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Thread: The Gangs of Los Angeles

  1. #1
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    Default The Gangs of Los Angeles

    Interesting website, although it's going to take me a couple of months to get through most of the material available here

    http://www.streetgangs.com/

    and one recent example of what's going on here from the same website

    http://www.streetgangs.com/topics/2007/020807rice.html

  2. #2
    madmaxine
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    Default Re: The Gangs of Los Angeles

    I watched "Bastards of the Party" on HBO- about the genesis of LA's street gangs, the Bloods and the Crips. It is excellently produced & even someone who has never been exposed to American street culture can learn from it.

    The reason there is resentment against upper-class Americans in the lower classes of America is that the reality of poverty (predation within the community, violence, police brutality, etc.) affects all in the neighborhood. We see a lot of joking about it in the media but the reality of inner city life is crushing and cruel. A lot of gang members are total pragmatists and would succeed in conventional businesses if given the chance.

    If you want to be more frightened, research the favela culture of Brazil or watch "City of God."

  3. #3
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    Default Re: The Gangs of Los Angeles

    LA times news story out today ... with a somewhat different twist

  4. #4
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: The Gangs of Los Angeles

    The LA Weekly has this week on the political bullshit behind the "11 Most Dangerous Gangs" list. Nobody can figure out how those particular gangs were chosen, but everybody who has any experience with gangs disputes the list. So what's with Villaraigosa's political BSing here?

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    Default Re: The Gangs of Los Angeles

    So what's with Villaraigosa's political BSing here?
    my guess - he's trying to convince fellow Californian Nancy Pelosi to send a few billiion dollars of federal tax money to LA to fund the local police payroll and reduce the LA city budget deficit under the guise of Justice Dep't sponsored anti-gang law enforcement programs. With this particular top 11 list in place, once he receives the federal tax money he can easily report the 'success' of the anti-gang law enforcement program a year down the road by stating that 1/2 of the gangs on this list no longer present a 'major threat'.

    This is consistent with a 'relaxation' of Special Rule 40 or whatever it's called, i.e. the directive to LA cops that they aren't allowed to question about immigration status when arrests are made. Villariagosa is undoubtedly aware that this policy gives people / legislators from other states a case of the 'red ass'. If Nancy Pelosi attempts to back a multimillion dollar federal law enforcement grant to a police department that refuses to enforce federal law, there will undoubtedly be a critical backlash by others in Congress that the proposal is pure 'Pork'. However, if that police department announces that it might partially enforce federal law, the grant request seems more legitimate.

  6. #6
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: The Gangs of Los Angeles

    Of course. That makes perfect sense. Thanks!

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    Default Re: The Gangs of Los Angeles

    The reason there is resentment against upper-class Americans in the lower classes of America is that the reality of poverty (predation within the community, violence, police brutality, etc.) affects all in the neighborhood. We see a lot of joking about it in the media but the reality of inner city life is crushing and cruel. A lot of gang members are total pragmatists and would succeed in conventional businesses if given the chance.
    There is something to this; when you have no hope and nothing to lose, gang life (or criminal activity in general) is a lot more attractive vis a vis the alternative of crushing poverty.
    Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive.

    William F. Buckley, Jr.

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