By Edward Ball

One good thing about not being rich and famous is that our mistakes are not blasted across all media outlets and featured on TMZ. Every time you turn around, it seems, Suge Knight is in the news for some mistake he made. What I would consider a bit of misfortune for Suge Knight has the potential to be a development tool for the rest of us. Learning from our mistakes and the mistakes of others is a must, especially when it comes to becoming better. Suge Knight can teach us a lesson I call, “Don’t be a witness to a murder.”

In my book, 39 Things About Life I Learned in Prison: Turn My Mistake into Your Success, I have a bonus chapter titled-Don’t Be a Witness to a Murder. It may be common sense for most people not to witness a murder, however, I have come to learn that common sense isn’t so common. Never-the-less, this chapter isn’t about witnessing a literal murder. The chapter is actually about doing the right thing and as a result you won’t be in a position to be involved in or witness to wrong doings. Suge Knight gives us a look at what happens when you do things you shouldn’t.

If you don’t know who Suge Knight is it doesn’t really matter, though, what he is accused of does. He was recently arrested for running over two men. What actually happened is still unclear, however, Suge allegedly got into an argument with two men on a movie set and supposedly followed the men to a restaurant. The two men were ran over at the restaurant and one of the men died. Suge was arrested as a result of the incident.

Suge made a series of mistakes that could have been avoided if he would have read the bonus chapter in my book.

Suge Knight Mistake Number 1: Conflict Involvement

Suge is nearly 50 years old. In my opinion he is too grown to be involved in a heated argument. As we progress in our lives we find ways to resolve conflict with successful non-violent conclusions. Those of us who are proactive learn to avoid situations that may result in heated arguments and certainly injury or death. Let’s be honest, at 50 years of age we are too busy dealing with the complexities of the world to find the time to complicate things by involving ourselves in conflicts.

What can we learn from this Suge Knight mistake?

1. Act your age
2. Act with civility

Suge Knight Mistake Number 2: Conflict Escalation

Suge allegedly followed the two men he had argued with earlier to a burger stand where they were ran over. As adults we need to learn to let the peace be still. In other words, Suge should have left the situation alone and gone on about his business. Instead he escalated the situation and perhaps put himself in a circumstance where he had to run over the two men to save his life.

What can we learn from this Suge Knight mistake, besides to let the peace be still?

1. Do what you are supposed to do

Continuing and escalating an argument isn’t something you are supposed to do at 3 let alone at 50.

1. Go where you should not where you shouldn’t

You shouldn’t go to a location occupied by someone you are in conflict with.

Suge Knight Mistake Number 3: Not Believing Fat Meat is Greasy

Suge Knight lives in a state that has a 3 strikes law and he has two strikes already. One more felony conviction could result in Suge spending the rest of his life in prison. His celebrity, his money, or the slap on the wrists he has received may be the reason he doesn’t think that the state will send him to prison for the rest of his life. His actions lead me to believe he thinks California is playing, he may find out the hard way that they aren’t, after all fat meat is greasy.

What can we learn from this Suge Knight mistake?

1. There are consequences for our actions

We may not pay for the wrongs or get paid for the rights we do immediately, however, we will pay and be paid for them some day.

1. Don’t be a witness to a murder

 

One way to not be a witness to, victim or perpetrator of a murder is to do what you are supposed to and go where you are supposed to. I know so many people who have been sent to prison simply because they wanted to hang out in criminalized neighborhoods, not actually committing a crime they just wanted to hang out.

If we can avoid the mistakes Suge Knight has made and continues to make we can improve our lives and become better people; people who can avoid conflict or deescalate conflict and we can certainly avoid having to learn things the hard way realizing that fat meat is greasy without some hard trial and rough tribulation. Don’t be a Suge Knight who seems to always be a witness to a murder!

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