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Instead of a shrill metallic voice petitioning for votes, deep, soothing words from the trucks speakers waft up the stone ramparts.A 1993 parole bid by Hoover was supported by several community leaders and politicians, including former Chcago Mayor Eugene Sawyer, who argued the convict was a peacemaker who could be a Pied Piper of reform to young people in violence-wracked neighborhoods.
His bid for parole was turned down. AP PhotoChicago Sun-Times). His vision was spoken through a book called The Blueprint of a New Concept From Gangster Disciple to Growth and Development by Roderick L. Emery, Sr. The Blue Print of a New Concept was written and completed by 1990, but was later revised in 1996 for the people to view. Heres a brief synopsis of Mr. Hoovers vision from those who were looking for positive Growth and Development. The Vision dictates that we learn the political process of our community and become involved to the extent of having a voice in our destiny; that we conduct ourselves in a manner that is compatible to our community; that we frown upon the senseless rape, robbery, burglary, theft and murder that is rampant in our community; that we establish ourselves in business that is an asset to ourselves as well as to our community that we set examples that will make it safe for our youth to be part of us; and ultimately, that we eliminate the awesome rate of recidivism that is the experience of a large portion of our youth. There cannot be one among you that is not dissatisfied with conditions as they exist. This imposes serious consequences for our communities because many among us possess the strong leadership abilities so desperately needed in these most crucial of times. From home there is a heart wrenching cry for help, bouncing off the walls and echoing throughout our incarcerated halls. I challenge each and every one of you to accept the obligation to personally guarantee that each adult member (18 and older), of your family and within your circle of friends registers to vote and participates in the November elections. Not less than 5 people). They foolishly and mistakenly believe that because we never have, we never will. Collectively these numbers represent enormous change in the lives of our loved ones. We must become more responsive in electing competent, responsible and capable Representation for our selves and for our own. Our youth must know the end result of crime is shame, disgrace, and imprisonment to themselves, as well as the community. We must come to the point of outlawing those who willfully disrupt our communities and our call for peace and unity. This is The Hole, six 16 story red brick buildings at the north end of the Robert Taylor Housing project on the South Side of Chicago. High above, shadowy figures drift behind cyclone fence mesh that drapes the open air walkways. At the foot of the buildings lies a nightmare landscape, rusted green garbage compactors, a ruined playground. Gang land. Gangbangers pumped shots from hi rise to hi rise, ambushed each other in the dim lobbies. In timeslike those, the only sound to cover the pop of gunshots and the howl of police sirens is the unconquerable Chicago wind. Over the course of a year, a resident of the Taylor Houses has a better than 1 in 10 chance of being the victim of a violent crime. If the gangs are not on the move, the police are. Dogs. Sweeps. Midnight raids. Even the ice-eyed Nation of Islam guards hired for security in some projects, look wary as they man the front door metal detectors at night, their bright red bow ties glowing like targets. Wallace Gator Bradley, 43, a former enforcer for the Gangster Disciples, the G.D.s, a mega street gang which rules much of the South Side and twenty-two of the twenty-eight buildings in the Robert Taylor Homes, is running for Alderman here in the Third Ward against the incumbent Dorothy The Hat Tillman. Backed by a renegade political action group, 21st Century VOTE, Bradley is telling people he is the only one who can bring peace to the bullet-pocked landscape of the Robert Taylor Homes.
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