Walter M. Schirra Sr. Once said “You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes.”(Schirra Sr. – Famous quote topic) In 1978 while I was in the United States Army and stationed at Fort Sill, located in Lawton, Oklahoma. I was blessed with the birth of my only son Andre’ Keith. Not only did I develop a father-son relationship with Andre’, but he ultimately grew to be my hero and friend. Even though my son passed away in 1995 at the age of fifteen years old, in his short time in this world he taught me to care about others outside of my family, to not be judgmental of others, and to always be willing to help others. My son Andre’ M. Keith was born December 4th, 1978 in Comanche County, Oklahoma. At the age of 2 months old, it was apparent to me that there was something special about him. You see, when he was two months old, I was away from home most of the time, out on army maneuvers, but one day his mother and I …show more content…
You will accomplish much more in our communities, then you can by putting everyone in jail. Leave jail space available for those who are criminals and be willing to help those who are good people, who have made mistakes in life, rather than sending them to jail. I have learned these lesson because that is how my son saw the world and why Walter M. Schirra Sr.’s quote “You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes” (Schirra Sr. – Famous quote topic) appealed to me so much. Because not only was Andre’ M. Keith my son, but in my eyes he was also my
Noah Anthony Robles, to some this is just a name of some kid from some town, but to me, this is the name of the boy who changed my life completely. It was Friday May 15, 2015 at 10:00 p.m. when things took a turn for the worst, Noah committed suicide. Noah was no ordinary kid, he had big dreams, one dream being of course, to be an Aggie. See nobody ever expected for him to be one to take his own life, so on my ordinary Saturday night when I got that phone call confirming his death, my life took a huge turn. We in the FFA lost a brother, but the Robles family lost a son and a brother. Being in the FFA we never leave one to go through this kind of pain alone, so we all came together to unite as one big family and are slowly helping heal each
The Warrior Ethos, by Steven Pressfield depicts the warrior’s mentality from ancient times to the present through a variety of different aspects and stories. In The Warrior Ethos, Pressfield states that men are not born with the certain qualities that make a good warrior, but instead are inculcated through years of training and indoctrination, stating at an early age. He shows how different societies have been able to instill the same or very similar ideals throughout history while maintaining their own unique characteristics. Things have changed from ancient Sparta, where parents would be enthusiastic about their children going to war, and even more elated upon learning they died valorous in battle. These days, most parents are a lot
The current criminal justice system is expensive to maintain. In North America the cost to house one prisoner is upwards of eighty to two hundred dollars a day (Morris, 2000). The bulk of this is devoted to paying guards and security (Morris, 2000). In contrast with this, community oriented programming as halfway houses cost less than the prison alternative. Community programming costs five to twenty five dollars a day, and halfway houses although more expensive than community programs still remain cheaper than prison (Morris, 2000). Tabibi (2015c) states that approximately ninety percent of those housed in prison are non-violent offenders. The treatment of offenders in the current system is understood to be unjust. By this, Morris (2000) explains that we consistently see an overrepresentation of indigenous and black people in the penal system. Corporate crimes are largely omitted, while street crimes are emphasized (Morris, 2000). This disproportionately targets marginalized populations (homeless, drug addicted and the poor) (Tabibi, 2015c). The current system is immoral in that the caging of people is highly depersonalized and troubling (Tabibi, 2015c). This is considered to be a barbaric practice of the past, however it is still frequently used in North America (Morris, 2000). Another moral consideration is with the labelling of youth as offenders in the criminal justice system (Morris, 2000). Morris (2000) argues that we should see youth crimes as a social failure, not as an individual level failure. Next, Morris (2000) classifies prisons as a failure. Recidivism rates are consistently higher for prisons than for other alternatives (Morris, 2000). The reason for this is that prisons breed crime. A school for crime is created when a person is removed from society and labeled; they become isolated, angry
...s A. Preciado, but despite these wrong decisions being made by juveniles, they deserve a second chance to better themselves as potential future citizens. Even Gail garinger who was a former juvenile judge believes that they are capable such manner, In her article, “Juveniles Don’t Deserve Life Sentences” written March 14, 2012 and published by New York Times, it states that “as a former juvenile court judge, I have seen firsthand the enormous capacity of children to change and turn themselves around. The same malleability that makes them vulnerable to peer pressure also makes them promising candidates for rehabilitation”. I believe, and still do, that even though juveniles that have taken a wrong path, regardless of what they 've done, need guidance from us and people who were once juveniles to mentor them and be given a second chance, just as I did a long time ago.
Being the child of an incarcerated parent has substantial amounts of negative influences on youth today. As young children, many consider their parents as role models. Someone who they can confide in, someone who will preserve them, and someone who will guide them through life. For most youngsters having an incarcerated parent, means that their admirable example in life is absent. Not having a parent present in one's childhood leads to innumerable negative outcomes and impacts.
According to statistics since the early 1970’s there has been a 500% increase in the number of people being incarcerated with an average total of 2.2 million people behind bars. The increase in rate of people being incarcerated has also brought about an increasingly disproportionate racial composition. The jails and prisons have a high rate of African Americans incarcerated with an average of 900,000 out of the 2.2 million incarcerateed being African American. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics 1 in 6 African American males has been incarcerated at some point in time as of the year 2001. In theory if this trend continues it is estimated that about 1 in 3 black males being born can be expected to spend time in prison and some point in his life. One in nine African American males between the ages of 25 and 29 are currently incarcerated. Although the rate of imprisonment for women is considerably lower than males African American women are incarc...
Where are our heroes? Starting in early childhood we are exposed to the virtues of what it means to be a “hero.” Traditionally, a hero is someone who is described as flawless, has strong morals, is well-rounded, well liked, and possesses a great a amount of courage and honor (“Anti-hero”). Individuals who embody the qualities of kindness, resilience, understanding, and nobility set the stage of heroism. Often as children, our parents are our first heroes. We read books which teach us only kindness and watch television shows where no harm comes to the characters. As we grow, we begin to recognize that humans, including ourselves and our parents, as well as, perceived heroes have weakness, vulnerability, and imperfections. Over time, we begin to accept that life is not a fairy tale. With this transition we learn that all is not good and evil nor black and white. We come to the
“After a hurricane, comes a rainbow.” - Katheryn Hudson. My father, Morris Arvoy, grew up in one of the most dangerous cities in the world: Flint, Michigan. He has almond shaped, brown eyes, tan skin, and thick,dark hair just like his parents Jody and Floyd Arvoy. My hero knows the troubles of life; he is kind of like a rock, no matter how much weathering he undergoes, he stays solid and gets sharper. The ride gets easier. My dad is a hero. Through his own experiences he helps me with a big challenges in my life. My father has taught me that life goes on, no matter what happens today, tomorrow, or five years from now. I appreciate it; I really do. I'm going to honor him as best I can.
Children deserve special consideration even when they have committed serious crimes (Calvin). If you fall can you pick yourself up again, ‘yes our kids deserve a second chance to learn from their mistakes and benefit from them.” Statistics show that youths who break the law
In addition, I am interested in helping disadvantaged and troubled youth. Being in college has allowed me to view the criminal justice system with a new perspective. I believe that the rehabilitation of adult and juvenile offenders is a key way to reduce recidivism. I also believe that early intervention is essential and that attention should be given to at-risk youth. In fulfilling various community service projects and internships, I have directly and indirectly been exposed to youth affected by the criminal justice
For years now, incarceration has been known to be the center of the nation’s Criminal Justice Center. It’s no secret that over time, the criminal justice center began experiencing problems with facilities being overcrowded, worldwide, which ended up with them having to make alternative decisions to incarceration that prevent violence and strengthen communities. These new options went in to plan to be help better develop sentencing criminal offenders.
and pivotal. Often boys will grow up to be just like their dads. While superheroes and famous
There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday.
I have meet with more than my share of difficult challenges. This one will remain with me always, occasionally playing over in my mind when I look at my son. It was April of 1993, the eve of Easter Sunday; my children and I were coloring Easter eggs in anticipation of the big hunt the following morning. The kids were excited and having a blast, especially my three-and-a-half- year old son Joey. With the eggs freshly colored and carrots left out for the Easter Bunny, I put my children to bed, prepared the Easter baskets and retired myself. What happened the next morning would change not only my perspective, but also my entire life.
The parent interviewed was my mother Carolyn, who spoke these very works. My recollection of Kenneth as an infant through childhood brought back such wonderful memories. From the moment, Kenneth was born, I was in love. He was such a happy baby, always smiling and giggling. He always wanted me to play with him, hold him, kiss and sing to him. Kenneth and I had such a strong, close bond that and he was very attached to me. He started walking at the age of 12 months. His speech was delayed and he did not start forming actual works other than “Mama” and “Dada” until the age of 3. He did not start socializing with others besides his family until he was in Kindergarten and around other kids his own age.