A little empathy goes a long way, friend. Obviously I have personal responsibility. My post was not an attempt to eschew responsibility, but to tell my story.

A lot of people are in similar situations. I AM lucky enough to be smart and able to pull myself out of that kind of upbringing. Here's the kicker - a LOT of people aren't. Or are in even worse situations. Understanding where people are coming from and the unique challenges they've experienced, that shale who they are - that's the only way we're going to change anything societally.