Loud and Clear 9/26/06

What is right? What is wrong? One of my favorite quotes was told to me by a guy I used to write. It goes "Beyond the fields of right and wrong is another field. Meet me there and we shall speak." I find that right is like beauty. It is bases on the beholders views. His or her values if you will. What is a value? A value is a strong feeling about what is "right", good, and/or desirable. We learn our values by living, listening, and watching those around us. So, basically, our values are influenced by our environment. So is behavior determined by environment? To a degree it is. I personally believe that it is nature and nurture. There is a universal right and wrong that i believe is embedded within our soul. The foundation of humanity that separates us from all other creatures in this world. But does it? You read stories about dogs all of a sudden jumping into lakes or running into burning buildings. We all have seen a sad dog before. Could it be a product of intelligence? The animals that are known to show emotion are animals such as dogs, dolphins, and primates. (To name a few.) All are very well known for their intelligence. So do they have a right and wrong? One can argue that it takes intelligence to fully understand right and wrong as goverened by society verses our own feelings and thoughts of right and wrong based on wants and desires. So on this platform it could be clearly shown that though mentally impaired, such as being mentally retarded, are clearly not as guilty by conscience as those that are not mentally impaired. When we get into values we have to look at our social circles. There are many societies, which I will call sub-societies, in America, which I will call base society. (Actually it is universal.) In one sub-society it could be more acceptable to retaliate against someone that imform the police on another. (a snitch) In another sub-society it is socially accepted to call the police on those that break the law. Both feel they are right.
Who is right? The base society tells us it is the right thing to do to inform on others. But this is because one sub-society gained more control over the base society then the others. The same goes with the death penalty, abortion, and so forth. When people feel threatened, due to an insecurity, by another's beliefs they lash out. I think that is why i can get along with such a wide variety of people. I am secure in who I am and feel threatened by no one. I feel that how i believe is right and I know others will ALWAYS feel different. There will always be someone to disagree! Isn't that what makes life fun? I just had some random thoughts that I want to put across to everyone. To get people thinking.
Another question I have is what is wrong with pride? I believe that pride is essential in being secure with one self! This helps sustain mental
stability. Why does most want to be what they are not? Look in the mirror. It is only you looking back. Why desire to change that? Those that
decry pride have nothing to be proud of. People will allow one sub-society with a certain value system influence them because they are told that this is the "right" thing to do. We see people on tv and try to emulate them. We place them above us. Why? First off an actor is not real.
They are "acting". A director once said "The bigger the star, the crazier they are!" In America there is a cultural crisis. Everyone is trying to be like everyone else. While everyone else is trying to be like everyone. So what do you end up with? A bunchy of lost people. This leaves people confused which leads to mental instability. To combat that instability and ease unwanted feelings, people will turn to deviant behavior, drugs, anti-social activities, sexually risky behavior, and other self destructive behavior. When you look in the mirror and see you. That is something to be proud of. Most people are totally different as adults then they were as a child. As they get older and start to understand themselves better. They start to learn common sense. (well for internal growth self discipline is paramount!) I used to be very impulsive so I was influenced by emotion and environment. I didnt think things through.
My failure to properly analyze certain situations got me in a lot of trouble in life and made it where I did not see things as they truely were. That has changed! I taught myself control. I see a lot of things for what they are. America has become a herd of sheep! Reality gets blurred by the portrayal of fantasies as if they are reality. It is done in the movies and in music. EXAMPLE: The movie Scarface. I have met countless people that said that this was their favorite movie and had an influence on them!? OKAY! So lets strive to get friend on cocaine and get shot up! But can they graduate from college and make a difference in this
world? Any dumbass can take a life. Look at all the death rows! It is much harder to save a life! Lets look at music. Well I read a critic in a newspaper that was talking about 50 cent,the rapper. This dude is famous for getting shot 9 times! As I said, any dumbass can get shot! If I know a tiger is going to eat me, will I go into its cage? Hell no, as I am not a dumbass! So if I know people might want to kill me, what sense would it make to go in their area? Must not have much sense! This culture of violence has swept across America and in spreading in Europe.
Catching many by alarm. The media portrays guys like 50 cent and Scarface as heros and cool. So people are influenced by this. It shapes their values. Back to what a value is. It is what you feel is right based on what you have seen. (movies) heard (music) and lived. If people think that video games, music, and movies do not influence people they are crazy! How many kids have tried to emulate Grand Theft Auto? (the video game) I can speak on it, as I have lived it. I have been around drug gangs.
I have associated with street gangs. I have been 13 years old and had a crack head put a gun to my head to steal the crack I was selling for an older guy. I thought it would give me power and make me cool! I didnt feel to powerful when I felt the barrell against my head and heard the distinctive sound of the slide being pulled back on the automatic pistol. All amplified by the fact that wasnt NO one else around. Reality sets in real fast. A little common sense goes a long way. Most grow up and say "if I only would have listened." My mother was pretty strict on me.
It taught me discipline, just not enough. I wish my mom would have been more strict with me. So to all the youth reading this, take a moment to evaluate what you place value in and what you are trying to emulate. Doing drugs - cost money! cost brain cells! cost you life! Having lots and lots of sex- yeah it feels good, but what about when you get pregnant or get an STD? It wont happen to you? Ha. Spoken like a true dumbass! Speaking of sex- I have been with numerous women. There has been girls that I didnt even say a word to! Well I said "what's up?" and when everyone else left the room I just walked over to her and started kissing her and one thing led to another. Several I have been with that I cant even tell you their names! The one I respected the most was the one that told me NO! That was the one I fell in love with. Sure I would tell a girl whatever she wanted to hear to achieve my goal. Most men will, but I was pretty much a dumbass then! Now I understand the true quality and sacredness of sex. I suggest everyone read "Eleven Minutes" by Paulo Coelho. He proves a good point with that book. So the young girls reading this- If you want him to respect you and truely love you- make him wait! If it is "you" he wants he will wait. If it is what you can do for him he wants he will stray. If he strays then you saved yourself a lot of heartache. You dont have to submit yourself to be accepted. A lot of women have sacrificed a lot and fought hard to improve womens rights so that women arent looked at as second class citizens. Embrace your greatness and take pride in discipline. Make it count. It is a lot better when it is special. Dont be a dumbass! For the boys out there-dont disgrace the quality of your creator and an essence of your being by looking at a woman as an object. Trust me, it will get you a lot farther in life and make you a lot happier in the end. Dont try to emulate what you are not. Paublo Escobar. Biggest drug dealer of all time. Where is he?
Dead, dead , dead! Al Pacino played Scarface. Is he putting his face in a big pile of cocaine and then shooting it out with a bunch of Columbian drug cartels? Hell no! He is laid up in a mansion he built off dumbasses money! 50 cent with his "get rich or die trying: is really in harms way in his pursuit to get rich? Hell no! He lives in the suburbs in Conneticut in a mansion he bought with the money of dumbasses. You know why he is in that mansion in Conneticut and not in the ghetto? Because reality set in real fast when those nine bullets hit his ass!(That could be in a rap song! :) ) So my message to all the youth-evaluate your values and what you feel is right. Dont be a dumbass! Set goals for yourself. Educate yourself. Take pride in who you are, and most importantly, be yourself! It will make you feel a lot better about yourself. One more note. You know where all the people are at that told me that the movie Scarface influenced them and was their favorite movie? They are my neighbors in this neighborhood I live in now- Texas Death Row. Dont be a dumbass! Well on to the final chapter of this book. Ha! I know this is longer than normal. I just had a lot to say. I am going to start writing an article every week. I have to get someone else to send me articles from the media about death penalty cases as the person that was doing it ...well that is a book within itself. I want to write about adversity. The saying goes "adversity builds character." I believe that this is true. Here is a poem I wrote about basically how I overcame adversity in my life. The poem is not titled as I could not think of one that would fit it, but who needs a title anyways! Here it is:

XXX
You been around all my life,
yet your still a stranger.
The way you treated your wife only fueled my anger.
Your wife, my mother.
She could have found another,
but chose to stay.
I was the one to pay.
Eleven years old the doctor asked,
"Why all the hate?"
"Ha- Is there even a need for this debate?"
Ever been the victim of a strangers rage?
Sit and pondered why i get this type of fate?
You always made sure to let me know how I would fail.
From an emotional Hell,
to this jail cell.
The pain hasnt stopped,
will it ever end?
Sadly though I think it is just about to begin.
I used to lie awake at night as a child and cry.
22 years old now,
I lie awake at night as a child and cry.
Each time my anger rises up,
it is you I think of.
Oddly though,
it was you that taught me love.

Clinton Young -written in 2005

9-11 , is tomorrow. I remember the day the planes hit the towers. I was passed out in a chair at my friends uncles house. My friends uncle woke me up telling me "they are bombing us." I looked at the tv and saw the tower with smoke pouring out of it. I thought about my mom and baby sister. My mind was still a little cloudy from the night before, so I didnt try to do much thinking. It was soon realized that it was terrorists and not another country, so i knew that there wasnt too much of a threat to Longview, Tx. That day changed a lot. A lot of people started to actually try to help others. Adversity builds character! Well i know Angela's hands are tired so I am going to wrap this up. I will have another one posted in a week. I havent had any cases to write about. That is why I didnt write about the system.

I leave as i came.
Veni, vidi, vici,
Solidarity and deditcation
Clinton Young #99447
Polunsky Unit
3872 F.M. 350 South
Livingston, Tx 77351

All contributions are most welcome! Thank you!