For a loving mother to Nurture, care and love her child/children and raise him/her when you could have abandoned them. To be so (eloquently) designed we first have to give thanks to the creator. Being sculpted by God himself you are truly a blessing to (motherhood) and mankind. Oh Beautiful Queens of ours...
Its how I wish god could hold you in His loving arms and fill you with the love of His heart and forever proclaim to you his un denying love, salvation, and eternal devotion. Just as you did us...
To the loving mothers. God has said paradise is your choice and there's a very special garden where the flowers of motherhood grows. Its nurture by the kindness and concern that good mothers show. The seeds are the healthful deeds that you queens so glady do and love, laughter are the showers that strengthen and renew. And it offers tender promises that mothers joy will last its a place of peace and beauty where bright new dreams can start its motherly garden, and it blooms in the heart.
To the outstanding mothers this "moment" there lies a crown or righteous for you . As the old adage goes "I want you to shoot for the moon and if you miss I promise you will land on the stars"...
To the outstanding mothers I salute you all and
THANKS FOR BEING A DYNAMIC MOTHER...
Sunday, September 21, 2008
My Closest Friend
God knows that I try to be the best that I can be. It seems the more that I try , the more troubled water's flow beneath my feet. Sad-ness seems to be my closest friend; A lesson- learned is like sun-burn; I would do anything to be happy, to just for once have the tables turned.
At times I'm so courageous, but then there are times when I'm not.
My heart ponuds with fear, and this is when, then the tears began to drop. Sad-ness seems to be my closest friend;
I try desperatly to think of a place to just be free. But reality began to set-in and I think, there's only one place for me.
The people that I wrongly loved disappointed me in the worst way. To just be loved in-return is what I craved, but Sad-ness seems to be my closest friend;
Dear God, I pray with-in most humbleness submission for you to relieve me of this Sad-ness.
I know by praying to the creator Sad-ness no longer relies with in...
To my Closest friend....
At times I'm so courageous, but then there are times when I'm not.
My heart ponuds with fear, and this is when, then the tears began to drop. Sad-ness seems to be my closest friend;
I try desperatly to think of a place to just be free. But reality began to set-in and I think, there's only one place for me.
The people that I wrongly loved disappointed me in the worst way. To just be loved in-return is what I craved, but Sad-ness seems to be my closest friend;
Dear God, I pray with-in most humbleness submission for you to relieve me of this Sad-ness.
I know by praying to the creator Sad-ness no longer relies with in...
To my Closest friend....
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Love
Unhappy in love? It's alway's our partner's fault. Ever hear anyone say "My Relationship is a mess and I'm the problem?"
Insensitivty, betrayal, abuse-- it's true that we human beings are capable of terrible behavior. And it hurts deeply to be mistreated by the person you expect to treat you best. But no one can take your peace or power unless you surrender it. No one's behavior makes you miserable for long unless you allow it too. It's not our lover's bad behavior that makes us crazy, but how we internalize and respond to it. It's time to awake from our fantasy; No one is perfect. We'll forever be disappointed in love if our emotions are tied to who we think our mate should be. But, the biggest mistake we make is in selecting our partners. Sometimes we accept as a lover a person we'd never have as a friend, or we don't recognize a divine-right partner whose packaging isn't bright and shiny; We forget that the gift is on the inside...
Terrance 'Gangsta' Williams
Insensitivty, betrayal, abuse-- it's true that we human beings are capable of terrible behavior. And it hurts deeply to be mistreated by the person you expect to treat you best. But no one can take your peace or power unless you surrender it. No one's behavior makes you miserable for long unless you allow it too. It's not our lover's bad behavior that makes us crazy, but how we internalize and respond to it. It's time to awake from our fantasy; No one is perfect. We'll forever be disappointed in love if our emotions are tied to who we think our mate should be. But, the biggest mistake we make is in selecting our partners. Sometimes we accept as a lover a person we'd never have as a friend, or we don't recognize a divine-right partner whose packaging isn't bright and shiny; We forget that the gift is on the inside...
Terrance 'Gangsta' Williams
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Thoughts From The Belly of The Beast
Another day trapped in my sorrow thinking about my children,family, and friends... What to do about tomorrow, how to make a bad day and situation better, how to make pain and fears clear to the ones I love in a letter! Knowing right from wrong while I was doing wrong from the start... Chasing and catching devalued dollars constantly in vain to make everything better for my family knowing it could and would tear us apart! The life of a baller-- the cars, girls, money, power that lasted for a couple of years and vanished in hours... A fool for wanting to attain and keep the eye candy of the world you can't have... When you see your folly, and realize it all in your suffering for the try, you want to cry but all you can do is laugh...
Who's the Gangster now?
Who's the Gangster now?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
A Drug Program
Here in FCI Jesup Mr. Henry Brown has put together a program for the nonresidential drug class. I knew the impact I help cause in my hood so I decided to join him and help with the class.. Not being selfish, I thought of you and a way you can help your friends, family members, etc. By placing this on my Blog.
Objective: CHANGING VALUE SYSTEMS
Week 1 Introduction
During the introduction we will touch on the purpose of the class and the various topics we will cover over a twelve week period.
TOPICS
WEEK 2 Defining Values
WEEK 3 Origin of Values
WEEK 4 Prioitizing our Values
WEEK 5 Blaming & Diversion
WEEK 6 Criminal lifestyles & Users
WEEK 7 Living with others
WEEK 8 Responsibilty
WEEK 9 Recovery Maintenance
WEEK10 Relapse Prevention
WEEK 11 Transition
WEEK 12 Staying true to our Values
WEEK 2 Defining Values
Group Discussion : What are Values ?
We will discuss way's of challenging our thinking errors and focus on what is a rational thought versus an irrational thought.
We will take words like Morals, Principles, Worth, Honesty, and Esteemed Characteristic, etcs, and break them down using Webster's dictionary as our base.
We will discuss individually how and what these word's mean to us, and why they are important in our lives.
Define the following word's:
1 Respect 2. Moral 3. Honesty 4. Worth 5. Responsibility 6. Principles 7. Esteemed Characteristic....
Give a brief reason why these values are important in our lives.....
WEEK 3. ORIGIN OF VALUES
Group Discussion: Where do our values come from?
In this session we will cover the sources of our values systems. Our sources can be our parents, Churches, Mosques, Schools, Friends, The streets, B.E.T., vh1 and even Telemundo.....
Although values can come from many different places, it is very important that we be true to ourseleves.
WEEK 4 PRIORITIZING OUR VALUES
Group Discussion:
Putting the thing's most important to us first, and the thing's less important last.. Here is a list of thing's that should be first. God, Family, Job , wORK, Friends, CLOTHES, CAR, HOME, EDUCATION
WEEK 5 BLAMING
This is a tactic that is used to keep us from looking at ourselves
Denial of responsibility: I WAS SET UP
Denial of Injury: I HAD A GUN BUT IT WASN'T LOADED
Denial of harm to other's : HEY, I DIDN'T FORCE THEM TO USE DRUG'S, THEY CAME TO ME.
Reversving the blame: THE GOVERNMENT IS THE REAL CRIMINAL.
Appeal to higher purpose: I HAD BILL'S TO PAY
WEEK6 CRIMINAL LIFESTYLE & USERS
This session will focus on how we think our feelings and actions are a direct result of condition, or the world around us. For instance, we grew up in the slums so it's okay for you to act without morals or priniciples. It's alright for you to drop out of school. It's alright for us to sell and use drugs. It's alright to abondon our childern and family, and the community. It's alright to live a criminal lifestyle. From the time we were born we have been developing belief and perceptions and values. Based on the people who raised us, the so called friends we hung out with, the trap and street corners we grew up on, and the events we experienced, we developed a unique way of seeing and thinking about everything we experienced. This is how our criminal lifestyle got started and from there we developed certain criminal thinking errors that has help shaped our value system.
Make a list of your criminal payoffs-vs- your losses and setback.
Payoff -vs- costs
Lot of cash Broken family
Status Poor health
Luxury housing No values
Women/men Prison
Drug/Alchol Torn community
Power Lost of property
WEEK 7 Living with others
This session will focus on identifying and exploring family issues: How we deal with our childern, Women, Men and community at large. We will discuss how our values effect our relationships with other's and improving communication skills. We will look at the pain and harm we have caused in others, and those who care about us, and what we can do to make things right ( change our value system ) This session will use role playing and practice in actual situations.
WEEK 8 Resposibility
Own up to the damage you caused. Stand up and take responsibility for the ways you have hurt others. Quit making excuses and playing down the suffering you have caused. Make a responsibility statement and read it to class.
WEEK 9 Recovery Mainenance
In this class we will be placing emphasis on identifying individual relapse "Triggers".
WEEK 10 Relapse Prevention
This class will focus on developing a relapse prevention plan as well as initiating a balanced and healthy style of living. 1. Study and stay around positive pepole.
2. Avoid old friends, negative people, bars & clubs.
3. Stay focus and eliminate unhealthy behavior.
WEEK 11 Transition
This session will focus on re-entry into lives of our families, communities and employment related skills.
WEEK 12 Staying true to our values
In this class we will focus on everything that we have covered in the past 12 weeks and all of the things that we must do in order to stay on the right path to success.
Objective: CHANGING VALUE SYSTEMS
Week 1 Introduction
During the introduction we will touch on the purpose of the class and the various topics we will cover over a twelve week period.
TOPICS
WEEK 2 Defining Values
WEEK 3 Origin of Values
WEEK 4 Prioitizing our Values
WEEK 5 Blaming & Diversion
WEEK 6 Criminal lifestyles & Users
WEEK 7 Living with others
WEEK 8 Responsibilty
WEEK 9 Recovery Maintenance
WEEK10 Relapse Prevention
WEEK 11 Transition
WEEK 12 Staying true to our Values
WEEK 2 Defining Values
Group Discussion : What are Values ?
We will discuss way's of challenging our thinking errors and focus on what is a rational thought versus an irrational thought.
We will take words like Morals, Principles, Worth, Honesty, and Esteemed Characteristic, etcs, and break them down using Webster's dictionary as our base.
We will discuss individually how and what these word's mean to us, and why they are important in our lives.
Define the following word's:
1 Respect 2. Moral 3. Honesty 4. Worth 5. Responsibility 6. Principles 7. Esteemed Characteristic....
Give a brief reason why these values are important in our lives.....
WEEK 3. ORIGIN OF VALUES
Group Discussion: Where do our values come from?
In this session we will cover the sources of our values systems. Our sources can be our parents, Churches, Mosques, Schools, Friends, The streets, B.E.T., vh1 and even Telemundo.....
Although values can come from many different places, it is very important that we be true to ourseleves.
WEEK 4 PRIORITIZING OUR VALUES
Group Discussion:
Putting the thing's most important to us first, and the thing's less important last.. Here is a list of thing's that should be first. God, Family, Job , wORK, Friends, CLOTHES, CAR, HOME, EDUCATION
WEEK 5 BLAMING
This is a tactic that is used to keep us from looking at ourselves
Denial of responsibility: I WAS SET UP
Denial of Injury: I HAD A GUN BUT IT WASN'T LOADED
Denial of harm to other's : HEY, I DIDN'T FORCE THEM TO USE DRUG'S, THEY CAME TO ME.
Reversving the blame: THE GOVERNMENT IS THE REAL CRIMINAL.
Appeal to higher purpose: I HAD BILL'S TO PAY
WEEK6 CRIMINAL LIFESTYLE & USERS
This session will focus on how we think our feelings and actions are a direct result of condition, or the world around us. For instance, we grew up in the slums so it's okay for you to act without morals or priniciples. It's alright for you to drop out of school. It's alright for us to sell and use drugs. It's alright to abondon our childern and family, and the community. It's alright to live a criminal lifestyle. From the time we were born we have been developing belief and perceptions and values. Based on the people who raised us, the so called friends we hung out with, the trap and street corners we grew up on, and the events we experienced, we developed a unique way of seeing and thinking about everything we experienced. This is how our criminal lifestyle got started and from there we developed certain criminal thinking errors that has help shaped our value system.
Make a list of your criminal payoffs-vs- your losses and setback.
Payoff -vs- costs
Lot of cash Broken family
Status Poor health
Luxury housing No values
Women/men Prison
Drug/Alchol Torn community
Power Lost of property
WEEK 7 Living with others
This session will focus on identifying and exploring family issues: How we deal with our childern, Women, Men and community at large. We will discuss how our values effect our relationships with other's and improving communication skills. We will look at the pain and harm we have caused in others, and those who care about us, and what we can do to make things right ( change our value system ) This session will use role playing and practice in actual situations.
WEEK 8 Resposibility
Own up to the damage you caused. Stand up and take responsibility for the ways you have hurt others. Quit making excuses and playing down the suffering you have caused. Make a responsibility statement and read it to class.
WEEK 9 Recovery Mainenance
In this class we will be placing emphasis on identifying individual relapse "Triggers".
WEEK 10 Relapse Prevention
This class will focus on developing a relapse prevention plan as well as initiating a balanced and healthy style of living. 1. Study and stay around positive pepole.
2. Avoid old friends, negative people, bars & clubs.
3. Stay focus and eliminate unhealthy behavior.
WEEK 11 Transition
This session will focus on re-entry into lives of our families, communities and employment related skills.
WEEK 12 Staying true to our values
In this class we will focus on everything that we have covered in the past 12 weeks and all of the things that we must do in order to stay on the right path to success.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Why You Hatin'?
To hate is to be in complete denial of one's own potential, focusing on another's degree of success, or what they currently are in possession of, instead of tipping your mental cap to him/her and their achievements in a congratulatory fashion. Why not use their accomplishments as a form of fuel to enable your mental motors to run harder toward whatever it is you always truly desire to achieve? This would make you stronger, and wise enough, to snatch something that you saw as beautiful in your Visions/Dreams and bring them into current, active reality...
I ask you "Why Hate?" "Why you hating?" You could be so much more than the person you're presently wasting time envying; you're only as much as you believe yourself to be! Food for thought:
Two people wanted to go to a concert that was coming up. The tickets were $20.00 a piece. Neither had the whole $20 right then, but they had two weeks to get it. They asked each other what was the plan to get the money. One said it was no problem because he gets $25.00 a week allowance anyway. We'll refer to him as Dude #1. The other dude wasn't as fortunate, but wanted to go, and knew dwelling on Dude #1's success wasn't going to get him in the concert, so immediately he devised a plan to get what he needed, in two weeks leading up to the concert day.
Dude #2 cut grass, raked leaves, and other odds and ends jobs accumilating $465.00, so he bought a fresh outfit, rented a nice car, and paid to be in V.I.P. with the stars they'd come to see. Dude #1 began to hate on Dude #2 talking to any and everybody who would listen, telling them how he really don't have it like that, he's just fronting. Dude #2 ended up free styling to the entertainer and they liked him so much he received a recording deal. Years later he's a top entertainer with everything he's always dreamed of, while Dude #1 ended up fat, struggling to survive, living from small check to small check with his only claim to fame being that he knows Dude#2.
Just in case you didn't catch the message... I'll shed a little light on it. In the beginning when things didn't look promising for Dude#2, he didn't waste his time hating on Dude#1 because he didn't have the burden of trying to get the money up for their combined desire. Instead he did what he had to do to make what he wanted real in his life, while Dude #1 is still wasting his life allowing fear and envy of other people's determination, courage and accomplishments to rob him of his potential.
So I ask... Why You Hating? Who are you?... What are you?.... The Hater, or the one being hated on???
Is this a disease?
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
I ask you "Why Hate?" "Why you hating?" You could be so much more than the person you're presently wasting time envying; you're only as much as you believe yourself to be! Food for thought:
Two people wanted to go to a concert that was coming up. The tickets were $20.00 a piece. Neither had the whole $20 right then, but they had two weeks to get it. They asked each other what was the plan to get the money. One said it was no problem because he gets $25.00 a week allowance anyway. We'll refer to him as Dude #1. The other dude wasn't as fortunate, but wanted to go, and knew dwelling on Dude #1's success wasn't going to get him in the concert, so immediately he devised a plan to get what he needed, in two weeks leading up to the concert day.
Dude #2 cut grass, raked leaves, and other odds and ends jobs accumilating $465.00, so he bought a fresh outfit, rented a nice car, and paid to be in V.I.P. with the stars they'd come to see. Dude #1 began to hate on Dude #2 talking to any and everybody who would listen, telling them how he really don't have it like that, he's just fronting. Dude #2 ended up free styling to the entertainer and they liked him so much he received a recording deal. Years later he's a top entertainer with everything he's always dreamed of, while Dude #1 ended up fat, struggling to survive, living from small check to small check with his only claim to fame being that he knows Dude#2.
Just in case you didn't catch the message... I'll shed a little light on it. In the beginning when things didn't look promising for Dude#2, he didn't waste his time hating on Dude#1 because he didn't have the burden of trying to get the money up for their combined desire. Instead he did what he had to do to make what he wanted real in his life, while Dude #1 is still wasting his life allowing fear and envy of other people's determination, courage and accomplishments to rob him of his potential.
So I ask... Why You Hating? Who are you?... What are you?.... The Hater, or the one being hated on???
Is this a disease?
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
Monday, July 14, 2008
He Was Once My Best Friend
Growing up I had lots of friends, but there was one I didn't know of at that time. He sat back and waited on his chance to present himself into my life. The strangest thing I can remember is, I'd heard of his name mentioned many times but it never registered to me exactly who he was and the major part he would play in my outcome of my life...
There would be times when I would be lying alone in bed and out of nowhere the homie showed up. Everytime he appeared it was concerning some drama. Either he wanted me to rob someone, kill someone or break some female's heart. When my intentions were to do and be positive the homie would pop up and say, "Homie I can read your mind. Don't worry about taking your girl to the movies or spending time with your children- let's bleed the block (aka hustle).
No matter what the outcome of my day was he was a major part of it. Some days now that I sit back and think on it, I smile, because I allowed him to deceive me. However, as I reflect on my past, I did enjoy hearing the homie's voice because it motivated me to continue in my wrong doings. I know he had his purpose and I got the satisfaction...
MATTHEW 4:8-9
8. Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9. And saith unto him, all these things will I give thee, if thou fall down and worship me.
Surah 17:62-63
[Iblis (Satan)] said: "See this one whom you have honourned above me, if you give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!
63. (Allah) said: "Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all) an ample recompense.
Surah 4:116 Verily, Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah has indeed strayed far away.
Now you have been warned...
TERRANCE"GANGSTA"WILLIAMS
There would be times when I would be lying alone in bed and out of nowhere the homie showed up. Everytime he appeared it was concerning some drama. Either he wanted me to rob someone, kill someone or break some female's heart. When my intentions were to do and be positive the homie would pop up and say, "Homie I can read your mind. Don't worry about taking your girl to the movies or spending time with your children- let's bleed the block (aka hustle).
No matter what the outcome of my day was he was a major part of it. Some days now that I sit back and think on it, I smile, because I allowed him to deceive me. However, as I reflect on my past, I did enjoy hearing the homie's voice because it motivated me to continue in my wrong doings. I know he had his purpose and I got the satisfaction...
MATTHEW 4:8-9
8. Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9. And saith unto him, all these things will I give thee, if thou fall down and worship me.
Surah 17:62-63
[Iblis (Satan)] said: "See this one whom you have honourned above me, if you give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!
63. (Allah) said: "Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all) an ample recompense.
Surah 4:116 Verily, Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah has indeed strayed far away.
Now you have been warned...
TERRANCE"GANGSTA"WILLIAMS
Thursday, July 10, 2008
My Four Queens!
Doing time in the Feds isn't easy without having outside support. Some guys perfer to do their time alone. I have been blessed to have four strong beautiful Queens to hold me down.
To those who know how to play chess, you know how valuable the Queen is, and the damage she can do.
From the beginning of time a King has represented Royalty as well as loyalty to his people. However, in this day and time the four Queens have demonstrated loyalty to me. I thank God everyday for them.
My first Queen-- before I really got to know her name, who she was, or what she stood for, had the chance to kill me. As the love and the bond grew, we became bestfriends, and indirectly co-defendants. Even though I have brought her through a lot of drama, she still hung in there and has been my support sytem. Now I don't think she'll do what BG said in his Hot Boy rap, "If ATF kick in the door she'll take the charge." But I do know she'll run for a brother, and press 5 for a brother, come visit a brother, and send money to a brother. I love you Hot Girl!
My second Queen-- she is loving, she can be hardcore at times, but she has a good heart, very out-spoken and keeps it real no matter what situation presents itself. I love you too, Hot Girl!
Before I describe my third Queen, I must ask is it true, "The blacker the berry the sweeter the juice?" I ask because I wouldn't know. But I do know my Queen is honest, holds her word, she's a very smart business woman, and a workaholic. Whenever I reach out she's there for me and I respect and have much love for her. Keep your head up and know I'm with you no matter the situation.
Last of my Dream Team-- she's a pit-bull in a skirt; she's kicked in industry doors and has helped, as well as worked with, big and small-time celebrities. If it's a money problem, she will handle it. Her name is all over the scene. If I could build a work machine, it would be designed just like her.
When I think or talk about them, I want to give them so much for holding me down. In my opinion, a Queen should mean more than just a walk in the park, she should be given more than just a dozen roses that only whither in time. A Queen should be given respect and an atmosphere that's appeaseable, also sufficient enough for her.
I speak to the four of them at once... "Thank you all for answering my calls, my emails, and helping me with whatever I need."
I wrote this from my heart for Paulette "Big Momma" Williams, Cyrillia Duplessis, Tracy Taylor and the sweet loving Ms. Wendy Day.
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
To those who know how to play chess, you know how valuable the Queen is, and the damage she can do.
From the beginning of time a King has represented Royalty as well as loyalty to his people. However, in this day and time the four Queens have demonstrated loyalty to me. I thank God everyday for them.
My first Queen-- before I really got to know her name, who she was, or what she stood for, had the chance to kill me. As the love and the bond grew, we became bestfriends, and indirectly co-defendants. Even though I have brought her through a lot of drama, she still hung in there and has been my support sytem. Now I don't think she'll do what BG said in his Hot Boy rap, "If ATF kick in the door she'll take the charge." But I do know she'll run for a brother, and press 5 for a brother, come visit a brother, and send money to a brother. I love you Hot Girl!
My second Queen-- she is loving, she can be hardcore at times, but she has a good heart, very out-spoken and keeps it real no matter what situation presents itself. I love you too, Hot Girl!
Before I describe my third Queen, I must ask is it true, "The blacker the berry the sweeter the juice?" I ask because I wouldn't know. But I do know my Queen is honest, holds her word, she's a very smart business woman, and a workaholic. Whenever I reach out she's there for me and I respect and have much love for her. Keep your head up and know I'm with you no matter the situation.
Last of my Dream Team-- she's a pit-bull in a skirt; she's kicked in industry doors and has helped, as well as worked with, big and small-time celebrities. If it's a money problem, she will handle it. Her name is all over the scene. If I could build a work machine, it would be designed just like her.
When I think or talk about them, I want to give them so much for holding me down. In my opinion, a Queen should mean more than just a walk in the park, she should be given more than just a dozen roses that only whither in time. A Queen should be given respect and an atmosphere that's appeaseable, also sufficient enough for her.
I speak to the four of them at once... "Thank you all for answering my calls, my emails, and helping me with whatever I need."
I wrote this from my heart for Paulette "Big Momma" Williams, Cyrillia Duplessis, Tracy Taylor and the sweet loving Ms. Wendy Day.
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Respect
Growing up I always wanted to be respected. My mother did the best she could, but once I turned 8, I got my first taste of riding in a police car. At twelve I taught myself how to drive. The homies and I stole cars just to joy ride around school. A lot of times I came up with the idea to steal cars. But moms always thought it was one of the homies that I was following. At times it got to me because I wanted her to think I was a leader. Little did I know, I was hurting her.
Me being young, mentally blind, and ignorant to one's feelings, the street life became my playground. Even though I played football, swimmed on Gret Town swim team and marched in the Carter G. Woodson Band, that wasn't enough for me. I wanted the money and things Momma couldn't afford... Seeing older homies riding through in cars, changing women everyday, just living the good life...or so we think.
Not to name names, but there were a few Gangsters that I looked up to. One never did drugs, nor drank, and that's the route I took. But eventhough I never did drugs or drank, I still chose the wrong role model...
Similarly, today's youngsters want to be like the big drug dealer or the vicious killer... And the first thing we say is that "I'm a product of my environment." Is it safe to say the environment is a Product of You?
Some of us look for Lil'Wayne, 50 Cent, B.G., Birdman, Jay Z, Jim Jones, Lil'Kim, Foxy Brown, Rick Ross etc... to be our role models and we try to keep up with what they are rapping about. And it leads us to jail or the graveyard... Now our family members have to suffer and grieve behind a choice that we made.
I admit what I did was wrong. You still have a chance to pick another role model; like Barack Obama, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Vin Disel, The Williams Sisters, Alicia Keyes, Jada Pinket-Smith, The Olsen Twins, Jennifer Aniston and Maria Sharaporova.
Get it right and keep it right...
One Love
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
Me being young, mentally blind, and ignorant to one's feelings, the street life became my playground. Even though I played football, swimmed on Gret Town swim team and marched in the Carter G. Woodson Band, that wasn't enough for me. I wanted the money and things Momma couldn't afford... Seeing older homies riding through in cars, changing women everyday, just living the good life...or so we think.
Not to name names, but there were a few Gangsters that I looked up to. One never did drugs, nor drank, and that's the route I took. But eventhough I never did drugs or drank, I still chose the wrong role model...
Similarly, today's youngsters want to be like the big drug dealer or the vicious killer... And the first thing we say is that "I'm a product of my environment." Is it safe to say the environment is a Product of You?
Some of us look for Lil'Wayne, 50 Cent, B.G., Birdman, Jay Z, Jim Jones, Lil'Kim, Foxy Brown, Rick Ross etc... to be our role models and we try to keep up with what they are rapping about. And it leads us to jail or the graveyard... Now our family members have to suffer and grieve behind a choice that we made.
I admit what I did was wrong. You still have a chance to pick another role model; like Barack Obama, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Vin Disel, The Williams Sisters, Alicia Keyes, Jada Pinket-Smith, The Olsen Twins, Jennifer Aniston and Maria Sharaporova.
Get it right and keep it right...
One Love
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
Monday, July 7, 2008
The Street Life
Whiiii! What's poppin fam's? Yeah, I address you as fam's because you're street people like I was. Anybody that's getting money or bustin his gun, is my street fam.... the real recognize real.
Picture this fam.... I was laying back in the three man cell I was assigned to, which is too small for two people.. Anyways, I had the radio on and Lil Wayne's "Milli" song came on. All I could do was smile. I remember when the lil homie was in the studio back in 97'. He had a mini afro back then and he was writing a rap to go on the "Hot Boys" album, a name that I gave my brother to name the group... The Hot Boys name came from some real street Gangster's Dooney, sterling, Mosquito and me. All three are dead now. "No we didn't bust raps we busts caps!!!"
I remember when Cash Money used to rent one raggedy bus to ride out of town to do concerts. I would be right there some of the times. Two guns and my bulletproof vest. While the C.M.R. Crew were entertaining people, I was hooking up heroin deals. The game was good to me. Well at least that's what we think, just because we are getting money, women are crazy about us, we riding in nice cars, wearing expensive jewlry, stacking money, busting our guns or paying someone to do it for us... the drug life is the life we all love until the Feds catch us. I know that's how I feel after ten years and four months in prison serving a life sentence.
Don't trip homie, the people haven't caught you yet so ball til you fall. But do you ever stop and think, that you are putting your family at risk? I know I didn't. And that's what led my mother to be shot. Actually the shooters were trying to kill my lil brother because they couldn't catch me. I know you may be thinking that you are too smooth to get caught slipping. "Oh yeah," well I thought that too.
I was shot in the left foot in 1991 while on the run from juvenile because I had escaped. I was stabbed in June of 1994, my lungs collapsed a month later. I was shot and lost a piece of my bladder and had to walk around with a colostomy bag on-- aka DooDoo bag for 23 months. The last time I was shot was in 1996, one of the bullets came out the front of my chest.
I played all the slick and kind roles in the game to deceive a person. Look at the picture of me holding my daughter. At that time I was attending Delgado Community College. By then, I had been arrested for Murder six times and plead guilty to Attempted Murder in 1993.
If you look at the picture that I'm eating the cookie ice cream you'll see I didn't have a mustache and my eyebrows are gone. That's because I had to dress like a woman to get to my victim. At that time I was young, so all the games you think is new, people before me has done and so on... The main thing that I trip off is we believe the world is ours while we are balling, but when we go to jail we call any and everybody to make bond or get us a lawyer.
Then we have the nerve to get mad at our woman when she leaves us once we get time. When you were free you came home when you got ready. You slept with any woman that let you. Yes indeed... I know you maybe thinking he just saying all this because he got caught. Yeah well, I'm doing enough time for everybody! And you still have a chance to get your life together. Even the ones that are thinking about selling drugs, trust me homie... it's a waste of time.
When you feel that you have to have those nice tennis shoes: Prada, Gucci, Polo, etc... or that you have to eat... so you say. Think about the people in Africa that don't have nothing. And most of all think about me. On June 24, 1999 the Judge sentenced me to LIFE plus 240 years! On March 6, 2002, the Judge re-sentenced me again to LIFE this time running the 20 years with the life...
Say no to drugs, stop the violence
and be aware of HIV and AIDS...
Be on the lookout for my upcoming novel "The Otherside of Bourban Street."
If you have any questions you can write to me:
Terrance E. Williams 25958-034
FCI
2680 Hwy. 301-South
Jesup, Georgia 31599
www.GangstaWilliams.com
Picture this fam.... I was laying back in the three man cell I was assigned to, which is too small for two people.. Anyways, I had the radio on and Lil Wayne's "Milli" song came on. All I could do was smile. I remember when the lil homie was in the studio back in 97'. He had a mini afro back then and he was writing a rap to go on the "Hot Boys" album, a name that I gave my brother to name the group... The Hot Boys name came from some real street Gangster's Dooney, sterling, Mosquito and me. All three are dead now. "No we didn't bust raps we busts caps!!!"
I remember when Cash Money used to rent one raggedy bus to ride out of town to do concerts. I would be right there some of the times. Two guns and my bulletproof vest. While the C.M.R. Crew were entertaining people, I was hooking up heroin deals. The game was good to me. Well at least that's what we think, just because we are getting money, women are crazy about us, we riding in nice cars, wearing expensive jewlry, stacking money, busting our guns or paying someone to do it for us... the drug life is the life we all love until the Feds catch us. I know that's how I feel after ten years and four months in prison serving a life sentence.
Don't trip homie, the people haven't caught you yet so ball til you fall. But do you ever stop and think, that you are putting your family at risk? I know I didn't. And that's what led my mother to be shot. Actually the shooters were trying to kill my lil brother because they couldn't catch me. I know you may be thinking that you are too smooth to get caught slipping. "Oh yeah," well I thought that too.
I was shot in the left foot in 1991 while on the run from juvenile because I had escaped. I was stabbed in June of 1994, my lungs collapsed a month later. I was shot and lost a piece of my bladder and had to walk around with a colostomy bag on-- aka DooDoo bag for 23 months. The last time I was shot was in 1996, one of the bullets came out the front of my chest.
I played all the slick and kind roles in the game to deceive a person. Look at the picture of me holding my daughter. At that time I was attending Delgado Community College. By then, I had been arrested for Murder six times and plead guilty to Attempted Murder in 1993.
If you look at the picture that I'm eating the cookie ice cream you'll see I didn't have a mustache and my eyebrows are gone. That's because I had to dress like a woman to get to my victim. At that time I was young, so all the games you think is new, people before me has done and so on... The main thing that I trip off is we believe the world is ours while we are balling, but when we go to jail we call any and everybody to make bond or get us a lawyer.
Then we have the nerve to get mad at our woman when she leaves us once we get time. When you were free you came home when you got ready. You slept with any woman that let you. Yes indeed... I know you maybe thinking he just saying all this because he got caught. Yeah well, I'm doing enough time for everybody! And you still have a chance to get your life together. Even the ones that are thinking about selling drugs, trust me homie... it's a waste of time.
When you feel that you have to have those nice tennis shoes: Prada, Gucci, Polo, etc... or that you have to eat... so you say. Think about the people in Africa that don't have nothing. And most of all think about me. On June 24, 1999 the Judge sentenced me to LIFE plus 240 years! On March 6, 2002, the Judge re-sentenced me again to LIFE this time running the 20 years with the life...
Say no to drugs, stop the violence
and be aware of HIV and AIDS...
Be on the lookout for my upcoming novel "The Otherside of Bourban Street."
If you have any questions you can write to me:
Terrance E. Williams 25958-034
FCI
2680 Hwy. 301-South
Jesup, Georgia 31599
www.GangstaWilliams.com
Psychological Conditioning
Psychological Conditioning and
The Impact of Drugs on Children
Our children are our future. More accurately, they represent our immortality. it is to our children that we must look for extention of our lives, our names and our fortunes.
When we seek to discuss the impact of drugs on our children and young adults we must, therefore, simultaneously discuss that impact on our future and our survival potential as a people.
We must first note that the impact of drugs on our children and young adults is insidious. It comes like a thief in the night, under cover of the ill-formed darkness of ignorance. It's impact devastatingly subtle. By impact we mean the power of an idea to produce change, whether the change be negative or positive.
In this context, the idea that has such great impact and has produced such dramatic change in our children and our society is one the that we still do not fully understand.
The idea, simply put, is that of the "good life", poplularly embodied n the notion of the American Dream. A dream, it should be remembered, is a set of images perceived while the dreamer is asleep. A dream is, therefore, an illusion. While asleep, a dreamer's senses are in a state of reduced activity. The American Dream is, therefore, an illusion by definition and to begin with.
The change that this idea, this dream, this illusion, has occasioned is wholly detrimental and applies itself on may levels. Perhaps the most important is the psychological level.
At the psychological level our children and young adults have been caused to believe that one acceptable method of raising themselves above the level of their parents and unsuccessful peers is to be entrepreneurs in the high risk, illicit drug trade.
In America it is the acquisition of material gain and advantage, and its tireless pursuit, that is recognized as the be all and end all of existence. America is a place where we repetitiously remind our children that they must work hard to succeed. Their young impressionable minds translate our admonitons as you must succeed at any cost. To do otherwise is to live life as a hopeless failure. We inform them, honestly, but naively, that success is found only in material acquisistion and advantage. We advise them to stay in school, get a good education, but, for what purpose? So that they can be someone, to make something of their lives, to attain the finer thing in life. In short, so they can do more, accomplish more, than their forebears. We tell them to get a good education so they can earn good money in order to buy all of those finer things in life. Mainly to own and possess the things we did not have or could not give them.
When we do this we give our children, we implant in their minds, we create for them the mind-set of the risk taker--the entrepreneur.
An entrepreneur is, by definition, a person who undertakes a business venture assuming high risk for high profit. By nature, the entrepreneur, takes risks that the average person will not.
By our training, such that it is, we confront our children with a jarring reality. The good life, the illusionary American Dream, by whose larger-than-life images are children are constantly bombarded through videos, telelvision, radio and motion pictures, requires money cold hard case, in abundance.
The money required is not, however, the amount of money their parents settled for. It is not the wages of a mail carrier or civil servant. It is not even the wages of most professonals. What our children see depicted everyday and that which is held up to be the necessaries of the good life, is out of the reach of the average Black family. Only two groups of people in America accomplish that level of material success. They are athletes/entertainers and drug dealers.
Most parents discourage their children's pursuit of athletic careers, and justifiably so, because there will only be a few giants in that field. Statistically, a Black child has as much chance of becoming a NBA star as he of winning the Power Ball lottery.
The entrepreneur field is no different. Although some have made considerable fortunes at that elusive enterprie far, far more have wasted their valuable time and energy in pursuit of success in rap and hip-hop.
As you can see the field quickly narrows for Black youth who have an entrepreneurial inclination and bent of mind. In many, far too many cases, the lure of high risk in the drug trade is offset by the even potentially higher profits. Unfortunately, it can and often does logically appear the only opportunity to obtain the good life available to our your--based upon the guidelines that we have taught them.
The drug trade, it must be remembered, is a business enterpreneur, the fact that it is an illegal enterprise is apparently irrelevant. The drug requires little skill for the product literally sells itself. The drug trade requires minimal capital investment. Some entrepreneurs start with as little as one hundred dollars, many have leads to high profits and the good life, virtually guranteed, almost instantaneously. The good life on the quick -- for a time. But when have young, of any nation, ever given thought to tomorrow?
This then is the psychological impact of drugs. Not always evident but always a reality to our children and young adults. Parents too must understand the dynamics of this unavoidable fact or they will never be able to devise programs and policies to combat the scourge of our communities.
In the business enterprise that is the drug world there are two groups of people -- equally addicted. They are the drug dealers, entrepreneurs all, and the users.
As we have seent the dealers are motivated by the good life that only large sums of money can buy. The users, in symbiotic association with the dealers, are also in pursuit of the good life, albeit on another, but no less tragic level.
To the user the good life is manifested in the high and the good times associated with it. It is the hedonist philosophy at work. It is the age-old belief that pleasure is what life is really about. Enjoy today and give no thought about tomorrow. But, let us not forget, that this philosophy too derives from the flawed notion that we must pursue a good life as it is defined by others.
Our children and young adults are pressured to join those who seek the euphoria associated with the good life. Psychologist refer to this phenomenon as pressure. But, the pressure applied by peers, itself, social pressure resulting from the constant bombardment of the media over the entire course of their developmental lives.
We seem to forget that alcohol is a drug, one of the world's most legal drugs. Yet, we celebrate all of the life's successes and accomplishments, no matter how minor, with a toast. We wind down from a hard day's work with a drink. In many homes the very symbol of hospitality and welcome guests is the proffered glass of scotch. All of our problems are met or overcome with the drug solution. Depressed? Take a Prozac or Valium. Hyperactive? Give the kid a dose of Ritalin (known as soft cocaine). And we would be remiss if we failed to mention nicotine -- the most addictive substance known to man. Our children learned to smoke from us. Crack, cigarettes, weed.
These are the societal pressures that underly the peer pressure to which our children often succumb. We cannot make drugs central to our lives and expect that our children will reject them out of hand. We cannot expeect our children to ignore the lure of high profits and the good life when we have raised them.
This is not an indictment of our parenting skills. It is a expose' that reveals the psychological underprinting of the problem that we now confront. Our children are our future. The future that they choose is, in large measures, determined by the values we have taught. Remember that history teaches that behind every great fortune there is a great crime. Money, the good life and crime go together. The only variable is the type of crime. Bootleg liquor in the twenties -- crack cocaine in the eighties. Always the pursuit of the good life, always a tragic results.
This is my perspective. What your's?
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
The Impact of Drugs on Children
Our children are our future. More accurately, they represent our immortality. it is to our children that we must look for extention of our lives, our names and our fortunes.
When we seek to discuss the impact of drugs on our children and young adults we must, therefore, simultaneously discuss that impact on our future and our survival potential as a people.
We must first note that the impact of drugs on our children and young adults is insidious. It comes like a thief in the night, under cover of the ill-formed darkness of ignorance. It's impact devastatingly subtle. By impact we mean the power of an idea to produce change, whether the change be negative or positive.
In this context, the idea that has such great impact and has produced such dramatic change in our children and our society is one the that we still do not fully understand.
The idea, simply put, is that of the "good life", poplularly embodied n the notion of the American Dream. A dream, it should be remembered, is a set of images perceived while the dreamer is asleep. A dream is, therefore, an illusion. While asleep, a dreamer's senses are in a state of reduced activity. The American Dream is, therefore, an illusion by definition and to begin with.
The change that this idea, this dream, this illusion, has occasioned is wholly detrimental and applies itself on may levels. Perhaps the most important is the psychological level.
At the psychological level our children and young adults have been caused to believe that one acceptable method of raising themselves above the level of their parents and unsuccessful peers is to be entrepreneurs in the high risk, illicit drug trade.
In America it is the acquisition of material gain and advantage, and its tireless pursuit, that is recognized as the be all and end all of existence. America is a place where we repetitiously remind our children that they must work hard to succeed. Their young impressionable minds translate our admonitons as you must succeed at any cost. To do otherwise is to live life as a hopeless failure. We inform them, honestly, but naively, that success is found only in material acquisistion and advantage. We advise them to stay in school, get a good education, but, for what purpose? So that they can be someone, to make something of their lives, to attain the finer thing in life. In short, so they can do more, accomplish more, than their forebears. We tell them to get a good education so they can earn good money in order to buy all of those finer things in life. Mainly to own and possess the things we did not have or could not give them.
When we do this we give our children, we implant in their minds, we create for them the mind-set of the risk taker--the entrepreneur.
An entrepreneur is, by definition, a person who undertakes a business venture assuming high risk for high profit. By nature, the entrepreneur, takes risks that the average person will not.
By our training, such that it is, we confront our children with a jarring reality. The good life, the illusionary American Dream, by whose larger-than-life images are children are constantly bombarded through videos, telelvision, radio and motion pictures, requires money cold hard case, in abundance.
The money required is not, however, the amount of money their parents settled for. It is not the wages of a mail carrier or civil servant. It is not even the wages of most professonals. What our children see depicted everyday and that which is held up to be the necessaries of the good life, is out of the reach of the average Black family. Only two groups of people in America accomplish that level of material success. They are athletes/entertainers and drug dealers.
Most parents discourage their children's pursuit of athletic careers, and justifiably so, because there will only be a few giants in that field. Statistically, a Black child has as much chance of becoming a NBA star as he of winning the Power Ball lottery.
The entrepreneur field is no different. Although some have made considerable fortunes at that elusive enterprie far, far more have wasted their valuable time and energy in pursuit of success in rap and hip-hop.
As you can see the field quickly narrows for Black youth who have an entrepreneurial inclination and bent of mind. In many, far too many cases, the lure of high risk in the drug trade is offset by the even potentially higher profits. Unfortunately, it can and often does logically appear the only opportunity to obtain the good life available to our your--based upon the guidelines that we have taught them.
The drug trade, it must be remembered, is a business enterpreneur, the fact that it is an illegal enterprise is apparently irrelevant. The drug requires little skill for the product literally sells itself. The drug trade requires minimal capital investment. Some entrepreneurs start with as little as one hundred dollars, many have leads to high profits and the good life, virtually guranteed, almost instantaneously. The good life on the quick -- for a time. But when have young, of any nation, ever given thought to tomorrow?
This then is the psychological impact of drugs. Not always evident but always a reality to our children and young adults. Parents too must understand the dynamics of this unavoidable fact or they will never be able to devise programs and policies to combat the scourge of our communities.
In the business enterprise that is the drug world there are two groups of people -- equally addicted. They are the drug dealers, entrepreneurs all, and the users.
As we have seent the dealers are motivated by the good life that only large sums of money can buy. The users, in symbiotic association with the dealers, are also in pursuit of the good life, albeit on another, but no less tragic level.
To the user the good life is manifested in the high and the good times associated with it. It is the hedonist philosophy at work. It is the age-old belief that pleasure is what life is really about. Enjoy today and give no thought about tomorrow. But, let us not forget, that this philosophy too derives from the flawed notion that we must pursue a good life as it is defined by others.
Our children and young adults are pressured to join those who seek the euphoria associated with the good life. Psychologist refer to this phenomenon as pressure. But, the pressure applied by peers, itself, social pressure resulting from the constant bombardment of the media over the entire course of their developmental lives.
We seem to forget that alcohol is a drug, one of the world's most legal drugs. Yet, we celebrate all of the life's successes and accomplishments, no matter how minor, with a toast. We wind down from a hard day's work with a drink. In many homes the very symbol of hospitality and welcome guests is the proffered glass of scotch. All of our problems are met or overcome with the drug solution. Depressed? Take a Prozac or Valium. Hyperactive? Give the kid a dose of Ritalin (known as soft cocaine). And we would be remiss if we failed to mention nicotine -- the most addictive substance known to man. Our children learned to smoke from us. Crack, cigarettes, weed.
These are the societal pressures that underly the peer pressure to which our children often succumb. We cannot make drugs central to our lives and expect that our children will reject them out of hand. We cannot expeect our children to ignore the lure of high profits and the good life when we have raised them.
This is not an indictment of our parenting skills. It is a expose' that reveals the psychological underprinting of the problem that we now confront. Our children are our future. The future that they choose is, in large measures, determined by the values we have taught. Remember that history teaches that behind every great fortune there is a great crime. Money, the good life and crime go together. The only variable is the type of crime. Bootleg liquor in the twenties -- crack cocaine in the eighties. Always the pursuit of the good life, always a tragic results.
This is my perspective. What your's?
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
THE MISCONCEPTION OF ADOLSESCENT DRUG ABUSE
THE MISCONCEPTION OF ADOLSESCENT DRUG ABUSE AND THE
CONFLICTS IT CAUSES BETWEEN THE PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN
First and foremost to combat a problem one must understand the root of the problem. So therefore educate is the key. Drug use is becoming an epidemic which is rapidly spreading and society must fight it at the homefront, literally. The home, with that parents being able to recognize and then have the knowledge to assist their children when a problem is evident acknowledged.
With the growing amount of single parent households and the stress and pressure put on the dual household parents to work to make ends meet, the parents have very limited time with their children. Therefore, giving the children ample time at home by themselves to get into trouble and to experiment. The experimental stage may quickly esculate to the addiction phase before one even recognizes that there is a problem.
Parents have to remain firm when addressing the issues. The main focus needs to be the future of the children. One must not worry about not being a "cool" parent and thereby, losing the trust of the child. If anything, a greater bond should be the focus. The having of the ability to address an issue which may arise a parent must also learn to be a best friend.
Parents must lead by example and must refrain from all forms of abuse. Either drugs or alcohol with alcohol as the most widely abused substance in the world. Kids may not be able to differentiate between the gravity say between alcohol and heroin use. They may tend to rationalize by saying, "oh my father's and alcoholic so it's no big deal," or "my mother smokes weed so it's alright." So the importance of a positive household is essential.
To lead by posturizing and by example should be a parents main focus. On the other hand some parents need to get their priorities in order. There are many young parents who are trying to hold onto their childhood. They seemed to have never grown up. They remain in the streets and clubs, very often neglecting their children. Many parents have a habit of leaving their children with the grandparents. The grandparents tend to be totally out of the loop therefore some forms of new wave drugs such as extasy or kat would be of foreign language to them. So their recognizing of symptoms or behavior would be less likely.
When kids are left with their grandparents, resentment tends to form towards the parents. This tends to lead rebellious behavior in some children. Also, the freedom which is bestowed upon them by their grandparents leaves room for troublesome behavior.
Referring back to education. Once a problem is detected the norm of the process is for the individual abuser to receive counseling. I think if one or both of the parents would get involved with counseling this would be of great assistance. The parents would be able to detect any relapses or situations which would eventually lead to relapse.
Parents must also filter through the childs immedicate surroundsing i.e.; school, neighborhood and friends to come to a better understanding of what obstacles they are facing. Peer pressure and stress rank as one and two as far as factors for drug use. A child's friends play a large part in their overall behavior and habits. Whether or not the child agrees, one must be stern with the choosing of friends.
Sometimes due to economics factors in every enviromnent might leave a little to be desired. This is where one must find activities such as boy scouts, YMCA, after school program and such to keep the child isolated from the negative surrondings and what they may lead to. So as we have touched on, open lines of communication are a must. Once the parents and child agree on becoming friends that boundry is crossed emphasizes can be put on trust and understanding. Life has a funny way of working itself out, so positivity must be the main focus.
This is my perspective. What's yours?
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
CONFLICTS IT CAUSES BETWEEN THE PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN
First and foremost to combat a problem one must understand the root of the problem. So therefore educate is the key. Drug use is becoming an epidemic which is rapidly spreading and society must fight it at the homefront, literally. The home, with that parents being able to recognize and then have the knowledge to assist their children when a problem is evident acknowledged.
With the growing amount of single parent households and the stress and pressure put on the dual household parents to work to make ends meet, the parents have very limited time with their children. Therefore, giving the children ample time at home by themselves to get into trouble and to experiment. The experimental stage may quickly esculate to the addiction phase before one even recognizes that there is a problem.
Parents have to remain firm when addressing the issues. The main focus needs to be the future of the children. One must not worry about not being a "cool" parent and thereby, losing the trust of the child. If anything, a greater bond should be the focus. The having of the ability to address an issue which may arise a parent must also learn to be a best friend.
Parents must lead by example and must refrain from all forms of abuse. Either drugs or alcohol with alcohol as the most widely abused substance in the world. Kids may not be able to differentiate between the gravity say between alcohol and heroin use. They may tend to rationalize by saying, "oh my father's and alcoholic so it's no big deal," or "my mother smokes weed so it's alright." So the importance of a positive household is essential.
To lead by posturizing and by example should be a parents main focus. On the other hand some parents need to get their priorities in order. There are many young parents who are trying to hold onto their childhood. They seemed to have never grown up. They remain in the streets and clubs, very often neglecting their children. Many parents have a habit of leaving their children with the grandparents. The grandparents tend to be totally out of the loop therefore some forms of new wave drugs such as extasy or kat would be of foreign language to them. So their recognizing of symptoms or behavior would be less likely.
When kids are left with their grandparents, resentment tends to form towards the parents. This tends to lead rebellious behavior in some children. Also, the freedom which is bestowed upon them by their grandparents leaves room for troublesome behavior.
Referring back to education. Once a problem is detected the norm of the process is for the individual abuser to receive counseling. I think if one or both of the parents would get involved with counseling this would be of great assistance. The parents would be able to detect any relapses or situations which would eventually lead to relapse.
Parents must also filter through the childs immedicate surroundsing i.e.; school, neighborhood and friends to come to a better understanding of what obstacles they are facing. Peer pressure and stress rank as one and two as far as factors for drug use. A child's friends play a large part in their overall behavior and habits. Whether or not the child agrees, one must be stern with the choosing of friends.
Sometimes due to economics factors in every enviromnent might leave a little to be desired. This is where one must find activities such as boy scouts, YMCA, after school program and such to keep the child isolated from the negative surrondings and what they may lead to. So as we have touched on, open lines of communication are a must. Once the parents and child agree on becoming friends that boundry is crossed emphasizes can be put on trust and understanding. Life has a funny way of working itself out, so positivity must be the main focus.
This is my perspective. What's yours?
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
Friday, July 4, 2008
HIV Psychophysiology
There are many people that tested positive for HIV, biologically; however, if tested mentally, we would find more people testing positive in a psychological manner, long before biologically.
Therefore, I believe HIV is both a mental and physical disease. Why? Because thoughts are the essence and beginning of everything. This is why I coined the phrase "High Ignorant Vision" for HIV-- it deals with a state of mind. When there is no vision in your mind, your mind produces nothing positive; death and our conditions bear witness.
It's said that as a man thinketh so is he. I find this to be true. The thoughts one has about himself come into existence through one's actions; so, whatever one "thinks" is manifested in the world.
Nothing just happens, there is a universal law working called "cause and effect." Not having proper vision of self is the leading cause of the high school drop out rate, high teenage pregnancy rate, high drug usage and selling rates, high poverty rate, and the high disease rate itself. Our "High Ignorant Vision" has affected the whole world. This proves that people have been infected first in the mind.
HIV has become one of the leading causes of death in our community and the world and the number one problem to detest and conquer. Why? Because it starts in the mind. If we don't try to prevent if from getting in the mind then we're fighting a losing battle. Once it gets into the body it destroys the individual, both mentally and physically, by setting the stage for the destruction of our immune system and most importantly our thought process center.
Now that we have, to some degree, an understanding of HIV PSYSCHOPHYSIOLOGY we must delve into how one gets it. Just like one gets it physically, it's received mentally. "High Ignorant Vision" is passed to unprotected minds. When we exist in a highly infected environment (Black Community) it's just like having unprotected sex.
Yes it's fun because you get a little pleasure, but its so dangerous if one doesn't see it for what it is. An unprotected mind is also a mind that is absent of knowledge-- meaning it doesn't have the ability to see or vision properly. And this is the kind of mind that's most likely to be affected by our environment.
We know our communities are filled with people who are uneducated, unskilled, umemployed, also high on dope, high with no hope, and living an unworthy criminal lifestyle. These factors are almost guranteed to be passed onto an unprotected mind, because people, especially children, are learning from what they see. Whatever one sees everyday around him is most likely what he begins to think and mimic.
So it's incumbent upon leaders, preachers, teachers, and parents to start educating the people, especially children, about themselves and the environment they're living in. If not, they will become victims of that environment, which leads to death and imprisonment.
Speaking of prison, I want to close by saying we who are in prison were indeed infected with "High Ignorance Vision." This is another psychological disease that is running rampant in out communities and is passed onto the unprotected minds of children. The prisons are filled with young BLACK MEN, BLACK WOMEN, and BLACK CHILDREN; thus, we should consider looking at HIV as a mental disease as well as a physcal one--mentally first.
Always remember that thoughts are the first determining factor of conditions in a person's life: everything starts with a thought. A person's thoughts are visible images that are quite often mimicked; thus, what you think, is what you are.
I conclude by saying, I'm not a psychiatrist, I'm not a psychologist, I'm not a doctor, I'm just a brother who cares about the human race and who desires to help fight the war of this man-made disease that was designed to kill us all.
By: Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
This is my perspective. What's your's?
Therefore, I believe HIV is both a mental and physical disease. Why? Because thoughts are the essence and beginning of everything. This is why I coined the phrase "High Ignorant Vision" for HIV-- it deals with a state of mind. When there is no vision in your mind, your mind produces nothing positive; death and our conditions bear witness.
It's said that as a man thinketh so is he. I find this to be true. The thoughts one has about himself come into existence through one's actions; so, whatever one "thinks" is manifested in the world.
Nothing just happens, there is a universal law working called "cause and effect." Not having proper vision of self is the leading cause of the high school drop out rate, high teenage pregnancy rate, high drug usage and selling rates, high poverty rate, and the high disease rate itself. Our "High Ignorant Vision" has affected the whole world. This proves that people have been infected first in the mind.
HIV has become one of the leading causes of death in our community and the world and the number one problem to detest and conquer. Why? Because it starts in the mind. If we don't try to prevent if from getting in the mind then we're fighting a losing battle. Once it gets into the body it destroys the individual, both mentally and physically, by setting the stage for the destruction of our immune system and most importantly our thought process center.
Now that we have, to some degree, an understanding of HIV PSYSCHOPHYSIOLOGY we must delve into how one gets it. Just like one gets it physically, it's received mentally. "High Ignorant Vision" is passed to unprotected minds. When we exist in a highly infected environment (Black Community) it's just like having unprotected sex.
Yes it's fun because you get a little pleasure, but its so dangerous if one doesn't see it for what it is. An unprotected mind is also a mind that is absent of knowledge-- meaning it doesn't have the ability to see or vision properly. And this is the kind of mind that's most likely to be affected by our environment.
We know our communities are filled with people who are uneducated, unskilled, umemployed, also high on dope, high with no hope, and living an unworthy criminal lifestyle. These factors are almost guranteed to be passed onto an unprotected mind, because people, especially children, are learning from what they see. Whatever one sees everyday around him is most likely what he begins to think and mimic.
So it's incumbent upon leaders, preachers, teachers, and parents to start educating the people, especially children, about themselves and the environment they're living in. If not, they will become victims of that environment, which leads to death and imprisonment.
Speaking of prison, I want to close by saying we who are in prison were indeed infected with "High Ignorance Vision." This is another psychological disease that is running rampant in out communities and is passed onto the unprotected minds of children. The prisons are filled with young BLACK MEN, BLACK WOMEN, and BLACK CHILDREN; thus, we should consider looking at HIV as a mental disease as well as a physcal one--mentally first.
Always remember that thoughts are the first determining factor of conditions in a person's life: everything starts with a thought. A person's thoughts are visible images that are quite often mimicked; thus, what you think, is what you are.
I conclude by saying, I'm not a psychiatrist, I'm not a psychologist, I'm not a doctor, I'm just a brother who cares about the human race and who desires to help fight the war of this man-made disease that was designed to kill us all.
By: Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
This is my perspective. What's your's?
My Struggle
I realize, perhaps, that you may not know me.
Thusly, not only do I thank you for reading this material, but allowing me an opportunity to introduce myself.
I was born Terrance E. Williams aka Gangsta, New Orleans HotBoy. I'm presently 31 years old, and an inmate incarcerated since March 6, 1998-- for CCE Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Solicitation to murder.
I am a man who allowed the trials of this world to steal my dreams of playing professional football. At the age of 21, I was arrested. At that point in my life I lacked discipline, not only for myself, but others as well. I became infatuated with the lusts of this world: materialism, sexism and money. This purported my desire to deal and sell drugs. The justification I sold myself on was the catalyst of my mentality. I felt that if I didn't provide the service, someone else would. Why shouldn't I make the loot?
Consequently, the result of this primitive thinking, resulted in a sentence of Life, plus twenty! I now face the reality that I may never experience life to the fullest.
Please don't feel that I am seeking your sympathy, I'm merely telling you about me. Furthermore, this experience allows me to understand the mercifulness of God. In the midst of the darkness of ignorance and hell of incarceration, God has allowed Light in my life. I'm able to now see my ineffectiveness, and insufficiency as a man in America. We have failed our women, our community, and our God. We've failed in our basic duty to protect and provide for the precious gifts from above.
Finally, some may call this simply "prison religion." To those I ask... what better place to seek God, than at the bottom of the pit? God places us in situations to remove the hinderances around us. All in efforts to save our souls.
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
Thusly, not only do I thank you for reading this material, but allowing me an opportunity to introduce myself.
I was born Terrance E. Williams aka Gangsta, New Orleans HotBoy. I'm presently 31 years old, and an inmate incarcerated since March 6, 1998-- for CCE Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Solicitation to murder.
I am a man who allowed the trials of this world to steal my dreams of playing professional football. At the age of 21, I was arrested. At that point in my life I lacked discipline, not only for myself, but others as well. I became infatuated with the lusts of this world: materialism, sexism and money. This purported my desire to deal and sell drugs. The justification I sold myself on was the catalyst of my mentality. I felt that if I didn't provide the service, someone else would. Why shouldn't I make the loot?
Consequently, the result of this primitive thinking, resulted in a sentence of Life, plus twenty! I now face the reality that I may never experience life to the fullest.
Please don't feel that I am seeking your sympathy, I'm merely telling you about me. Furthermore, this experience allows me to understand the mercifulness of God. In the midst of the darkness of ignorance and hell of incarceration, God has allowed Light in my life. I'm able to now see my ineffectiveness, and insufficiency as a man in America. We have failed our women, our community, and our God. We've failed in our basic duty to protect and provide for the precious gifts from above.
Finally, some may call this simply "prison religion." To those I ask... what better place to seek God, than at the bottom of the pit? God places us in situations to remove the hinderances around us. All in efforts to save our souls.
Terrance "Gangsta" Williams
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