I'm not sure if this is the right room for this topic, but it seems like the best fit.

Anyway, today in Goverment we were having a class discusion, and somehow the topic turned to gangs. I thought it might be intresting to see people from around the worlds views on gangs, as well as how often you encounter them.

Where I live (not so nice part of Los Angeles), gangs are everywhere, and there pretty big. I tend to view them negativly because more often than not as a gangster you will be involved in some sort of illegal activity. On the other hand, gangs are like familys for some people, some people join them for protection, absurd as it sounds. I know a few people who are or where involved with gangs over the years, and for the most part they are no diffrent than anyone else, but I still think of them as violent brutes for the most part.

I believe gangs are just groups that people join to fullfill needs of social belonging. They serve the same fashion that frats and sororities do in colleges.
Now in some bad areas like where you live in Los Angeles (I live in a pretty bad part of LA also), these gangs can become violent and competative and such.

I say just ignore them and instead of trying to combat them and break them up, focus on the factors that bring down the whole community (poor educational systems, poverty, crime etc..)

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Originally posted by Nadi On the other hand, gangs are like familys for some people, some people join them for protection, absurd as it sounds.

NO. A family (ideally) instills good morals into you, loves you, conforts you, nourishes you. A gang does non of that. The only thing a gang offers you is the increased possibility of getting killed/maimed. What 'protection' are you talking about? It's an illusion. There's no protection there. Its a bunch of cowards frightened silly that make a half assed attempt to look united who would do another gang member in for a few bucks or some pussy the second he got a chance. Is that the family you were talking about?

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I know a few people who are or where involved with gangs over the years, and for the most part they are no diffrent than anyone else, but I still think of them as violent brutes for the most part.

Oh, I think they are different then you and me. Well maybe not you, but definately me. As far as I've know I've never enjoyed banding together with fellow cowards to look for trouble.

I'm not going to get into the why so many youth are 'justified' (loosely speaking) in joining gangs arguement (ie. broken families, poverty, etc), but IMO, these type of people are almost always lost causes destined to be a burden/parasite of society.

perfectly said, Nalin.

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"Those are my principles, if you don't like them... well, I have others.”

Yes, I also agree with Nalin. Gangs are in some way fulfilling an individual's need to belong to something, but it's better to not belong in any group than to belong in a criminal organization. Imo, gangs should be destroyed and their leaders thrown in jail for a long time.

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1+1=10

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Originally posted by DrUg_Tit0 Yes, I also agree with Nalin. Gangs are in some way fulfilling an individual's need to belong to something, but it's better to not belong in any group than to belong in a criminal organization. Imo, gangs should be destroyed and their leaders thrown in jail for a long time.

Of course its better not to belong in something than to belong in a criminal group.
People here in Los Angeles have been trying to destroy gangs and throw their leaders in jail for a long time, and its not working at all.
By getting rid of the leaders a new one just pops up and when the government is seen as attacking the gang or "family" it just forces the gang to bond closer together because they see the police as oppressing them and thus they need to hold on to their "family" even tighter.

To be honest, I'd rather be the undeserving man that gets gunned down by a large group of cowards than to be one of them myself. No matter how impoverished or neglected you are at home, a gang will not better your situation in any way. Anyone who would hurt a person they don't know, just because a group of people told them to, is weak.

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Originally posted by Nadi Where I live (not so nice part of Los Angeles), gangs are everywhere, and there pretty big. I tend to view them negativly because more often than not as a gangster you will be involved in some sort of illegal activity. On the other hand, gangs are like familys for some people, some people join them for protection, absurd as it sounds. I know a few people who are or where involved with gangs over the years, and for the most part they are no diffrent than anyone else, but I still think of them as violent brutes for the most part.

Wow, gangs are still a problem? Maybe it's because of the shift in media in the past decade away from their "Hood maddness" but I know idea they were still around.

For me gangs are simply cheap facsimilies of organized crime groups but that doesn't mean that they're any less of threat to the communities they operate in (albeit on a lesser scale) and as such need to be combated by law enforcement and concerned citizens.

From a socialogical, psychological perspective, the rise of gangs is easy to understand. Being as gangs (as we know them) are comprised of indivduals who live in high-crime areas (low-income no longer suffices for me as a sole indicator of high-crime) and either have/or rejected any positive role models. They see a bunch of "authority figures" and as such join.

Last edited by IronDragon on Mar-06-2003 at 02:58

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Originally posted by IronDragon Wow, gangs are still a problem? Maybe it's because of the shift in media in the past decade away from their "Hood maddness" but I know idea they were still around.

lol. Have you been living under a rock lately?

Seriously though, I don't really understand how you can call them cowards. Misguided sure, stupid probably, but going out knowing that they've got a big target on there back, certantly cant be considered cowardly.

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Originally posted by Nadi lol. Have you been living under a rock lately? Seriously though, I don't really understand how you can call them cowards. Misguided sure, stupid probably, but going out knowing that they've got a big target on there back, certantly cant be considered cowardly.

They are cowards ... they hide behind guns and in groups to intimidate others.

It's a group mentality we're seeing here. You get one of these gang members on their own and he's as harmless as a toddler.

They're just uneducated fools, with an image to uphold, with no concern for their own future or that of people around them.

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Of course its better not to belong in something than to belong in a criminal group. People here in Los Angeles have been trying to destroy gangs and throw their leaders in jail for a long time, and its not working at all. By getting rid of the leaders a new one just pops up and when the government is seen as attacking the gang or "family" it just forces the gang to bond closer together because they see the police as oppressing them and thus they need to hold on to their "family" even tighter.

Then put them all in jail. Just give the leaders longer sentences. UK had a big problem with hooligans on stadiums before Margaret Thatcher sentenced every one of them who caused problems to like 5 years or something. The rest calmed down very soon. It's one of her rare actions I totally support. Violence on the streets should not be tolerated.

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1+1=10