Being a product of the Ghetto, I understand what can happen to your mind when you live in the slum. The socio-psychological elements of the lower socio-economical class of Jamaica will turn any cherub into a monster. The gun has become the emblem of power and living within the confines of fear is a mind murdering component.
But many bad boys will tell you that this is not how they envisioned their future. They once imagined that they would become who their parents wanted them to be when they became adults. Life throws curve balls at a youngster, those who are not psychologically equipped to deal with this life will turned to gangs.Most people in the ghetto do not trust police officers and they hate politicians because they blame the police for harassing them and the politicians for misleading them.They see the government and the police officers as oppressors.
Ghetto People are largely exploited by people with money. Men with money bribe ghetto boys into becoming soldiers of their militia by supplying them with money, clothes and guns. Men with money also have several young women in the ghetto who carry children for them that they never recognise or take care of. Some politicians use the myopic knowledge and wistful dreams of the Ghetto people to put themselves into power.
Ghetto people feel marginalised, abandoned, hopeless, angry. Their children internalise these elements and therefore grow up to live a life similar to their ancestors. Most Ghetto children there is no escape from the life they live or the labels attached to them because of where they were born.
Girls who try to hold their heads up are allegedly raped or impregnated to keep them in their place. Our Children are not safe. Our boys are being drawn into alternative lifestyle practises for the sake of money. In the Ghetto, money is the order of the day.
Money equals life, food and validation therefore a man will do anything to get money. Children are inadvertently taught that people who seems as if they have something in abundance should either be charmed into giving it to them and if they refused then they should be coerce either by badness or death to share what they have. Parents do not purposely tell their children to become criminals but they encourage certain behaviour of borrowing, begging and indiscipline that shapes the mind of the violent adult.
The gun culture is as strong as ever now. Most kids want to become either a shotta or a scammer. Only shottas and Scammers making money in Jamaican Ghetto. How can we convince them to turn from a life of crime when people who live civil lives are victimised and suffering. One gangster said "I do not believe in suffering, I only believe in life and death".
Imagine growing up seeing your dad not having anything to eat or drink, siblings bawling for hunger and cooking outside on the wood fire even when it rains. This will turn any well meaning youngster into a killer, after all a popular Jamaican adage claims that man have to die in order for some other men to live. You begin to want to emulate the don because he has nice cars and a house. He has his choice of women. Who would not want his life. So you are lured into survival. It is not about keeping your dignity or values, it is about your life.
But then we create monsters even within ourselves. When we kill a little boy's father then your family and community becomes his enemy for life. He will no doubt choose a life of a gangster. And otherwise normal child grows up with feelings of vendetta, carrying vengeance for the death of his father. He will never reconcile why someone who should have secured his well being choose to take away his parent from him and leave him angry,sad and bitter. People you know will make your life a living hell, people you grow up with will fight you over scarce benefits and murder your family for money.
Sitting whole day with nothing to occupy ones mind will turn it into an abyss. So its better to create some drama in ones life even if it is mayhem.
Gunshots play havoc on a child's concentration, how can he learn in school when he has to worry about his meal and whether he will live to become an adult. How can you encourage him to go to school when he can stay at home and scam? Make money to feed his family and buy guns to protect his property? The means define the ends!!Most young ghetto men will tell you than their lives is just means to an ends. They do not have a future so they live in the now and pray that this moment last forever.
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