city to become a successful journalist. In this story called "A Brother's Murder" Staples talks about his younger brother Blake who is just twenty-two years old had been murdered. One day in February 1984 Staples received a phone call about the murder of his brother Blake. Blake was killed by a young man that was only twenty-four years old wearing a ski mask; he was shot close range with a .44 Magnum. The young man and Blake were once inseparable friends when senseless rivalries begin, it was believed to be over a girlfriend that escalated from Posturing, to threats, to violence, then murder. Staples and Blake were ten years apart they were both raised in Chester, Pennsylvania, an angry, heavily black, heavily poor, industrial city southwest of Philadelphia in the 1960's. Staples knew he had to get out of that city and wanted to bring his brother with him so he would go down the wrong path and eventually get killed.
While growing up in Woonsocket there where tough times to deal with during my High School years from 1996 till 1999. Most kids would have to watch there back all the time. The rivalry between the Hispanics (Bloods) and Asians (Crips) was a big issue in high school. Usually before school started in the morning or after school ended at 245pm is when most of the trouble would happen. I was associated with both groups as a neutral person and never took sides. I had friends in the Bloods and Crips both would ask if I heard the other say anything my answer though they didn't like it was " You want to know find out yourselves". Luckily the worst that happened is just one or two kids would get jumped (a small group against one or two) no one even got killed or hospitalized that I knew of. Similar to Staples I had friends that never grew up to realize they need to get out while they can before something worst happens. Today I would going through Woonsocket I could spot one or two kids that I know hanging out at the corner selling drugs. They would also see me but respectful give a nod or peace sign which would mean Hi. Others would either move to another area within the United States and was killed or still in Rhode Island but in the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC).
Here I am thirty-one years old and joined the military after High School and to this day never had a fist fight. When I was younger even though I knew a lot of the troubled kids there was never a time I need to fight. In some areas around the United States there are still gang’s worst then the gangs that were around while I was in High School. There is a show Gangland which shows different genres of gangs in the US. The show talks about the life of gang members some street gangs and some bike gang’s far worst that involve in the killing of others. But violence is not often from just gang members but all so from ordinary everyday people. Disputes over a variety of things from someone stepping on another person’s shoes to people at the wrong place and wrong time are also victims. Often some of the younger kids join a gang or get into trouble either from a troubled up rising to scenarios like the previous blog about "Dear Dads: Save Your Sons". Much possibility could influence the troubles that some believes to be the right thing or the only thing they know how/what to do.
I believe we should all try a play apart on someone’s life either close or distant to us and show that there is a way out. Also to know there is a positive solution and to avoid the troubles that we may be surrounded by. Help give a chance to some one that is in need of a chance.
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