Originally posted: October 2, 2008

So it safe to say that my kids have a pretty fucked up word view. The very fact that they are in placement strongly suggests that they struggle when it comes to making ethical decisions.

These kids would sell their mothers, or force their sisters into prostitution for pocket change. Yet talk shit on their “hood” and they will kill you. It is so strange; kids that have no apparent loyalty to anyone or anything revere the small area in which they live. It is their Mecca, their holiest of holy. Frequently we break up fights and restrain kids because someone disrespected their block. It is totally insane.

I have nothing funny to say about the situation. I am just deeply saddened and troubled by it. These kids will literally kill each other over a few city blocks places where most people are scared to go.  A place where most of the people who live do nothing but dream about being able to move away to somewhere better.

So we take these kids into the Forrest to show them something different. To open their eyes to another world. They don’t care; at night when we are in camp they sit around chatting, nostalgic about “the Bricks” and “the outs”.  AKA home. They hate the woods. They tell us its “corny” and that we should leave and go home. We ask what they would be doing if they were back at home right now.

“Nothing” they reply “just sitting around, like this shooting the shit.” We all question why the fuck were doing what we do this for living. “But least we don’t have to worry about a drive by here” one adds. Then we realize why we do.