Yesterday, I watched American Gangster, which is a documentary of various people intertwined in the drug game. The show talks about various people from The Chamber Brothers, Melvin Williams, the original Murder INC, and Frank Lucas. Although their stories are intriguing, the most intriguing is the stories of Leroy "Nicky" Barnes and Guy "Radio" Fisher. Now, these names aren't probably recognized by this present generation today but those from the old school know what I'm talking about. Back in the 70's, these two men were a part of a criminal organization called The Council. In all, there were five men who pledged an oath of allegiance with various stipulations to the rule. On June 5 (or 6) 1977, the New Yorker printed a magazine with Nicky Barnes on the front page called Mr. Untouchable. Of course, this was a slap to the face to the authorities and within a period of time, he was given a life sentence without the opportunity parole. As Nicky sat in jail, the leadership role of The Council was laid on the shoulders of Guy Fisher. I didn't even know The Apollo Theater wouldn't be open today if it had not been for Guy Fisher. Yeah, he was still pushing heroin in Harlem and other parts of NYC, but dude had a heart. There was one part of the documentary talking about how a rapper DJ Hollywood was trying to get into the drug game and Guy Fisher almost lost his cool. Guy knew what he was doing was wrong. The murders, the drugs, the people strung out, and breaking the law. Fate had it for him when word got to Nicky about Guy having an affair with his girlfriend and wife on the side (is it true-?). But what we know is true, Nicky felt the oath was broken and he ended up taking all The Council members down, especially his protege, Guy Fisher. All were given life sentences without the possibility of parole for continuing drug trafficking operations. Guy and of course the others were devastated their leader would turn on them from "allegations" sent to him. But that's not the main point of this message. Prison has been Guy's residence for the past couple of decades. He's probably in his mid-50's, maybe early 60's. But this is what the documentary showed about him. He said in one his letters that the prison system has his body but doesn't have his mind. He stated that his mind was and still is free. He turned a bad situation into a situation full of promises achieved. The man went to school, something he shunned in his younger days. He kept going to school until he achieved the highest honor, that is, attaining a Ph.d in Sociology (wow, in prison). He has published 5 or more books including novels, screenplays, and other types of literature. He is outspoken about how the young needs examples and a direction in life. The young man who had the potential to help fix up broken places like the Apollo used it to destroy the lives of many people. However, his prison circumstances changed his mind as well as his heart. His heart was already malleable but now he was in a place where he couldn't run from his true purpose. He had to embrace. Being a drug kingpin is great but it's nothing compared to speaking about issues through literary art. So, why would I be praising someone who most people in the past, present, and future feels to be a scumbag? Here is my reasoning, prison situations are made to propel us to our purpose. There are many of people in prison in America today, up to millions of people. Some have light sentences, some life sentences, and some commuted to death sentences. Many of these people who are in prison are walking free today. They go shopping, hit the clubs, extort the poor, and can sleep in their cozy living quarters. However, they are bound in the mind but free to walk around. Bound by bitterness, bound by lust, bound by homosexuality, bound by lies, bound by greed, and bound by manipulation. These same things are found in physical prisons. However, there are a lot of people there who are free from bitterness, free from lust, free from homosexuality, free from lies, free from greed, and free from manipulation. They write poems. They preach great messages. They teach others how to handle their circumstances the right way. And when they say they're blessed (lifestyle approved by God, sealed by the Holy Spirit) and highly favored (because they don't work to gain His favor, but by grace they don't deserve), they are sincere. I've gone to one prison each 1st and 3rd Monday and I feel like the one who is prison yet I see they are free; in their mind. 7 days a week, I go to various places and I see 99.9% of people aren't free. I read posts from Facebook and Twitter and people aren't free. It disturbs and baffles me how these inmates I visit are free and serve God with their whole heart, and do what God calls them to do without hesitation but we are full of chains and hate God?! I know the answer...The Apostle Paul said it plain as day, that he learned to be content no matter what state he was in. He was locked in prison until the day he was executed by Nero the Roman Emperor. Yet, he continued to write messages to people who were free in body but bound in the mind. He learned the secret to having freedom in the mind; he accept the perfect will of God over his life in his prison situation. My friends, these times will get no better as far as the world is concerned. We already know the last days are here. We're facing so many prison sentences in our lives and we accuse God of doing us wrong. But He's commuting us to prison sentences for one reason, to get our attention, wake up, learn from Him, and fulfill our true purpose in life. Is Guy Fisher saved? I don't know. But it had to be God to wake his mind up to fulfill the accolades he's accomplished. So to all my fellow prisoners on the outside as well as the inside, what has God called you to do and be? And to all those who know, have you accept the perfect will of God in the midst of your prison situation? Think about it over the weekend. much luv, y'all.
Til Next Time, dgwo
Reference:
Matthew 26:36-42
Philippians 4:11
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