When the LA Times snatched David Zahniser from the LA Weekly last summer, it was a very, very smart move. Dave Z is extremely intelligent, savvy and skeptical—particularly about City Hall.
So, after Antonio Villaraigosa delivered his State of the City speech last Monday, I figured I could afford to look on the bright side of AV’s gang plan (which I looked at here and here), because I knew I could count David to mad dog it, so to speak.
Yesterday, his first round of analyses came out in an article that focuses on the main thing that could reduce Antonio’s gang strategy to rubble—-or more accurately to business as usual (and not in a good way).
In a word: Evaluations.
I spoke with David on Friday as he was still wrestling with where he wanted to go with his analysis of the gang plan. (That’s one of the excellent things about him. He’s not afraid to wrestle mightily until he finds the right thread to follow.)
You can find the article that resulted here. Below I’ve excerpted a few relevant clips:
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made a splash when he announced plans last week for ending L.A. Bridges, an anti-gang initiative under fire since the Riordan administration for failing to demonstrate clear results.
….in dropping the L.A. Bridges programs and shifting the money to his appointed “gang czar,” Villaraigosa put off yet again answering one key question: Are these programs, which last year received $13.2 million, successful in quelling violence and keeping kids out of gangs?
When Villaraigosa’s proposed budget is made public today, it is expected to offer an additional $7.2 million to gang prevention and intervention programs, allowing the same contractors who ran programs under L.A. Bridges the opportunity to apply for even more money.
Because the anti-gang efforts are being redesigned, a full evaluation of those programs won’t be practical until at least 2010, said Deputy Mayor Jeff Carr, the city’s gang czar.
What??? Didn’t the mayor promise he would hold all of his gang programs to a rigorous outcomes-based standard? And now many of the much criticized gang prevention and intervention programs operating under the umbrellas known as LA Bridges I & II, may have the chance to get funded all over again…..with no evaluations for another two years or more????
Among the problems with Bridges is that many City Council members have long had their pet programs within it, and have resisted seeing them too closely scrutinized.
Dave Z details a disheartening history of people who were told—explicitly or implicitly—that they couldn’t evaluate LA Bridges—ranging from former City Controller Rick Tuttle, to today’s Controller Laura Chick, to Connie Rice, to my pal Jorja Leap.
In 2000, the program came under fire from then-City Controller Rick Tuttle, who said it was so poorly run that it should be shut down. The council responded by denouncing Tuttle — and demanding that L.A. Bridges stay put.
[SNIP]
“I knew it was a bad idea 10 years ago, the way Bridges was going,” Tuttle said last week, looking back on the fight.
City officials received an evaluation of L.A. Bridges’ intervention programs two years later, which found that one city contractor had taken two teens out of gangs. Meanwhile, gang-prevention contracts were so lax that workers could meet the city’s requirements by taking certain children to a baseball game and a picnic in a 12-month period, Carr said.“Los Angeles has historically awarded agencies multiple contracts year after year after year without holding them accountable by tying the dollars to proof that the desired results have been achieved,” [Chick] wrote in her report.
Here’s how Jorja lays it out:
Leap said she offered the Community Development Department a free review of L.A. Bridges four years ago and got nowhere. But she voiced hope that results would be measured this time around, using basic questions such as: Has a targeted child stayed in school? What is their attendance record? Were they placed on the state’s gang database?
If the city fails to evaluate its redesigned programs, support for such initiatives will evaporate, Leap added.
“This is it,” she said. “If they blow this, it’s over.”
Look: We want and need the mayor’s program to succeed. And we don’t expect overnight miracles. But we do expect some kind of reasonable accountability and measurability—and we’ll keep demanding it until we get it.
Photo by Gina Ferazzi, LA Times
Life goes on as usual in politics.
What are area churches doing to help, or have they been forbidden? Government programs won’t change lives like a spiritual change brings.
I’m with Jorja Leap on this one. I’m all for evaluation but it needs to be the right kind of evaluation. What does it mean when they say one program “took two teens out of gangs”? It’s not like there’s an official membership list. I’m not as immersed as some in this information, but from my limited experience, it seemed to me that gang “membership” is an awfully fluid thing.
Instead of measuring that, like Ms. Leap says, how about evaluating the availability of after-school programs, recreation programs, participation in job training and other community resources, grades in school, high school graduation rates, etc. etc.? If a program isn’t doing *anything*, then yeah, they shouldn’t get any money. But if they’re helping kids with school, with job training, with personal development, with gaining positive friendships and mentors, then they’re helping them find an alternative to gangs.
I hope someone sees the light on this issue, soon.
Any Los Angeles based gang intervention program is not going to have a significant impact on the gang and crime problems of L.A. or Southern California. The state of California has too many poor immigrants constantly sneaking across the border. With this continual growth of poor immigrants, any social program is doomed for failure. We need to stop adding to California’s existing social problems of poverty, uneducated youth, un-employed and new gang recruits before any real change can occur.
The Los Angeles Mayor and City Council are stuck on stupid and can’t see what anybody with common sense can see. The city council and Mayor have opposed any enforcement of immigration laws by INS/ICE. The Mayor and city council try and block any deterrent to illegal immigration, with this mentality any real social change is nothing more than a dream of fools.
When I was a kid, we started each day in public school on the right foot with the pledge of allegiance to our flag and a bible verse picked by the kids. I wonder, today, if the kids leaning towards joining gangs would be more careful if they knew that God was sitting with them and watching and that He has a greater plan for their lives. I guess that we won’t find out with the direction that the left has taken the schools systems with problems.
So, it falls back on the families, where the efforts and money would do the most good. You can’t change the gangs, but you can change and cut-off their source for new members by helping the parents.
Animals in the news for bonus points: Woman finds 8-foot alligator in her Florida kitchen – “Sandra Frosti says the gator must have pushed through the back porch screen door and then went inside through an open sliding glass door at her home in Oldsmar, just north of Tampa. It then apparently strolled through the living room, down a hall and into the kitchen.”
Mmmmm. Tastes like chicken.
Woody, it is true in my experience that many born=agains here an L A, where the evangelical culture isn’t as pervasive as in some other areas, were “reborn” from the deepest despair and being drug addicts, into demonology, and even lives of crime. One guy at a church I used to be very active in as a deacon, someone everyone loved and thought was a great guy, one day gave public testimony about how he used to be a hit man until he found the Lord through a girlfriend… flipped everyone out so much, they couldn’t handle it, and started to cold shoulder him. But in general, it seems that people who’ve been that low need to “shock” themselves into something that gives them the same high, and for many, that’s all-consuming or charismatic religion. So while that’s not my cup of tea, I don’t think it should be scored for P C reasons. Maybe there IS a valid role a pastor like Carr can perform, and I think this sort of “ministry” would resonate well with the Catholic youth. OF course, that’s something the Church should be doing, but they’re too indebted making restitution for their pedophiles, even selling off schools and closing programs.
One irony that rankles me about paying for these gang programs, though (apart from wondering how many of these kids are illegal), is that the city is now charging youth groups like the Boy Scouts, Little League and AYSO soccer to use public parks and school facilities. These are the best and cheapest ways to keep kids involved in positive activities BEFORE they get drawn into the world of gangs, and the volunteer parents involved make good role models, too. It’s irrational to charge these kids and families for doing what families should, while picking up the tab at their expense for kids whose parents have dropped the ball. In fact, the parents of “at risk” youth need to be involved in the process, to be counseled in responsible parenting and maybe be monitored by social workers themselves. Those who can pay for some of the programs, should — they should also be docked for graffiti removal and damage their kids do. Maybe that would make them more responsible for their kids, as middle class parents try to be. I’m tired of society seeing these parents as some sorts of victims, instead of urging them to take more responsibility for their own kids.
I have a story about a cute animal, a cute grizzly bear ( a movie actor) ironically the bear lives near Big Bear Lake, California.
http://cbs2.com/local/Big.Bear.Attack.2.706168.html
Lost….. Thanks. I did see that one. (I think, this is thus far the frontrunner for Thursday’s class.) Although I like Woody’s gator.
The best way to keep kids out of gangs is to keep them in school. Mayor Tom Bradley started LA’s Best, an afterschool program that was actually evaluated by UCLA and was found to lower dropout rates, improve grades and test scores, and as a bonus, reduced juvenile crime by up to 60 % in the areas around the schools with programs. GAP, another after school program, has had similar results. That’s why I supported expanding these programs as Mayor. Expansion of these two programs to all schools in the city should be a priority before the city funds programs which have had no such evaluation.
Welcome, Mr. Mayor.
Good point. Everything I’ve seen anecdotally over the years shows a straight line between school drop out rates and gangs. (I’ll soon be posting an interview with your sister that deals with some of these issues.)
Please come back and comment again.
When you talk to his sister, Janice, ask her why she thinks it’s such a grand idea to keep taxing homeowners, especially at a time when they make up a mere 31% of L A residents today (a figure the socialist Richard Alarcon himself gave in city council yesterday — although his “solution” is to raise the minimum L A “living wage” to twice what it is today, while the city’s tax base is dwindling), and many people have lost upto 24% equity in their homes. Plus just got DWP rate hikes, serious trash fee hikes, and are going to have to pay for sidewalk repair themselves.
Meanwhile, the Mayor even mentioned in his State of the City speech that L A has the smallest middle class of ANY city in the country, and squeezing them with more taxes for less services isn’t going to help.
RonKayeLA.com, the blog of recently retired/fired whatever Daily News Editor Ron Kaye has a poignant piece about this plight of middle class homeowners in his current blog — and as he notes, he’s of retirement age, doesn’t even have the extra burden of kids in school at a time when the local schools are too poorly-performing and full of kids bused in who bring their dysfunctions with them, or if they’re lucky and still have functioning schools, they have to fundraise extensively for maintenance and “extras” like computer teachers and TA’s. (Sondra Singh Loh whom you quote, and more recently Steve Lopez, toughed on that.) Even in LAUSD, admittedly more money goes into the low-performing, ESL schools. As Rutten said in his recent editorial, there are “those who elect,” this dwindling group and the wealthy set, and “thsoe who have needs.” The large uneducated, largely illegal immigrant population, many of whose adults aren’t even fluent enough in English to be educated for the jobs needed to replace retiring boomers. (Yesterday’s Times article, e.g.)
The struggling middle class is already put upon and in a net exodus — why does Janice Hahn think this small group of homeowners should pay for another gang tax? Especially when she admitted recently, there is NO specific program designated, she just asked these put-upon homeowners to “trust us,” that she/ they will find a good use for the “dedicated revenue stream.” Is she just utterly lacking in any ideas other than tax and tax the same people?
Dear,
My name is Gilbert Wainwright; I created this animated script/series, Titled, “O.G. I would appreciate if you will read it. I believe that I have a positive message for people here. Please take a few minutes to read this script. I created and produce this script of, “O.G,†in three days. Here are three short stories. The graphic arts are not included here today,but I introduce to you, “O.G the animated seriesâ€. O.G is my way of making a constructive contribution to the world, from the very many bad choices that I made in life, while promoting a true inspiration close to my heart, which is gang intervention through mentorship, and self improvement activities. The interesting lesson to learn from O.G is like the young eagle forced out of the nest, only in experiencing his or her greatest fear; when it is falling, that it discovers its’ greatness. I hope that rule of discovery happens here today in life.This script is for mature audience and contains strong language.
Thank you and I hope to be hearing from you. I have an interesting inspiration to share i.e.: It is only in the darkness of night we are able to see to stars and their beauty.
Contact information: Gil Wainwright 8101 W. Flamingo rd. #1108 Las Vegas Nevada 89147
(702) 873-2821 (580) 649-1464
Speech about Gangs
Gangs are a very serious subject; many lives have been lost and affected by them. Many have been negatively impacted by gang activity.
Gang activity offers a young person some good times and it offers some bad times. The worst part about gangs is when you are betrayed by someone who you trusted. Someone who you would have given your life for, but sadly to say is that everyone has their price.
It might be a cash amount payable by cash , check or money order , it maybe because of envy or jealousy, also known as hate, it may be behind a serious desire or love affair but everybody has a price. Sad to say that sometimes it could cost you your life. You can end up with a bullet in the back of your head, like my old friend and homeboy, Stacey Cheatham. He was stabbed in the back by some of his own so called homeboy’s. People he thought were cool. People he trusted to watch his back. Unfortunately for him , greed and jealousy do not have any friends. Money and power changes people , and that goes for anybody.
I was locked up in one of the most notorious prisons in California; Back in 1993, The Security housing unit at Pelican bay, also known as “ the S.H.U. program, and the end of the world†.I did not sweat the consequences for anything that I did. Somberly, that was why I ended up being kept in the S.H.U. program. 23 hours a day and had very limited contact opportunity. It looks cool but it really is not. It is Isolation from others and punishment on your mind.
The further from people I was kept the worst at getting along I became. I think I got worst being in the S.H.U program. If you lock a dog up in a cage long enough as time passes by, even a nice one is going to turn mean and bite you.
Gang banging is a dead end street.There are three common endings , death ,get locked up for life, and ending up as a nobody living on the streets.This is real talk not some Mickey mouse scare tactics. You can test me, go to any skid row and any City, you will find hundreds of use to be gang Icons, and tough guy’s looking for a hand out. I am not making this stuff up. Either we use our brains or we get washed up to the waste side. I am serious about that , no joke.
Characteristics are transferable.The same self respect that a person uses to be successful at gang banging or making money out there in the streets; can be used at being successful to do whatever they chose to do.Stanely Williams tried to tell people that right before he was executed. Self discipline and commitment and loyalty , all of those fine characteristics they can be transferable.
I never saw a bird fly too high if he uses his own wings. The best kept secret in the world is to really believe in you. And believe that you can change your own life. You need to be the person you look up to. The last thing is take actions to make it happen, be about it don’t just talk about it. Do not be afraid to be you.
Respect in gangs is supposed to be a top priority,why is it that the tough guys in a gang is so disrespectful? Respect is not a characteristic of gang banging. Do not fool yourself.
I personally believe that you have to give respect to get respect. Some people say that they are all about respect but , if you listen to the words they use with others sometimes that claim is a lie.It is an oxymoron. The claim does not match the facts.
Now I am going to try to help you where ever you are, if I can. Simply by sharing my own knowledge, all gang banging leads to death, the question is. Is it worth losing your life for? That is the question to ask yourself. I am going to keep myself professional please wake up and help me to help everybody.
You can do a million different things with your life to get money and respect, including self-respect which is the top respect of all. I would fight ten people by myself if I felt my personal self respect was in jeopardy. I mean that too, no matter if I get whipped to death, I would stay down to the fullest.
But, if someone else’s idea of me being a certain way was in question? I need to ask myself some questions. Here is the thing; if you need to question yourself about anything you probably need to stop doing whatever you are uncertain about, back to my statement to youth it is important.
There is always somebody out there who is crazier than you are, there is always going to be a Jessie James, character out there gunning for you. No matter how bad you think you are. There is somebody who thinks he can take you .Gang banging is a rat race with a weak prize. It is not worth losing your life over. In the end you do not come out on top.
You can do so many great things with your life, for yourself, your family,and the people you love , life is a gift so use it, and enjoy it. You have to be free and stay alive to do that.
Many of you are not in a gang that has a big name, but you are in gangs too. Gang banging is more of a state of mind you are in. Like if you hurt me or any of my friends? I hurt you and anybody who hangs around you. We gangsters say that we are all about respect and love, but I beg to differ. Respect and love yourself.
We demand to be respected, but that is as far as that commitment goes. Do not waste your life behind bars, and throw your life away over street names, numbers, hand signs and symbols. Neither the colors of clothing’s nor the area of town people live in. We must become larger than that if you desire to exercise all of your potentials.
In conclusion the same commitment to your family and your future is the way to go.That will pay off for you I guarantee it. I have a great number of associates, still in prison serving 27 and 37 to life . They are probably never going to be getting out. Especially if they stay down to the fullest as I presume they all will do. Gangs are not a way to live your life , gang banging is a great way to throw your life away.
I represented the set to the fullest in prison and did a S.H.U. programs as a result, I survived to tell you about it. The truth is that all you can really depend on is your family. I recommend that we should redefine the terminology. Love our families and appreciate them. Change your life for your loved ones and yourself ,but most of all just do it for your own good.
No man is an island , everything we say, do,think and feel affects someone else, rather or not if it is positive or negative it is up to you. The quote that I espouse to is from Anthony Robbins, one of the great minds of our time, “Negative people are losers, and positive people are winners. In my final conclusion We need to redefine ourselves, Thank you!
Sincerely Gilbert Wainwright United Coast to Coast Organization C.E.O
How does O.G come into existence?
One bright sunny day in Los Angeles California, crime and violence in South Central is going on as usual.
Scene one:
The daily activities are going on as you can see: drive by shootigs,gang banging, drugs being bought and sold, robberies and thefts being done , dice games on the streets, right out in the open , and in the alley ways ,fist fights taking place ,and people are standing around arguing over petty stuff, kids are walking to school with school books under their arms headed off to school , and dog fight being held out in the middle of the street , with thugs betting money on which dog will win , this is a ghetto. Now focus on scene two
Scene two:
Drug dealers walk up on a man who is known as O.G
Thug: hey’ nigga you stole my money off the table back at my spot.
O.G: no’ you got me mixed up with somebody else.
Thus#2: no not no more we don’t.
Thugs pull out hand guns and unload them into O.G; they shot him over 20 times. O.G fell to the ground and they kept shooting him. O.G died. The thugs ran away from the scene of the crime.
Scene three:
Suddenly two miniatures O.Gs come out of O.Gs chest, one of them dressed in red, and the other dressed in blue. The one in blue was dressed well in a dress shirt , tie , an Ace duce gangster hat and Stacy Adams shoes;the red O.G was dressed in khaki outfit, tennis shoes,and an Ace duce gangster hat as well.
They were identical twins in physical appearance, except for their clothing and their attitudes.
The red O.G went down to hell and spoke with the demons. The blue O.G went up to heaven and spoke with the angels.
The ambulance came and pronounced O.G dead on arrival. They took his body away from the crime scene and police officers there, which was tape off with yellow tape.
Scene four
Scene four
Red O.G: Hey’ this place is hot, I see crazy Mike, Hey’ crazy Mike, what’s up my nigga?
Commentary:
Nobody can hear red O.G because he had not been processed yet. His body continued to travel through hell to see the top demon , whose name is Voteron. Finally he arrives to a stop. He saw a huge throne and looked upon it, there was a little demon seated upon it. The demon spoke.
Demon: you are here because you activities are wickedly commendable and we applaud you,but there is one problem.
Red O.G: what’s that?
Voteron: your mind and soul are split you are divided. You must be complete to join us here.
Red O.G: Hey’ wait what am I suppose to do?
Voteron: defeat your self who calls you now.
Scene five
Suddenly a magnetic force pulled red O.G out of hell, and up into the sky above the clouds. To a table with a chess board on it and placed him into a seat of two chairs there.
Scene six
The blue O.G floated upwards into the outer space and went into a paradise area where he saw his grandmother.
Blue O.G: Hey’ granny! Hey’ granny over here!
Commentary
O.Gs grandmother does not her him because he has not been processed yet He continued to float closer to a huge light until he reached a huge throne. Upon it was a bright light that was too bright to look at. The light spoke to O.G.
Light: you are here because of your good heart and your loyalty. But, there is one problem.
Blue O.G: what’s that, did I do something wrong?
The light: your soul and mind must be one for you to be here. You are incomplete. Go to the realm of humanity and defeat your demon and then you may enter our paradise. Your challenge is the young one they call Nut. Suddenly the blue O.G is transported to the seat opposite of the red O.G at a table with a chess board between them. They both looked at one another and then looked at the chess board. They saw a scene playing itself out down below, not chess pieces ,but they were looking at a real life event unfolding. A young man was talking to some others about doing a crime, one of the young men said to another, “ Nutâ€, you need to come and get some of this money nigga. At that moment the blue O.G understood what was going on. The red O.G under stood the challenge as well.
The conclusion to the manifestation of O.G the mentorship series by Gilbert Wainwright
The homboy got shot scene one
Mad Rock: Hey’ Nut the homeboy Wolf got shot today by some scabs!
Nut: Is he dead?
Mad Rock: No, but he is fucked up. They got him in his gut my nigga.
Scene stop:
.G Introduction O scene set up:
A bright and clear day above the clouds. The camera focuses in on two O.G’s while they are seated at a table with a chess board between them. Engaged in a game of wit. They play a game of chess which represents the verbal arguments and evaluations , attitudes and the thoughts going through the main characters mind. The good conscious O.G is wearing a blue outfit and the bad conscious O.G. is wearing a red outfit. The color red is selected to be the bad conscious only because of a common association with red to the negative and blue is chosen to be the opposing color to focus the attention on two common colors usually opposing one another. Let the games begin now.
Scene one
Red: let’s go to the crib and get my shit. We can do this, fuck that somebody is going to die today.
Blue: stop and think, don’t believe everything you hear. This going to kill someone because the homie got shot stuff is getting old, this is the third time in two weeks. At some point I need to elevate my life above this life style. At some point I need to make a meaningful life for myself and have children, I need to grow up because this stuff is not worth me losing my life over.I need to go up to the hospital and find out what happened. Let’s see what wolf has to say about this. He may be dead for all I know. When are we going to rise above this cycle of self destruction and unproductive behavior? I need to start with me,nobody loves me like me, but God. I need to refocus my attention towards bettering my life condition. I am going to the hospital to see Wolf myself, and see what he has to say.
Red: fuck all that weak ass shit nigga we need to go handle that shit O.G style. We don’t need to be going to see nothing. Just go get the heat and ride.Nigga we don’t compromise with terrorist. If you fuck with one of us your ass is out.
Blue: that is the mentality that has held us back that mentality ,not being able to look beyond the circumstances, We have been over reacting since the Watts riots back in the 1960s. We need to start thinking about our ideas and the genius that we possess. We need to be individuals who can think independently. Stop jumping the gun and not over react.A man’s character is only as large as his views about himself. Life can be our paradise if we try to create peace in our life. Don’t be like some people I know and rush to war and destroy people. The end result is always more of the same and it goes on and on it never ends until you decide to get out of the rat race, by stopping it yourself. for you.
Red: what nigga you sound like some kind of broken record, the only thing that has held us back is weak ass nigga’s who are scared to stand up and fight get out in the thick of this war zone and put work in , nigga , put a motherfucka on his back!
Blue: that mind set is why people fail in life. You need to rise above the circumstances and see the vision of your future. The things that you want to come true in your life. They can all happen, but first get away from people who are not trying to move their own life forward, and people who try to hold you back, you can figure them out by the way they dress , talk , act and the easiest way to spot one is by the way they see you. You know my momma told me a long time ago that if you are not moving forwards in life then you are moving backwards , because nothing in life is standing still everything in life is moving all the time. I say, go up to the hospital and talk to wolf about what happen. Get it from the horse’s mouth , not the other end.
Red: I say go get your pistol and gear up for this payback, all hands on deck. 187 time nigga ride with mad rock nigga lets go. It is time to lay some mother fucka’s down. Let’s put these punk bitch made nigga’s on notice. The set tripping is on! Next page #2
The homy got shot page #2
Blue: I say avoid going to get a gun at all cost trouble is easier to get into than it is to get out of. Focus on avoiding people like mad rock and wolf as much as possible, build a future for yourself. You have star qualities and you are very intelligent , be original originality does not mean you get there first, it means to be unique or one of a kind. I’m unique, one of a kind and I think for myself. I know how to be original first of all nut, don’t be a follower for one thing. I say stay on the high ground in your life and inspire others don’t be a follower. Rise above the negativity that pulls great minds down and ruins your life.
Scene show nut imagining to carry out red o.g advice
Nut goes to get a gun from home with mad rock following along. Let’s go. They go and do a drive by shooting nut is the trigger man seated in the passenger’s side, yells out fuck you nigga’s as he shots six or seven shots from the car window striking two men.
Before they could get far the police pulled up behind them. Rammed their car over jumped out and pulled their guns out ready to blast. The police arrested them.
Next scene
Nut and Rock are in court charged with 2 murder charges and facing 27 to life for each count. The judge sentenced nut and mad rock both to 27 years to life in the state correctional department concurrent.
Scene shows nut going to see wolf in the hospital
Nut goes to the hospital room of wolf
Nut: hey’ wolf how you doing man?
Wolf: as well as can be expected. Nigga, how you think I’m doing? I just got shot by some punk as scabs.
Nut: what happen?
Wolf: I was getting at this broad in the mall, she was acting all uppity and shit,talking about she was already taken. I told that bitch fuck you and your punk as nigga. I’m wolf man, bitch, the Mack captain ho.
Nut: you said that?
Wolf: yea, nigga you know how I roll.
Scene returns to original scene
Mad rock: what’s up nut you in?
Nut: no, Wolf I’m not in man, we need to rise above this kind of Insanity that promotes killing people. I’m not going to continue to do the same things that I have been doing for so long because I need a change in my life. I am tired of the non productive activity that destroys every thing but never ever builds up anything. Going out to kill somebody won’t make me tough, it will make me stupid. Disrespecting people does not make us tough ,it makes us stupid. We need to respect the next man if we expect the next mans respect. I think I’m going to bail up to the hospital and check out the situation for myself. We need to start using our heads, Rock. Right now there are too many of our people out here dying in these streets and behind them concrete walls over immature juvenile wasteful things and we are wasting our lives too often.
Return to O.G scene in the clouds
Blue: I’m glad to see that nut is thinking wisely. I am proud of him,he has a bright future ahead of him. One small step at a time and the next thing you know , Nut is going to make a new life for himself. Many great men and women’s overcome adverse life condition and rise up from abject circumstance on into prosperity and very successful lives.Nut has the same opportunity.
Red: Man, I don’t give a fuck, nigga lock me up! I was made for that kind of shit. No pain no gain mother fucka.
Blue: That is why you lose I’ll see you again next time checkmate
Robbery Scene
Scene set up: Nut is in his home when all of a sudden, he hears a knock at the door. When he answers it there are mad rock and wolf.
Nut: what’s up, what brings you guys over here?
Rock: let’s go do a lick man; we need to get some money.
Wolf: yea’ we need to be counting some paper,my nigga fuck this being broke shit.
O.G. scene begins above the clouds
Red O.G : count me in nigga let’s go get some of that paper. Hey’, hey’, hey’ nigga let’s get some paper! (Happily.)
Blue O .G: you got bigger and better dreams for your life than, doing a robbery. Remember those green jobs are about to be on and popin, I can train for a green job.
Red O.G: you know how we roll nigga where is the artillery? Smash and grabs are the shit. We can come up real quick, nigga like grease lightning we can be Rollin.
Blue O.G: why is it that every sentence you make is followed up by saying , “nigga� nigga this and nigga that. Nigga, this nigga .You become what you see yourself, you actually create your own reality by how you define you. In your mind just put a still picture of what a think a nigga looks like. Really just imagine a nigga in a picture. Is he respectable? Is he smart, good looking. Is he someone you respect?
Red O.G: look who’s talking Mr. Goody two shoes, nigga stop making a big deal out of meaningless bullshit. You want to be Mr. Intellectual and shit fuck all that intelligent bull shit. Nut is a G, and he knows how it’s done a nigga got to do what he got to do…
Blue O.G: Nut is his own man.He knows that fast money is not always good money.Fast money like that is like a mouse trap, it is holding a nice looking slice of cheese, but once he gets inside; whamâ€, the trap snaps closed, then it’s a different ball game. Tell mad rock and wolf, thanks but no thanks.When you give in to despair and hopelessness , and give up on yourself in a situation such as this, you can never rise above this neighborhood where you live now. Life has a challenge for us all, that is where you will end up in it. You can start anywhere in life at the beginning and take yourself to any destination that you believe is possible. My motto is, “so, shall a man think in his heart so is heâ€, my grandmother taught me that. Strong beliefs and strong states of mind creates miracles, Joseph Mc McClendon, the book unlimited power a black choice. One of my best studies. Nut, don’t do it, you are better than that.
Red: Man that weak as sympathizing talk is why niggas losing now. I’m trying to blow up nut get your money homboy. Your grandmother was talking that same old stuff for a long time, where did it get her? All due respect to granny in all but nowhere. That is that classic slave mentality, okay, masta, and this side be over soon and shit. Fuck to nigga wake up let’s go get this money,point blank.
Blue O.G: I was disturbed by the depth of your ignorance at first, and grieved by your discouraged mind, but as I look from an objective perspective at you and consider you life experiences and evaluate your emotional immaturity, I can only imagine the levels of distress assimilating you mind state and character. Nut you can reach any dream and any desire, if you are patient and not rushing into situations seeking overnight success. You just got to believe in you. You r thought create your own reality, you can rise above this situation be strong.
Red: Nut, say yea and go with the homies they gone hit a jewelry store, we about to do a smash and grab baby all eyes on you my nigga. We gonna be living the good life, movin on up, to the eastside to a deluxe apartment in the shy, it’s on my nigga let’s roll. This is a simple ass lick all we got to do is mob up in there, smash the glass jewelry cases fill up the motha fuckin bags, full of diamonds and gold, and get the fuck out of there, nigga we gonna be riding like Jesse James and the James gang. You gonna be strapped ain’t nothin to worry about. If anybody gets Froggy put a cap in they ass, that’s it that’s all.
Red G side plays out in nuts mind
Nut: O.K let’s do this mad rock wolf and nut are off to do the robbery. They go inside of the jewelry store
They order everybody to freeze and start to hitting the jewelry case glass cases with their gun butts. Breaking the glass and grabbing hands full of gold and diamond jewelry. Filling their bags with the goods. The store owners and clerks are scared to death because of the guns. But one of the clerks pressed an alarm button behind the counter when they had first arrived. The store was surrounded by the police, and helicopters. They heard a loud speaker telling them to come out with their hands up now. Your are surrounded. They decided to give up.
When they went to court, they were all found guilty and sentenced to 10 years each.
Blue G side plays out
No thanks fella’s I’m not into that life style on more. I’m planning on doin real big things with my life. No disrespect but I got to go. I’ll see you niggas when I see you. I’m expecting my girl over any minute. Peace out. I got plans that I need to be on deck for.
Scene return to Nut
Nut : No, fella’s I’m just gonna chill I think things are going to turn around for a me, I believe that I can rise above this same old negative day in day out stuff we been doin for years. We still here, they say the definition of insanity is to keep on doing the same thing and expecting to get a different result. I’m tired of this same old stuff cuzzy Count me out.
O.G chess game scene returns
Blue O.G: That was a good call, fast money looks good but it is not always what it is cracked up to be. Now, thankfully nut can stay in the game to win another day. Checkmate.
Red O.G : I am not worried about no motha fuchin police, police are the least of my worries. I’m a motha fuckin gangsta understand me. I could have been Rollin in the big league jewels and cash flow like a motha. Fuck it!
THE END
Offer to sell dope
First scene: Nut walks up to the corner store and bumps into mad rock and wolf
Mad rock: hey’ Nut when you gonna stop starving yourself out here and come get some of this chedder my nigga?
Wolf: yea, my nigga them white folks ain’t trying to give a nigga no job. You got to make your own job.We entrepreneurs, get with the program my nigga.
Nut: man I am getting tired of going around here broke ,starvin like Marvin.
Scene stop goes to the scene above the clouds at the table of O.G’s chess game now
At the chess table above the clouds it is a bright sunny day. O.G red and O.G blue are seated at their table engaged in Nut’s situation. Each one gave their own evaluation of the situation and stated their recommendations. Suggesting the action for Nut to take.
Mad rock: yea;’ man get involved, you need to get plugged in with us. Start making some real paper. We need to eat nigga, ain’t nobody doing nothing for you, but yourself.
Blue: Don’t leap before you look. Everything that glitters is not gold. Keep on trying to find an honest job don’t give up . Sometimes the circumstances may look bad but if you stay strong and don’t give up hope, your circumstances will change for the better. You have to stay in the game to win. Honesty is the best policy.
Red: selling dope is an honest job nigga that is entrepreneurship and I can run my own shit. I ain’t gonna be hanging out begging nobody to help me do a mother fuckin thang. Man I’m about getting my money.
Blue:If you perservere , and have faith in yourself and in your God, He will see you through. You can get a job,you and you won’t need to keep looking over your shoulder. An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.
Red: man I wish a mother fucka would try to gank me, that’ll be the last motha fucka they try to jack, that’s why I stay strapped, and I ain’t gonna ever get caught slippin nigga, never you dig.
Blue: but when the police roll up on you everybody wants to start running like a little cowards. Mr. Tough guy is not so tough anymore.Once the police show up.
Red: I’m not trying to hear all that fool,I need to eat. I got to look out for me, and mines.By any means necessary and I will deal with the consequences , come what may . scared nigga’s need to go to church,we handle our business out here. This shit is real nigga , you trippin.
Blue: Sounds good, but the negative side of all that is jail or maybe even death. You still didn’t tell me how you are going to handle the police when they show up. You know confidential informants are made every day. If a crack head gets busted,their going to tell on you. The police will send the dope Fein back to buy some dope from you with marked money. ,don’t get it twisted. Your best customer could turn out to be your worst nightmare. Drug addicts don’t have any moral values; they will turn you in for 50 cents.
Red: man you can’t be scared out here if you want to make this money. You just got to do what you do.All that weak ass, punk coward shit is gay nigga.I’m a rider, I got this. Say yea, hook me up and let’s get it popin . Don’t worry about tomorrow, eat drink and be marry for tomorrow we die nigga. I don’t give a fuck.
Scene of the blue G plays out in his mind:
Nut says no ,goes home, no food in the refrigerator his family are all broke no money and hungry.He goes in his room and looks at the news paper employment section where the only job listing was for a dishwasher for minimum wage. Nut puts the paper down and begins to think.
Red G scene plays out
Nut says yea rock I want to get with it.
Rock: come over to my spot tomorrow.
Nut went over to rocks drug house and picked up an ounce of crack on consignment the following day.
Rock: now you in the game nigga get your money. You don’t have to be broke no more Nut ,welcome to prosperity. This is how the west was won my nigga one dollar at time.
Return to original first scene
Nut: yea, rock I’m in.
Rock: come over and see me tomorrow, you know where I’m at.
Nut: I’m all on it homie I’ll be there.
Scene 2
Nut went to Rocks dope house and picked up a package of crack cocaine. He went out in the neighbordhood and begins to sell crack near the corner liquor store.
A police car pulled up with one of his customers inside pointing their finger at him, the police got out of the car with their guns draw and arrest Nut.
Scene 3
Nut goes to court
Nut went into the court and took his seat next to the public defender then the crack head took the stand. He pointed Nut out to the jury for selling drugs. The judge sentenced him to 5 years plus ten years more for being in a school zone.
O.G scene return to the clouds
Red: Well that’s the breaks nigga you win some and you lose some. That punk ass snitch needs his ass whipped. Oh’ and checkmate.
Blue: He could have taken that dishwashing job. He would have made more money than he is going to be getting in jail. In there Nut is going to be washing dishes, sweeping Floors ,mopping. Whatever they tell him to do and for free.He could have made more money out here working on a job. He is going to be in jail for a long time, that little minimum wage job would have added up to a fortune by the time he gets out of jail.He could have became a doctor in 8 years. People need to have a little faith in themselves and in God. More success and less arrest, man I am sorry for Nut.
The End
Gilbert Wainwright creator and writer.
more power to you man! whenever you stand up for peace you win a victory for justice. Gil Wainwright