Posts

The Fear of Redemption: Why They Can’t Let Us Be Human

-
Image
  By Chaddrick Thomas They don’t just fear our violence. They fear our transformation. Because if people like me can change—can heal, can lead, can build— then everything they said about us was a lie. Redemption terrifies the system. Because it threatens the foundation it stands on: the belief that some people are permanently broken. To Keep the Cage Closed, They Have to Keep the Narrative Alive They call us “violent offenders” long after we’ve served our time. They write our names in ink, but our charges in bold, capital letters. They say: “He may have started a business, but don’t forget what he did.” “She got a degree? Great. But we can’t erase the past.” “Sure, he’s mentoring youth now—but he’s still a killer in our eyes.” What they’re really saying is: “We need you to stay who you were… so we can feel right about how we treated you.” Redemption Forces Accountability—And They Don’t Want That If I can change, then maybe I never needed 91 years. Maybe I needed counseling. Maybe I...
Post a Comment
Read more

What Makes Violence Legitimate? Who Gets to Decide?

-
Image
  By Chaddrick Thomas Violence is everywhere. In our headlines. In our prisons. In our schools. In our foreign policy. But somehow, we’ve convinced ourselves that some violence is righteous, and some is criminal. The only difference? Who’s holding the power when it happens. The Double Standard Is By Design A protestor breaks a window, and the whole city goes on lockdown. But an officer kneels on a man’s neck for 9 minutes and gets a press release saying “incident under investigation.” A teenage boy throws a punch and gets tried as an adult. But a politician signs off on airstrikes that kill entire families and gets reelected for being “strong on national security.” The message is clear: Violence is only legitimate when it serves the state. Legitimacy Is a Lie Wrapped in a Uniform They call it law enforcement. They call it national defense. They call it public safety. But it’s all just packaged violence. And the people who deliver it are protected, praised, and paid—while people lik...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Danger Narrative: How They Justify Denying Us Redemption

-
Image
  By Chaddrick Thomas They don’t just sentence us. They don’t just cage us. They define us. “Violent offender.” “Monster.” “Threat to society.” These labels aren’t just used in court—they live in the minds of lawmakers, parole boards, the media, and the public. They become the reason why we don’t get second chances. This is the danger narrative—and it’s one of the most powerful weapons ever created in American law. The Lie They Sell: “We’re Protecting Society” They say people like me are too dangerous to be free. Too violent to rehabilitate. Too risky to ever walk among the so-called “innocent” again. But what they’re really doing is selling fear. Fear sells policies. Fear keeps prisons full. Fear keeps society compliant. Because if people truly saw us as human—flawed, broken, and still worthy— They’d have to question the system. They’d have to admit that the numbers—40 years, 91 years, life without parole—aren’t about justice. They’re about control. We Are Punished for Violence. T...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Danger Narrative Series: Who Gets to Be Violent in America?

-
Image
  “I Was Taught That Violence Solves Problems” By Chaddrick Thomas Before I ever picked up a weapon, before I ever saw the inside of a courtroom, before I ever became another name buried under a violent crime conviction— I was taught that violence was the answer. I learned that lesson at home. Not in some criminal underworld. Not from TV or rap music. From love. From discipline. From the people raising me. When Pain Becomes the Teacher I was spanked. Whipped. Told it was for my own good. That “this hurts me more than it hurts you.” That if I did wrong, the answer was a belt. Or a switch. Or a backhand. And that if I cried? I got hit again—for being soft. I learned that pain was a consequence. That violence fixes disobedience. That when someone steps out of line, you make them feel it. That was my first education. And it came with love attached to it. The First Violence We Normalize Is Domestic In Black households, we don’t always get the luxury of soft discipline. We’re taught that...
Post a Comment
Read more