Any current or former gang members here?

The reason i ask is because i want you to explain to me what is so glamorous about the lifestyle. I know i probably won't get it but i just need an explanation. Is it considered manly to join a group of criminals and go out and hurt other people or even kill them. I used to work with an ex gang member and he said it was because they took him in and showed him love as a brother. However, his initiation was letting 5 guys from this gang beat the hell out of him. That's love? Come on.

I'm on this kick because of 2 things this morning. One, the X-Raided story. 2, there was a story on the news last night warning women to watch out. A local gang is placing baby seats on the side of the road hoping to get a concerned female to stop to see if it's an abandoned baby. When the female approaches the seat she would then be dragged behind the trees, raped and killed. This is simply for an initiation to the gang. How anybody can think that this kind of thing is ok is beyond me.

Somebody rationalize this for me.

We need Organ Jazz Man around here for this topic. I'm sure he'd be able to shed some insight since he's a blockumentary connoisseur. lol

I'm a gangster bitch. We iz kangz

Well, for one that second story sounds like an urban myth in the making, two according to X-Raided it wasn't really a riot, but some stan stalker fan who was locked up with him who stabbed him. It's on interesting read on dubcnn if you are interested.

Personally I've never been a big fan of X-Raided, that said, the core of your question is why people join gangs. If you are really interested, there are some books out there that help explain what goes into breeding a climate and culture where gang activity acceptable, normal, or even expected. I've never been in a gang, but I grew up around them and some of my friends ended up getting caught up in that.

I don't think anyone would be justifying them or trying to defend them in anyway, but there is a lot that goes into it. Lack of male role models for a lot of these kids, lack of any role models really, lack of positive job prospects, etc. The jumping in process is just seen as a way to prove you are down with the movement, that you won't punk out or rat. It's mostly show as most gang bangers will snitch if their life or prison time is on the line.

Like I said, if you are really interested in learning about the topic I can refer to some good literature.

Seems a bit odd though for you to bump some gangsta rap and then condemn the lifestyle, has listening to it not given you any insight?

E. Taylor wrote:

The reason i ask is because i want you to explain to me what is so glamorous about the lifestyle. I know i probably won't get it but i just need an explanation. Is it considered manly to join a group of criminals and go out and hurt other people or even kill them. I used to work with an ex gang member and he said it was because they took him in and showed him love as a brother. However, his initiation was letting 5 guys from this gang beat the hell out of him. That's love? Come on.

I'm on this kick because of 2 things this morning. One, the X-Raided story. 2, there was a story on the news last night warning women to watch out. A local gang is placing baby seats on the side of the road hoping to get a concerned female to stop to see if it's an abandoned baby. When the female approaches the seat she would then be dragged behind the trees, raped and killed. This is simply for an initiation to the gang. How anybody can think that this kind of thing is ok is beyond me.

Somebody rationalize this for me.

Well that shit is fucked up. Personally, I've never been in a gang because most gangsters usually end up either dead or in jail and that's not a life I wanted to live. I was asked to join a few of them when I was younger, but I declined. I do know some people who were in them though. Some of them were somewhat respectable, but most were about bullshit. I would never recommend joining a gang. However, being street smart is DEFINITELY important. It sharpens up your survival skills and your overall common sense. While many gangsters lack morals and credibility, those who end up getting out of the gang and turning their lives around end up very street smart and diplomatic, and can preach to the youth the dangers of gang life.

Basically what I'm saying is that while gangs were never my thing, I respect those who came from humble beginnings and became better people, and those experiences are what made them what they became.

I agree with SRP you listen to a good amount of street rap and it provided no insight into the psychic of the average street cat or wannabe?

The music to me is entertainment. If that offends some of you i'm sorry. Music to me is the same as movies. I enjoy the music and yes it has given me some insight. I just want to hear it from somebody that really lives the lifestyle. I guess the story on the news last night just really pissed me off. There's no sense in acts of violence against innocent people and i want to know why this is considered a "cool" thing to do.

Well, I think the whole point is that nobody in their right mind would think it is cool. But, if you are willing to reject all sense of a moral imperative then you are extremely valuable. The more extreme the act, the more total the unconditionality.

Mind you, I'm speaking out my ass as a third party observationist.

There is also the phenomenon of mob mentality, which doesn't exactly apply to your example. But it often can in gang violence scenarios.

Well E Taylor, that's a good question..

I was in several gangs, and lost 4 of my best friends to gang violence. I also lost a few of my family members to gang violence as well. Luckily I was able to stray away from all the gangs I've joined and decided to change my life and work with the youth, but I was of the fortunate ones..

My reasons why I joined:
My family/Friends were affliated
My enviroment breeded gang members - (Humboldt Park area of Chicago)
Protection from other gangs
Drugs
Money
Females
Note: The only thing I gained from joining a gang was protection. There were many times in my life that if I didnt have the protection, I wouldnt be here right now typing..

Reason why the youth join gangs
family/Friends are affliated
Protection from other gangs
Drugs
Money
Females
Glamorized lifestyle
Unfortunately the hood is still breeding gangsters
Lack of belonging to something or someone
Lack of parental guidance
Lack of Mentor
Lack of youth out reach programs
Lack of positive role models
Lack of own personal identity

IMO - It goes deeper then needing brotherhood or love, there are issues that are always unseen in the news. The news always explains all the horrid gang/youth stories, but they never explain how youth centers and after school programs are being cut and closed down. Unfortunately its a vicious cycle of bullshit and polotics that happen within the inner city circle of Chicago.


Basically what I'm saying is that while gangs were never my thing, I respect those who came from humble beginnings and became better people, and those experiences are what made them what they became.

^^^Nice KJ, you just explained me in that sentence..


Peace

Sorry about my rant this morning guys. I'm just in a mood this morning because i feel strongly about an issue. I already knew about the lack of male role models and all that other stuff. I just don't quite understand it and it's probably not for me to understand. I've been affected by this type of violence in the past 2 years and when the subject comes up i get very vocal about how against it i am.

I usually don't talk about it but i've had 2 friends shot by gang members in the last 2 years. One is dead, the other is in a wheelchair for life. The one that died got shot in a carjacking. The one that's paralyzed got shot for getting the better of someone in a fight. It might not be hard to deal with for people that see it happen all the time but in a suberb of Louisville, we don't see it all that much.

Thanks Arokone, and understand that i'm not trying to bash you or other people that are important to you. I appreciate your response. Yeah i've heard the music and i've seen the movies but you gotta understand that with where i'm from, that's not really real life. Of course, Louisville has some gang activity and it's affected 2 of my good friends, but for the most part it's pretty easy to stay away from.

E. Taylor wrote:

Thanks Arokone, and understand that i'm not trying to bash you or other people that are important to you. I appreciate your response. Yeah i've heard the music and i've seen the movies but you gotta understand that with where i'm from, that's not really real life. Of course, Louisville has some gang activity and it's affected 2 of my good friends, but for the most part it's pretty easy to stay away from.

No problem man, I didn't take any offense to what you said and I copmpletely understand your frustrations. When gang violence hits close to home the response becomes different and any comprehension you might have about gangs goes out the window...Because at the end of the day its not worth a life!!!

Peace

Graff crew back in HS-post HS. We were like 15 deep at our prime...when we went bombing at night we'd roll in groups of 4 at the most....when we went "piecing"(create large murials in a secluded area during the day..ie under freeways-bridge pits) we'd roll a little deeper maybe 8-10 heads. We despised gangs,even though some of our crew members were connected(it was all peace when we pieced lol)-anyways..i left SD-the crew became bigger and sorta more like a set..they started jumping in the new generation of members..a few heads went to jail, lost in drugs...a few left San Diego(myself)..

They rep hard still,,up all over SD...RDK...if you ever head that way..youll see them up...i saw them up when i went to Padres stadium yest.

a few likeminded artists started a crew to express themselves thru their art(illegally of course) thats all we were..we fought when we had to

Gangs are just a symptom of the problem, but not the problem itself. People hype up the initiations and all that, but for the most part gang activity is just individuals doing what the would have been doing regardless of their affiliation with a gang.

The mentality of just being a gang and being violent and committing crime for the sake of it is nothing most people would condone or approve of. That said, most of these crimes end up being committed to feed a drug habit, get money, or some other much more mundane reason.

I understand your stance E. Taylor and no one would ever say anyone deserved to die or there is ever any justification for a violent crime. The problem for me is that this country breeds an environment and a society that allows this stuff to happen. Inequality grows, you have people stuck in those situations who feel helpless. America as a society does little to help. They fund billion dollar wars and aids elsewhere, and then protest and complain when we try to help our own get better here - they blame them for their situation, they ignore the history of slavery and racism that led to this situation. They even promote the culture by buying the CDs and promoting certain artists. They do all this and yet still get up in arms when it hits too close to home. They are fine letting the poor kill themselves, but when it hits home then its a problem. I know not everyone is the same, but in general that is our society. I think that in itself is a contradiction. People can't have their cake and eat it too. No one deserves to die, that is not my point, but at the same time this society can not just reap the benefits of its actions without also suffering the consequences.

co-sign SRP and Arokone's statements