Phil @ Trader Joe's · @Doyouphilsme
25th Jun 2017 from TwitLonger
The Shiz debate really struck a cord with me. Wanted to address it
In the summer of 2006 my friend Daniel shot at someone. Daniel was 16 years old. I assumed that be the last time I'd see him. I figured he'd do a couple years in juvenile hall. Be transferred to prison. Where he'd either be killed or kill himself. I've fallen out of touch with most of the friends from my old neighborhood. A couple years ago, I read a post that he was still in prison. In light of the Shiz argument I thought “What if I brought Daniel to a tournament”. A few years back, I wouldn't have thought any thing of it. I'd love to bring Daniel to a tournament. A place for a fresh start. The summer of 2006 is when I first got my love for competitive smash. Daniel often played with us. White marth, with an abusive counter tendency. I thought about how the arguments used against Shiz also applied to Daniel. Why wouldn't they? Shiz had been verbal aggressive,threatening and destructive of property. Daniel had tried to kill someone.
Daniel is not a victim. Losing time from his life for trying to take the life of another doesn't seem unfair to me. But if and when he walks out the doors into society. He will walk into an estranged world that no longer knows what to do with him. Ex-convicts often struggle to find work, aren't eligible for finical aid and majority of schools consider criminal backgrounds in there application process. From what I've seen from some of the smash communities comments he may not only lose functional aspects to his life, but hobbies as well. After +10 years of prison time. Was Daniel not qualified to enter tournaments because it would make someone feel unsafe? This scenario infuriated me. Why? He did his time, What else could he do? For the first time, I could see the culture divide in the community. Most smashers I know come from middle class or affluent backgrounds and will simply never have to work side by side with a felon. When Dark Mike a norcal smasher was murdered a few years back. I realized that if not for their interactions with him. It be very unlikely they wouldt have a friend who was lost to gun violence. I was pulled over by a group of police officers couple years back riding my bike . As they proceeded to ask me a number of gang related questions all I could do was be grateful. Grateful that I didn't have a record. Grateful that my mom had the income to move us into a safe neighborhood. Grateful that I had the right group of friends. Because I never thought I was better then the people who were in jail or in prison. Just more fortunate.
The smash community is inclusive. But still a judgmental place. But in melee your aren't judged by the color of your skin or economic class, but simply for your skill. Though I don't always agree, I could live with it. Because at least everyone had a fair shot. I don't Shiz story. I don't have the context for his life. When I read the story from Hugo about what happened with Mimi, I understood if he was not welcome there. But if the community as a whole come has to the point we feel comfortable judging people even more so then judicial system. If Shiz is banned, I don't know if this is a community I want to associate myself with any longer. I sometimes put the melee community in a bubble. A bubble that doesn't have all the same social issues we deal with in the real world.This issue is bigger then shiz for me. It's how people responded to him.The things they felt comfortable saying that really stuck with me. Anyway I'll have to say.