When I first noticed Soft White Underbelly, I was intrigued, but a tad leery. And just who was this gym fit, blonde, corporate photographer who seemed to get his off time kicks photographing the poorest of the poor Black and Brown folk? Just what are his motives, and what if anything is the endgame? A lotta questions to be sure, but as I've begun watching, one thing is definitely for sure- his videos strike a nerve, are definitely addictive, and very much worth watching... Again, I may change my mind when all is said and done, but at this point, I'll very much take him at his word...
From the half dozen or so I've watched, I've seen: people repentant, people in pain and even people seemingly at peace with the very havoc they helped create. And here's where the whole veracity thing jumps in- how do ya know if these people are even approximating the truth? What's to stop them from making it up whole cloth for a couple of bucks to get there next hit? Legit questions.
And all I can tell ya is this: I met a lotta people from similar backgrounds, only younger in their journey- from grade school to HS age. Yeah, even then, some will lie straight to your face on just about anything. I'd hesitate to dismiss anything out of hand, but always took things with a generous grain of salt. Then I'd go read their records outlining the details of how they ended up in my classroom (for students officially classified as "Extremely Emotionally Disturbed And Socially Maladjusted")- one fucking horror story after another. I can't give you any percentages on how many people are born a certain way, and how many are "a product of their environment," but I'd like to see you, me, anyone grow up any the better after what any of these kids have gone through, and continue to go through... And a goddamn miracle it is that any of them, do in fact, somehow manage to escape the very hell they were thrown into.
And all I can tell ya is this: I met a lotta people from similar backgrounds, only younger in their journey- from grade school to HS age. Yeah, even then, some will lie straight to your face on just about anything. I'd hesitate to dismiss anything out of hand, but always took things with a generous grain of salt. Then I'd go read their records outlining the details of how they ended up in my classroom (for students officially classified as "Extremely Emotionally Disturbed And Socially Maladjusted")- one fucking horror story after another. I can't give you any percentages on how many people are born a certain way, and how many are "a product of their environment," but I'd like to see you, me, anyone grow up any the better after what any of these kids have gone through, and continue to go through... And a goddamn miracle it is that any of them, do in fact, somehow manage to escape the very hell they were thrown into.
The first video is one of Redemption- hard fought, unheralded and ever so fragile. And one can only hope it is allowed to prosper, despite the odds that society has constructed not to nurture it, but to quash it wholesale.
Many of these are hard to watch and listen to, the second video (and subsequent follow up), almost had me to the point of tears... Please Click: Watch this video on YouTube, if not immediately available.
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