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Gang Life in Baltimore | The New York Times l Almost Whole

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    Everything Is A Fight, Everything Is A Fight
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    No one knows the feeling of love here
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    Everyone's been mistreated for so long
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    That love is just unheard of
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    Everyday is just the thought of, "Am I gonna make it back home tonight?"
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    Am I gonna make it back home tonight
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    That's a crazy thought to deal with
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    And our emotions are just balled up inside of us
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    We're angry, we're angry, not at anyone in particular
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    Just angry
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    Since I've been eleven I've been getting locked up
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    I'm 25 now. Every year since I was eleven
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    This is the worst place I've ever been
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    It's overpopulated, non-working facilities
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    You got inmates sleeping over top of each other
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    You got people that were protesting Monday
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    They still not let go
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    And it's just a mess, dirty, filthy
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    Even though they are criminals, they're still people
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    And we all treat them like animals
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    They're caged in like animals
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    Yeah, I really am kind of nervous about going down here
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    "Why are you nervous?"
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    Because I don't like seeing the building
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    I hate going down here
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    "I just hope everybody comes out."
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    I don't want everybody to come out
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    "I just don't want it to be a free pee, you know?"
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    There is gonna be a lot of us
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    Everybody I talked to said they coming out
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    They are what you call a family
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    A black gorilla family, you got black panthers
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    You got some people that perceive it as a gang
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    Because they don't understand
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    People fear things they don't understand
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    So their first thing is, "Ok, they a gang
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    They doing criminal activities."
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    I've been like a sore thumb here
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    When I was younger, I was more like a nerd
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    I liked to read, Harry Potter was my favorite book
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    And I was picked on
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    When I was younger I stuck out
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    I was a little bit smarter than everyone else
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    So I found myself putting myself down
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    To fit in
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    My last current charge that I been in full
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    Violations of probation I was charged in court
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    In 2014, dealing with my children's mother
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    Second degree assault, I pleaded guilty to that
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    Just to hurry up and get out of jail
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    Yelling Through The Wall
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    "Y'all gonna go home soon too"
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    This is an incredible day for those of us who have been protesting
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    For the past two weeks, it is a sigh of relief for us
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    A day of joy, a day of pleasant surprise
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    It was indescribable, indescribable.
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    I just felt goosebumps everywhere
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    It felt good that at least someone is at least charged
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    Someone is at least held accountable
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    I think the whole city shared that feeling
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    Goosebumps
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    It begins with bridging the gap
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    Bridging the gap from the streets, to the regular citizens
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    Interviewer "But would you consider yourself a regular citizen?"
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    And it's crazy that I don't, crazy that I don't
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    I don't know why I don't
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    But I am a citizen here though
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    I am a citizen here, I am a citizen here
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    And I want to be treated like one
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    I definitely want to be treated like one
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    I've always had a feeling that I was meant to be great
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    I dont like to be seen as my ego is big
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    There is just something inside of me that
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    War
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    And finally for once, just being active, I feel whole
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    Almost, almost whole
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    Music Plays
Title:
Gang Life in Baltimore | The New York Times l Almost Whole
Description:

Nathaniel Batty III is a member of the Black Guerilla Family. At 25, he has been in jail every year since he was 11 years old. He is finding a new sense of purpose after the death of Freddie Gray.

Produced by: A.J. Chavar

Subtitled by: Sarah E. Eaglen and Editors

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Gang Life in Baltimore | The New York Times
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheNewYorkTimes
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Video Language:
English
Team:
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Duration:
04:32

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