FREE LARRY HOOVER

"Wanna condemn them cuz they sell dope, well man show 'em the ropes, be a father, a football coach, a role model or a symbol of hope."

Larry Hoover, many may only know him because of Rick Ross. Well he was more than just a line in a hook of song. He was the leader, head honcho, commander-in-Chief of one the largest black street gangs in America...The Gangsta Disciples.

If you are familiar with either Chief Keef and the 3hunna music movement then you have a clear inclination of what these new age street rap artist from Chicago represent. They constitute the problem of the adolescent black on black genocide that is plaguing the inner city of Chicago's West and Southside (other places also).

I'm not here to argue that Larry Hoover was a good person, but I am here to say that you can't deny his influence. Even as a middle schooler he presented a dream to other troubled youth and they bought it. He sold drugs to his people and played a role in the community, he was responsible for murders, and also robberies. So... why shall we "free" Larry Hoover? We should "free" him because he had that type of charisma and charismatic appeal that made the masses respect, listen, and obey King Larry.

I'm not saying let the Gangsta King Larry out, the same gangsta who used Growth & Development (a non profit charity) as a means to launder drug money, but free what he represented. He was someone that children looked to as a idol and what teens & adults attempted to emulate. You don't necessarily need to free him, but someone who's able to mirror his ascendancy toward the populace.

A lot of these kids aren't really bad, they are just following what they see, because no one is around to lead them. Either gang leaders that once kept their gangs moving like an organized crime mob are incarcerated or they're strung on drugs. You can lead the children by simply being a local sports coach, a father, or anyone that can relate to their day to day struggle but also offer symbols of hope.

Too many times people on outside see senseless killings and worry about guns in the community instead finding out why kids feel the need to have guns in the community, so we deem the youth lost instead if trying to find and bring out the good in them.

We don't want to free Larry Hoover the partial influence of this gang culture, but we just need that spirit to motivate these youth to want more, and to be better.