In Kiese Laymon's story "How To Kill Yourself Slowly In America," he proposes that he is slowly dying. He is killing himself and others are slowly killing him. After all, in the introduction to his story he describes how he has had several guns pulled on him, but he has never been afraid to die. In many of these cases, he actually promoted or tempted the gun holders to pull the trigger. He almost made it seem like he wanted them to, just to put him out of the misery of his everyday life. This makes one think, is he slowly killing people or how is he slowly killing himself? Laymon's thesis is that social policy of a society in large part produces the individual actions of societal members. Thus, when lower class citizens have rape, murder and crime in the communities in which they live, this is a result of a lack of education and severe poverty. In short, Laymon's point is that the "The Chickens Come Home To Roost." This, I will argue is how the society is slowly killing him. On the other hand, he is killing himself in that he is participating in this society that produces so many threats against him.

There is a long history in America, for certain individuals, to justify actions of individuals based on the overall social policy. In other words, it is acceptable to allow certain things to go on due to where someone comes from. Their socioeconomic situation and their race can play a large role in how individuals get away with certain actions, because they may be living in severe poverty or other bad situations. Malcolm X once said, "The chickens come home to roost." At the time that he said this, John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. The country was in a up roar about what was going to happen and many civil rights leaders broke out with many different view points. Malcolm X believed that his assassination was a result of, "a long line of violent acts, the culmination of hate and suspicion and doubt in this country" (Pipes, Americas chickens are coming home to roost). For Malcolm X, America reaped what it sowed. In other words, the United States got what it deserved. The social policy of America at that time produced this society that resulted in Lee Harvey Oswald assassinating the president. America had forced the hand of the criminal to commit this terrible act, because of severe tensions between race, war and politics of the time. 

On the other hand, Reverend Jeremiah Write used the term "The chickens come home to roost" when he talks about the post Nine Eleven attack. While talking to his congregation he explains that, "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards" (Ross, God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11).  This is the perspective of Laymon, in that he sees the same social policy today as a result of the same social actions. The actions of the United States in the Middle East, before Nine Eleven, led to the destruction of a large American symbol. Had the United States not been involved with "Desert Storm" or numerous other war activities, there is a possibility that the Nine Eleven terrorist attacks may have never occurred. 

Laymon's story has many factors that run hand in hand with the ideals from Malcolm X and Reverend Jeremiah Write. For instance, when Laymon describes how Trayvon Martin is killed for fighting back at a white man in society. He is connected to Trayvon in that he tries to fight back against the tyrant of a dean at the school in which he attends. Upon doing so, he is excused from school. The crime that the dean feels is so impermissible is he free wrote about the many problems with society. These ideals that he writes about do not correspond with the morals of the university or the dean. He is excused for doing what he feels he is obligated to do and that is to fight the white culture. He was cultivated into a culture in which police brutality, rape and murder was an everyday occurrence. He feels that he must fight back against his oppressors because he has no other choice. For example, when he is outside his friend's car and the white police officer has a gun to his chest, he felt unjustly provoked to stand up for what is right. 

What is right is to stand up for his sub-society, whether or not he is proud of where he came from, he will not let someone mock him or his heritage. The social policy that is in place is, an African American individual should never try to go against the authority of a white individual. The word of the white man has more value than that of an African American's. He argues against this social policy when he fights back against the policeman, who at any moment could easily take his life. While doing this he cannot help but feel obligated to stand up against his oppressors, but does not understand why he does it.

Throughout his story a recurring theme was when he said, "I don't know why I am doing this," (Laymon, "How to kill yourself and others slowly in America"). He describes how he does not understand why he does these things, but it would seem it is because he is part of the system in which white culture constantly oppresses. It is time for someone to voice out against the problems that have been occurring for many years. 

When he gets in the fight with his mother, his mother kicks him out. He sneaks back in the next day, gets in the bathtub with her gun and contemplates pulling the trigger. The sub society in which he is a part of has driven him to want to commit this act. Although he feels that he can go no further, in the distance he sees this sense of hope. The hope is that he is working to make a world that is better for the future generations. 

By standing up for his beliefs, he is going against the societal boundaries that have been set for him in the past. He sees that he is contributing to the culture in which he grew up. When he does the actions like stand up to the cop, fight with his mother or goes against the dean, one cannot help but feel that he is subconsciously fighting for something bigger than himself. He is fighting for those who cannot voice their opinion for themselves in the society he grew up in. Although the society is slowly killing him, he cannot help but feel that he has to play a part in it. By doing so he is creating a world that is more inviting and gives a bigger chance of success for those with similar backgrounds.

At the end of the story, Laymon describes a situation in which a young man that he went to college with, killed a young women. With the aid of one of his friends, the man was able to accomplish this act. He describes the story as a terrible event and at the end one feels that he has a sense of astonishment. Not at the fact that someone would commit such a horrible crime, but that the young man he knew admitted to it. This may seem like such a small detail, but in the world that he grew up in, this was not a common occurrence for some to admit to such a horrible crime. There was almost a sense of pride for Laymon, in that the man was willing to admit to his mistake and own up to the punishment. He felt pride because this event could make the ripple that eventually turns into the wave of honesty and integrity for not just his community, but for others that are similar to his.

 For this man it could have been very easy for him to blame this act on where he came from. Laymon would argue, that he admitted to it because he did not want to be labeled as just another kid from the block that took the easy way out. For many from his background, they would have gladly found an excuse to get away from the truth of the situation, but when "The Chickens Came Home To Roost" he didn't shy away, he faced it head on. 

