The prisoner tried to connect with me via a collect call from the prison cell phone. My phone was off as my wife and I had just finished speaking to some young folks at the Niagara County First Offender Program. We told them about the realities of life behind bars. Maybe the ears of the guy in jail were ringing because I had just spoken about him and that made him call. I hurt when I have a missed call from a prison cell phone. Another Christmas behind bars for an inmate caught up in a web of dishonor.
The young man has been incarcerated for approximately 5 years and he hasn't had a trial. He was arrested on Federal charges related to alleged gang involvement. I have to admit that kind of ruffles my feathers. The term "gang" can be synonymously used to describe many groups of people. Folks who are religious or political form their own gangs. Politicians make laws against bullying and yet their political ads are merciless attacks on another person's character. The promulgators of our laws pay no attention to the ambiguities of their actions.
My mom and dad tried to teach me to "do as I say." That means my actions should match my words. I have to be a doer of my word. Leaders should reflect on their own character before they take action that judges another person's character. How do you prosecute a kid for bullying and yet pay millions for the right to assassinate another person's character? I believe in accountability for our actions and we can't let folks go running around playing their own version of "Bonnie & Clyde." It's time to teach leadership. It's time to teach life skills to our children. Kids who grow up in poverty are more likely to engage in gangster behavior. It's time to teach gangsters how to retire.
At Youth With A Purpose, we are impassioned by the plea of a younger generation to live lives of integrity and accountability. They want to be good kids. Our education system is lacking a common core of a leadership foundation. We must give them the social and emotional tools that will enable them to resist the temptations to find honor in a crumbling street code of unethical destruction.
"LEADERSHIP IS THE TREE FROM WHICH
THE BRANCHES OF EDUCATION GROW."
We currently have a limited amount of open dates in January, March and April of 2015. If you have a desire to bring the YWAP Leadership Program to your school, community center or church, please call us: 716-830-8240.
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
The young man has been incarcerated for approximately 5 years and he hasn't had a trial. He was arrested on Federal charges related to alleged gang involvement. I have to admit that kind of ruffles my feathers. The term "gang" can be synonymously used to describe many groups of people. Folks who are religious or political form their own gangs. Politicians make laws against bullying and yet their political ads are merciless attacks on another person's character. The promulgators of our laws pay no attention to the ambiguities of their actions.
My mom and dad tried to teach me to "do as I say." That means my actions should match my words. I have to be a doer of my word. Leaders should reflect on their own character before they take action that judges another person's character. How do you prosecute a kid for bullying and yet pay millions for the right to assassinate another person's character? I believe in accountability for our actions and we can't let folks go running around playing their own version of "Bonnie & Clyde." It's time to teach leadership. It's time to teach life skills to our children. Kids who grow up in poverty are more likely to engage in gangster behavior. It's time to teach gangsters how to retire.
At Youth With A Purpose, we are impassioned by the plea of a younger generation to live lives of integrity and accountability. They want to be good kids. Our education system is lacking a common core of a leadership foundation. We must give them the social and emotional tools that will enable them to resist the temptations to find honor in a crumbling street code of unethical destruction.
"LEADERSHIP IS THE TREE FROM WHICH
THE BRANCHES OF EDUCATION GROW."
We currently have a limited amount of open dates in January, March and April of 2015. If you have a desire to bring the YWAP Leadership Program to your school, community center or church, please call us: 716-830-8240.
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
RSS Feed
