GANGS!!

Why in your opinion are the exsitence of gangs an injustice? What do you think has created this injustice?

Frankly I don't see them as an injustice, more as a survivalist method to evade poverty and the underclass lifestyle

^ I agree, pretty much.

Blame capitalism, globalisation and the growing moral vacuum.

I agree too .

Maybe i'm confused, what "type" of gang are you referring too? because there are many varieties and depending on what you're talking about, i would either agree, or have a VERY strong opinion quite the contrary...

How cant you blame music and all that stuff
Yeah they talk about "Thug life" but that is no influence to go out and join a gang.
It seems like you have listen to a little or some and are you in a gang?

It is mostly caused by parents that are or once in a gang, living in bad neighborhoods in which they look for protection for, money, and some people actually like it.

"You can blame rap music, easily influenced teenagers, Eminem, alcohol, drugs, money and sex on gangs."

^^^
That has got to be the one of the most narrow minded and naive things I've ever heard.

Tch. That's almost as bad as blaming the incident at columbine on Marilyn Manson's music.

These people above put it right...or at least as right as it can be. It's a way of life - a brotherhood that most people outside don't understand. Even though it's not glamorous and doesn't always seem morally sound, it's just the path that certain people follow in order to feel as though they are safe - in many ways.

I used to live in extremly rough area in Toronto, it was either join a gang or be robbed every time you walked out of your damn apartment building. I refused to for the first year I lived there but due to being harrassed everytime I walked out my door I was unable to go to school and then when you got to school you'd be pushed around and asked for money. So, I met one of my friends who ended up being well respected in the area. And I was fine. In my experience joining one is too keep your ass safe. Usually why gangs start was because of racism to protect the area from people they didn't want coming in and doing stuff they didn't want done. And then drug selling got involved.

I think Bob will have more of an input on this subject than I. But that is my personal experience. I don't think music or pop culture drives real gangs because they're real not kids living in a suburb hanging with their homies.

Ah yeah, lets face it, most "gangsta rappers" were in gang life before they were in hip hop, as Noir said, it is a means of survival for many people.
When they first break of course their music is going to be about thug life because that is what they were living, some like to perpetuate the image of thug as long as they can and others do actually progress. I don't think Ice Cube, Ice-T and others still come out with the same attitude they had when they were breaking out.
In many cases hip hop is coming out of the hood, maybe our concern should be that people have to live that way in this day and age. Nobody wants to here them sing about it, but not many think about the fact that they were living what they're singing.

Sorry i forgot the t in cant.

^^^
And the apostrophe. :P

Blaming rap music how naive geta life and stop pointing the finger

Lol.

You mustn't have real gangs in Australia.

Yeah you are right but for jarred to steriotype rap music as being only about drug, gangs and ect. thats wrong. thats like saying every person thats gay has aids think about it really..... come on stop acting like a five year old pointing the finger at every problem

Gangs are not always about drugs alcohol and such.....it ust to be more for protection.....gangs have more of a meaning to it that alot of people dont know about because most of them are very violent.......i personaly dont see nuthin wrong with them....but thats all ima say

I think the same way they react and show things differently....my boyfriend is in one and he is more emotional but yet keeps things in alot to i dont know....i agree with the kid above....

Yeah i guess so

Guess so what?

Wow i would've never thought

I study psychology and work with gang members on my job everyday,I work in a program for troubled teens,The main reason most kids get involved in gangs is for the substitution of the family feeling,feeling like they belong,that someone is looking out for them,and yes protection.If kids feel loved and valued by their families they usually have everything they need to resist the lure of the gang.They have their own rules and justice is not high on their list!

"Oh of course not, as if we'd gangs of people who kill each other over here Australia, I mean thats absurd."
^^^
Well, seeing as I don't live in Australia, have never set foot on Australian soil, and don't know anyone from Australia, I do not think that it was an absurd thought at all.

Who ever keeps saying their trouble kids, most of them are not. I was in MCM for over 3 years. It was a means of protection, it wasn't because I had a terrible mom or my house was bad. It was so I wouldn't get robbed every single day and hussled to death at school.

Everyone has to play the blame game. I could have easily not joined and just lived with it. And I would have been fine. Maybe lost 3 or 4 dollars a week but that's nothing. Our society is based on pointing the finger and blaming someone.

I don't think its about blaming someone but there is obviously something that makes a teen feel the need to belong to a gang,I consider it trouble for the teen when they become involved in illegal activity,which is part of the gangs that I am familiar with(like the Bloods and the Crips) and others.There are definately kids that have joined gangs that have good parents but I think that is not as common as ones coming from dysfunctional families.

"That's almost as bad as blaming the incident at columbine on Marilyn Manson's music."

my church blamed it on that. they also said NSYNC was satans music -_-

anyway gangs are stupid. my cousin almost died because he SAYS he's in the bloods and he wouldnt put his red 'flag' on the ground. the dude who is supposedly in the cryps pistol whipped him. i saw it all and it still bothers me. my cousin was laying in the middle of the street and he wouldnt wake up =(

but yeah thats why i think gangs are stupid.

Well the bloods and the crips are soooo stupid any way=p

I think who created this injustice is the human himself,especially those who think they are the best and others are nothing compared to them.

I don't think they are. Gangs are just like big families I guess.

Hmmm... i guess they could be. uk cuz of the godfather, they were the "family" and most of them they were. and the sopranos. lol

but they all do things 4 eachother 4 watever it takes.

Actually i agree they are just big families. their people that stick together in groups and love eachother. but like brothers and sisters.

sure they can DO bad things, but it does not mean all of them are going to do it. i actually have many friends in gangs. but their not like what you see or hear about most of the time.

i hang with alot of surenos [mexican gang
and their actually realy cool, they always have eachothers back, and mine sometimes.

[what they always say is. its easy to get in. but only one way out. and thats in a body bag. lol]

but they always try to scare me like that.

ANYWAS.
ack to the point.

not all gang activity is bad. sometimes they should realize the potential they have, They have ALOT of influence on young minds, why not use that influence for bigger and better things?

but I guess we'll have to wait for that day t come.

Well I know that they are bad. i've seen them do hprrible things. but im trying to look past it right now. i've had too much hurt. they've been my protection. if i didnt have them, well I may not be here right now. they saved me. I was getting jumped for no reson and a few girls pulled out knives. but they came at the last second.

so yes. they may do bad things. but when im around they dont do anything.
this was a forum to voice your opinion and that's what im doing.

and my dad was also taken from me. so i know how it feels.

but surenos,are my fam. and i owe them alot.

im sorry if i offended but i gess you'd just have to be in my position to understand. and id have to be in your to understand.

Funy thing..i went into the whole thing havingnothin to offer.

they took me under their wings and helped me.

think what you want. but their not all bad.
they mean alot to me, they're the only ones i've had thts helped me with y problems.

I disagree^

their not weak at all. they kill/steal ect.

for their survival.

and if you think surviving is weak, then you my friend, are weak as well.

and as for those kids that get shot...well they've gotten themselves in that situation so their bound to get hurt someday.

Killing someone because they look at you funny or as part of an initiation is not a means of survival. Gang life has evolved into much more than just survival.

^^

see its weird. [not an argument here] but you have to be in the life to understand it fully. not sayin im in a gang....cuz im not. but i hang out with them ALL the time. & no they dont kill because people look at tehm funny. It's for reasons i doubt youll be able to understand in your life time.

im done with this discussion;;

so my last comment. no one likes to be judged here. but look at what your doing to them. JUDGING THEM. some of them have reasons why they have to 'gang bang' it could be a means of survival for their family.

so until your in a gang and can understand what they go through. dont judge what they do.

^^ Is that why you're so freaking judgmental of all of them?

Courtney said it.
I don't know what gang members you know, Beautiful Chaos, but none of my friends or any of my exes ever jumped anybody or tried to kill them or kill someone just because they looked at them funny or anything as minute as that. And most initiations (I've only heard of ONE that does) don't include killing someone.

Survival. That all depends on where you live honestly, and how your family life is or such things. Everything plays a role and it all depends on your environment, or the way you see life. They may see it as survival. Just because you see it as being weak, doesn't mean they don't see it as their only option.

Like Courtney said:
until your in a gang and can understand what they go through. dont judge what they do.

Lmao you kids are hilarious, I can pull up any number of articles and studies on gang life, former members speaking out and trying to change their communities. Most people who speak on it here, only know the glamorized version of gang life. Thug wannabes don't count, there are some real gangsters out there who would not hesitate to end your life for looking at them wrong, it is seen as a sign of disrespect in a life full of nothing but fear disguised as respect.

At what point was I slandering all gang members in my short point that is valid and true?

You need to get informed, these things are on video and easy enough to find. Maybe you should talk to some real ex gang members.

Maybe one day we'll see you on Maury lol

Your remark could've been interpreted wrong and seen as slandering ALL gang members. I obviously did, because it sounded like it to me and got defensive because none of my friends are at all like that. Yes, that is true and is real, but I saw it as you insulting my friends by putting them in the mix.

And I'm sorry if I don't look these things up and take my time to watch videos about gangs. I merely go off of what I know from history projects and friends. So if I'm not fully informed about every freaking detail, my apologies.

I believe you were remarking on how uninformed some of us were and taking offense to something that wasn't offensive lol

Gangs are a fact of life, people join for an array of reasons and no one can deny that fear and violence play a part.

Yea..i'm not so sure why ppl take offense to that. But yea i agree ^