On April 6, 2000, Wesley wrote:

Hey, Jeanne. It's me again..  I agree with the readings because to me it seems as though I am often seen as being as smart as the next guy. Depending on my attire, I am treated differently.

It is a given that black males are public enemy number 1. On April 20, 2000, jeanne responded:

Wesley, can you explain what you mean by "being seen as being as smart as the next guy?" How does that tie in to the public enemy number 1 statement?

Jaime, can you explain this connection?

jeanne

Also on April 6, 2000, Wesley wrote:

Hey, jeanne. The last e-mail was for William Oliver instead of Pettiway.

Jeanne, I really enjoyed reading this. By me being a Black man and a southerner, I have run into a lot of the same racist problems that Pettiway endured.

It really is a shame that the hatred that many whites have towards Blacks exists. Now that hatred is deeply rooted into the psyche of my own people: dark vs. light, Bloods vs. Crips.

On April 20, 2000, jeanne responded: I agree with your emphasis, Wesley, on the internalization of hatred which originates in structural violence. It is our hope that discussion threads like this will help us to see the difference between violence and structural violence, between actions founded in violence, and those founded in peacemaking efforts. I think you are right, the violence in this society is deeply rooted.

On April 5, 2000, Jerry Gilmore wrote:

I'm concerned about the attitude that is being taken by the juvenile justice system. Just recently two probation officers and a police officer was added to our staff at poly high school in long beach. The displine is taken out the hands of the staff members who always take the approach that all juveniles should be given a second chance to correct their mistake.Sadly, the law enforcement community has decided to put all their resources into locking up teenagers or placing them on probation for small infractions such as fighting or having a high rate of truancy. Are we giving up on the young people in society? It appears that the old approach of rehabilitation is outdated for the juvenile. The trend is to put them under court supervision.

On Tuesday, April 25, jeanne responded:

The trend is frightening, I agree, Jerry. Especially because it gives up on socialization at a critical stage, and because it is so caught up in environmental influences at a moment when those influences are crucuial in the lives of these young people. Let's follow Jaime's work on trying to turn these factors around, decenter them.

On April 25, 2000, Qiana Bush wrote:

Hello Jeanne

Prepared!  The Overview of Gangs article was interesting.  Again, structural violence continues to be the primary catalyst for the membership and violence of these gangs.  In particular structural volence outside the home pushes the parents inside the home to be structurally violent to their family members and the cycle of dysfunction continues.  The solutions to the gangs problems seem very simple, however more programs need to be implemented to ensure a positive lifestyle for the youth.    Bye Bye. Qiana 

On April 25, 2000, jeanne responded:

Oh, Qiana, to be young again, and see solutions as simple! Yet you are right. There are many theoretical analyses which help us understand the predicament our youth face. The complexity of the problem comes in at the policy and the praxis levels. Policy already is split by the conflict of whose special interest shall be primary, the production interest? or the realization of human potential interest? We spoke last semester of agency capture, of the reshaping of agency goals by special interest groups, including those of the professionals in the agency's fields. Are we going to shape the goals for young people to satisfy corporate needs for trained workers, to satisfy the control needs of those who supervise the young before we release them into the corporate world, or to satisfy the needs for the young themselves to grow into respected and respecting adults who will dictate their own world?

I can't wait to watch you and Jaime develop these themes. jeanne

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