Comments on: The Gang War Is Not Just Crips Versus Bloods http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/ Here are my thoughts; share yours Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:00:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Elaine Amond http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/#comment-124 Elaine Amond Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:09:01 +0000 http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/#comment-124 I work everyday with students who are attracted to and often heavily involved with gangs. I know why they join but it pains me to watch 14 and 15 year old boys (and sometimes girls) go to jail or get hurt and sometimes even die. For them gangs equal power, cash, security, prestige, strength and a sense of belonging to a family. I see that gangs equal pseudo security and bogus strength, and jail and crime and wounds and death. Ultimately gang members end up alone and either in a cell or in a coffin. I feel powerless alone to help them but still believe that they are worth saving. We cannot give up and discard our children, but must continue to work as a community to reach out. Elaine Amond, School Social Worker I work everyday with students who are attracted to and often heavily involved with gangs. I know why they join but it pains me to watch 14 and 15 year old boys (and sometimes girls) go to jail or get hurt and sometimes even die. For them gangs equal power, cash, security, prestige, strength and a sense of belonging to a family. I see that gangs equal pseudo security and bogus strength, and jail and crime and wounds and death. Ultimately gang members end up alone and either in a cell or in a coffin. I feel powerless alone to help them but still believe that they are worth saving. We cannot give up and discard our children, but must continue to work as a community to reach out. Elaine Amond, School Social Worker

]]> By: Jim in Aurora http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/#comment-125 Jim in Aurora Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:14:17 +0000 http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/#comment-125 Another great column and I sure hope it's read by many. I just can't comprehend what these guys have to win. They have two outcomes, neither of which is very pleasant, death or prison. What a great future!!!!!!! Another great column and I sure hope it’s read by many. I just can’t comprehend what these guys have to win. They have two outcomes, neither of which is very pleasant, death or prison. What a great future!!!!!!!

]]> By: urthpigg http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/#comment-126 urthpigg Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:20:00 +0000 http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/#comment-126 Unfortunately, I think that most gang members don't care what any of us think about them. The more we fear them, the more power they feel that they have. I suspect that people who join gangs feel that there is nowhere else for them to go. In many cases, that might be true. Our drug policies give them the opportunity to make easy money selling illegal drugs. Weapons are very easy to obtain. I don't believe that people in gangs are very worried about death or prison. In the meantime, they get their feelings of power and their sense of belonging to something. I'm not sure how to solve this problem, but I know that what we are doing now is not working. Unfortunately, I think that most gang members don’t care what any of us think about them. The more we fear them, the more power they feel that they have.

I suspect that people who join gangs feel that there is nowhere else for them to go. In many cases, that might be true. Our drug policies give them the opportunity to make easy money selling illegal drugs. Weapons are very easy to obtain. I don’t believe that people in gangs are very worried about death or prison. In the meantime, they get their feelings of power and their sense of belonging to something. I’m not sure how to solve this problem, but I know that what we are doing now is not working.

]]> By: Newport News Reader http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/#comment-128 Newport News Reader Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:00:39 +0000 http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/07/30/the-gang-war-is-not-just-crips-versus-bloods/#comment-128 This sounds like our experience at the "Hampton (VA)Bay Days" last summer. Police were actually encouraging the "nice folks" to leave as we watched the gangs congregate (by shirt color) on different corners. It was quite unnerving and the gang-related problems have continued to escalate. Our police now go into the (elementary) schools - sort of like the "just say no to drugs" campaign, only the focus is on gangs. Too many children are starving for attention from even their own families. Bored, idle kids are easy prey for gangs - if we don't provide things for them to do, then the gangs will. This sounds like our experience at the “Hampton (VA)Bay Days” last summer. Police were actually encouraging the “nice folks” to leave as we watched the gangs congregate (by shirt color) on different corners. It was quite unnerving and the gang-related problems have continued to escalate. Our police now go into the (elementary) schools - sort of like the “just say no to drugs” campaign, only the focus is on gangs. Too many children are starving for attention from even their own families. Bored, idle kids are easy prey for gangs - if we don’t provide things for them to do, then the gangs will.

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