Moshe Canty
Nonfiction
No More Bloodshed
My name is Moshe Canty, and for the last eighteen years of my adult life I have been incarcerated in the New York State Prison system. To say this ride has been a tumultuous one would be an understatement, yet, in spite of this fact I can honestly say that my personal transformation from a misguided, confused and rebellious man-child, to a man with a purpose has been a rewarding experience. Over the course of this journey, I have utilized my influence to assist younger brothers coming into the system by addressing the very same issues I myself had a difficult time coping with at their age.
Believing these shared experiences to be a direct link between the past and the present, the primary aim and vital significance of the work I am involved in is to prevent the next generations from becoming entangled in the perpetual web of their own self-inflicted ignorance.
Idealistically, these are my objectives, however, with every endeavor comes adversity: therefore, my biggest obstacle on one hand are those who have an invested interest in seeing that ignorance prevails, while on the other hand from the proponents of ignorance who, due to their lack of awareness, cannot discern the devastating effects ignorance has on themselves and others. These two groups pose a major threat to the youth exercising their ability to effectively transform their lives for the better.
With respect to the efforts I have made in furtherance of the aforementioned, as Vice-President of the African-American Cultural Organizations, I helped draft and am currently teaching a solution-based curriculum geared towards showing us exactly how to climb the steps essential to make realistic and significant changes in our lives.
I am also the author of the upcoming book entitled, NO MORE BLOODSHED: COMMUNITY IS A CALL FOR UNITY. It addresses the myriad issues confronting youth engulfed in the maelstrom of the gang sub-culture and the violence associated with it. Also, said book challenges the youth not only by demanding that they put an end to the perpetuation of senseless violence, but simultaneously calls on them to unite around the neglected and purposeful cause of self-construction.
To the naysayers, my efforts on face value may appear to be fruitless, nevertheless, to me, they are worth all of the time and energy I can possibly muster being that countless lives could potentially be saved in the process of this arduous task.
It is possible my efforts will fall short and fail to produce desired results initially envisioned, however, maybe, just maybe, they could inspire you the reader to alter the circumstances of your life for the better.