Chicago Plans to Unveil New Police Cars

For those thinking about a career in law enforcement, here’s some new insight.  You know how when you hear police sirens coming from blocks away, and then next up you see a Crown Victoria zooming down the block? Well, pretty soon we no longer will be seeing those Crown Vic’s anyone because they are getting phased out.  New police cars w/ the latest advancements in technology plan to be introduced under Chicago’s Ford plant on Torrence.  The new police interceptors will be Ford Taurus models designed to be faster, safer & stronger. 

New upgrades:

• It will have a V-6 engine that produces 263 horsepower
• The gear shifter is on the steering column to free up space between the front seats for gear.
• The rear door panels swing out 10 degrees farther than on a regular Taurus to make it easier to get detainees in and out.
• Larger trunk to accommodate equipment.

-Ron

“School Isn’t For Me….So I’ll Just Drop Out”

Nearly one in four young, black, male high school dropouts are incarcerated or institutionalized on an average day.

Have you ever contemplated this thought before? How about heard someone say it, like your close friends or peers.  It’s something many of us are familiar w/ these days but we all should think long and hard before we actually do it.  Many times, when I go into high schools, or upper level classes, students are moreso nonchalant, sometimes look sleepy or uninterested.  When I see these things happening and ask students what else could you be doing instead of going to school, I always get the same answers: sleep, watching tv, getting money, having fun, the mall, etc. All things that won’t get you to the next step in life (i.e. College, finding employment, etc).

Kanye West first album was titled, "The College Dropout"

By dropping out of school or not taking school seriously, not only do you put yourself at risk (ex. dangerous situations because you have more time on your hands, may get caught up in the wrong crowd, etc) but you also increase the likelihood of going to jail down the line. 

Nearly one in four young, black, male high school dropouts are incarcerated or institutionalized on an average day. A new study by Northwestern University shows that about one in every 10 young male high school dropouts is in jail or juvenile detention, compared with the slim one in 35 young male high school graduates.

It’s time to step it up people.  Just because something is difficult to accomplish, whether it be school, your environment, finding a job, getting accepted into college, and so on, doesn’t mean that hurdle cannot be overcame.  Here’s a quote that a friend once told me: “Failures don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.”  Let’s set our goals and accomplish them together.

-Ron

D’oh: Patrick Kane Indicted by Grand Jury

Ok, so I’m sure by now everyone knows about Blackhawk star Patrick Kane.  Great rookie season, led his team into the playoffs, but as of late ran into some trouble.  Him and his cousin, allegedly beat up and robbed a cab driver all b/c he didn’t give them proper change for their cab ride.  The cab drive allegedly shorted them 20 cents and that’s when things took a turn for the worse.  On Wednesday, the two were indicted on misdemeanor assault and theft charges but a grand jury dismissed the more serious felony second-degree robbery charges.  They face up to a year in jail.  We have to make better decisions, especially when you’re in the public eye.  He could lose out of alot of future endorsements b/c many companies may not want a star w/ his type of past history.  Where’s Homer Simpson…ahh there he is!

-Ron

Do Your Pants Hang Low…

 

 Let’s face it, sagging pants are everywhere.  High fashion clothing ads, hip hop music videos, and on street corners you’ll always notice someone sagging his or her pants.  Most kids today sag their pants because they see there favorite artists doing it all the time and because people around them in the neighborhood sag.  But although hip hop artists glorify the trend, let me drop some knowledge on where it began.

Sagging pants started as a trend for those in jail.  Prisoners would wear their pants low because belts are a popular way to commit suicide (hanging yourself or others), and/or serve as a weapon.  More importantly, if the pants are below a man’s bottom, it is to introduce to other men that he is homosexual.  Today things have changed and the youth sag their clothes and buy baggy fitting clothes mainly b/c they want to reproduce what they see as cool (i.e. hip hop).  Youth today wear there jeans a certain way b/c friends do the same, its a way to rebel against authority, and they are able to fit-in.  But if people can see your butt, boxers and sometimes more, when is enough…enough?

Currently, certain areas like Miami and small parts of Louisiana have ordinances in place geared toward eliminating youth from sagging there pants (i.e. fine of $500, and/or jail time).  Many adults agree with the punishment arguing that this way of dress leads to a destrucitve lifestyle.  Proponents for sagging pants argue that you cannot legislate self expression and these laws only are geared to target certain groups (young people).  So I want to know, do you agree w/ the sagging laws that are trying to get passed?  Also why do you and/or your friends sag your pants?

-Ron

Is Prison Rape a Crime?

I’ve always heard crazy stories about prison life and how if you’re not gang-affiliated you’ll have a rough time in prison.  In many forms of music, especially Hip-Hop, going to jail is a rights of passage, some sort of credibility, and gives you street cred.  A recent article on msn.com though, illustrates the real truth behind going to jail. 

The real truth is that more than 60,000 inmates are sexually abused every year.  The article reports that inmates who were short, young, gay, or female were more likely to be victimized than other inmates.  Also, inmates in jails reported fewer instances of rape than in prisons.  It argues that video cameras and better security should be implemented, along w/ zero tolerance policies on inmates who rape others because all inmates do have basic rights.  The commissioner of the Natn’l Prison Rape Elimination Commission ultimately contends that states receiving federal money for prisons could see their funding cut if they don’t reduce rape in prisons.

For full article, click here

-Ron

Who are you riding with?

Yesterday I presented our Think Twice program to 8th grade students at Roosevelt Junior High. A school I graduated from over 10 years ago….WOW lol. It was cool seeing some of the staff that I recognized still there. It was also different seeing some new editions like flat screen TV’s in all the classes??? Probably the biggest difference was going back now as an adult this time instead of calling me Erik, they say Mr. Roberts. That’s kinda weird the first time you hear it from someone who helped raise you in a way but it means respect, it means “hey I recognize what you’re about now”.

The main topic of the Think Twice Program is about teaching young people laws that affect them and some honest truths about what jail and prison is like. At the end of the day its really about decision making. Are you going to make a choice that will help you out, teach you something, benefit you, develop you as a person? Or are you going to make a choice to prove yourself to a few people who won’t be there when you get locked up, hurt, or killed?

While I was presenting the program my sixth grade teacher came down with the biggest smile in the world as she stood outside the door. She told me another teacher told her I was there and that she should come observe. We talked for a few minutes before she went back to her class but before she left she gave me a hug, asked how old I was now, and when I told her 25, she said “wow, good to know I have a success”.

Felt good hearing her say that cuz it made me proud that I made her proud. Before I left I told the last class you don’t have to be a “lame” to know something or to not do something that you know will hurt you. In the end when you see some of those same “cool” people again later in life they won’t be important anyway.

-Real Talk