Shaka Senghor: preference

Transcript context

…Do you view that in pragmatic terms, something you think is just the right way to be? Is it a view you’ve moved away from? Did having other people rat on you change your view at all? Where do you stand on that ethical code right now, today? I get asked that that question often. I grew up in an old street code, where if you are agreeing to participate in this culture, you’re agreeing to all the consequences that come with it. That means that if you and I commit a crime together and I get caught, then I have, within that code, to keep my mouth shut. Me telling on you or giving you up — that violates that code, and that’s just a principle thing. As a man, I still stand by that principle. I’m not going to do anything that I can’t handle the consequences of, and I’m not going to give somebody up to lessen the burden of those consequences when I agreed to this culture. I think what people often miss when it comes to the no-snitching code is, they try to apply that to citizens, and it doesn’t apply there. If somebody breaks in your car and you are a working citizen and you report that to the police, that’s not snitching. That’s making sure that you get your insurance paid as a citizen who pays taxes and that you’re provided with the services of the officers. Fortunately for me, I don’t live in the street code anymore, and I don’t live in that culture. So there’ll never be a circumstance where I have to put that theory to test again in my personal life. I prefer people don’t engage in that culture at all, but I always tell the young guys that I mentor, if you’re going to make that decision to participate in this culture, then you have to be prepared to deal with all the consequences that come with that. Final question — is it worse to do injustice or to have injustice done to you?…

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