What a sad world we live in

[oksportsman]

So today a northeast Oklahoma City non-profit I am board president of had a community wash day where we paid for up to $10.00 of laundry, provided a free hot lunch, a mobile dog grooming service, books for kids, clothes and more. We had wrapped solo cups filled with candy & items for YOUNG children. A boy that appeared to be a mid aged teenager reached out to grab one and I told him they were for younger children and went on helping those we were there to serve.

Fast forward an hour - his "brother" gets in my face and tells me not to touch his younger brother (I never did) and that this was HIS neighborhood and I as a white man was not welcome and about to get in serious trouble with him and his gang members - The Bloods. I wished the older brother well. He spent the few next hours across the parking lot staring me down.

I will never be intimidated by a thug of any race or ethnicity. Thankfully the 138 loads of laundry we paid for, the hot meals we provided and the other services offset his sorry a$$ behavior and threats.

Rant over.

 

[Gunbuffer]

You should have just let the kid have it. It could have been a small bright spot in his dark little world

 

[oksportsman]

You should have just let the kid have it. It could have been a small bright spot in his dark little world

Maybe but that would have encouraged not following rules which he and his brother already do all to well. Why encourage it anymore? He already at his young teenage age knows to make a call, sic his brother and his brother's gang on folks to get what he wants even something a simple as a solo cup of candy. Sorry but I am not about to support that narrative.

 

[dlbleak]

Sad, but that kind of behavior is encouraged at some level. Either hatred for the white man or entitlement is in play in this situation.
The big question is ‘what does our future hold’?

 

[Fredkrueger100]

Sad, but that kind of behavior is encouraged at some level. Either hatred for the white man or entitlement is in play in this situation.
The big question is ‘what does our future hold’?

A future that none of us want to see. But it’s gonna happen because we have allowed it to.

 

[Fredkrueger100]

So today a northeast Oklahoma City non-profit I am board president of had a community wash day where we paid for up to $10.00 of laundry, provided a free hot lunch, a mobile dog grooming service, books for kids, clothes and more. We had wrapped solo cups filled with candy & items for YOUNG children. A boy that appeared to be a mid aged teenager reached out to grab one and I told him they were for younger children and went on helping those we were there to serve.

Fast forward an hour - his "brother" gets in my face and tells me not to touch his younger brother (I never did) and that this was HIS neighborhood and I as a white man was not welcome and about to get in serious trouble with him and his gang members - The Bloods. I wished the older brother well. He spent the few next hours across the parking lot staring me down.

I will never be intimidated by a thug of any race or ethnicity. Thankfully the 138 loads of laundry we paid for, the hot meals we provided and the other services offset his sorry a$$ behavior and threats.

Rant over.

First off, God Bless you for doing what you are doing. That is a great thing. It’s sad that while doing something so selfless as y’all were, someone can behave in such a way because they didn’t get what they wanted. I’m glad you didn’t cower to that pile of crap. Both will probably end up dead soon or in prison.

 

[jeepjackazz]

You should have just let the kid have it. It could have been a small bright spot in his dark little world

this! Could have made his day and not caused a situation, instead your online looking for reasons to back up the choice ya made. Sunday is tomorrow, be sure to hit church if ya have time.

 

[clintbailey]

Kudos to OP for standing his ground and making the kid follow the rules, even if it was the first time. This is the kind of story that makes me more cynical each year about trying to help people, as bad as that sounds.

 

[oksportsman]

this! Could have made his day and not caused a situation, instead your online looking for reasons to back up the choice ya made. Sunday is tomorrow, be sure to hit church if ya have time.

I certainly will "hit church" as I do almost every Sunday.

I am looking for no reason online as I need none to justify what I did. I simply shared that I asked a teenager to abide by guidelines. Why "make his day" when he expected something he understood we were not offering except to younger children to make sure we had enough to give to each child? Why reward his bad behavior when he attempts to initiate retaliation when someone does do what he wants even if it is wrong? Why "make his day" when he lies about being touched to try and elevate the situation to an outcome that is not justified? I think we "made" lots of folks days by the way.

Thanks so much for the church suggestion suggestion and I sure hope you do the same.

 

[Rez Exelon]

I certainly will "hit church" as I do almost every Sunday.

I am looking for no reason online as I need done to justify what I did. I simply shared that I asked a teenager to abide by guidelines. Why "make his day" when he expected something he understood we were not offering except to younger children to make sure we had enough to give to each child? Why reward his bad behavior when he attempts to initiate retaliation when someone does do what he wants even if it is wrong? Why "make his day" when he lies about being touched to try and elevate the situation to an outcome that is not justified? I think we "made" lots of folks days by the way.

Thanks so much for the church suggestion suggestion and I sure hope you do the same.

Personally I'm reminded of the parable of the lost sheep here. Sure you made a lot of folks day but left that lost sheep out to abide by some kind of rules that got made up somewhere along the way. I don't know the conversation or situation other than what you recounted but I feel like there might have been other ways to handle it.