Stanley Tookie Williams Literature - Essay Example

Stanley "Tookie" Williams Introduction Stanley Tookie Williams III is a former gang member and founder of the Crips. He joined gang life as a young person and he founded the gang “Crips” after which he was detained and charged with four counts of murder, for which he was found guilty and executed in 2005. Between his sentencing and his execution, he had changed his life, denounced gang life and even started campaigning against gangs and criminal life through his literature. He wrote many anti-gang pieces of literature and also wrote children literature. Because of this literature, he was given much publicity, attracting a lot of fans and sympathizers who did not want to him to be executed. Early years and upbringing Stanley Tookie Williams III had a tough upbringing. Not only was he born to a young mother who was still in her teenage years, he was also abandoned by his father at the age of one, which led to her mother moving to Los Angeles for work. As an only child with a teenage single mother, he had to experience inadequate parenting. This lack of supervision by an adult led to him being a naughty child in the streets where things were not always straight for him. William talks about how he was introduced to street fights when he spent time with irresponsible adults as they abused drugs, gambled and even fought. He was paid by these adults if he could win a fight they had bet on him. Stanley Tookie Williams III also faced bullying when he was twelve, he started carrying simple weapons such as a knife in order to protect himself from the bullies in the streets. Demographics and economic situation while growing up Stanley Tookie Williams III was brought up by a young single mother. Her mother was uneducated and so they had to live in a poor neighborhood. She also had to work most of the time, making him a latchkey child who was rarely under supervision. The poor neighborhood in which Stanley Tookie Williams III grew up may also be seen as reason for his later actions. He lived around people with the kind of lifestyle that would transform him into a life of crime and violence. Literature William had written numerous works that were geared towards educating youth about the risks of joining a gang. His literature includes Blue Rage, Black Redemption, a book which he wrote and was forwarded by Tavis Smiley. The book has an epilogue written by Barbara Becnel who was his co-author as well as his spokesman. In this book, Williams (2007) recounts the innocent beginnings of the Crips gang, a gang he helped to create and found. He recounts that their intention was to start a protection group. As he says, the intention of the Crips was to respond to the many gangs that were terrorizing his neighborhood. But soon, matters got out of hand and the bad reputation of the gang spread very fast, also putting him under the limelight especially with law enforcement units. This book shows a peek into the life of a gang especially how a gang started with good intentions ends up being a criminal organization. This book provides a look into his case and also shows him as a reformed person who now realizes that gang organization cannot be the solution to the kind of problems that he and his colleagues wanted to solve with the founding of the Crips. His reformation may be seen in one of his interviews with Mother Jones where he says that he has reformed from the earlier life. In this interview, he says that he had changed through reflection and players (Wagner, 2001). This book is also seen as his communication to the many young people about how gang life can lead to dire consequences. His founding of the gang led to his arrest after and charged with murder, something that led to his life falling apart. Just before his arrest, he had just got married and got a son. His some was about 31 years by the time of William’s execution. Once he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder, his life would never be the same again. William takes advantage of his bad circumstances (of being in jail for his past actions) as a way to educate the youth through this book that gang life may not be as good as it may look. His style is based on his ability to showcase cause and effect of the action he took. To understand this book, one has to first know that William never pled guilty to the murder charges although he never refused the fact that he was member of the Crips, and that he was also a cofounder of the gang. Although he totally refused to cooperate with the law enforcement even after his reformation to have the gang investigated, he still holds the fact that gang life is not a good way for a young person to seek refuge for the many dangers that faces him. This book at the same time reveals a number of issues with regard to youth, especially those in poor neighborhood. First, his account of the events that led to the founding of the Crips gang indicate that gang life for most youth is not a choice, especialy not in the strictest sense. He recounts how they had to respond to the insecurity that was being imposed by other gangs in his neighborhood, and how the founding of the Crips was a way to protect the neighborhood. Additionally, he looks at how this innocent start of a gang led to stiff competition and fighting with the other gangs. He also recounts how they started street fights with the other gangs and how this led to them starting criminal activities. This trajectory of events, he recounts was not more of a choice once the gang had been started. They had to go with the flow, they had to fight back and to keep them financially well, they also started stealing, especially stealing cars in order to sell them and sustain the gang. William has also written numerous books children, each of them addressing a certain issue related to gang life. For instance the Gangs and the Abuse of Power by Williams (1996) talks about how gang power can lead to abuse of power. William writes this from experience because he saw how the power gained from being a gang can easily be misused. Gang power is not controlled by anyone and in this case can easily be abused by those possessing it. He also talks about other issues such as self esteem. In a small children book titled Gangs and Self-Esteem, Williams (1996) talks about the way gang life is related to self esteem. William talks about how low self esteem can lead to a person engaging in gang activity. William (1996) also talks about gangs and Weapons and how young people in gangs have to be involved in illegal deadly weapons. This book is also a small 24 page children’s book, which is intended to educating young children about gang violence and how it can affect their lives if they engage in it. William (2008) also wrote about how wanting to belong is a major factor that makes young people want to join gangs. I this regard, peer pressure and the need to want to belong to a group or part of a society are what make so many young people to be tempted to join gangs. Williams (1996), in his book Gangs and Your Neighborhood, talks about how gangs are made in the neighborhood and how they affect the quality of life in the neighborhood. William (1996) also talks about how gangs are related with drugs and how gangs can lead to drug dealing and other crimes. William (1996) has also written other books to warn young children about how their friends can be their number one enemies especially with regard to joining a gang. For instance, in his book, Gangs and Your Friends, he talks about how friends can pressure a person to join gang. Because joining a gang is more of an issue of self esteem which is connected to the issue of wanting to belong, friends can force a person into joining a gang and also engaging in the many negative habits associated with being in a gang. How he achieved his goals William has used a number of ways to achieve his objective of trying to educate young people about how gang life can affect them. Although books are the main ways in which he has done this, he has also done this using other media. For instance, he has given speeches, written letters, and even given lectures about the same issues. He even tried to deliver his message through recorded speeches intended to be played in an audience in an annual social function dealing with the issue of gangs and criminal life. To make his message credible, he talks about the way in which he has changed. In one of his literature pieces, he says that a person has to fight with his inner demons in order to make sure that he wins in the battle of life. He argues that without winning this war against one’s inner demons, it would be hard for such an individual to be able to win the war of life. Stopping gang violence and motivate at risk youth After his reformation, Stanley Williams was involved in many ways to try and help in stopping gang violence (Musken, 2009). His literature is aimed at helping young people to realize that being in a gang may look glamorous but it has many negative consequences. He argues that the best way to enjoy life is to be at ease with self. In his many books, speeches, and lectures, he constantly talks about the need for a young person to realize that regardless of where they are fighting a war with the internal self of the external world, conquering the internal, the beast within as he call it, is the ultimate way to win the war of life. This literature points to the fact that his involvement in gang life had to do with the fact that he was not at ease with himself during this youth. In one of his recorded speeches, he argues that during his incarceration, this reality came to him, slowly but surely and that he eventually realized that the reason he was what he had become was because of the bad past he had had. However, he confesses that he had used his reason life to discover himself and to win against the beast within him. William tries to appeal to the young people to whim the dangerous street life might look appealing and attractive. He tries to warn them that street life, while it may lead to them being accepted in some groups, also places at the life of fire, where they have to worry not only about the law enforcement agencies but also about other gangs, and even other gang members within their gangs. Most of his literature also indicate guilty and remorse. He seems to have realized that his part in starting the crisp was a wrong this to do. This also is seen in one of his recorded speeches where he says, “that by preaching the word of peace, we can help future generations to rebuild the streets that you and I helped destroy” (The Final Call, 2005). His literature definitely indicates that he is remorseful of the fact that he helped in building a dangerous gang hat continues to wreak havoc on the streets of many urban areas in the United States of America. Nobel Prize nominations Stanley "Tookie" Williams has received Nobel nominations for both his literally works as well as a number of Nobel peace prize nomination for his work and contribution towards society building and peacemaking. Although none of these nominations actually led to him being awarded a peace prize, they had a big impact on his life, giving him a lot of recognition around the world. He has received a lot of admiration both at home and across the world (Biography.com, 2005). His books have been widely read in other reports of the world such as Africa and Europe. For instance, his children’s books have used in school in Africa and in Switzerland. Execution In 2005, his journey came to an end after the state of California refused an application for clemency for Stanley "Tookie" Williams. Governor Arnold Arnold Schwarzenegger, refused to offer the clemency citing that the evidence against Stanley "Tookie" Williams was too strong and compelling (Kershaw, 2005). On the other hand, Stanley "Tookie" Williams never pled guilty for the murder charges. He was finally executed amid mixed reactions and some people, including some of the witnesses against him cried foul while other said it was the ultimate justice given to his victims (Fagan, 2005). Legacy Regardless of him dying a little too early, Stanley "Tookie" Williams left a legacy that very few have. His literature will continue to educate millions and continue to have an impact on generations to come. His self educational and spiritual discovery in prison is also a good example. His growth in spiritual matters as well as personal character can be seen in his last moment. During his time of execution which took longer that it would be expected, he had shown cooperation and even said that he would go through it with dignity. References Biography.com/. (2005). Stanley Tookie Williams: Thief, Philanthropist, Murderer (1953–2005). Retrieved September 27, 2014, from Bio: http://www.biography.com/people/stanley-tookie-williams-476676#synopsis Fagan, F. (2005, December 14). The Execution Of Stanley Tookie Williams / Eyewitness: Prisoner did not die meekly, quietly. Retrieved September 27, 2005, from Chronical: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/The-Execution-Of-Stanley-Tookie-Williams-2588632.php KERSHAW, W. (2005, December 13). Stanley Tookie Williams, Crips Gang Co-Founder, Is Executed . Retrieved September 27, 2014, from The New york Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/national/13cnd-tookie.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Musken, P. (2009). William, Staley: A Look Into a Reformed Muderer. Journal fo Criminology , PP. 98-104. The Final Call. (2005, May 27). Stanley Tookie Williams speaks from death row. Retrieved September 27, 2014, from the Final Call: http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/Perspectives_1/Stanley_Tookie_Williams_speaks_from_death_row_2079.shtml Wagner, V. (2001, Aprill 24). Tookie Williams. Retrieved September 27, 2014, from http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2001/03/tookie-williams: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2001/03/tookie-williams William, S. (1996). Gangs and Drugs; Tookie speaks out against gang violence. New York, NY: PowerKids Press. Williams, S. (2007). Blue Rage, Black Redemption: A Memoir. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Williams, S. (1996). Gangs and Self-esteem Tookie speaks out against gang violence. New York, NY: PowerKids Press. Williams, S. (2008). Gangs and wanting to belong. New York, NY: Barbara Cottman Becnel. Williams, S. (1996). Gangs and Weapons Tookie speaks out against gang violence. New York, NY: Rosen Publishing Group. Williams, S. (1996). Gangs and Your Friends: Tookie speaks out against gang violence. New York, NY: PowerKids Press. Williams, T. (1996). Gangs and the Abuse of Power. New York, NY : PowerKids Press. Williams, T. (1996). Gangs and Your Neighborhood Tookie speaks out against gang violence. 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