TED Residency
Marlon Peterson: Am I not human? A call for criminal justice reform
Marlon Piterson (Marlon Peterson): Zar ja nisam čovek? Poziv na reformu kriminalnog pravosuđa
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Zbog zločina koji je počinio u ranim dvadesetim, sud je osudio Marlona Pitersona na 10 godina zatvora i, kako on kaže, ceo život beznačajnosti. Iza rešetaka Piterson je našao iskupljenje kroz mentorski program prepiske sa učenicima iz Bruklina. U ovom hrabrom govoru, on nas podseća zašto treba da ulažemo u ljudskost onih ljudi koje bi društvo da zanemari i odbaci.
Marlon Peterson - Human justice advocate
Marlon Peterson is a writer, youth development expert and human justice advocate. Full bio
Marlon Peterson is a writer, youth development expert and human justice advocate. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
She wrote:
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Napisala je:
00:14
"When I become famous,
I will tell everyone
I will tell everyone
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„Kad postanem slavna, svima ću reći
00:17
that I know a hero named Marlon Peterson."
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da poznajem heroja
po imenu Marlon Piterson.“
po imenu Marlon Piterson.“
00:20
Heroes rarely look like me.
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Heroji uglavnom ne izgledaju kao ja.
00:22
In fact,
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Zapravo,
00:24
I'm what garbage looks like.
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smeće obično izgleda kao ja.
00:26
No, not the most appealing
way to open a talk
way to open a talk
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To baš i nije najlepši način
da započnem govor
da započnem govor
00:29
or start a conversation,
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ili počnem razgovor,
00:30
and perhaps you have some questions
going through your head about that.
going through your head about that.
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i možda vam se neka pitanja
motaju po glavi o tome.
motaju po glavi o tome.
Zašto bi ovaj čovek rekao
tako nešto o sebi?
tako nešto o sebi?
00:34
Why would this man say
such a thing about himself?
such a thing about himself?
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Na šta tačno misli?
00:36
What does he mean?
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00:38
How can someone view him as a hero
when he sees himself as garbage?
when he sees himself as garbage?
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Kako neko može da ga vidi kao heroja
kad on sebe vidi kao smeće?
kad on sebe vidi kao smeće?
Mislim da više učimo od pitanja
nego od odgovora.
nego od odgovora.
00:43
I believe we learn more from questions
than we do from answers.
than we do from answers.
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00:46
Because when we're questioning something,
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Jer kad nešto preispitujemo,
00:48
we're invested in taking in
some sort of new information,
some sort of new information,
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predano upijamo neku novu informaciju,
00:52
or grappling with some sort of ignorance
that makes us feel uncomfortable.
that makes us feel uncomfortable.
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ili se rvemo sa nekakvim neznanjem
zbog kojeg se osećamo neprijatno.
zbog kojeg se osećamo neprijatno.
00:56
And that's why I'm here:
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I zato sam ja ovde:
00:58
to push us to question,
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da postavim pitanje,
00:59
even when it makes us uncomfortable.
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čak i kad nam je zbog njega neprijatno.
01:02
My parents are from Trinidad and Tobago,
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Moji roditelji su iz Trinidada i Tobaga,
01:05
the southernmost island in the Caribbean.
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najjužnijeg ostrva u Karibima.
01:07
Trinidad is also home
to the only acoustic instrument
to the only acoustic instrument
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Trinidad je domovina
i jedinom akustičnom istrumentu
i jedinom akustičnom istrumentu
01:10
invented in the 20th century:
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koji je pronađen u 20. veku:
01:12
the steel pan.
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čeličnom bubnju.
01:14
Deriving from the African drums
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On potiče od afričkih bubnjeva
01:16
and evolving from the genius
of one of the ghettos in Trinidad,
of one of the ghettos in Trinidad,
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i razvio se iz genijalnosti
jednog od getoa u Trinidadu,
jednog od getoa u Trinidadu,
01:20
a city called Laventille,
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grada koji se zove Laventij,
01:21
and the disregard
of the American military ...
of the American military ...
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i neobaziranja na američku vojsku...
01:25
Well, I should tell you,
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Pa, da vam kažem,
Amerika je tokom II svetskog rata
imala vojne baze u Trinidadu,
imala vojne baze u Trinidadu,
01:26
America, during WWII, had
military bases set up in Trinidad,
military bases set up in Trinidad,
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01:30
and when the war ended,
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i kad se rat završio,
01:31
they left the island littered
with empty oil drums --
with empty oil drums --
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otišli su sa ostrva
krcatog praznim kantama od ulja -
krcatog praznim kantama od ulja -
01:35
their trash.
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njihovim smećem.
01:36
So people from Laventille
repurposed the old drums left behind
repurposed the old drums left behind
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Tako su ljudi iz Laventija
preradili te stare kante
preradili te stare kante
01:41
into the full chromatic scale:
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u punu hromatsku skalu:
01:43
the steel pan.
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čelične bubnjeve.
01:45
Playing music now from Beethoven
to Bob Marley to 50 Cent,
to Bob Marley to 50 Cent,
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Sad sviraju muziku od Betovena
do Boba Marlija i 50 Senta,
do Boba Marlija i 50 Senta,
01:49
those people literally made
music out of garbage.
music out of garbage.
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ti ljudi su bukvalno napravili
muziku od smeća.
muziku od smeća.
Dvanaest dana pre mog 20. rođendana,
01:54
Twelve days before my 20th birthday,
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01:57
I was arrested for my role
in a violent robbery attempt
in a violent robbery attempt
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uhapšen sam zbog učešća
u nasilnom pokušaju pljačke
u nasilnom pokušaju pljačke
02:01
in lower Manhattan.
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u donjem Menhetnu.
02:03
While people were sitting
in a coffee shop,
in a coffee shop,
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Dok su ljudi sedeli u kafiću,
02:06
four people were shot.
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četvoro je upucano.
02:09
Two were killed.
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Dvoje je ubijeno.
Nas petoro je uhapšeno.
02:11
Five of us were arrested.
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02:14
We were all the products
of Trinidad and Tobago.
of Trinidad and Tobago.
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Svi smo bili proizvod Trinidada i Tobaga.
02:16
We were the "bad immigrants,"
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Bili smo „loši imigranti“
02:18
or the "anchor babies" that Trump
and millions of Americans easily malign.
and millions of Americans easily malign.
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ili „bebe sidra“ koje Tramp
i milioni Amerikanaca olako kleveću.
i milioni Amerikanaca olako kleveću.
02:23
I was discarded, like waste material --
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Bio sam odbačen, kao otpadni materijal -
02:26
and justifiably so to many.
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i to opravdano, prema mnogima.
02:29
I eventually served 10 years, two months
and seven days of a prison sentence.
and seven days of a prison sentence.
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Na kraju sam odslužio 10 godina,
dva meseca i sedam dana zatvorske kazne.
dva meseca i sedam dana zatvorske kazne.
02:34
I was sentenced to a decade of punishment
in a correctional institution.
in a correctional institution.
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Bio sam osuđen na deceniju kazne
u popravnoj instituciji.
u popravnoj instituciji.
02:39
I was sentenced to irrelevance --
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Bio sam osuđen na beznačajnost -
02:42
the opposite of humanity.
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suprotnost čovečnosti.
02:45
Interestingly,
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Ono što je zanimljivo,
02:46
it was during those years in prison
that a series of letters redeemed me,
that a series of letters redeemed me,
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baš tokom tih godina u zatvoru
mnoga pisma su me iskupila,
mnoga pisma su me iskupila,
02:51
helped me move beyond
the darkness and the guilt
the darkness and the guilt
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pomogla mi da izađem iz mraka i krivice
02:54
associated with the worst
moment of my young life.
moment of my young life.
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povezane sa najgorim trenutkom
mog mladog života.
mog mladog života.
02:58
It gave me a sense that I was useful.
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Dala su mi osećaj da sam koristan.
03:00
She was 13 years old.
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Ona je imala 13 godina.
03:03
She had wrote that she saw me as a hero.
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Napisala je da u meni vidi heroja.
03:06
I remember reading that,
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Sećam se kad sam to čitao,
03:07
and I remember crying
when I read those words.
when I read those words.
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sećam se da sam plakao
dok sam čitao te reči.
dok sam čitao te reči.
03:11
She was one of over 50 students
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Ona je bila jedan od preko 50 studenata
03:13
and 150 letters that I wrote during
a mentoring correspondence program
a mentoring correspondence program
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i 150 pisama koja sam napisao
tokom mentorskog programa prepiske
tokom mentorskog programa prepiske
03:17
that I co-designed with a friend
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koji sam osmislio s prijateljem
03:19
who was a teacher
at a middle school in Brooklyn,
at a middle school in Brooklyn,
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koji je bio nastavnik
u osnovnoj školi u Bruklinu,
u osnovnoj školi u Bruklinu,
03:21
my hometown.
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mom rodnom gradu.
03:23
We called it the Young Scholars Program.
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Nazvali smo ga Program mladih naučnika.
03:25
Every time those young people
shared their stories with me,
shared their stories with me,
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Svaki put kad bi ti mladi ljudi
podelili svoje priče sa mnom,
podelili svoje priče sa mnom,
03:29
their struggles,
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svoje borbe,
03:31
every time they drew a picture
of their favorite cartoon character
of their favorite cartoon character
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svaki put kad bi nacrtali sliku
svog omiljenog crtanog lika
svog omiljenog crtanog lika
03:35
and sent it to me,
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i poslali mi je,
03:36
every time they said they depended
on my letters or my words of advice,
on my letters or my words of advice,
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svaki put kad bi rekli da zavise
od mojih pisama ili mojih saveta,
od mojih pisama ili mojih saveta,
03:40
it boosted my sense of worthiness.
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moj osećaj vrednosti je rastao.
03:43
It gave me a sense of what
I could contribute to this planet.
I could contribute to this planet.
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To mi je dalo osećaj
da mogu doprineti planeti.
da mogu doprineti planeti.
03:47
It transformed my life.
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To mi je promenilo život.
03:49
Because of those letters
and what they shared with me,
and what they shared with me,
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Zbog tih pisama
i onoga što su delili sa mnom,
i onoga što su delili sa mnom,
03:52
their stories of teen life,
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tih priča o tinejdžerskom životu,
03:54
they gave me the permission,
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dali su mi dozvolu,
03:56
they gave me the courage
to admit to myself
to admit to myself
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dali su mi hrabrost da priznam sebi
03:58
that there were reasons -- not excuses --
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da su postojali razlozi - a ne izgovori -
04:01
but that there were reasons
for that fateful day in October of 1999;
for that fateful day in October of 1999;
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da su postojali razlozi
za taj kobni dan oktobra 1999. godine;
za taj kobni dan oktobra 1999. godine;
04:06
that the trauma associated
with living in a community
with living in a community
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da trauma vezana za život u društvu
04:09
where guns are easier
to get than sneakers;
to get than sneakers;
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gde su pištolji dostupniji nego patike;
04:12
that the trauma associated with being
raped at gunpoint at the age of 14;
raped at gunpoint at the age of 14;
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da trauma vezana za silovanje
pod nišanom sa 14 godina;
pod nišanom sa 14 godina;
04:19
that those are reasons for me
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da su to moji razlozi
04:22
why making that decision,
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zašto takva vrsta odluke,
04:24
that fatal decision,
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takva fatalna odluka,
04:25
was not an unlikely proposition.
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nije bila neverovatna opcija.
04:28
Because those letters
mattered so much to me,
mattered so much to me,
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Zato što su mi ta pisma
toliko mnogo značila,
toliko mnogo značila,
zato što je slanje i primanje
04:30
because writing and receiving
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i komunikacija s tim ljudima
04:32
and having that communication
with those folks
with those folks
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04:34
so hugely impacted my life,
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tako jako uticala na moj život,
04:36
I decided to share the opportunity
with some friends of mine
with some friends of mine
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odlučio sam da podelim priliku
s nekim svojim prijateljima
s nekim svojim prijateljima
koji su bili tamo sa mnom.
04:39
who were also inside with me.
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Moji prijatelji Bil, Kori i Aroks,
04:40
My friends Bill and Cory and Arocks,
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04:42
all in prison for violent crimes also,
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svi u zatvoru zbog nasilnih zločina,
04:44
shared their words of wisdom
with the young people as well,
with the young people as well,
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takođe su delili mudrosti s mladim ljudima
i dobijali osećaj značaja zauzvrat.
04:47
and received the sense
of relevancy in return.
of relevancy in return.
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04:50
We are now published writers
and youth program innovators
and youth program innovators
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Sada smo objavljivani pisci,
inovatori programa za mlade,
inovatori programa za mlade,
04:53
and trauma experts
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eksperti za traume
zagovornici prevencije oružanog nasilja,
04:55
and gun violence prevention advocates,
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04:57
and TED talkers and --
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TED govornici i -
04:58
(Laughter)
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(Smeh)
i dobre tatice.
04:59
and good daddies.
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05:01
That's what I call a positive
return of investment.
return of investment.
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To je ono što nazivam
pozitivnim povratkom investicije.
pozitivnim povratkom investicije.
05:04
Above all else,
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Iznad svega drugog,
05:05
what building that program
taught me was that when we sow,
taught me was that when we sow,
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stvaranje tog programa
naučilo me da kad posejemo seme,
naučilo me da kad posejemo seme,
05:09
when we invest in the humanity
of people no matter where they're at,
of people no matter where they're at,
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kad ulažemo u čovečanstvo i ljude,
gde god se nalaze,
gde god se nalaze,
05:13
we can reap amazing rewards.
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možemo da požnjemo neverovatne nagrade.
05:16
In this latest era
of criminal justice reform,
of criminal justice reform,
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U ovom najnovijem dobu
reforme kriminalne pravde,
reforme kriminalne pravde,
05:19
I often question and wonder why --
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često se pitam i čudim se zašto -
05:22
why is it that so many believe
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zašto toliki ljudi veruju
05:24
that only those who have been convicted
of nonviolent drug offenses
of nonviolent drug offenses
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da samo oni koji su osuđeni
za nenasilne prestupe sa drogom
za nenasilne prestupe sa drogom
05:28
merit empathy and recognized humanity?
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zavređuju empatiju i ljudskost?
05:33
Criminal justice reform is human justice.
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Reforma kriminalne pravde
je ljudska pravda.
je ljudska pravda.
05:35
Am I not human?
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Zar ja nisam čovek?
05:38
When we invest in resources
that amplify the relevancy of people
that amplify the relevancy of people
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Kad ulažemo u sredstva
koja povećavaju značaj ljudi
koja povećavaju značaj ljudi
05:43
in communities like Laventille
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u društvima poput Laventija,
05:44
or parts of Brooklyn or a ghetto near you,
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delova Bruklina ili vašeg obližnjeg geta,
bukvalno možemo da stvorimo
društva koja želimo.
društva koja želimo.
05:47
we can literally create
the communities that we want.
the communities that we want.
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05:50
We can do better.
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Možemo bolje.
05:51
We can do better than investing solely
in law enforcement as a resource,
in law enforcement as a resource,
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Možemo bolje od isključivog ulaganja
u primenu zakona kao sredstva,
u primenu zakona kao sredstva,
05:55
because they don't give us
a sense of relevancy
a sense of relevancy
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jer oni nam ne daju osećaj značaja
05:58
that is at the core of why so many of us
do so many harmful things
do so many harmful things
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koji je u srži razloga zašto mnogi od nas
rade mnogo štetnih stvari
rade mnogo štetnih stvari
06:01
in the pursuit of mattering.
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tragajući za značajem.
Vidite, oružano nasilje
je samo vidni izraz skrivenih trauma.
je samo vidni izraz skrivenih trauma.
06:05
See, gun violence is just a visible
display of a lot of underlying traumas.
display of a lot of underlying traumas.
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06:10
When we invest in the redemptive
value of relevancy,
value of relevancy,
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Kad ulažemo u vrednost
značajnosti koja iskupljuje,
značajnosti koja iskupljuje,
06:13
we can render a return of both
personal responsibility and healing.
personal responsibility and healing.
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možemo stvoriti povratak
i lične odgovornosti i ozdravljenja.
i lične odgovornosti i ozdravljenja.
06:18
That's the people work I care about,
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To je rad ljudi do koga mi je stalo,
06:20
because people work.
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jer ljudi rade.
06:23
Family, I'm asking you
to do the hard work,
to do the hard work,
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Porodice, molim vas za mnogo rada,
06:27
the difficult work,
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za težak rad,
06:28
the churning work of bestowing
undeserved kindness
undeserved kindness
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za iscrpljujući rad darivanja
nezaslužene dobrote
nezaslužene dobrote
onima koje možemo proterati kao smeće,
06:31
upon those who we can relegate as garbage,
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koje možemo lako zanemariti i odbaciti.
06:34
who we can disregard and discard easily.
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Tražim od samog sebe.
06:37
I'm asking myself.
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06:39
Over the past two months,
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Tokom poslednja dva meseca,
06:41
I've lost two friends to gun violence,
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izgubio sam dva prijatelja
zbog oružanog nasilja.
zbog oružanog nasilja.
06:44
both innocent bystanders.
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Obojica su bili nevini prolaznici.
06:46
One was caught in a drive-by
while walking home.
while walking home.
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Jedan je upucan u prolazu
dok se vraćao kući.
dok se vraćao kući.
06:51
The other was sitting in a café
while eating breakfast,
while eating breakfast,
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Drugi je sedeo u kafiću i doručkovao,
06:54
while on vacation in Miami.
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na odmoru u Majamiju.
06:57
I'm asking myself to see
the redemptive value of relevancy
the redemptive value of relevancy
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Tražim od samog sebe da uvidim
iskupljujuću vrednost značajnosti
iskupljujuću vrednost značajnosti
07:01
in the people that murdered them,
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u ljudima koji su ih ubili,
07:03
because of the hard work
of seeing the value in me.
of seeing the value in me.
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jer je neko teško radio
da bi video vrednost u meni.
da bi video vrednost u meni.
07:06
I'm pushing us to challenge
our own capacity
our own capacity
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Teram nas da izazivamo sopstveni kapacitet
07:11
to fully experience our humanity,
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da potpuno iskusimo svoju ljudskost,
07:13
by understanding the full biography
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razumevajući celu biografiju
onih koje lako možemo
izabrati da ne vidimo,
izabrati da ne vidimo,
07:15
of people who we can
easily choose not to see,
easily choose not to see,
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07:19
because heroes are waiting
to be recognized,
to be recognized,
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jer heroji čekaju da ih prepoznaju
07:23
and music is waiting to be made.
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i muzika čeka da se napravi.
07:25
Thank you.
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Hvala vam.
07:27
(Applause)
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(Aplauz)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Marlon Peterson - Human justice advocateMarlon Peterson is a writer, youth development expert and human justice advocate.
Why you should listen
Marlon Peterson is the host of the podcast, Decarcerated, which highlights the journeys of resilience, redemption and success of formerly incarcerated people.
Since his release from prison in 2009, after serving 10 years, Peterson has spearheaded the creation of two youth development programs in New York City, How Our Lives Link Altogether (H.O.L.L.A!) and Youth Organizing to Save Our Streets (YO SOS). With a focus on gun violence prevention and youth advocacy, both programs have provided programming for hundreds of young people.
In 2015 Peterson left his full-time work in the nonprofit sector to create The Precedential Group, a social justice consultancy that works to address the trauma revolving around the intersections of race, gender, violence, police violence and community violence. His work through the Precedential Group has allowed him to provide support for organizations throughout the United States and Trinidad & Tobago, W.I.
As a writer, advocate, program developer and public speaker Peterson has been recognized as a Soros Justice Fellow, Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar, Ebony Magazine Power 100 Honoree and TED Resident. His writings have appeared and been cited in The Nation, Gawker, The Atlantic, Huff Post, Black Press USA, Ebony and the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian. He has contributed to Kiese Laymon's aaward-winning novel, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America and Love Lives Here, Too by former New York Times columnist, Sheila Rule.
Peterson is Brooklyn born and bred with a Trinidadian heart. He is a graduate of New York University and is currently working on his first Pulitzer, a memoir.
Marlon Peterson | Speaker | TED.com