Mastodawn

"Peace through strength," means not having to use violence.

In college I had friends from school, and friends from the city of Pomona. Some of my off-campus friends had done county or federal time.🤷🏿‍♂️

The formerly incarcerated people were *much* more respectful to strangers than frat boys.
🙂🙃

Because even though they were strong, and violent, and capable, and fearless, they'd been conditioned to know that...

if you disrespect someone, even someone much smaller, weaker, and less capable than you...

rules of engagement dictated that this person had to take off on you. They had no choice.

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mekka okereke

2d ago

And if that smaller person took off on you? Now you're no longer playing pickup basketball.

You might get poked or cut or shot.

Or you might get arrested for fighting, and have your parole violated, and go back to jail.

The situation can escalate in ways that you did not consider.

Now you look weak.

Much weaker than you did before.

And your finances could be drained. When you are in county, you are not working, and you have court fees.

The ways in which you are structurally vulnerable have been highlighted, offsetting the ways that you are physically imposing.

Dinah 🕊🇺🇦2d ago

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mekka okereke

So they moved like this:

* Don't disrespect people for no reason

* Don't let people that disrespect other people for no reason, be around you

* Don't be easy to provoke, especially by people that "Don't know what it is." Don't get drawn into conflicts that will cost you more in the long run.