Ex-Crips Member Eugene “Big U” Henley On Prez Obama’s Baltimore Riots Speech: “We’re Not In A New Time”

Written By Cyrus Langhorne

1.6k Views 16 Comments

[With global attention centered on Baltimore, Maryland amid the death of Freddie Gray this week, former Crips leader-turned-activist/peacemaker Eugene “Big U” Henley speaks to SOHH about President Barack Obama’s speech yesterday and why segregation is still alive.]

I’m 48-years-old. I’m the father of five kids. I’ve been married 27 years. Unfortunately I did 13 years in prison. I’ve been incarcerated probably since juvenile hall through 2004.

I’ve lived the life that most of these kids have to go through and unfortunately I’ve been shot multiple times. So I’ve seen what most of our kids are going through.

The year before I came home, 2003, I started an organization called Developing Options and for the last 11 years, we’ve been instrumental in changing the ways LA youth is viewed and how things are ran.

We’ve helped put over 150 kids into division one colleges. I have a football program where we service 5 to 14 kids and that’s been going on for years and that’s called the Crenshaw Colts.

So that’s who I am.

Unfortunately I was looking at an excerpt from what the president said [yesterday] and I would like to discuss that.

I didn’t see his actual interview but I do want to say we’re not in a new time. What we see happening today has been going on since me, as a people, have been here. I’m talking about 400 years of slavery, there’s been a system of separation and it’s almost like asking a victim why do you feel victimized.

I’m watching CNN News and I don’t remember the white lady who was on there speaking, but she was so adamant about the fact the president called these [Baltimore] people thugs and that they should all go be arrested.

That shows the disenfranchisement with all of white America where the only thing you can say is everybody you see that’s black is a thug.

That shows how disenfranchised it is.

I want to express this to you, we have been slaves in this country for over 500 years. How do we go from being slaves to being the most threatening human being on Earth? How does that happen?

How does the black man, who was a slave who couldn’t vote, read or do anything, how is it that 60-70 years removed from not being able to use their toilet, how did we become the most threatening person on Earth?

*Stay locked into SOHH.com today and throughout the week as Eugene “Big U” Henley addresses the police’s claim of gangs uniting to take them out, what celebrities can do and much more*

For more on Eugene “Big U” Henley, visit his website: www.developingoptions.org

Eugene is a council member of Gangster Chronicles , a media platform that gives current and ex-convicts the ability to share their stories, put an end to mythologies by unveiling hidden stories and reach the youth through literature. The roster consists of men who were leaders of well-known gangs, such as the Vicelords and Black Mafia, and even a man who inspired a character on the popular HBO series “The Wire.”

16 Comments

Written by Cyrus Langhorne

16 Comments

  1. When you mention “ALL” of white America, don’t let the ‘idiot box’ (as my father referred to it) aka idiot on the television misguide you. Many white American’s judge people by character, not color. Carry yourself as a thug, that is all the world will know of you. Carry yourself as a respectful human being (respect yourself, respect others) and you will be treated as so. Please don’t add to the problem by generalizing people by the color of their skin, which is the true enemy and definition of racism.

    • Numbers dont lie, Thats BS you are talking. Most white people who dont judge so you say, dont have positions of power.

      • Exactly. Whites in general have no empathy for the murdering of black people. Instead of admitting that black people get a raw deal in America, they go on the defensive when racism is called out. Without properly researching the issues that plague black communities, it is impossible to “judge people by character and not by color”. We will always be portrayed as worthless hooligans by the mainstream. Whites, either wholesome, harmless or sophisticated, respectable criminals.

  2. These ghettos are the end result of 40 years of progressive liberalism. Out of wedlock births, fatherless homes, generations of welfarians , gangs, drugs and crime.
    If but for progressive liberalism, these people might actually have to work for a living and won’t have time to burn cities to the ground and loot liquor stores.
    The good news is that Friday is EBT refill day. All should be temporarily quiet in Baltimore as the recipients will be at Walmart or cashing out their EBT cards for drugs.

  3. Man please 2 weeks from now and nobody will care. These cops been behaving like that get used to it.

    • Numbers dont lie, Thats BS you are talking. Most white people who dont judge so you say, dont have positions of power.

    • Exactly. Whites in general have no empathy for the murdering of black people. Instead of admitting that black people get a raw deal in America, they go on the defensive when racism is called out. Without properly researching the issues that plague black communities, it is impossible to “judge people by character and not by color”. We will always be portrayed as worthless hooligans by the mainstream. Whites, either wholesome, harmless or sophisticated, respectable criminals.

    • I refuse to judge people by anything other than their character, I am WHITE. I AM PROOF YOU ARE WRONG and I have lots of white friends who feel the same. If you can’t do that, you are admitting to being part of the problem. YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? Stop judging people you dumb fuck. You are the death of this great country you racist piece of shit, I hate you racist fucks. White racists, black racists, I swear yall the same. Fuck off.

    • Lol @black racist typical white response who doesn’t have to face the fire. Bravo that you and your small percentage of friends don’t judge by color,but you need to get off that bullshit thinking shit can change when the remnants of racism is still celebrated. That punk ass flag? Our currency? Our policies? Things that we should just forget? No muthafucka we have to much shit to deal with that you could never feel no matter how many rap songs you know by hard, no many how many rally’s you go to and participate in. Instead of telling the true victims they are the problem it would be better if you just focused on being a good individual. You may not be a bad person per se, but when you call black folk racist you are proving that you still are down with that privileged shit. Because how can one be racist with no power as far as changing laws and legitimately being able to hold one back? Can blacks be ignorant and even prejudice about some things sure,but racist! Impossible in amerikkka. And calling that individual a dumb fuck for saying something you didn’t agree with, sure did sound like the media lley

  4. These ghettos are the end result of 40 years of progressive liberalism. Out of wedlock births, fatherless homes, generations of welfarians , gangs, drugs and crime.
    If but for progressive liberalism, these people might actually have to work for a living and won’t have time to burn cities to the ground and loot liquor stores.
    The good news is that Friday is EBT refill day. All should be temporarily quiet in Baltimore as the recipients will be at Walmart or cashing out their EBT cards for drugs.

  5. Man please 2 weeks from now and nobody will care. These cops been behaving like that get used to it.

    • That’s some coontastic shit to say..
      regardless how long the police been abusing their authority,
      its not right, and until we address this issue,
      nothing will ever change..

  6. there is no time left for wanna be pseudo-intellectual koons like @WhyDidYouDoIt:disqus

  7. there is no time left for wanna be pseudo-intellectual koons like @WhyDidYouDoIt:disqus

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