Gaius had been sitting in his leather chair in his newly furnished office, the window slightly cracked so he could still hear the birds playing in the park across the street. The Godfather had sponsored the park, providing the block facing it was... ours. Luckily, Gaius had gotten permission to setup his HQ next door to the Godfather's, and as a morning ritual sat listening to the street conversation below and enjoying a cup of hot coffee with his morning cigarette.

This particular morning a young wiseguy from his own city decided to start talking gibberish and making a fool of himself, Gaius stood up and reached for his pistol before remembering what his Godfather had said not too long ago...

'That gun of your's will only take you so far, we need good people, if they can be taught, teach them. If they can't, or are unwilling to learn, then we shoot the bastards.'

Gaius sighed and put on his coat, as he walked down the stairs to street level, he lit a cigarette and approached the wiseguy, allowing his force of bodyguards to clear the way. Gaius moved the wiseguy off his soapbox and stood on top of it himself, coughing, and then inhaling deeply, Gaius began to speak as smoke came from his nose and mouth at once.

Tell me something fine people, what happened that our streets are now ran by Thugs that can't write a well thought out speach and practice it, critique it, and make it sound enjoyable? What are we training our younglings to do?

Gaius waved his hand as many began to show anger towards him...

I'm not looking at any individuals, I'm looking at our way of life as a whole. No longer is it about respect, and loyalty, no its as if were merely celebrities that want to show off and become famous. Why?

Why is it that a man can't write a speech and show it to his fellow man, or even his Leader and ask for guidance so as to not look like a fool in front of everyone? What has happened to our way of life, and how do we change it?

Merely a question for debate.

 Simple, our life has degraded over time, like most things do. Some treat this as this is some kind of game or something.

Way to fix it? Beats me. Either we enforce what we think is right, or we don't do anything at all.

One way or another, change happens. The question is, will it be good or bad?

My questions is, Do we as families have set people that these individuals can approach for help? Are the new people arriving on our shores as they are invited to families, pointed in the right direction? Yes most are pointed to the family rules and the major family business info. Although are they given the proper guidance on who they can approach pertaining to bettering there speech? or even there vocabulary. I remember reading in a distant family of mines journals that there used to be families with universities. Universities that even the old would attend just to recap on stuff they had learned.

Such universities no longer exist sadly so most young mafioso are left to try and make it on there own.

We complain about the lack of presence on our streets, then turn around and complain about presence on our streets.

I understand that an increase of quality presence is what we're going for, and should strive to achieve. However, not everyone is well educated. Many of our associates are immigrants from another country. They come to America looking for work, food, and shelter. If they are trying to make a genuine effort and pronounce a few words incorrectly due to trying to speak a new language, I think we can cut them a little slack.

Getting back to your point on just anyone standing on a street corner babbling about nothing. Some cities do have a university set up, where they try to educate said immigrants. Some have a business director who critique speeches before they are announced. Some don't have anything at all. Should we force everyone to go through various stages of critique before they actually make it to that soapbox? If we did, would that just make the orator frustrated and lose their ambition?

I think I understand what you're getting at, but I don't agree that its much of a problem. Part of the glory of the streets is its diversity: it attracts all kinds of people, with all sorts of different accents and thought processes. Sure, I don't understand everything that's being said, and sure some speakers could work on their process, but we all don't have to speak some variation on the king's English for the streets to be a vibrant, worthwhile place.

Aiee. Let a thousand flowers bloom is what I say.

I agree with Godmother Aurora in here point, continuous criticism for those who get to the soap box around a corner in our streets was the thing we wanted for a long while we wanted more vocal people in our community instead of Silence but once again we start criticizing them for not being fluent and well educated enough.
We can't ask of them to be fluent and very well educated being new to this thing of ours, we have to put in mind that they still have the fear of visiting the streets for the first few times, so they won't be thinking of the best words to use or the best language to make them look better and such, As Godmother Aurora mentioned some cities have University set up and business directors who can help them by criticizing their speeches but we don't want an immigrant to get criticized even before he has the feeling that he can be a vocal person on his own.
Continuous Criticism will just make them fear that presence in the street and then get back to where we started lacking street presence.
However we don't want letting people going to the streets for more presence and vocalization in the streets make them use the streets for unintelligent thought of theirs, besides we don't want more speeches of thugs telling us how they came to some city and talked to a leader to get in their family, that's just a waste of space and the Listener's time.
One last thing I'd like to say to those new immigrants that visit our streets, do your best so as not to make fools of yourselves and have people criticizing you, try to learn from others mistakes and make a better person of yourselves.

Most families have people designated to aid those mafioso who wish to come out to the streets and make a name and voice for themselves. Not only that, but there are also people who offer their services free of charge to all speakers, regardless of family, to help them with their speechwriting and execution.

I do not pretend to be a great speaker, merely one that can carry my own. I myself have offered to help polish many of these diamonds in the rough.

However, when people continue to come to the streets, and make themselves look foolish time and time again, despite all of the avenues of aid available to them, I will certainly engage them and help them along their foolish road.

Call it mean, call it being pedantic. I call it reinforcing their self-taught lesson in ignorance. If you refuse the help, you're entitled to reap the benefits of your own choices.

Does it mean we should all come out here and laugh and jeer at the first timers just trying to make a point? Absolutely not. I seek out the repeat offenders, people who are obviously coddled and not assisted by those with the power to do so, and those who are blissfully content to live in their bubble of foolhardy and ignorant ways.

Perhaps with a small dosage of humility (or increased dosages for repeat offenders) we can make these streets a little bit more high quality, and a wee bit more high class.

Michael sits, listening to a large group of folks, sitting and thinking. He takes a long sip from his tumbler of scotch, and sighs. "Back when I was in Med School, we had a saying: The beggars can't be choosers, and the charity hospitals get the quacks. The streets are, for better or worse, open to every schmuck, mook, or petty crook. Some of that information is gonna be useless, bad, and downright irritating. My main thing is, screw it. And screw them. If they're willing to learn, we teach them. If they aren't, let 'em drift. But what about the rest of us? Lead by example. I hear so many complaints about what goes on in the streets off the streets, and it's usually from the people who speak the least. I mean no offense, but if you want to help out, be the change you want to see out here. Show us how it's done. I know many of you are busy, but maybe a few of you pros who seem to know it so well could lay it out." Michael smirks. "After all, is not the greatest pinnacle of leadership by example?"

Michael shrugs, and wanders off to handle a few business affairs.

I believe that one thing is to be an immigrant with an accent and another is not put much thought into what you say. Being an immigrant should be all the more reason to have somebody proofread your speech before you gather the masses.

The fact that at some point people asked for more activity in the streets doesn't mean we have to open the gates of the loony bin and listen to a bunch of stuff that doesn't make sense. I just exaggerate to make my point, this is not what is happening at the moment.

I agree that people that are new to our way of life are shy and will be nervous their first times, but why not ask for some help and guidance, rehearse the speech to a few people and only then come out to the streets?

And as with anything, if just adding a few steps in the process to improve the quality will frustrate and make the "orators" quit, then they are not really gonna excel in other areas either, since they're not willing to put in the effort.

While in the headquarters of her new crew someone grabbed Stunn3r's arm and told her to follow - the boss was giving a speech. As she listened to her crew leader Gaius start his speech about a someone in his own family she quickly wiped her brow thankful it wasn't her and continued to listen.

After Gaius asked a few questions towards the general public Stunn3r patiently listened to everyone's individual answers. Some she agreed with, others she did not. As she listened she developed her own thought on the subject at hand.

Cory brought up a good question. 'Do we as families have set people that these individuals can approach for help?' Many replied with yes and no, it seems some families have set people as educators, teachers or possibly even professors. Whatever they choose to call them they are there. But, could we possibly look at a bigger picture here? Look at the way all of us live.

When a young thug with a thick accent or even a seasoned member of the community comes and makes a speech, rambles off some opinion or tells a story, I have personally seen a thick debate or a short comment about how great that communication played out.

Look at the way we reciprocate to an opinion. Do you add any spark to that debate? Are you leading a good example when you proclaim in two short words "good story"?

We can say this should be handle by the families or by set members of our communities, but really, shouldn't each and every one of us have some participation in how we shape new members of the community?

Stunn3r bit her lip, unsure if that had all come out the way she wanted to. She shrugged it off ans waited eagerly to see if anyone else had something to add to the conversation.

I will answer what happened in only one word "Stagnation" we live in a world that has become stagnat. I will not get into the line drawn from when our world changed at regular intervals and no one power was held to incredibly long. I also will not get into what happens when "Gods" run our world from with in. How ever stagnant water breeds bacteria. That is the problem we have now. Thugs run our streets because there is nothing else for them to run, we can not kill thugs for being thugs because well our Gods/Reigning power have decided that it is against our moral fiber to do so. Before the normal nay sayers come out with "If you don't like it then take control and change it" maybe I would if I were a MadeMan with no kills but wait, that sort of corruption happened once already and led us right to this.

Some returning people don't take this world seriously because well there is no reason, that attitude is relayed to those youth they come into contact with. Because we do not have a healthy cycle of leadership changing up top etc we are caught in the same BS circle jerks time in and out.

Awaits the rocks to be thrown and bullets to fly.

I understand frustrations with poor spelling and grammar. I agree with Aurora on how people complain the presence of the street yet people get upset with how the speeches aren't spot on perfect.

Godfather Premier has down that you must have one street speech in order to reach Made Man status. Earlier this morning I witnessed a Don from Los Angeles get upset that a mafioso in a family from Los Angeles made an attempt to come to the streets and speak on a matter.

Now the policy Godfather Premier has put into place is a good quality. The thing that worried me is that a Don of his got angry at a young mobster for making a speech without much description. He called it jibberish. I've seen speeches from Godfathers and Godmothers that weren't half that and no one judged it. Why? Because the point got across.

I myself have written pages and pages to receive little to no response. Then I write maybe half a page and get twenty people replying and making their voices heard. Does that make sense? No but it's how things are. Everyone will write their own way and do things differently.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's only our fault that the young mafiosi of today aren't properly groomed to have a street presence. We want them to and that's great but we don't put the time in a lot of the time so what can we expect? No one single person is to blame but it's everyone as a whole that has to work together.

We are an organization brought together because a regular life isn't something that wants us but we're not ready to die yet. While we're here we might as well make the best of it and nurture those that haven't learned the way. Built together by families maybe it's time we start getting down to the nitty gritty more often.

I don't mean to offend anyone at all but this isn't the first time someone has come to the streets about what all has caused poor speeches. It's a harsh reality at times but we're in it together.

Gaius nods his head thoughtfully, considering all that has been discussed thus far. 

You all brought up some very valid points, and I'd like to address them if I can. 

First of all, yes we wat more people to be more vocal, but that doesn't mean the quality has to go down. What is so hard in asking someone, a seasoned veteran if you will, to look over something you have written before you share it with the streets? Wouldn't that be a sign of respect?

Gaius growled, even he made mistakes, but a mistake is one thing, continual jibberish is something completely different. 

Secondly, wouldn't you want to make sure you don't come out sounding uneducated? There doesn't have to be continuous criticism. Once they have received the criticism a few times, they should learn by then what to say, and how to say, and when to say.

You are correct, Ginger, there are plenty of avenues for help. So why are they not being utilized? Maybe there should be some form of harsher punishment for those who continue to be ignorant to the ways of writing a good street speech, not just ridicule. If they knew they might be held responsible for what they write, they may write with more quality and put a little more effort, a little more flare into it?

Crazy-nine proves my point exactly. Quality over quantity here people. It is normal to be nervous the first time or two in writing a speech. And no one is going to be perfect the first few times. That is not what is trying to be said. How do we imprive the quality from the get go. 

Stunn3r brings up another point as well. What are you in turn bringing to the conversation, are you supporting them by bringing a good debate? Positive encouragement with perhaps a set of community leaders that 'police' our streets, with the make up of an 'elected' position from each leader, or Godfather? That will spend the time teaching the younglings that come to these shores how to write properly, how to express there feelings? Perhaps by example FIRST. 

Lets be frank here, many individuals call me a 'member-whore', the difference is time is spent with each individual that comes into my crew to make sure they know whats expected of them. I'm not pointing any fingers here, but there are alot of leaders that don't take that time with each member, answering questions, guiding them along. There is a post requirement from the Godfather of LA for a reason, we don't want people that are going to do nothing to better themselves and there city, we want quality, not quantity.

Stagnant is most accurate. But again, how do we fix it? 

Skate, I am not saying they must be spot on perfect, especially for first timers, but for fucks sake put some thought into it. Just because someone writes a 15 paragraph speech, doesn't mean it was worth reading. Godfathers and Godmothers are not judged on their speeches because they obviously know what the fuck they are doing, or they wouldn't be sitting where they are. It is not necessarily our fault, if the help is out there. Am I now to force every thug to report to someone before they post a speech? Shouldn't he have the common sense to do that on his own? I'm not here to hold hands and babysit. But I do want to focus on the problem and find an ACTUAL solution that will solve it.

You are correct, Ginger, there are plenty of avenues for help. So why are they not being utilized? Maybe there should be some form of harsher punishment for those who continue to be ignorant to the ways of writing a good street speech, not just ridicule. If they knew they might be held responsible for what they write, they may write with more quality and put a little more effort, a little more flare into it?

Well, Mr. Gaius, I have to toss this ball back in your court. Not that I want to make this an ironfisted literocracy, but if its harsher punishments you want and not just ridicule... you sir, and your bold suited comrades would be the people to set the bar and enforce any standards you feel need to be instituted. If punishment for repeat offenders who come out and spew trash on our streets, refusing time and time again the help that is offered them both actively and in passing, is what you feel would best curb the problem, then it is our leadership that would be responsible for that, no?

So what do you plan to do personally?

Honestly though you said it for me Gaius. Every thug might just need help, do you have to be the one to help them? No. In all families there is a structure. I can honestly say though out of the last three or four ancestors (not including today) crews did not have a university to help new comers to these shores.

Yes, they had crew consiglieres or old wise men but no one to teach them or offer them guidance on point about speeches and posts. Maybe that's what you need Gaius?(By the way, I'm not telling you how to run your crew just throwing an idea out there.) Or hell maybe ever crew leader needs to make sure they have I don't know say five mafiosi as a university or counsel of some sort. Require that the speech is brought to them and proofread by at least two. If they don't then theirs a fine.

Now before people say "what if they keep repeating the offense?" well sucks for their wallet huh? Killing someone over not using this method would be ignorant in my opinion only because it's about teaching them. Now if they don't pay the fines and run around acting like they're hot shit, then by all means I'll shoot them with you if it comes down to it.

Gaius coughed before lighting another smoke and began to speak to the crowd before him.

Should we or should we not shoot them? Sure it is about the teaching, but it is MOSTLY about the garbage that is being spewed about on a constant basis as well. Perhaps a few need to be shot to make an example. I'm not talking about just one or two times, I'm talking about the repeat fucking offenders that are continually cluttering our streets with trash.

I think instituting fines is a fine idea as well. A small enough fine that a thug or gangster could pay to their CL, with half of that going to the Godfather/Godmother of said city. The fine could be decided on by a group of individuals, that have yet to be selected. It is not very hard to ask someone in a family to look over a thread they have created, after all thats what the back alleys are for is it not? All it takes is a little common sense, perhaps a fine would force them to use their brains, if even for a short time.

Michael took a long sigh, listening to his leader and several other people talk things out. "I'm probably going to sound a like a stuffy academic. Sorry in advance. Regardless, the cops don't listen to much of what happens. The street cleaners handle certain things in extreme situations, but it is time we police ourselves if we want fewer problems."

Michael walked over to a nearby wall, staring at it for a moment for no readily apparent reason before turning towards the crowd and continuing. "Gaius is right--we can do more. But shooting? No. Probation seems smarter."

He then thoguth for a minute about how to explain it. "Screw it, I'll just give you an example of what I mean. Let's say that Gaius has decided he wants me to be our family's 'street man,' and I agree to it. He'll tell everyone in the family, leave a little note in our main office, send everyone a letter about it, however he wants to do it. Then let's say some new guy, let's call him.....Joe. Yeah, Joey. Let's say Joey mouths off in the streets. If somebody's got a problem with it, they look him up and find out he's with Gaius. So they can shot a complaint with Gaius, or one of the Made Men or Consiglieres in the family. Fine. Whoever gets the complaint forwards it to me (discretely, or course) and I read the post. As our street man, I look it over, see whats wrong with it, and talk to Joey about it before he does something stupider. I explain what went wrong, why it needs fixing, et cetera. For a while (maybe a week or so, depends on how big his foul-up was), he's on probation--anything he says has to go through me or somebody else (with credentials) before it goes public. If I think restitution needs to be made, I'll broker a deal. If little Joey's a dim bulb and speaks out while under probation, we fine his ass. If Joey becomes a serious problem, we give him one warning: Screw it up and you'll be shot. After that warning, all bets are off until he's told otherwise."

Michael then shrugs. "That kind of policing should help curb problems with impetuous young punks. Now, for old pricks who enjoy putting crap on the streets with repeated warnings, we should move straight to threats of violence and explanations of why their behavior was inappropriate. We tell him up front, 'listen, if you don't watch your ass, you're gonna get shot for being an idiot.' And if he doesn't get a clue, we give him a few warning shots between the lungs and kidneys."

Michael then smiled weakly at his joke, even though it was in mildly poor taste. "So, to me, newness should consider our methods. If a person s spewing crap, report it to their family. It is each family's job to handle it's members, and as such, each family ought to teach it's members to speak wisely and prudently, regardless of rank."