Back in 1995 I promoted a policeman turned author who believed gang members needed rules and structure, that in fact that’s what they sought by joining a gang.
Last night we watched the movie Gridiron Gang, which essentially said the same thing: give kids structure, rules and a challenge, and they can transform.
I loved the movie. In one scene the head coach, played by The Rock, tells a troubled youth (in fact, a killer), that he has to forgive his father for what he did to him.
The coach explains his own father had destroyed his self-esteem; that his own youth was no picnic.
The youth asks the coach how long it took him to forgive his father.
There’s a long period of silence before the coach, with tears in his eyes, admits he hadn’t forgiven his own father until that very moment.
The movie isn’t all about forgiveness but it is about inspiration. It’s about not giving in to the possible and instead going for the impossible. It’s about not letting “throwaway” kids die but instead giving them real hope. It’s about daring something worthy.
It’s based on a true story and is well worth your time.
Ao Akua,
Joe
www.mrfire.com
PS – If you want help in forgiving your father or anyone else, consider the Subliminal Manifestation DVD at www.subliminalmanifestation.com Forgiveness frees you to experience life with power and love.
17 Comments
I really admire you for posting this, Joe. In 2006 there were 2700 + incarcerated teens in Texas. That number may seem small compared to the hundreds of thousands of teens in Texas that are in gangs or belong to a gang like group. I think Joe that the disconnect between teen-gone-bad and society is that there are so few role models of an adult-reformed-from-teen-gone bad to inspire those kids (they don’t believe adults who haven’t walked in their shoes).
I wonder what would happen if someone like you, Joe found a way to inspire all (at least some of) those disconnected teens. Every parent involved that could read and afford gas money would buy a product like that.
Bruce Burns the Negotiator!
http://yourownbestgood.com
A very touching story. I wasn’t able to move forward until I forgave other who had wronged me. Forgiveness and gratitude are essential to living life to it’s fullest.
BTW – your books have had a very positive impact on my brothers life… well… mine too.
I love the new wordpress platform. Now when I link to you, you’ll get a trackback. One suggestion – use feedburner – I’m having a difficult time subscribing to your new blog’s feed.
Gang members — of any age — are not only not throw-aways, they have intelligence, dedication, creativity, and all the other positive attributes. True, they don’t always work in positive avenues, but they have ’em. Something worthy might be a project to tap into the creative energies. I’d like to be part of something like that.
Off topic, moving from Blogger to WordPress was a good move for me (with Thoughts & Philosophies). Yep, it took a little while to figure things out (ok, I’m still figuring things out), but it’s so worth while.
Carolyn Myss said something very similar about the tatoo fad. Along with body piercing, this phenomenon is a manifestation of an ancient religious archetype.
Kids are also missing a real spiritual meaning in their lives.
Where can they find this?
Joe-
Your insight is right on!
Visit http://www.valeriewrightmusic.com – I wrote a song about this same idea. Join me in saying life affirming, prayers for them. (I call it a Force Field.) These guys/gals are our soldiers, our neighbors, our future. Put their names on the list, tell everyone you know.
Joe thank you for the love you pour into all of us.
Joe,
Congratulations on the “Zero Limits” Best Seller position the book has received on Amazon!! I am new to the whol Internet Marketing thing and still often find myself lost trying to negotiate the whole thing but I refuse to give up! I have written a series of articles about those of you who appear in The Secret and the one that I did on you focused on telling my readers about your new book!!
I was also fortunate enough to be on the live call you gave to The Healthy Wealthy N Wise subsribers last week (Where the gentleman doing the interview was in Germany and it was 2:00 in the morning there…ring a bell). any way I listen to the audio version of The Secret and watch the movie on a regular basis to keep myself in good “Intention!”
Any way do you have any free advise on how to understand and navigate Blogs? I have a type of mentor who isn’t available to me as much as I would like and so I am often left to fend for myself in learning things. If you could give me an idea of some of the key elements in doing one (A BLog) that best promotes ways for me to build my business…what would they be and how can I learn these principles without spending any more money to get my business going?
One final note: I was raised in a very violent & abusive home and have made a complete turn around in my life. No abuse, no substance abuse, no hate, or rage, no police record and I honestly can say I have more than come to peace with my past – I look at it as “My Personal Barometer of Strength!” and I wouldn’t change a thing that happened to me for the world. The message you convey in your take on Gangs and Forgiveness are profound. I know first hand without forgiveness, resolve and peace we are incapeble of growth until we let go of our past and learn to love ourselves!!
I will be sure to watch the movie with my two daughters and thank you for letting us know about this amazing movie!!
PS if you would like to read my article just go to Google -enter my name and you will be linked to one of the various sites my articles appear in and you will find the one that has your name in the title! I hope it is to your liking and thanks for giving me something positive to pass on to my readers about your new book!!
Joe,
THank you so much, not just for your posts… but for getting a faster blog engine! Each day, I open the “blogs I Read” folder… Your’s is on top, but the old blog was always the last to load…
I want “Mr. Fire” First.
The exercise & coffee gets my blood pumping in the morning – Mr. Fire gets my brain headed in the right direction.
I don’t recall who said “the enemy of Great is Good” – and that’s exactly why as humans, we should seek challenge.
Sometimes, we make learning a new skill a challenge, and sometimes, a challenge is Given to us, like the Rock gave to the kids, and “the system” –
Thanks for the post, and the challenges!
David Rachford
I am glad to see that there are great movies out there that are trying to explain the need these kids have for the feeling of “family”, instead of putting them down for a change. These young people just want to feel they are in a “family group” where they can get love and give love, which is why some of them call each other “brothers”, even though they get off to a start in life doing it.
Your blogs have really been just wonderful and so inspiring to many of us! And I know personally that your books have changed lives! I look forward everyday to reading them!
Hello Joe! After sending you and email, I have just found out about the comments option 🙂 Again, I must say that even here, far away in Slovenia people LOVE your work, especially the attractor factor, and as a secondary school teacher of English I must say it again that the film you are talking about is great, inspirational, and that I am actually thinking of showing it to the kids now that we have only a few days of school left..these days are usually more relaxed if the grading is over.
Vital
This is absolutely true. When I first began studying the law of attraction, this is one area I found to be a necessary step. Something I’ve been learning is that I have to forgive myself for some of the stupid things I’ve done! I don’t call it forgiveness, I call it acceptance. And it’s awesome to accept myself, accept where I am now, and then open those doors wide open to receive the powerful reality that is my dreams and true desires.
Okay, that was a little too wordy, sorry bout that!:roll:
Here in New Zealand we are currently watching two rival gangs in the news. So far 11 men from one gang have been arrested and it looks like another is being sought out.
And what was the crime?
Well, Jhia Te Tua, aged 2, died in a gang-related shooting at her house in May. She was asleep on the couch.
A lot of forgiveness to go on here but wonder if it will ever happen.
Joe, I like the look of your blog 🙂
Regards
Lyn
I’ll have to get the movie now. Sounds great. I like your new digs.
Hi Joe, Love your website! Am looking forward to the new book as well. Anyway, I am a police officer in a small town near Austin and when I am around these kids, it breaks my heart to see how much they just want someone to NOTICE them. There are a lot of great parents out there, but some are so clueless that their kids will do anything, even the wrong thing to get attention. I hate having to put these kids into the system when I can tell they are very intelligent and with some guidance, could do great things. I try to take the time to look them in the eyes and tell them that they have worth and can do anything they want and the cool thing is, the choice is completely THEIRS! Thanks for letting me vent! 😀
Thank you Joe for another inspiring story.
I believe that I have forgiven my parents, and instead of carrying resentment or regrets for what I suffered in my childhood, I feel gratitude for the strengths that I have gained from those difficult times.
When you are for – given, you are only given away our own troubles, nothing else, you are given a gift to your self of given what doesn’t work for you away, and you only do it for your self, the benefits are for your self. There are no one out there, only our own reflection, we only can see what we know about our selves, and when we say we cannot for-give, it means we are not been able to love our selves, because if there is no one out there and only us, we are for-given our selves.
Hi Joe,
this entry hit home with me.
I have Eight kids and twelve grand-kids (at present).
About ten years ago my wife almost destroyed the family with her depression and continual drinking. They were all saying they hated her for the way she behaved, and the way she didn’t care about them and their future.
I tried to put over the same message. Don’t hold grudges, and try and forgive her.
After all they only get one Mum.
A couple did, the rest totally disowned her. That was until she was just a few days from death nearly three years ago now due to liver failure.
It was only THEN they realised how much they wished they HAD forgiven her before.
Now it was too late. They felt enormous guilt for a while, but because they WERE able to feel that they weren’t quite too late, they’ve got on with their lives ‘guilt-free’ now, and are relatively successful in their lives.
Except for the eldest, who is still carrying hi guilt around with him, and heading for the same demise.
Forgiving other people is the single BEST thing you can do for YOURSELF.
Thanks Joe.
Pete.
A very touching movie, watched it many times. I do feel however for the little ones who do not even get a chance to experience their lives.
I send out love and healing for all concerned hoping people will get why 🙄 they are here, their life purpose.
Arohanui
Tania 🙂