Richard steps to the plate, I mean podium, sorry too much to drink. Thought I was on the Yankee's again for a second there.

"Enough of the, "Oh he called you out, kill him your a leader," bullshit. As hard as it may be to wrap your thought process around, there is a way to handle all situations. If your the lucky enough to have the control of the situation yourself, then your able to call the shots on how it's handled. What had happened the other day was not someone coming out to the streets because they had a concern, no, it was someone who obviously had a concern long enough, a concern that went unheard, and eventually turned into anger, resulting in the public display. Now as far as that example goes, it's already been dealt with. Now that it has been settled, I would like to move on."

Deep breathe

"I have been thinking, are we too hard on the majority of individuals who share their opinions? Do we cut apart every and any idea regardless of how off the wall it may be? Do we continue to discourage Mafiosos subliminally with our own antics, therefore preventing people from coming and speaking their mind? What has this place come too?"

Richard takes a hit of his joint, squints his eye's and begins to rant

"I'll tell you what it has come too, a bunch of excuses not to come public. Yeah that's right you heard me, all this talk about being hard on "Mafiosos," yes being HARD on Mafiosos (Mafiosos being members of a criminal organization, who steal, cheat, lie, and kill) is getting a tad bit old. With all this, " YOU SEE! This is why I don't talk in the streets, people are mean to me," nonsense it sounds like to me Mafiosos are now members of an elite underground organization within the retirement community. Oh so threatening!"

Dick inhales, exhales, smoke, high, job done

"Getting out there publicly does not mean it's an easy task to accomplish, it takes some kind of self motivation, it takes what you all dread and that is work. It takes a bit of balls from time to time, but then again what's a Mafioso with a set of balls? Or a Mafiosa without her hormones? Answer? Mute hermist who occasionally departs the apartment for a quick purse from time to time and a few felonies here and there. Is there anything wrong with that? Absolutely not. Although I do have a problem with people accusing rudeness and fear of disappointment as a reason not to be vocal. Cosmo is a perfect example, granted, he realized the mistakes he had made in the way he approached his issues, but had he not expressed his concerns at all, it could have boiled into a much larger issue."

"Look I'm not out here to bust anyone's chops, although it is probably needed once in a while for some, but really who doesn't need their chops busted by a big dick? I'm not here to drive anyone from being public, I think you all know I'd be the last to do that. I'm here to maybe put an end to this silliness of acting like kids in a flea market wanting every nik nak at the stands, and being a piss ant when they don't get what they want."

"So a question to you all is this, are people really too hard on one another, or do some of us Dicks need to find a way to swallow some pride and firm the hell up?"

Lobo was happened to sit near by and bitch about poor profit he got from his last job and overheard Richard speach.He pulled out flask and took a swig.

Well there are few seperate issues.One would be internal rules of the family, if in my family is a rule not to go out on the street and bitch about those who outrank me by far. Then I should respect that rule regardless of my personal oppinion, not 'cause that could get me killed but because it would reflected badly on MY leader.In the end isn't it point of this life of ours that you need to put benefit of the family before yours?

Second bloodlines. We can denie it but those with strong bloodliness do have quite bigger amount of freedom than those who are new to this life,what can kill one can earn pat on the back to other.I'm not saying it's good or bad,it just IS.

And third, my personal oppinion. Things are fine as they are now. If I'm friendly enough with someone that's high above me for whatever reason that I can go on the street and diss him a bit and live while some John Doe get shot for the same reason.It's fucking way real world works.Would you take same shit from someone you know for years and from complete stranger?Like hell you would.

Lobo takes another swig from his flask,and again starts to count money in his wallet

Smiles

"Well put Lobo. Fine key points mentioned indeed. As far as the family rule, I understand that, and I'm not saying to come out and assault higher ranks, that would be a huge mistake for anyone to do. However, there is nothing wrong with sharing opinions and sparking debates. That is more of what I was aiming for. Thank you very much for your input!"

Lobo smiles and bows to Richard

Thank you for kind words sir but I'm aware my answer is a bit,lets say, more general than question asked. Thing is that's what stops most people from public speaking.What one sees as debate other see as a insult or disrespect and unfortunatly that goes a bit further then just parties involved.We can have a discusion and I may say something that you understand like a harmelss jest as it is while one of Godfathers or  my leader interpret as oversteping my bounds.

On his way back to the HQ after scoring some high grade bud off of his associate Diego, Brick overhears the debate and walks over..  

"Perhaps the fundamental issue is as briefly explained; people generally avoid opening their mouths to the public through fear of the consequences if someone disagrees.

Newer, straight off the boat gangsters probably don't have the confidence to speak out amongst a well established community and still be respected with such a low rank and influence;

whilst higher ranks have got more to loose, their effectively sticking their head above the para-pit at a time when the streets are considerably quiet.

Those who stayed silent can now have the chance to speak up thanks to the benchmark of what is acceptable in the streets being uncovered by Dick.

However without some sort of financial benefit being earned through publicising media, I can see few being willing to risk all their work in a bid to get their voice heard. "   

SINGERROURKE smiles as once again Richard has come to the streets. This time it was something more that SINGERROURKE enjoyed a question. There was nothing more SINGERROURKE liked than when people would bring about questions and debates. So To show respect to the new New York crew leader and the boldness he has come to the streets with this question SINGERROURKE would give a response.

Here i will give you a long analysis of what i think. A long overdrawn questionable response that in the very end i will sum up in one sentence. Are you ready? I am.

SINGERROURKE fixes his tie.

For one reason or another people have been afraid of what to do here in the streets. Wether they do not know what to do here or how to do it. When we offered money to teach people how to behave or how i offered people free lessons no one took me up on it. So maybe there is a little more to the streets than ignorance of what goes on. If what we desire is to bring people to the streets then a competition is a great way to do it. Maybe a competition a week. The best debate will win this much money. The best story will win this much money and so on. If we want people to live in the streets we have to build houses. People would have to feel secure. There is unwritten rules of the streets that no one knows. Now this is not the question you have asked obviously but this was something i thought you might like to consider.

SINGERROURKE drinks his glass of water.

Are we to hard on one another? We are a diverse group of men and women. We do not carry the exact same feelings. Richard if you told me i was stupid i would take that completely differently than someone who couldnt pass the second grade. So here lies the problem its hard to try and not offend someone when we dont know what they will take offense too. Im an honestly one of those that if its not encouraging then dont say it. Should we all just firm up? Yes. Period. If you cant take an insult you will not grow.

SINGERROURKE smiles. Here comes that last sentence that he could have just stated but he went on and on needlessly. Even now as he stares into the sky thinking and dreaming he comes back to reality.

The need for people to come to the streets is great. The greater need is that of the strong skinned encourager, because when they join in everyone continues to bring something to the plate. Here this will bring not only ten time the amount of stories but the quality will also increase.

If you can't pay people to come to the streets and you can't entice them with free things there is no way they will step out.

Unless you make it a requirement.

Anyone who wishes rank or leadership in this place of ours should have some kind of street presence. Rather than have them enjoy the benefits of this world without ever saying a word why don't they make it mandatory to earn a button?

They don't have to be great speech makers like my friend Wad here or others contributing here but shouldn't a leader know where his possible MM at least stands on some of the debates in our streets?

Just my humble opinion that we have some wearing suits that I have never seen out here except to show off that new suit. Street presence should be a top down kinda thing.