Gangs... Whats the point?

[yamahor]

So, I live in a smallish town of about 10,000-ish... I've seen it go from the town you miss if you blink, to what it is now with 5 stoplights... What get's me is that it's small town country ville, and yet we're getting gangs... MS13 is popping up around here... And what get's me with that is it's like a lot of these Gangsters were kids who grew up hearing gangsta rap like 50cent, and how awesome and tuff he is, so they wanna be like him, then they go out and let the lower income areas turn into a ghetto here... It wasn't a ghetto before, just a lower income area... Now it's almost scary to go there, not knowing if you'll get carjacked or shot at by a "Gangsta". Really... What's the point of a gang? Family? Your family would want you to get killed over a car or money? no... Scratch that... Protection from other gangs! Oh wait, that's a vicious cycle, cause if there weren't gangs, you wouldn't need protection... So, what logical reasons are there to join a gang?

 

[kromdom]

Good article on some of the reasons why: Why Young People Join Gangs and What You Can Do

 

[MoosesBusa]

The reasons are many actually. The greatest of these include Personal Insecurity and the need for acceptance by others. Unfortunately Since we as a population have abandoned Family and Moral Values this is what we are left with. When parents were actual parents the gangs were usually comprised of adults instead of children as they are today. It is a sad statement that 10 year olds are gang banging, but they are.

 

[S-R Racing]

Why work a 40+ hour week and try to have nice things,provide for yourself or family. Just take what you want from the idiot down the road who already has it, If I get caught, I'll just go hang with my homies for a nickle,be gone for maybe 2 yrs, by then you'll have even better things when I get back to the 'ol hood. Its the 2 yr retirement plan

Sickning, but true??? I hope this never crosses paths into you or your familys lifelease:

 

[ogre]

ms13 huh? those guys are pretty bad. shoot to kill brother, and may the lord be with you.

 

[chrisjp]

in my home town of 7000 we had 1 gang...kids ran around wearing colors and professing themselves to be bad...till a gang from a bigger local city came in and cleaned thier clocks...now...i dont see or hear of the gang anymore...

 

[Bosshound]

Most People that Join Gangs are STUPID !

Most STUPID People I know Usually hang out with other STUPID People.

 

[afterhours]

i doubt you have any real gangs there.....unless there is drug money to be made.

 

[Takeuon]

Yeah it sucks to see the place you grew up going down the tubes. My old neighborhood in VA has started to turn into the same thing. Its quite sad really as I have so many good memories as a child there. Unfortunately I think MoosesBusa's response is fairly accurate......

 

[SLO MO]

So, I live in a smallish town of about 10,000-ish... I've seen it go from the town you miss if you blink, to what it is now with 5 stoplights... What get's me is that it's small town country ville, and yet we're getting gangs... MS13 is popping up around here... And what get's me with that is it's like a lot of these Gangsters were kids who grew up hearing gangsta rap like 50cent, and how awesome and tuff he is, so they wanna be like him, then they go out and let the lower income areas turn into a ghetto here... It wasn't a ghetto before, just a lower income area... Now it's almost scary to go there, not knowing if you'll get carjacked or shot at by a "Gangsta". Really... What's the point of a gang? Family? Your family would want you to get killed over a car or money? no... Scratch that... Protection from other gangs! Oh wait, that's a vicious cycle, cause if there weren't gangs, you wouldn't need protection... So, what logical reasons are there to join a gang?

MS13 are a different breed, if i remember correctly it's an EL Salvadorian prison gang that just spread like wild fire, it's a number of reasons for kids joining gangs, fear of the gangs, lack of family, the social structure of the environment, poverty, the need to be a part of something etc. Sometimes depending on the region or city kids can be pretty much born into a gang.

FYI, even the Crips or (Cribs) and the Bloods started out as community organizations or social clubs but along came the multi million dollar drug trade fueled by the CIA for the Contras and the supply of high powered weapons and everything changed look it up, (freeway Ricky Ross, Oliver North, CIA connection with inner cities and drugs) it's all there and no conspiracy theory.

Rap or so called gangster rappers are 0.1% of the problem, gangs existed long before Rap was invented and even then so called gangster rappers didn't appear until the 90's when big money came into play with the music scene. 50 is probably the worst example because those that know what he is about identify him more with being an incredible business man that stayed on the top of Forbes list making a killing with his investments especially ownership of Vitamin Water and Coca Cola's purchase of it (400 million for him), along with other business moves and his incredible marketing ability.

50 (Curtis Jackson) early music talked about his life as a hustler and being shot 9 times, his mother selling drugs and being murdered and the body burned but nothing about gangs (hustlers, crews and gang culture are different) his movie get rich or die trying was actually really good it was based on his life growing up a hustler.

 

[fastblackblur]

nice post slo mo

I don't fully understand why people join gangs, and for that I am thankful.

 

[Busa Jules]

Teach High School and you'll see how completely pointless and disruptive it is... Gang signs written on books, assignments, walls.. and this is a BRAND NEW SCHOOL.

It starts fights, kids get a slap on the hand and they are right back in class the next day.

The administration says the kids are just showing their loyalty to their communities. I call :bs: It is bullying to the Nth degree... It makes me very intimidated knowing that there are large groups of 30 - 40 kids that all have "each other's backs" and if the spark ignites, this place will blow sky high.

I am waiting for the day a gun or knife fight breaks out. If I knew the Police dog at school wouldn't rat me out (He's trained to detect black powder.. aka gun powder) I'd keep my 380 in my bag.

 

[Commuta_Busa]

There's no logical reason for joining a gang. But as others stated they feel more empowered and a sense of brotherhood/family.

 

[afterhours]

There's no logical reason for joining a gang. But as others stated they feel more empowered and a sense of brotherhood/family.

that seems like two pretty good reasons to join a gang?

some of you may not agree, or even understand. however to say there are no logical reason to join a gang, is completely wrong.

there have been lots of studies, and research into this area and there are lots of real reasons people join the gangs.

 

[Commuta_Busa]

there are lots of reasons to join but deep dpwn it's only about makin more n more money illegaly regardless of the cost.

 

[LeDauz]

There's no logical reason for joining a gang. But as others stated they feel more empowered and a sense of brotherhood/family.

ask any gang member thats been locked for a long time that brotherhood/family is bs once you go to prison all those freinds and homies won't send a post card/letter/phone call or come to visit them ever.

And it doesn't matter if they went to prison proctecting them or not. because gangs only are family if they can profit from each other

but personaly i figure take the troops out of the middle east, then take the money from the bail out.Then let the military deal with the gang problem and use the bail out money for gang banger bodie bags.

 

[Wag]

there are lots of reasons to join but deep dpwn it's only about makin more n more money illegaly regardless of the cost.

This is very close to the right answer. All good posts above.

I think the reasons people join gangs can be summed up as, "When the cost of not doing a thing is less than the cost of doing it, people won't do it."

As a society, we just haven't imposed a higher cost for being a part of a gang than for being out of a gang.

All of the other reasons for joining a gang are valid, of course. The most significant factor in my never-to-be-humble opinion is that parental guidance in missing from too many people's lives. Both parents work or a single parents works 15 hour days and kids are left to fend for themselves. A bullied teen will join a gang in a heartbeat if it affords him protection because he or she sure isn't getting any help from mom or dad.

Still, as I said, the cost of being a part of a gang is simply not high enough.

--Wag--

 

[Mr Brown]

Some good answers above. It boils down to disenfranchised youth wanting to be a part of something. Most little towns have their wannabe gangsters, where I live does. They are laughable. MS-13 is a serious gang, and if your town really has members (not just stupid local kids that think they are tough) then you have a problem. Stay away from them, and if confrontation arises, as suggested above, shoot to kill, and be prepared to move afterword. Gangs rely on intimidation, and serious gangsters will not think twice about making an example of you or your family. Remember when dealing with these cats (the real ones, not the little local clowns) you are dealing with people who have nothing to lose, and are not afraid of law enforcement, prison or deportation.

 

[BIG GUY]

I also work at a high school. The music in my eyes doesn't have anything to do with the way kids act. I see it as the parents not talking to their kids and teaching them the difference between right and wrong. I listen to mainly rap and I have turned out pretty well. In my eyes my parents taught me the difference between right and wrong. A lot of parents that I deal with are just to lazy or to young to care what their kids do or to teach them about the important things in life.

 

[yamahor]

i doubt you have any real gangs there.....unless there is drug money to be made.

Plenty... Unfortunately this area is said to be the Meth Capitol of the East Coast cause we're dead center of Fla and NY, plus we have I-64 going East/West and I-81 North/south... Plus, just 1.5 hrs away is I-95 N/S... Apparently lots of the barns here have been made into Meth Labs. It sad...