Minara Akter
Professor: John Frank
SSN 187.8767
17 February 2009
STOP BLAMING INDIVIDUALS; BLAME THE ENVIRONMENT
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE THE ENEMY
All throughout history, societies, races, and religions
have been blaming one another for their problems. Most people refuse to look critically at
themselves and the environment. The end result is that most people insist that the world's
problems are the result of a few evil people, or some mysterious force or the
surroundings. Millions of people have trouble controlling their use of alcohol and other
drugs. However, rather than take responsibility for their problems, most Americans blame
their parent and the situation in they were raised.
I had a chance to talk to someone who I met by the train station in downtown
Manhattan on my way to work. His name is Jose Castro, 31 years old, born and raised in
Harlem, New York. His ethnic background is Puerto Rico. He is a former criminal, spent
most of his primetime in jail for selling drugs, burglary, and pickpocket, stopped going to
school after 5th grade. The reason I choose to interview him is most of his body is seen to
have tattoo on and he was begging money . According to my judgment I thought his
actions were wrong. I am totally against of having tattoo on the body and also he could
get a job to survive instead of begging. He is not handicap or disable. So I decided to talk
to him. I had my coworker with me when I interviewed him. We went to sit in
McDonalds and talked for few hours.
PART I QUESTIONS (THE SOCIAL ELEMENTS THAT HAVE IMPACTED HIS
LIVES)
1. How do you think culture has impacted you?
Answer: When he was growing his surroundings were very inferior class. People
didn’t really work, lived on welfare or doing some inappropriate activities. People
around him used to hangout some places that were not supposed to. Life standards
were so low and nothing bothered them. All his situation had a terrible impact on him
that he didn’t get chance to learn the thing between right and wrong.
2. How has education impacted you?
Answer: He never thought going to school and get education was necessary at all.
Because most of the kids around him were not inspired to go to school. Most of their
parents were jobless, lived on welfare never thought about giving education to their
children for a better future. Being growing up in a neighborhood where he saw is
mostly gangsters and drug addicts around and schooling was not important at all.
3. How has family impacted you and your life?
Answer: He had no role model and he had no guidance. Being growing up in a broken
family, mother lived on public assistance, she had no educations, and most of time
used drugs and also was an alcoholic, depressed. His mother never cared about him
for coming home on time, even though sometimes he came home injured she never
questioned him. He grew up very angry and depressed. Anytime he asked her about
his father, he was told he is in jail. From all this awful experience, he never learned
about the value of a family. He was only influenced by few of his friends.
4. Do you think politics or the policies of government have influenced your life?
Answer: The people around him that had followed policies were kind of abusive as he
thought had no reason to be. Cops stared at him like he was a criminal, smaller things
were a big deal to them. He was taken to jail for very little reason. Even opening a
beer bottle was a crime to them. After a while going to jail or being searched by the
cops didn’t bother him at all. Then he started to fight back such as shouting at the
cop, didn’t listen to their warnings. Most of this started happening when Juliani was
became the Mayor, he put more cops on the street. So the cops were abusing the
power and always find reasons even though they could be ignored.
5. How has economics impacted your life (having money or not having money)?
Answer: Untidy household, no food, no cloths in the house, the father abandoned
him, all these he experienced from his childhood because of lack of money. He never
had money when needed. Besides his mother who was an alcoholic most of the time,
the lousy neighborhood, he had no other family or friends to who he could have seek
money. All these things drag him to where he is now. Selling drugs, involve with
robbery or burglary then getting arrested and going to jail. He can’t even have a job
with a prison record and without any educational background.
6. What religion were you into and how do you think that affected your life?
Answer: He doesn’t believe in any religion, he thinks they are fake. He was not
nurtured with a religious belief. All the issues around him such as the priests were
sexually abusing the minors, who supposed to be our guide and mentor did a big
mental damage on him and he lost all the trust from religion.
7. Do you think technology has impacted your life?
Answer: He thinks that the technology had impacted him in a negative approach.
Such as it became easier for him to communicate with the people to make all kind
deals over the internet. The technology made him became more organized, because he
didn’t have to be on the streets and it gave him more opportunities to commit crimes.
8. How do you think the media has affected who you are?
Answer: Media makes things worse. But in his case was better. Because they only see
what is not really a reason. To get people’s attention the media provides information
without getting to the roots and reality of it. Most of the times he tried to avoid them.
PART II QUESTIONS (THE SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF TRAITS IMPACTED
HIS LIVE)
1. How do you think gender has impacted your life?
Answer: He thought was being a male, he was supposed to be making money, to be
strong, to be respected. But it never happened. His mother very pushy, made him
grow lot faster such as saying that he was his own responsibility. Being a male, also
the cops were always his target. Looked for reason to harass him.
2. What about your age?
Answer: He is early 31s, have seen the change or difference in governments from
Mayor Dinkins to Juliani. The difference in welfare system and the crimes were
focused more seriously.
3. How has health impacted your life?
Answer: Always been healthy, strong, active and able to bully the people. Always
running around.
4. 4. Do you thing your physical looks have impacted your life?
Answer: He was a good looking criminal and tried to take advantage out of it. Many
time because of his outlook made his activities easier.
5. How do you think race impacted your life?
Answer: He is a Hispanic, the neighborhood were uneducated, alcoholic. There were
always fights, shouting, screaming took place where civilization had not been seen.
Growing up with this kind of atmosphere he always thought this is how things had to
be and never thought about alternate. He felt himself not accepted by the society. He
has become fearless. Smoking marijuana is a very basic issue for him.
Now he thinks that he is not acceptable nowhere. He cannot get a job with the
prison record; cops are always watching him, has no family etc. He cannot handle
outside world anymore. No matter how much he is prepared for the real world, his
attempts become aimless. He is much better of being in jail, which gives him the
reason to commit the same crime again to go back there. At least he doesn’t have to
be worried for food and shelter and get abused by the cops with or without any
reason. He feels unacceptable to this society and to this world.