HopefulFuture

Great grandmother was full blown Seminole on biological fathers side. Great grandfather and grandmother were Cherokee on moms side. The rest, probably a mix, french, british, german.

Yes Same person, sort of, my son shared the account What is reality to you? If you have skype I'll set my computer up so you can meet people that will attest to what I state. As well as who I am. You won't find me a monster, I'm just a person who lives by the principles he states, that much they will tell you. And sometimes, I get the same response from them that you just implied, but they all openly admit I'm not incorrect in the beliefs I have. Does that make you feel better? If not, I understand.

I switched my user name awhile ago, I thought all would know just by scrolling over my name. Do you have an issue with myself having a Hopeful Future for the Sabres? Well then, I'd like to bring my mum and brother to a game to meet you, after the game, we can converse on my child hood. I think you'll find my life a bit interesting, it took me a long time to get where I'm at. It certainly wasn't handed to me because I'm white, and it most definitely wasn't on a silver spoon.

I attended NTSH. And to even state that the violence wasn't as bad, well, my brother, who is 6 years older with 3 stab wound scars still on him says other wise. Or my own mother, who was tied down while I was 1 years old and raped for 3 days says so as well. You were saying the environment doesn't compare........please continue......... Oh, and by the way, I'm a product of rape as well, just so you know................

I don't take away weave, the situation they find themselves in. It is not fair at all. That I agree on. But that is something we all must address, not just the minority groups, because, as a victim of the system myself, oh yea, I've spent time in jail, it is unfair to say the least. That is neither here nor there however, you work within the system, the political system is one facet of that, but there are others, such as community relations, contributing to society and over all trying to break those stereotypes in an effort to do so. Those types of actions, when done on a broader scale then what is done now are noticed, contrary to popular beliefs. It's all a matter of will power. Do they have the will to over come? Very few have, even though, in my experience, they've been given more golden parachutes than I could possibly hope for as I grew up in poverty as well. I spent the first 12 years of my life on Gibson Street, in the Tonawanda projects. We didn't have a whole lot growing up, I'm talking one to three xmas gifts and not a whole lot more. I'm well versed in growing up with very little. Everything I am, is due to the extremely hard work I've put in to education combined with common sense. I don't expect all to achieve where I'm at, but I expect all to at least try.

Ok, make a point though. What is the over all out come you are looking for with this quote. I realize early on, Lincoln, did not want the war, he actually offered up an end to it early on, and then, subsequently, offered up the south to return with all of their slaves in chains to end it. So, while he was hardly perfect, as many falsely claim him to be, he was an advocate of justice, and that, in the end, pertains to the Brown situation. Not only the Brown situation, but to race relations over all. He was not the end all be all of answers, that, we must find within ourselves. Most of the Caucasian race has done so, not all, but surely a majority, the black race, not even close yet. So, the question is, how much more white blood at the expense of black rage, or as you put it, revenge, must be spilled before it's equal? And that is where I quoted Lincoln by the way, on that premise., Your statement, my quote, your counter-quote makes 0 sense by the way. But, in the end, it will matter not, because a white guy like me, stands ready with his fire arm in hand, to beat back the revenge you so stated, may take place on me. So lives will continue to be lost without any sense or purpose, that was my larger point. But you go keeping on, because, like I said, guys like me grab a gun and man a post and are trained and prepared to do so.

LOL, I thought you'd appreciate the response. edit: :P Oh goody, a double edit: Hey Swamp, I could have just said "don't judge a person until you walk a mile in their moccasins"

I'm sorry you find it absurd. I find his over all writings, including his personal thoughts, quite telling. But of course, you must have read those, since, you speak so candidly on the subject.

Naive to what? Wanting the just and right to represent us, the citizens, in our endeavor to achieve a more perfect union? If that be the case, who is actually naive? Those that accept what they believe they cannot change, or those that actively pursue the change necessary for integrity and honesty in government? You imply by your statement it cannot be done, I imply by my actions, it can be. Is there ever a "correct answer" in a Republic? I submit only common sense, nothing more, nothing less. If you are frustrated by that, may I suggest you try it before you judge it. And not just speaking it, but live it.

I understand man, I really do. But come on GC, the reality is, this type of legislation, while unpopular in it's inception, now has enough backing to really make a difference, if, and I know it's a big if, both parties can come to a plan, instead of fighting one another. And yes, I fully realize the Repubs are to blame for the larger issue on this, but the Dems did themselves no service by cramming this piece of garbage down the public's throats. As odd as it sounds from a Libertarian, there is a middle ground that can achieve a majority of the goals that are wanting to be achieved. You kid yourself, really, you do. Look at the last election. It is bad policy, and in turn, it was bad politics that made it bad policy. Look, once again Swamp, I agree this needs to be addressed, I'm merely stating that both of the monopoly parties failed to do so adequately. There is an opportunity for all of them to do something good, just and right. All they need do is for go their allegiance to their individual parties and it can be done. Yes, it is, and you are correct, but the point I was trying to make was his message that it does not have to be this way. There is another way. The way by which the African American race excepts the rule of law and abides by it. That projects to the modern day situation. Look Yushi, officer Wilson shot and killed Brown, and he had a right to based on the testimony that was received and excepted by the grand jury. But, the community, the African American community, in Ferguson, went above and beyond to show why there is a racial divide in this nation. You simply cannot be taken seriously as an equal when actions such as those in Ferguson continue to plague the American landscape, specifically from the African American community. At some point and time, restraint must be shown, maturity, the ability to work with in the system, it all must be shown.

It was a policy mistake the moment it was a political mistake. Of all people, I'm shocked you don't understand that GCOE. The "People" elected their "Representatives" to represent them. And they did so. The only problem is, they didn't represent the "will of the people" by telling false-hoods and half truths on the plan. The 16 elections bore this out to a large extent. As I've stated from the beginning, and I've stated it bares repeating time and time again. When you take a public office or service job, you are beholden to the "people". This is just common sense. Use honesty, integrity and get a law passed that "all will be accepting to". Not some crap that a party leader states you have to pass it to know what's in it. That crap won't fly.

How much revenge is enough? This has been going on for decades. As Abraham Lincoln himself said: "Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." 3 With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." I want you all, everyone of you, think on those words for a moment. If nothing more than a moment. Think of what they mean, think of what they project. Thank you for the post Numark. And I agree with everything you've stated in this post. No surprise really Matrix. While health care did need to be addressed, the way in which the Democrats strong armed through a bill was catastrophic. Sad actually, because both Republicans and Democrats, while I disdain them both, have enough bright minds that could have achieved greatness on this issue. They both failed. Sad actually, that both of the major monopoly powers couldn't work together. But then, that is why I clearly rail against both, they don't have it with in themselves, as a party, not as individuals, to stomach doing the right thing "FOR THE PEOPLE". Hence why I am so against both parties. Let me know when everyone else wakes up to the same conclusion.

I don't want to get in to the process by which a law can be introduced and removed, that's legislative, that's your vote on who you send to represent you.The over all issue I see with the connection between poverty and violence can be negligible if the individual makes the correct choices in life. There can be no other determination here. It's either one way or the other. In so far as the criminal justice system goes, including policing, yes, I've openly admitted, and this is what baffles me about the prison comment on me, but I've openly admitted that the system is bias. Take in to consideration I've been asked, ok, I will. Let's view this from a societal stand point for a moment on said morality. You have a law, you have an individual that knows it is wrong to do something, against the law. They still do it. That is a personal choice. And look, if the individual is stealing food to eat or clothing to wear for weather because they don't have any, I will show no bounds on my empathy. But cigars? You have 0 empathy from me. In the end, poverty is not an excuse acceptable for the broader based behavior of the African American communities when the tools educational wise through public schools are there to use. The preponderant educational forces are upon the individuals side; they have but to be utilized to be a force in ones life, and that is a personal choice individuals make. This is true on the parenting aspect. And the Asian example is what I speak on. But that is a cultural thing with them. They respect their parents to a larger extent. But even still, in the Asian community, you get gang members and the like, just not on the scale you see in the African American community. To me, that does fall back on parenting.

Ok, well, you can try that flim flam switcheroo on someone else, that ###### don't play here. You interjected your prison crap as a response to a conversation that wasn't on such. Here's a clue, don't break the law, you won't go to prison. WOW, what a concept.

And your surprised? Really? No man, I mean really? Take your head out of the sand, I know you don't like me personally, and hey, I'm cool with that, but if your honestly trying to tell me that your surprised by the behavior your witnessing now your kidding.

I never stated rehabilitative techniques have never been used, that's you, over reacting to my view of the over all situation. I believe my conversation is on Michael Brown (did I spell it right GCOE?), the entitlement culture he was more than obviously a part of, and the consequences of actions that are not acceptable to society in general.

I've already answered that question. It's because of the culture of entitlement. When you take something that does not belong to you, you feel entitled to it, therefor it's except-able to you. I think people misunderstand my use of entitlement, I am speaking on an individual personal nature here, not as a government program. In any event, the question isn't why he did or did not care, the question is did he know right from wrong? Yes, he did, that is obvious. He stole, he thought he'd get away with it, his arrogance cost him his life. Where did he cultivate that arrogance or sense of entitlement, why he chose to do so, no one forced him, he did it all on his own. I never stated lazy, thats on you, not me. And yes, I fully agree something is wrong, only, it's not always the system, in some cases, yes, but not always. It's culture, it always has been. Look, there is a different culture in black communities, it's not working on a larger scale. And although it's show cased in inner city settings, that is not the only place you will find it. If someone can prove to me they actually don't know right from wrong as a culture, I'd digress, but that's not the case at all. It's a failure of massive proportions when you have this many young black men not choosing right, but instead, choosing wrong. And once again, those are, contrary to your personal feelings on this, personal choices. Yes, I completely agree, get them to see there is a better life with the right choices. But that's been tried time and time again over the past 20 years and beyond and still, this culture they live by persists and actually grows.

I think the first thing to look at is where the bar is set at when referring to poverty. The self support reserve as established by the Dept. of Health and Human Services is at just over 15k annually. So, where is the real bar at? Once that is established, then you look at the family unit, will it take 2 working, contributing members in a family unit, i.e. mom and dad, to crest that threshold? If so, in many homes in America, but specifically among the poor, dad is absent, that is to bad, but it's a personal choice by the mom or the dad in most cases. That being the case, maybe they shouldn't have had the child then. But, that is a conversation for birth control, let's continue on the premise at hand. So, financially, the poverty threshold can be over come, but what about a child's personality cultivation? I see excuses forming on this one from many posters. Most children are taught right from wrong at an early age. It's merely a matter of implementation of choices. You make a choice that is wrong, you accept the consequences and move forward with that lesson in mind, but what if there is no lesson, what if that choice that was clearly wrong doesn't have consequences? That's a choice the parent makes. Micheal Brown robbed a store, strong arm robbed it, he knew right from wrong, there is no denying this. He made a choice. His choice to steal the cigars had nothing to do with poverty, it had everything to do with he wanted something and did not want to pay for it. He was called out on his actions by an authority figure that he subsequently attacked. Once again, Micheal Brown knew right from wrong and still went forward with the attack. He payed the price for his actions. The consequences of which were his life. That has nothing to do with poverty, it had everything to do with personal choices. It makes perfect sense. Individuals with in those areas of poverty have equal opportunity at an education as I do. They choose to make poor decisions early on in their lives, that is an individual choice, that is not a group choice, but an individual one.

So your stating I caught some type of break. Tell me where? Obviously, to individuals such as yourself, It wasn't my hard work and choices in life that got me here, it was a break, I'm looking for it in my past, I don't see it. So please, tell me.

My mother in general, but, others were contributors, such as teachers. In short, I paid attention, I listened and as I learned I applied. This isn't difficult. You cannot simply blame a system for such a large cultural failure, at some point and time you have to put the onus on the individuals within that culture. Nobody is saying life is easy, and yes, I've even stated that I believe the legal system is bias on ethnic and racial grounds. Well then, what is the best way to avoid that bias, don't enter the legal system. Keep your nose clean, do the right thing, make your community something to be proud of, not something to be ashamed of. That all starts with individual contributions to do so, then it grows in to groups, then in to a culture of a community. The education is there, the public schools, if you apply yourself, can be a tool to help you out of poverty. As for the parents, once again, personal accountability, they are after all, the adults. Are you implying they are immature or unable to raise children appropriately? I believe they can, it's a CHOICE they make on whether or not they do.

Well let's see, I worked extremely hard in my education, kept my grades much higher than average through that hard work and even learned somethings along the way. I showed respect to me elders all while being courteous, polite and looky there, I didn't actively seek to harm others or myself for that matter. All personal choices I made. Wow, and look, I don't have to live in the projects as an adult, I put on my big boy pants and entered the world with no criminal record, because, yea know, I DIDN'T COMMIT CRIMES as a kid. Wow, another concept that's so difficult to understand, you know, the whole right and wrong thing. Shall we continue.......................

Yes, it does seem to have spread across all demographics True, I will give you that. But, since the base of the issue is Micheal Brown, crime and a Caucasian police officer shooting him, I'm keeping it in context of that, loosely of course. To the bolded: When the individual is self accountable, there is no reason to blame a system. You make it sound as though they have absolutely 0 choice, that is not remotely true. Life is all about choices, no matter the social scale you start on, at least, here in America, other wise, how do you explain those that have pulled themselves out of poverty, an anomaly? You may see it that way, I see it as though they worked hard to do so. Wow, what a concept, self accountability with the responsibility to see it through. Who'd of thought..........................

I'm sorry, I didn't grow up in the projects myself, no, of course not. I never lived in government housing as a child, not me............oh, but wait, I did.

Working hard to get out of it isn't a choice?

A symptom of what exactly? Of "oh woes me, life is not fair"? Every individual dictates his or her own destiny based on the ethics they develop young in life and the implementation of those ethics as they develop in to adult hood. And ethics covers many facets, work ethic and personality ethics included. I do not believe for a moment that they cannot over come the adversities in front of them, after all, others have done it, or do you simply ignore those that have left those environments to achieve successful, fulfilling lives or worse, do you use them as an excuse to say something foolish such as, they didn't have it as bad as ray ray or jamalle. It's a matter of choice. It always has been. These young African Americans choose the life style and culture they are in.