dora_da_destroyer
Master Baker
i'm taking the "we" as in young black males and/or the people in his environment. that's a common way of speaking. go back and forth from what "we" collectively do as a community and then go back to your personal feelings or actions.I understand why you think that but read his statement again...
"I have to put that same type of influence on my lil brothers, on the lil homies in the neighborhood," he said. "We tend to act in violence all the time, and that's just something we were brought up to do. Now that I'm more mature, I [can show] them other avenues to go about handling themselves: Being knowledgeable and jumping into a book rather than reaching for a pistol and reacting that way."
Who is "we"? Is it "we" as in immediate family? Neighbors? Classmates? Everyone in your entire neighborhood acts out violently?He doesn't bother to differentiate between aggression vs self defense either... In fact, he's suggesting that his neighbors are innately aggressive. I hate to say it but there's a certain
undertone to his statement as subtle as it may be.
He then goes on to say "now that I'm more mature, I can show them other avenues..." as if he himself was perpetuating violence once upon a time. He doesn't bother to specify whether he was acting in self defense or if he was reacting violently to one-up somebody who disrespected him. How is "jumping into a book" even relevant in a conversation about violence? If the kid is reaching for a pistol it's probably in reaction to one of his people dying... How is "jumping into a book" a commensurate response to losing somebody? It's a lazy statement that doesn't even address the issue he brought up of interrupting the cycle of violence. "Being knowledgeable" would be a great message in a conversation about preparing yourself to go to college but when you're talking about kids dealing with the raw pain and heartache that surrounds gun violence it's an empty statement that does not address the issue.
as for violence or self defense, i think it's implied that he's talking about violence. sounds like you're being an apologist. that self defense excuse aint often the case for violence in our neighborhoods, and even when it is, it's in response to someone else who was simply being violent. let's be real, a lot of our communities got kids in situations where they see guns and the streets as a more viable option than getting an education/learning. it's not empty at all, he's at a place where he can help them better understand the multitudes of forces that got them where they're at (knowledge) which is found in books, inspiration and self worth can also be found in those books as opposed to venting their anger and frustration thru violence.
)
can't interpret slang and colloquialisms 
