For 20 years I worked in the New York City courts and prison system and sometimes admired the characters who walked the halls, occupied the cell blocks, or stood in front of the judges smiling, believing they were getting over after talking a plea.

The flip side is how they could easily change their demeanor and suddenly react like a pit bull that would often guarantee them getting in trouble. But the most profound thing I remember about some was how they were able to suddenly change their attitude and become the person most people hoped they would be. Although, it may have been to get over or to find favor.

In prison, regardless if it’s long term or short, you have leaders and followers. But sometimes you may find a prisoner who have no relationship with either side. This may say they could be connected to a more powerful group on the outside who may have the same powers in and out of jail. So few inmates on either side were willing to even include them. The choice to not be on either side doesn’t give those who would follow a chance to learn their ways.

Although most men and women in the system move or rely on their own abilities and skills to survive, they will often use most, if not all, of the available services as a way to avoid complacency and services that could make a difference for them not returning to prison when they’re on the outside are often avoided. Yet in jail/prison, it becomes something necessary.

Here we see the influence of the outside world in a minimum way, with little results sometimes. But the strange thing is the influence of prison on the outside, which has become more profound.

Language, attitude, dress, and the social character of the society, have been extracted from prisons by the young. They emulate those known as recidivists and pass it on to rest of the society, that seems to find it hard to dump now. But what in the character of that environment causes people today to find it so exciting, although most wouldn’t want to end up there for any reason.

From the smallest child of any race or color, who somehow remember the words to rap songs, to the most sophisticated, everyone seem to be caught up in it’s flavor. Even the word flavor has become a word related to a certain way of presenting oneself to others.

When ebonics was presented to the public years ago, most people frowned upon it. But sometime during the day, in the lives of these same people, some form of ebonics is used, even if it’s in jest.

Sometimes language, attitude and attire, go hand in hand. So the language coming from the cell blocks have also brought the clothing and influenced a new attitude to go along with it. The unseen characteristics of prison, although still taboo for most, has filtered itself into mainstream society more successfully then the use of alcohol during prohibition. Unfortunately people at certain levels of the society - those who’s often critical of its uncensored affect on kids - wouldn’t believe it has pulled them in, in someway also.

From the created status called bling, which now is suppose to describe a certain elegance, to saying hello to someone, by allegedly hollowing, its steadiness has been unyielding. What is less obvious, is how white entrepreneurs have attached themselves to it by compromising their conviction with the idea it’s a culture worth exploring. But the real reason is because of the money.

Unfortunately, most of the early pioneers of this market will fade into oblivion, as those who knew what the value of it really meant to their future go on to other ventures. What will remain the same and show no change are the prisons and the individuals who often give up before trying. So because of the millions of CD’s and clothing sold today, this industry has become as lucrative as illegal drugs. But how did it start and by whom.

Within the prison, there are men and women who have an insurmountable amount of talent, and with time on their hands, it gives some the chance to express their talents. From writing poetry, where some have ended up becoming rap songs, to creating a style of dressing for many that was never intended to have any affect on anything.

Baggy pants worn by male prisoners who had no belts to keep up their pants after they were taken to protect them from hanging themselves, or using the buckles as weapons. To prisoners, wearing most of their clothes to court at one time, to keep other prisoners from stealing them.

On the other side of wall, where people are not being monitored or supervised, the influence of the prison can still be seen daily. Asking a teenage boy one day, who was wearing a rag on his head under a cap allegedly keeping his hair pressed, where the style came from, I smiled at his explanation when he first said, it was the young brother’s creation. But then said he really didn’t know.

He was amazed when I first told him he was right, that it was something black men had done for years. But he wasn‘t old enough to remember them grooming their hair with heavy grease and wearing women’s stockings on their head. This eventually ended up in the prisons when they chose to wear banlon undershirts on the head instead of stocking, primarily because they were considered contraband.

Unfortunately, they did it because most didn’t like the way the natural way their hair looked. He said I was pretty smart, but I assured him in time, if he avoided ended up in prison, he would have something to tell some younger guy also someday.

In a society that often feeds off others to gain riches, there’s usually a seen conflict between those who earn their money criticizing most things, and those who finagle themselves through the back door into their lives for money, also. Many times, observing the fight between the so-called conservative minority, I often believe it’s staged, because the more criticism it gets, the more successful it becomes.

So in the end, both sides are making money on the deal. It’s like the good cop, bad cop game, they are both usually working together. Fox cable news, the alleged panacea to correct all things that’s wrong with minorities and many things they do, set up their forums and are smoke screens.

They argue their opinions with their so-called adversary who are really parasites of opportunity. They debate on the network as the end results become a compromise to simultaneously present their books on the pro’s and con’s of the issue. There’s nothing wrong with blacks mainstreaming themselves out of the urban areas, but most must learn who the opportunists are.

So I’ve spent a little time talking about prison, although not in depth. I also tried show how various specifics coming out of that environment have influenced the making of millions of dollars, and changed the financial and social circumstances for many. But I didn’t explain thoroughly, how whites, will often act bias to the dialogue and methods they may use to get what many of them already have.

Adding controversy, to distract from what they’re usually planning by getting part of it, or taking over completely. So the fact is, they will criticize anything that comes from the so-called worse segment of the society, especially if it wasn‘t their idea. Only to soon afterwards present their own blue prints to get their piece of the pie.

Capitalistic systems will use anything and sometimes the most unimportant thing to make millions. But the white opportunists often wait in the wing to see if it will serve their financial needs. So when statistics revealed white kids spent more money on things coming out of the hip hop community than black kids, it opened the door for them to get in.

Commercials, music, clothing, styles of autos and personal life styles of people, have gone through a complete turnaround, because of a forgotten population of men and women in prison who’s unaware of the effect they have on the rest of us. I don’t close my eyes to the negatives of prison, or some of the people who occupy them, although some may be really innocent. It’s to show how the same people, who sometimes failed in their own efforts, get little concern from the system.

Yet unknowingly, they have had a profound influence on most other cultures and people’s lives in a positive way; although getting nothing in return. Strange, but it sounds similar to how this country‘s benefited from the efforts of blacks, where their inventions have been confiscated and improved for wealth.

While others that may gain less profit, were put to the side, until they’re revealed during black history month.

© November 2005 By Thomas Duffy
Afromerica staff writer

Brother Thomas Duffy will be keeping the Black community updated on the most current Black expereinces effecting our lives. Visit regularly for new information that could help you overcome and make the best of your everyday experiences.

To subscribe to Duffy's column join the Afromerica email list to receive new information as it is updated. Or E-mail T Duffy at: tduffy870@msn.com or tomas@afromerica.com

Submit an article
Join the Mailing List
Join a Discussion

Afromerica: Where its all Black & white and some gray areas.

[TOP]     [BACK TO COLUMN]