Have you ever noticed the disparate responses to mass shootings in the media? For instance, 9 innocent bystanders are shot on a playground in the South side of Chicago and the response is about thugs/gang bangers terrorizing their communities and how we need to increase the penalties for violent offenders.
In contrast, 9 people are killed in a massacre at a community college in Oregon, and the response is about how the shooter was mentally ill, how we need to invest into treating mental illness, and universal background checks for gun purchases.
When the shooter is a black inner city youth the reaction is to punish them, and when the murderer is a white suburban youth the response is to treat his illness and to punish gun manufacturers and gun shows. Does anyone ever consider the urban youth to be suffering from mental illness due to their upbringing of poverty and densely populated violent and drug infested areas?
Just my thoughts!
Halim A. Flowers
Ideallionaires.tumblr.com
CriminalU.co
ConvictSoapBox.com
DOB- 09-01-80
Washington, D.C.
30 years to life
Contact Information-
Halim Flowers
#11967-007
Federal Correctional Institution Gilmer
P.O. Box 6000
Glennville, West Virginia 26351
My name is Halim Flowers and I am an author, poet, blogger(CriminalU.co), and at-risk youth advocate. I have been incarcerated for 18 years, since I was 16 years of age for aiding and abetting a felony murder in a case where I was not the shooter and the person charged as the gunman had his case dismissed and was never tried for this offense. I know it sounds crazy but it is my destiny for now and I embrace. My passion in life is learning and helping to enlighten and inspire others, especially helping to develop the character and lives of young men. I was featured in an Emmy award winning documentary about my experiences as a child at the adult D.C. Jail titled "Thug Life In DC"(See Thug Life In DC at YouTube) and I have authored nine books in the genres of self-help, prisoner reform, juvenile justice, memoir, and poetry(See Halim Flowers at Amazon.com). I very contrite for my past criminal offenses and seriously committed to helping our youth to understand "Victim's Impact" and breaking the "school-to-prison pipeline".