Los Angeles -There are great efforts by many great people in the name of
peace taking place in the City of Los Angeles. To speak of such a thing as
“Peace”, in such adverse times, is like going against everything that you’ve
ever believed in. The traditionalist
gang member has been fighting in the streets of Los Angeles since the
1970’s. In some cases the gang culture
is rooted into some families for more than 3 generations. To grow up in Los Angeles is comparable to
growing up in Afghanistan (after 9-11) or Kuwait. Very little is spoken of the conditions of war in the streets of
LA and residents of the city live practically as hostages in their own
homes. The streets are constantly patrolled
by death squads (known, as gang members).
The police force in LA is paramilitary, officers may show up to a scene
in progress wearing guerilla suits and ski masks, toting M16 sub machineguns.
They even have a flying gunship that is on call 24 hours. Sometimes you may see
a sharpshooter hanging out of an opened door if the situation calls for it. The LAPD was the first police force to use an armored
military vehicle (the battering ram) in a feeble attempt to wage a war on
drugs. The murder rate in L.A. was the highest in the entire United States.
“Peace”, is a very delicate subject when it is said in the streets that I come
from. Tonight I write through teary eyes, with a broken heart. I just got news
of the loss of a young soldier (Y.G. Dog
B.I.P. 25TH St BPS).
It breaks my heart whenever I hear of the atrocities inflicted upon our people
(by our people). The “Art of War”, would define our war as unorthodox. There is no protocol to be foll0owed. There
are no rules of war (such as a Geneva Convention). There are no criminals of war (so anything goes). The United States Government is spending
billions of dollars preparing for a war abroad they need to be spending that
money to stop the war (here) at home. There are Blood and Crip gangs in every
one of America’s 50 states, the warfare is waged in all of those places also. The
young soldiers in the streets (both black and brown) are fighting to stay alive
(I know I use to be one). Bloods are
killing Crips, Crips are killing Bloods, Crips are killing Crips, Black is
killing Brown, and Brown is killing black. In my own opinion “We are all
dying”, no matter what color we are or what color we wear. I’ve seen dogs, cats, and birds all living
in one house in perfect harmony. Human
beings cannot live in harmony on something as beautiful as the planet “Earth”
(and the planet Earth is Gods house that’s who created it for us). I feel a great deal of sorrow for Y.G. Dog (B.I.P.
BPS). Much love and respect from O-G
Madd Ronald from Rollin 20’s N.H.Bloods, my condolence to his family. The life
we live, the life we risk, the life we love doesn’t even belong to us. It
belongs to all of those that love us. It belongs to our children, it belongs to
our mates, it belongs to all of those people (crying) on the front row at your
funeral, it belongs to all of those people whose lives you’ve touched and made
positive progress, we are very selfish beings when it comes to life. If we had
taken in to consideration the simple cost of a funeral, we would not be doing
half of the stupid shit that gets us killed. We’ve become so arrogant and
egotistical that we say things to our women like “fuck you bitch”, to keep from
expressing our true feelings. We need to constantly be saying, “I love you,”
cherishing and appreciating everyday of life with whomever you have chosen to
fulfill the emptiness within your heart. In the year 2002, I attended at least
one funeral every month. It’s now January 2003, I’ve been to one funeral
already and will be attending one next week. When I had become a member of the Rollin 20’s N.H.Bloods (27
years ago), we were dying (when I say “We,” I mean all of us blacks, Mexicans,
Bloods and Crips). Sometimes Bad news makes me want to (as the rappers say)
“Grab my glock and bus’ off a few shots, then I realize that there are no more
points to be made on my behalf (I already put my work in). The only shots that
I can bus’ off are the shots that I fire from the pen that I hold to the paper
that you are reading. My mind fires shots of knowledge into the minds of my
readers, leaving conscious wounds of wisdom. I once had a conversation with a
Harlem Crip and I’d made a statement about not wanting my children to ever
become the victims of gang activity. He had replied to me that, “I did not want
my kids to be victims of the environment that I helped to create. Those were
some of the truest words that I had ever heard. Friedrich Nietzsche said, “From
chaos comes order.” I wonder if there is a thing as a “chaotic state of peace?”
It is really a struggle in the L.A. streets. At 35 years old I am still down in here in the trenches.
It’s really surprising, how many gang members really want peace in their lives,
but can’t put down their weapons for fear of being victimized. The peace
movement seems practically invisible or covert, but eventually things will have
to change. I saw Rev. Al Sharpton on the news discussing the L.A. gangs with
Police chief Bratton. I felt disrespected and exploited. He’s speaking on the
gangs of Los Angeles and he has no interaction or true knowledge of the gangs
(or the gang members). On the other side of the movement there are some
instrumental people working for peace in Los Angeles. In the month of May we
will be 100,000 strong, standing for peace and respect. Steve Harvey spreads a conscious message over the radio
everyday leaving everyone in a philosophical state of mind. Minister Tony
Muhammad and the Nation of Islam are doing an outstanding job in the streets of
L.A., the brothers are in the worst places under the most dangerous
circumstances, serving the community and always being respectable with the
utmost humbleness. Support the 100,000 Man March in L.A. Khalid Shaw and “Stop the Violence Increase
the Peace,” Unity One, Unity Two, and Venice 2000. Those are just a few of the
true peace ambassadors in Los Angeles that are doing a remarkable job. They all deserve a great deal of recognition
and respect for all of their efforts. Peace is a struggle within itself
especially when we are living in such reactionary times. For now I march onward
to the 100,000 Man March to feel the peace that we are always speaking of, and
pay my respects to my fellow man in harmony 100,000 strong on that day in a
conscious revolution.
A moment of philosophy:
Life does not get any easier from day to day,
It just becomes more complicated and expensive.
Please come out and show your support for 2nd
annual Peace Day Festival at Loren Miller Park in Los Angeles on March 8, 2003. The event will
be hosted by O’G’B Madd Ronald OG Madd Ronald W-S Rollin’ 20’S Neighborhood Bloods Madd Ronald can be contacted
via email
February 9, 2003
The Conscious Revolution
By Ronald Chatman AKA Madd Ronald (ronr20s@yahoo.com ) , Staffwriter
Streetgangs.com Magazine
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