Peacemaker

<v Host>Peacemaker is made possible in part by the Southwestern Bell Foundation. <v Emmitt Williams>My name is Emmitt Williams, I go to school right behind me, and I was working with this workshop for over a year now, and the best part about it, we bought a movie it is called Peacemaker, about kids in violence. You ought to watch it sometime, it's very great. [Music plays] <v Emmitt Williams>West Dallas is the kind of place that you got to be hard in.

<v Emmitt Williams>The good part about West Dallas is that you have friends, and you have your family and live there, it is your home. <v Bernestine Singley>West Dallas is viewed as a wasteland. It's viewed as a grouping of poor people, predominantly poor people, and I mean really poor people. West Dallas is viewed as being treacherous to health because it's filled with lead. It's viewed as being a conglomeration of failed businesses. And a significant number of those businesses don't exist anymore because of the led problems. On the other hand, it's a much harder story to tell if you're going to say in this neighborhood, despite all of these things that are going on here are areas of hope. <v Jose Cardenas>It has a lot of people that are hard-workingthat they want better things for their children. They want their children to succeed. And the children that come to the two schools in West Dallas also want to accomplish something. And they want to work hard for themselves and for their parents and for their neighborhood. <v Students>[Chanting].

<v Delilah Savala>My name is Delilah Savala. <v Interviewer>What's your name? <v Serkeshia Prince>Serkeshia Prince. <v Interviewer>Serkeshia? <v Chris Roe>Chris, Chris Roe. <v Ta Nguyen>My name is Ta Nguyen. <v Calvin Snowton>My name is Calvin Snowton. <v Ana Andrade>My name is Ana Andrade <v Interviewer>Why'd you come today? <v Derrick West>Because they say peacemaker. <v Interviewer>Peacemaker, do you have something to say about it? <v Derrick West>There should be more peace instead of a lot of violence. <v Interviewer>Have you seen a lot of violence? <v Derrick West>Not a lot, but I have saw some. <v Interviewer>What would you say if we you had one chance right now. <v Derrick West>What would I say? stop the violence. <v Students>[Chanting] <v Jose Cardenas>In a sense, crying out for help in the sense they're saying to to educators, they're saying to their parents, they're saying to the community, I want to be someone and I'm finding it hard to climb that ladder that we call success. That ladder that we all say is obtainable somewhere. I can't quite get to the next run. So because of my despair, I'm going to turn to some negative action. And oftentimes it may be joining the gang, it may be getting involved in drugs, it may be getting involved in some type of violent act of going in and robbing a store, robbing a person, mugging a person. It may be something an action that it's totally opposite of their true personality and true nature. <v Serkeshia Prince>In the beginning of the workshop, we were doing all kinds of fun, cracking dances. I thought it was kind of fun because this was my first time doing anything like that.

<v Emmitt Williams>Hi, my name is Emmitt Williams. I'm 14 years old. I like to flirt with girls because I don't know, because girls because that's what the boy is supposed to do and I hate when girls turn me down because because I'm too short. <v Serkeshia Prince>I like dancing because I look good when I dance. I hate washing dishes because you mess up your nails trying to scrub the dishes. <v Student>I seem to be stupid I'm really smart.

<v Student>I seem to be not shy, but really, I'm shy. <v Chris Roe>I seem to be bad, but I'm really. But I'm really I'm really I'm a gentle. <v Emmitt Williams>I want a milk because milk does a body good. I need money because I'm broke right about now. I love my family because my family love me. <v Student>I like myself because the way I- I like to wear my personality. <v Delilah Savala>I seem to be nice, but I really am not. I'm real mean at home and everywhere else I go and that's it. <v Emmitt Williams>I consider this right here my neighborhood. Yeah. And I kind of do have a nice neighborhood right here. But when I'm in, when it is in the projects. What's the worst thing that happened? When when they came up, when the Crips came over there and started messing with the Bloods and they had a whole shoot out that a boy got killed over. <v Aurthur Robinson>Well, you have several groups trying to be gangs out here. The Crips and Bloods and the Crips is on one side and the Bloods on the other side. And and when one on one side invade the other territory on the other side, then the confrontation began.

<v Arthur Lee Peaches>We was chilling down on Myres and then went through and walked through there, you know, my homeboy, you know, just touched them up a little bit. He gonna get his little cuz, and they gonna come back [inaudible] we put down our pistols, we say, what's up homie, you know, they don't want to fight. So we had [inaudible] and he got shot about seven times. So he just gone, you know I'm saying, <v Interviewer>Do you feel afraid in your neighborhood? <v Keona Franklin>Yes. Oh, boy. Yeah. Because a whole lot of people got shot and killed just in '95 <v Aurthur Robinson>This thing is just not worth Dallas. This is Dallas period. We need to understand as a as a family, as a city if south Dallas, hurt north Dallas hurt if North Dallas hurt, Oak Cliff hurt. We are a city that's supposed to be made up together as a family. <v Keona Franklin>One time, my little brother, it was a gun. I think it was under my mamma' couch. My mamma, she used to get it and used to shoot it up in the air, I think yeah, she used to shoot it up in the air. When she first got it, she was showing us how it's made and stuff. And I guess my brother wanted to see on his own. She had went somewhere and she came back and my brother had the gun and she walked in the door. He [pointed it toward her] and after then we ain't seen her gun no more. She sold it or gave it away. And so I guess it really scared her.

<v Aurthur Robinson>This is outside of development here. And now we're approaching this store where a young, two young kids went inside the store and the process of robbing them, they end up taking the owner back in the back and shooting them in the head. Yeah, some of these parents are here that know their children is dealing with drugs and gangs, but they won't say anything to them because, you know, I'm a child bringing in five or six hundred dollars in a week, paying your car, insurance and paying your house- by providing food for the house. No, they're not going to say anything about that. And that's- and the another youth see that. And that's a trademark that some youth have for themselves. <v Derrick West>Some parents on dope, some parents don't be able to be well when their son or their daughter needs them or something like that. Some of them most of them- I noticed some friends of mine, They stay with they grandparents because their mother is on drugs or their father wasn't there. Somebody wasn't there when they need them. No discipline in the family.

<v Interviewer>Now, your mom's in jail, right? Where do you get your discipline? <v Derrick West>My grandparents. <v Myrtle Jefferies>I think he feel he has been mistreated by her, you know, not being with them, not staying with them, not being around when he need her. And I just feel like he feel that, you know, he's just left out. I mean, though as if he wasn't wanted. <v Interviewer>What do you tell him. <v Myrtle Jefferies>I said. She love you, I say she cares about you, I say if she didn't she would never come at all and see about you anything. I say that she cares you just got to give her time, to find herself and when she find herself you'll see you got a good mother. It's just takes time for her to get her life straighted back out. <v Interviewer>What happened?

<v Myrtle Jefferies>Drugs. <v Corey Capers>What are some things that make us angry? <v Student>Unresponsible parents that don't take care of their kids. <v Corey Capers>OK <v Student>Child abuse makes me angry <v Student>Guns. <v Corey Capers>Guns. OK, guns make you angry. <v Student>Drugs. <v Corey Capers>Someone said drugs <v Student>Drunk people- they be ?stagging? <v Student>Stores that sell beer. <v Corey Capers>Liquor stores. OK. <v Corey Capers>In some places, racism could be a problem. Right? Now if you take two people who have never heard of racism and two people who've never seen each other and one of them's black and one of them is white are they going to have a conflict probably. <v Student>No. <v Corey Capers>No. But if you take their history, if you take the history that's in this country and a lot of other places like South Africa and stuff, and you put them together they're going to have a conflict right <v Student>When Corey came and talked to us about violence it kind of made me think because he was telling me some of the stuff that my mom would tell me <v Corey Capers>I want to plant a seed. They know a lot of things just instinctively, but haven't really thought about them. For instance, you know, somebody gets in your face, how do you respond? You know- You fight. And that's the only choice that you have.

<v Keona Franklin>They had a fight one day. Then it was the day we had Peacemaker that day, and you know that day a whole lot of people had came who wanted Peacemaker? They wouldn't come because they [fixed] to fight this other girl who came and we were walking home. I told her she can come on my house then, because I live closer then where she live. And they was waiting for out there. <v Keona Franklin>And she didn't want to fight. She was tellin' them she didn't wanna fight. So finally the other girl hit her and she just hit the girl back because-. <v Peacemaker counselor>You can't just go out there, say, hey, you're talking about me. Is that true? What are you talking about? You talkin' to Norest about me. <v Peacemaker counselor>You can't do be angry when you ask right? <v Serkeshia Prince>My grandma told me if somebody hit me, hit them back and that's what I'm gonna do. <v Keona Franklin>My mamma, she a Christian, she said to me, if they hit me, just walk away. <v Peacemaker counselor>And why do you think you're grandma told you that?

<v Serkeshia Prince>Because I can't stand for somebody to hit me. If somebody hit me, imma hit them back. <v Interviewer>Does it bother you that you have a high chance of dying? <v Arthur Lee Peaches>No it don't bother me. To tell you the truth. I ain't got nothing to live for you know what I am saying. <v Interviewer>What do you mean? <v Arthur Lee Peaches>I just you know, what I am saying. life ain't shit to me, no more. <v Interviewer>How come? <v Arthur Lee Peaches>That is just how the way I feel. <v Interviewer>You don't see yourself with a family and a job and a place to live and- <v Arthur Lee Peaches>You know, I see myself with a place to live, but all that job and families, I don't worry about that. <v Interviewer>But you don't think it's going to happen? <v Arthur Lee Peaches>Not the way it's going now, you know, they ain't gonna never stop-, I mean, I don't care what you say or what you do, violence will stay on this earth forever. You know what I'm saying. it's been here since this long, who gonna take it away now? <v Interviewer>What about you?

<v Arthur Lee Peaches>Well see, me? If you violence gonna stay here, you know, I'm going to stick with it, you know what I'm saying. <v Interviewer>Why don't you take it away? Why don't you increase the peace? <v Arthur Lee Peaches>I don't got that type of power, you know what I'm sayin' <v Bernestine Singley>When you're dealing with a group of powerless people and again, kids being powerless people and and when you get even more specific than that, males and males of color, if you have no other opportunity to be powerful, then when you have this instrument of terror in your hands that all of a sudden you become all powerful. And it makes sense to me that kids would see that as an opportunity for once in their lives to feel that they're in control. <v Aurthur Robinson>There's no way out for them and when you face a youth, it's not like an adult. You get them into a corner, you know, we'll learn to survive. But the youth haven't got to that point then the only thing they know how to do then is, not survival, is to go ahead and destroy whatever whatever it is that is making the things wrong. <v Emmitt Williams>I used to just go around and fight, fight, fight, curse teachers out ,fight teachers every day just for fun of it. And well, one time I had the gun in my coat. Well, in Cresco he gave me his coat, he say Emmitt, it is your turn to hold the gun now. And I said, man I'm kind of scared. Like that. And he said, aw Emmitt, you going out like a punk now. And I just fell into it.

<v Emmitt Williams>I went along with the man I ain't no punk, give me the gun. But the third day things with the encounter heated up, we was going outside shootin' across the street from the school. The gun almost hit me in my side and went in my head almost. So that's when I kind of got kind of scared of that gun, cause it start going out by itself. <v Emmitt Williams>When you slip it in your pocket, you got to do a real slow, because it might go off on you, and Chris was doing foolish things with the gun. Every dayhe got crazier. Every day, I got crazier and crazier with the gun. And Gary too, and Chris start threatening people. I got a gun, I shoot you don't talk to me. No more, I'll shoot you. He was on the verge of shooting this girl. He cocked the gun and everything, pointed at her head and I said nah man nah and we got caught just in time.

<v Corey Capers>I think in a lot of ways that they their experiences and attitudes were were pretty typical of a whole class of kids that we tend to call troubled kids. Kids that, you know, have behavior problems instead of finding out what's going on. Kids aren't born with behavior problems. They- those things happen. <v Interviewer>Derrick told me that he was unfairly accused last year of being involved with that girl at school. Tell me about that. And how did it affect him?

<v Myrtle Jefferies>Well, they put him out of school on a home study, but Derrick said he wasn't in it. It's just that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. <v Derrick West>They called me down to [Youth Action] talking to me about something, assault, or sexual harassment or something that happened to this girl. And so they named me and a couple of other boys. The boy that was with me, there was two of us you know, we was together. The boy that was with me name didn't get called. And, you know, that kind of made me curious. How did my name get called and his didn't. <v Myrtle Jefferies>I said, Derrick, did you? He says, Mamma, you know better. I wouldn't do a thing like that. <v Interviewer>Did it make you feel picked on? <v Derrick West>Yeah. <v Interviewer>Did it make you angry? <v Derrick West>Very, I feel like I got put out of school for something I didn't do, and that's really what brought my confidence down really, it really brought my confidence down. So if I can make people believe what I say, you know, they kind of, you know, made me feel bad. <v Ana Andrade>Mr. West, wake up. I have had it with you for the last four days, wake up. I've let you sleep, meet with me after class when the bell rings [imitates bell ringing] Mr. West come over here.

<v Students>[Making mocking noises] <v Serkeshia Prince>[Fake fighting] <v Corey Capers>Ok so how did escalate? What happened? <v Ana Andrade>First he got in trouble, then she kicked him, then he went and confronted her, and then they started kind of pushing each other. <v Corey Capers>What happened with- what did the friends do now? What-. <v Students>They surrounded him. <v Corey Capers>They surrounded him, and as they got more and more angry what did they do? Did the circle stay the same size or did it get bigger? Did it get smaller? It got smaller. Now if there is a circle. If me and her arguing and there's a circle- <v Serkeshia Prince>It is gonna cause yall to bump into each other.

<v Corey Capers>Exactly. It pushes us close together. And that means it's more likely that we're going to do what- <v Students>Fight. <v Corey Capers>Exactly. <v Derrick West>I tell him I'll fight him, but not with all his homeboys with him, I said, If I fight you I'll wait until you're by yourself or something like that. So he had him and a whole bunch of homeboys one day, that was Tuesday. Tuesday-. <v Delilah Savala>Monday. <v Derrick West>It was Tuesday. <v Delilah Savala>No Monday. <v Derrick West>No that was- whats it called- I know what day it was. <v Interviewer>What were the fights over? <v Derrick West>Bloods and Crips. <v Interviewer>When you're fighting the Bloods and the Crips is it territories, is it color? <v Derrick West>Territory and color <v Interviewer>Color as in blue and red. Right? <v Derrick West>Territory too, they caught me slippin' a car. <v Interviewer>They caught you slippin'? <v Derrick West>First first time they tried to catch me slipping,, but then I caught them slipping, then they caught me slippin'. <v Interviewer>Define slipping for me? <v Derrick West>Caught me when I was by myself. <v Student>Y'all get ready. <v Carl Daniels>Really gonna smush his face in. <v Serkeshia Prince>In the beginning, the other kids, I think some of them was shy, after a while they got used to it.

<v Student>You ain't got to worry about me 'cause my type of gang is pretty tight. <v Delilah Savala>They said they're gonna come out right after school. <v Student>Better watch out for teachers. <v Student>You ready? Come on. <v Student>See you later. [Laughing] <v Peacemaker producer>I want to keep the action that we had developed in the last week, last Thursday, but I want to utilize more dialog. <v Peacemaker producer>Action. <v Derrick West>What's up buddy. <v Emmitt Williams>What's up cuz. <v Speaker>[Unclear "gang" improv] <v Emmitt Williams>Derrick and I were doing a gang improv. I was telling them the way what happened in West Dallas because the teachers can't tell us how it happened in our hoods, because we already know how it happened.

<v Peacemaker producer>What would actually happen in a scene that two gang members meet on the street? <v Emmitt Williams>OK If I didn't like him, if he had on red, and I was a Crip he was a Blood. I would walk up to him, and push him, "wassup cuz". He probably would hit me. Then I'd probably pull my gun out and shoot him or whatever, we might fight or whatever, and then it would start up a whole new war. <v Interviewer>Pretend you're the baddest guy, you know. And I'm saying this to you and I'm going to stop the violence. <v Derrick West>Probably he'd say dying ain't nothing but a thing. Probably he'd say everybody gonna die. <v Interviewer>Are you concerned that Derrick will disappoint you? <v Myrtle Jefferies>Yup, very concerned. I just hope he don't disappoint me, just hope he don't let me down. You know, 'cause I tried to show him he have a mother down there, 12 years, he got an uncle down there, which is my son, 15 years. All in behind drugs. If you would've listened, if you just had a listening ear, stay away from your friends, they [inaudible]. Mom I'm going. I'll be back. [inaudible] stay here. But I'm going with my friends. Mom every time we get ready to go somewhere, you think somebody's going to do something wrong. But remember that night you walked out the door and I told you, what did you wind up at? behind bars? <v Myrtle Jefferies>But if you'd listened, you would've still been here.

<v Interviewer>That's what you told your son? Do you think Derrick has the skills to make the right choices? <v Myrtle Jefferies>Oh, yes, I believe he do. I really believe Derrick has the skill to make the right choice. <v Interviewer>Does it bother you that you've got a very large chance of getting shot or killed before you're 21? <v Derrick West>I feel like this- if the lord want me to die, I'll die, but if he don't I won't. <v Emmitt Williams>In West Dallas, you can't walk off from trouble because when you do try to walk off from it, they keep on bothering, they'll like push you into fighting. They'll, you know, keep on picking. And I just tell them if you touch me again, we gonna fight. <v Corey Capers>You know, I know that a lot of the kids are going to see it as something that is impossible. You know, I can't turn around, I can't walk away. I can't I have to fight, you know, but as as they grow older and as as as they experience things from day to day, maybe they can, you know, maybe they'll encounter a situation where they can walk away or use one of the curves that we used to to get out of the situation. And then that will let them know that it'll work. <v Serkeshia Prince>You need to go pick my paper up off the floor, is what you need to do.

<v Carl Daniels>I don't appreciate you pushing on me- <v Serkeshia Prince>I'll push you again. You still ain't going to do anything.You ain't nothing but a little wimp. <v Carl Daniels>[inaudible]. <v Serkeshia Prince>You need to go on out. You know what, you such a punk, I ain't even gonna spend my time on you. <v Carl Daniels>Pick up your paper. <v Serkeshia Prince>No I'm not picking it up-. <v Carl Daniels>Uh, you need to pick up your paper. <v Serkeshia Prince>Pick my paper up. [laughing] everything, your stupid self. <v Corey Capers>You know someone like Serkeshia, who came but maybe didn't anticipate a whole lot, you know, she was getting something from it and, you know, it may have some kind of benefit tomorrow or next week or next year or whatever. I think there was probably a lot of anger. <v Interviewer>You know, you're so quiet most of the time, Serkeshia, but I also see a part of you that's like real kind of strong, like, don't mess with me <v Serkeshia Prince>That's the mean side.

<v Interviewer>Tell me about that. Tell me about that. <v Interviewer>What kind of things make you feel mean? <v Serkeshia Prince>You know, I think about different stuff. like say, for instance, sometimes I think about my mama. <v Serkeshia Prince>Because my mama was killed by a gunshot wound, somebody shot her by mistake, they thought she was somebody else. It happened on the night of my birthday, she was coming- she was on her way coming home to see me for my birthday. But she never did make it. <v Serkeshia Prince>It was the same car that the person was in, they came by our house and told us.

<v Serkeshia Prince>My grandma used to tell me when I was little, I used to be sweet and nice, but now I just got a mean side in me, I get an attitude real quick. And that's why I don't let people talk to me any kind of way because I get mad and be ready to talk back. That's about the main reason that this the mean side. I can be nice sometimes and I can be mean. <v Corey Capers>If you all accept that that's the way things are going to be, that's the way it is, then you can't change it if you say that's the way it is. But it shouldn't be that way and I'm not going to allow it to be that way, then you have motivation inside to change it, to make your life different. We're not talking about what you can do for world peace or peace in the community. We're talking about what you can do for peace among you and your friends, because what- the rest of that is on other people. But if they see by example that you don't fight and that you use these tactics and you find different ways to avoid fighting, then maybe that will rub off.

<v Peacemaker producer>Action. <v Serkeshia Prince>OK, If you try doing what D say and he robbin' and stealin', he should get in trouble too. <v Emmitt Williams>To make a movie. first, you got to decide what to put in and what types of words you want in it. <v Derrick West>I heard you say somethin' about my mother. <v Emmitt Williams>And how you want the actors to play their parts. If you just try to put the movie together any kind of way it is not going to work.It's just like a cake if you don't have the eggs, the cake is not gonna taste good. I didn't get too much to say action that much but cut, that was my favorite word.

<v Peacemaker producer>Quiet outside, please. That's right. [People mumbling] <v "Tim">[Music plays] I lived in West Dallas all my life. My dad told me that West Dallas was a real nice place to live when he was a boy. I used to pass a lot of my friends on the way to school. Well, they weren't all my friends, but it messed with my conscience sometimes to think about the kids that I used to know. <v "Michael">Yo, Tim wait up,

<v "Tim">Mike was my friend. He spent time in juvenile last semester and when he got out, he just didn't seem like himself. I tried to watch his back, but out here it ain't easy. <v Speaker>[Peacemaker theme song playing] <v "Tim">School wasn't too bad. I just did the work. It was better than being bored, but Michael had got to where he just didn't care. <v "Tim">Michael's daddy was in prison. So I was surprised when he started hanging out with Chris. <v "Chris">This my friend Michael right here.

<v "Tim">Chris was bad news. <v "Chris">Michael, there's Cynthia and there's Michelle. <v "Sharonda">Look at Michael talking to that fool. <v "Nina">Chris ain't nobody to be talking to. <v "Angela">He's been suspended so many times I don't even know why he's here. <v "Tim">He's got the bank. <v "Nina">I don't need money that bad if I wanted something I'd just buy it my own self. <v "Sharonda">Look at that girl he's talking to, if she come up in my face again imma kick her butt. <v "Tim">You letting her get to you, If you wouldn't get so mad she wouldn't control you. <v "Sharonda">Shut up. You always talking like some counselor. <v "Tim">I'm talking about increasing peace. You see those two girls down there? They never really liked each other. <v "Aruging student">Yo, what's up, girl? <v "Aruging student">What's up? Heard you was talkin' about me. <v "Aruging student">Me talking about you? <v "Tim">They got a history. <v "Aruging student">My friend Angela she say you was talking about my hair to your homegirls. <v "Tim">Now they got a conflict. <v "Aruging student">Hair? So what if I did? <v "Tim">See they jacking it up. <v "Aruging student">But you shouldn't be going behind my back talking like that. <v "Tim">She jacking it up even more. <v "Aruging student">Doesn't matter. So what's up. You want to work something or what?

<v "Aruging student">It's all good in my neighborhood. We can square up right now, you know what I'm saying. <v "Tim">Now they're jacking it up even more. Watch this. I'm finna [inaudible]. <v "Tim">Hey ladies, what's the problem. My homebody Darryl wanty to know if he can talk to y'all because he think y'all fine. <v "Tim">See, here go my homeboy, Darryl. What's up Darryl. [Laughing] <v "Chris">Remember, just do it like I told you. <v "Chris">[Inaudible]. <v "Cashier">You old enough to smoke yet? <v "Chris">Yeah, I am. <v "Cashier">How about some ID then? <v "Chris">I think I left my ID at home.

<v "Cashier">No ID, no smokes. <v "Chris">I tell you what, I'll go get my ID, I'll be right back. aight? <v Speaker>[Music plays] <v "Tim">What's up boy <v "Michael">[inaudible] See I got Doritos, Fritos, Hot fries, what do you want? <v "Tim">Man, Michael, where did you get all this stuff from? <v "Michael">Discount, but the hand is quicker than the eye. <v "Michael">What's wrong with you, do you want me to hook you up? <v "Tim">Man nothing is wrong with me I ain't the one who is stealin'. <v "Michael">What you talkin' about homeboy? <v "Tim">Hold up, here comes the 5-0 man. <v "Police Officer">Hey, guys, what's going on?

<v "Tim">Oh, ain't nothin' <v "Police Officer">Michael, how are you doing? <v "Michael">All right. <v "Police Officer">You staying out of trouble? <v "Michael">Yeah. <v "Police Officer">Sounds good. Keep up the good work. <v "Michael">We take it as it come. <v "Police Officer">Check you later. <v "Tim">Hey officer, Michael's been hanging out with some hoodlum lately. <v "Michael">Man shut up, quit tellin' my business. <v "Chris">Break yo self, gimme your wallet. <v "Chris">Hurry up man, take that coat out too. <v "Chris">Hurry up. Man. <v "Chris">Don't let anybody find out about this, You'll be dead homeboy.

<v "Michael">Dallas Cowboys, [inaudible] What you think about your big brother's coat. <v 'Michael's brother">It's pretty, I like it. <v "Michael">[inaudible] your coat, chump. <v "Michael">I'm tired of coming to this class. <v "Tim">Where you get the coat at? <v "Michael">Got it from Chris.

<v "Tim">Where'd Chris get it? <v "Michael">None of your business. <v "Classroom student">Say fool, I heard about Derek. <v "Tim">What happened? <v "Classroom student">He got Capped, he dead. <v "Tim">Where. <v "Classroom student">Inside that dope hide behind the playground. <v "Tim">Hey, [unclear] <v "Michael">You needs to quit playin' with me. <v "Tim">Aight fool, aight. <v "Michael">[Basketballs bouncing] Damn Tim I told you to stop messin' with me. <v "Nina">What you doing that to him for? <v "Michael">I told him to quit playin'. <v "Tim">It's all right. <v "Sharonda">Nah it ain't all right. <v "Michael">I told him to quit playin' with me. <v "Sharonda">Whatever, whatever, whatever. <v "Michael">You see what that fool was doing, he [unclear] make me hurt him man. <v "Chris">Yeah that was a trip there, say anybody at your house? <v "Michael">Nah man. <v "Chris">Alright, let me holler at you. <v "Michael">All right, let's go. <v TV>This is type of people that you have to make a change in your life. I don't have to beg you. These fellow gentlemenwho are incarcerated, they don't have to beg you. They gonna tell you and explain to you the circumstances that led to them being incarcerated. There was a time when I didn't cry like this because I didn't care, but I care. <v "Chris">Man, this joint boring.

<v "Michael">I feel sorry for the old dude. <v "Chris">Man you the type of person who would feel sorry for an old man on TV. Besides, say If we're gonna do this thing, there's gonna be shooting going all around. <v "Michael">You talking about killing somebody? I mean, I don't want to be like Derek man. <v "Chris">You want something in this world, you got to take it. Besides, somebody shoot me, they coming along with me. <v "Chris">Say, man, get out of here. Get on move man, what's his problem? <v "Michael">Say man leave my little brother alone before I get the [unclear]. <v "Chris">Say man tell that little scrub to move. <v "Michael">Say this his crib, you know. <v "Michael">Say man I think you should leave because my grandmother gonna be here in a little bit. <v "Chris">And your grandma [inaudible] <v "Michael">Talk to your girl last night?

<v "Chris">Yeah, I talked to her. <v "Chris">[inaudible] Plan on doing something this weekend, see man you coming? <v "Chris">Say, man, you forgot about last night. <v "Michael">Drop that. <v "Chris">So I know you might be kind of nervous and everything say but don't be nervous it's going to be easy. <v "Michael">[inaudible] Say what if something goes wrong, I don't wanna go up in there and we have to kill nobody man. <v "Chris">We don't have to kill nobody unless somebody try and kill us. But you know if they don't. it's gonna be cool then. <v "Michael">All right. <v "Chris">All right then. <v "Aruging student">Say, I like the that jacket where'd you get it?

<v "Michael">Aye none of your business, you my grandma or something? <v "Aruging student">You and your friend jumped me, took my jacket now I'm gonna pop you. <v "Michael">[inaudible] right here now. <v "Aruging student">Come on. <v "Tim">Hey, guys, what's going on out here? <v "James">Get the hell out of here unless you want some, too. <v "Tim">I don't want nothing, I just came out here to tell him he had to go to the clinic for your appointment. <v "Michael">I've got to go to the clinic? <v "Tim">Yeah, for this bacteria. <v "Aruging student">Lemme see man, I don't believe he got this disease. Where is it, show it to me, let me see. <v "Tim">Down in his private parts- <v "Aruging student">[Yelling and arguing] <v "Aruging student">They snuck out on us man. <v "Aruging student">I don't like the way you dumped me in the bathroom-

<v "Tim">Say, man, don't touch me. I think I got the disease. <v "Aruging student">No, you don't. I know you. You ain't got no disease. I know you don't I know you. I know how you don't like to fight. <v "Aruging student">I want to take you out. <v "Aruging student">Hey man, please don't hurt me, I thought you didn't fight. <v "Tim">It's not because I can't, It's because I don't and it's my choice. <v "Angela">Hey, is this what you call increasing the peace? <v "Tim">Some people just won't let me be my own self. <v "Nina">You should have done that to Michael when he put you on the ground. <v "Tim">No, it's not what it's all about. I don't come trouble. Trouble come to me, i'll fight it. <v "Sharonda">Oh I like that he got some sense into him. <v "Tim">Mike is not really trouble. He's just confused. <v "Tim">Do y'all want to hear what I heard him and Chris talking about in the boys' bathroom? <v "Nina">Hi Mike. <v "Sharonda">Hey Michael

<v "Sharonda">[inaudible] <v "Michael">Ponsy don't know that. <v "Nina">You need to apologize to Tim <v "Michael">I ain't tellin' Tim nothing, it goes against my respect. <v "Sharonda">Good thing Tim was back in that bathroom or they would've respected your butt in that toilet. <v "Michael">I didn't need him no way. I could've taken care of my business anyway, I'm tired of him talking about that increase the peace junk. <v "Nina">He just does it because of his mother. <v "Michael">Lots of people mama passed away. <v "Nina">She didn't just passed away. She got shot. <v "Angela">You're just lucky, that's all I can say. <v "Nina">What would your daddy say if he knew you were going to rob that store? <v "Michael">Who told you that? <v "Sharonda">Word gets around. See how much you can trust that fool, Chris. <v "Michael">I'm going to see my daddy tonight. Anyway, who said something about me robbing a store. <v "Angela">You better not or the police will find out. <v "Michael">How? <v "Angela">Because we're going to tell them. <v "Michael's Father">Hey, son good to see you. How you doing?

<v "Michael">All right, how about you? <v "Michael's Father">Well, I'm OK. How's school. <v "Michael's Father">Hey, man, your grandma tells me you ain't been acting like yourself lately. <v "Michael">She just don't like the boy I've been hanging around. <v "Michael's Father">Why not? <v "Michael">I don't know but everybody likes him, he cool with everybody. <v "Michael's Father">Your grandma get you that jacket? <v "Michael">Yeah. How you know? <v "Michael's Father">Let me tell you something. I want you to get an education. I want you in school and I don't want you to do like me. I want you to stay off the streets at night, be at home. Listen to your grandma. You know, I used to think hanging out with the badasseswas going to make me somebody. <v "Michael">But you are somebody. <v "Michael's Father">Nah. Man, not in here. I'm nothing but a number. The man tells me when to get up, when to go to bed, when to eat. Not like that man. <v "Michael">When the police took me down, I didn't do it but everybody thought I was bad, so I guess I might as well just be bad. <v "Michael's Father">Sometimes it seems like life's not fair, but you've got to make your own choices. You've got to be responsible for yourself. You're the one that's got to go to school, do your homework, stay off those streets and listen to your grandma. Don't let me down. Don't let yourself down.

<v "Nina">Hey, Chris, We heard about what happened to Derek. <v "Chris">Who? <v "Sharonda">Derek, your friend. <v "Chris">Oh, I mean everybody got to go. <v "Nina">Why you trying to hang around with Michael, you ain't used to like him? <v "Chris">Ay, Michael's cool. <v "Angela">As long as does what you say <v "Chris">What are you talking about? Why don't y'all go hang out with that peace dude, I mean don't nobody give a damn about us anyway. Whatever happened happened. Death ain't nothing but a thing, why don't y'all just get out of my face. <v "Michael">Say man, don't be letting that stuff get to you I mean, don't let them know that you're scared of them. <v "Chris">Man. I ain't scared man, all i need is [inaudible] [sirens]

<v "Michael">Move and you dead, chump. <v "Ponsy">Move or you dead, chump"

<v "Michael">Put the gun down, Ponsy. <v "Ponsy">Move or you dead chump <v "Michael">I'm not playing man, put the gun down. [Gun fires] <v "Tim">Michael didn't come to school for a while after the accident. When he did come back, I sort of feel sorry for him because it seemed like no one will cut him any slack. <v "Michael">Yo Tim wait up. <v "Tim">What's up. <v "Michael">Nothing much man, How's it been going?

<v "Michael">It's going all right, how Ponsy doing? <v "Michael">Man he all right, he just don't act the same, you know, since that happened and stuff man, he don't even play in the playground no more. <v "Tim">you know, that's lucky, now you are lucky. <v "Michael">Man, I know it, man. You know you know, we had that little argument, whatever you want to call it. Man, I just thought about it, man. I thought that was stupid, man. Real stupid. And I just want you to drop that for me man. <v "Tim">All right, man. That's cool. <v "Michael">You know, man I see you later, I've got to go do something man. <v "Tim">You're the man. <v "Michael">Alright man. <v "Chris">I brought my gun where is yours? <v "Michael">Man. I forgot it. <v "Chris">You forgot it? Damn it. well, come on, man we only need one gun anyway. <v "Michael">I'm not going. <v "Chris">Say what? <v "Michael">I said. I ain't going. <v "Chris">Man, if I say imma do something, imma do it. So are you coming? <v "Michael">Nah.

<v "Chris">Say man you coming with me or not? <v "Michael">Say man, I ain't scared of you because if the Lord want me to die, I'll die, because the only thing I'm scared of is heaven or hell. What makes you think I'm scared of you? <v "Chris">Boy, you better be glad I've known you for a while I cause I'd pop you, boy I'd pop you. Now give me my jacket chump. <v "Michael">Say, man, I didn't need it noways. <v "Chris">Just don't be asking me for no money or nothin' <v "Tim">Switch on you boy.

<v "Tim">Oh, oh, look who's coming. <v "Nina">Hi Michael, can we play? <v "Michael">I don't know, can you? [Music plays] <v "Tim">This last year, sure was rough on all of us. I pray for my friends. I mean, I pray for everyone. But like Michael said, you got to be responsible for your own life. Chris said death, it was nothing but a thing to him. I guess he knows. <v Speaker>[Peacemaker theme song plays]

<v Interviewer>If your character, Chris, had a chance to grow up, what would he be?

<v Carl Daniels>Probably a big-timehustler. <v Keona Franklin>Michael made the choice to turn back and don't do what Chris tell him to do, because I think his friends was a great influence on him and he knew he had hurt his friends. <v Derrick West>He could have had a change of heart and decided to accept you know, I am somebody, you know, who really thought about. I can do this. I can do that. You know, don't ever think about, you know, like I can't. <v Interviewer>Why was Tim a peacemaker, do you think? <v Keona Franklin>Because, you know, in the movie his mamma got shot and I think he didn't want nobody else to get shot and it hurt him real bad. And he felt like he had a job to do to keep people from experienc- I mean, from feeling how he felt. <v Emmitt Williams>Every time I do something I think about the movie, I say, man, I was a peacemaker in the movie. You know what am I doing in trouble. Rob gonna be very disappointed. And then I'm like, man, I shouldn't of did it. And I wish I wouldn't- I wish I wouldn't have caused all that trouble that I caused. <v Interviewer>Are you hopeful for the future? Do you think you can be a peacemaker?

<v Emmitt Williams>Yeah, I'm gonna start soon as they let me back in school. <v Interviewer>Can you imagine a world where peacemaking could work? <v Carl Daniels>Well, if I had dreamed I could in my sleep but-. No, not really. <v Derrick West>Like some people might see this movie and think Michael, you know, I want to be like Mike because, you know, he was doing something bad you know, look what happened, some turned out good, but you know, look at Chris. He went out and did what he said he was gonna do. No, look what happened to him, So I'd rather be like Michael than be like Chris That's the kind of example I wish I could set, I hope I set when people see the movie I hope that is the kind of example they receive. <v Speaker>[Peacemaker theme song playing] <v Host>Peacemaker is made possible in part by the Southwestern Bell Foundation. For your personal copy of Peacemaker, call 214-740-9290 or send a check for twenty-nineninety five to the address on your screen.