Chris Did Not Go to Prison Because He is Black in America

Let's get the downside facts established first!

I am black in America. I was born to an unmarried mother! I dropped out of school. I did crime for 20 years, and spent all but 22 months of the 1960s in prison.

Now the other side of the coin!

I was released from prison on Dec. 9, 1968. During the past 40 years, I have accomplished the following:

I spent 10 years--1969 until 1979 as a professional journalist, working with newspapers, as well as with radio and television stations.

I spent 16 years--1983 until 1999 as a parttime college professor, teaching in universities such as the Continuing Education Department at Duke University, the Communications Program at Campbell University, the English Department at North Carolina Central University, and at several community colleges as well.

I spent 21 years married to the same woman, and together we raised two outstanding sons, who have become consistent community contributors.

In 1979, I launched my first home based business before the concept became one of the nation's major answers to economic crisis.

Now in my mid-60s, I am a successful home based business owner. I live modestly, yet comfortably, in an apartment in my hometown of Durham, NC, where my entire multi-company business operates in cyberspace.

Now let's confront the central questions:

1. Why is Chris facing a long prison sentence, less than two years after being released from incarceration?
2. Why will I celebrate 41 consecutive years out of prison this December?

Let me explain!

Crime has nothing to do with race! Crime is a way of thinking that justifies harming others to gain for self. The challenges confronting criminals are the same no matter their race. Criminals must make the arduous trek from crime to contribution. To accomplish this, criminals must do the following:

1. Break the crime habit
2. Earn and ever-free life
3. Achieve the crime and prison records into insignificance

How does an individual accomplish these tasks?

The person must align his or her thinking, speaking and behavior with the following powerful principles:

1. New thinking
2. Innovative thinking
3. Creative thinking
4. Enthusiastic thinking

The person must also:

5. Recognize values
6. Embrace power
7. Acquire skills
8. Purchase technology

The person must additionally:

9. Develop responsibile relationships
10. Engage accountable actions
11. Align with comprehensive commitments
12. Engage in enterprising economics

During this alignment process, the person must endure his or her progress from criminal to former criminal to change activist to change conqueror. At the level of change conqueror, the individual becomes a Person Learning Unlimited S.U.C.C.E.S.S. In this context, the acronym stands for Striving Until Clear Comprehensive Empowerment Secures Stability.

Yes, it's much, much easier for me to articulate these principles, these "steps," if you will, from crime to contribution than it is to accomplish this process. Here are the seven "tools" a person must use. I refer to these tools as the seven performance principles of transformation. They are as follows:

1. Get started
2. Adopt a powerful W.H.Y. or a philosophy for your venture, in this case, personal and professional transformation.
3. Become and remain teachable and coach-able.
4. Learn to master systems and process thinking
5. Work S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant and Time-focused)
6. Work hard
7. Never quit

Soledad, I guarantee that any person among the 600,000 criminals released annually from state and federal prisons in this country who engage this process will transform themselves and will not return to crime and prison. No! It's not easy! Personal transformation is life's hardest job! As I sit here, though, in the front room of my apartment, considering my life today as contrasted to what I confronted and the challenges I've conquered during the past 41 years, the payoff extends far beyond the prices I've paid.

Please do not be offended at this open letter. I am not criticizing your entire documentary. I'm simply sharing with you what I've learned works after more than four decades of experiences, making the arduous trek from crime to contribution.

Here's the irony!

As I'm writing, I'm also watching a new piece on CNN about a group of people arrested for alleged crimes who probably did not grow up in a neighborhood like Chris and I did. They probably did not face the social and economic challenges that Chris and I confronted. Most of them probably possess higher educational credential than either of us. Yet, there they were, charged with being involved in a continuing criminal enterprise. Yes, I know, each of these men and women are presumed to be innocent until proved guilty. I am not judging them. I simply want to make this closing point:

If they are guilty then why did they do crime? They are "white" and Jewish in America. You see, the ethnic, opportunity, environmental, even social "crime causes" simply do not apply across the board. Now, let's apply my definition.

Why did I do crime? I thought it was okay to harm others to gain for myself.

Why did Chris do crime? He thought it was okay to harm others to gain for himself.

Why, if they're guilty, why did those white and Jewish individuals do crime? They thought it was okay to harm others to gain for themselves.

That's what causes crime, Soledad, not being black in America. For additional insight, listen to my nightly program: We Guarantee Success! See the website in the resources box.