How do we defeat the seemingly growing influence of gangs?

Question

I've been watching the History Channel's Gangland. And not just because of that, I am not so removed as to not be touched by the menace. I am human. So I'll leave this with you and check tomorrow. I am clicking off for now. Becoming a morning person.

Answer 1

Well, they have always been around but I think there are many reasons why violent gangs are growing.

The two big ones:

There are many more kids today who are even more vulnerable to receiving the message. 40 years of heavy drug use in America has changed our family value system quite drastically, and there are a lot of kids who don't have role models, and look for ones who look like them and come from the same background as them. Gangs take them in (Whether it be the bloods, crips, or the KKK)

Gang culture has become a corporate backed genre. Its become a label and identity marketed to young kids who are trying to find their way. There is good money in it...and gangs get good money in the long run for "adopting" kids.

I think getting at the causes is the only way to defeat it.

We also have to address our fear and mistrust. I have noticed what makes a bad neighborhood is not that the majority of people in that neighborhood are bad people, it's that the people live in fear and have no one to turn to, and you will eventually become desensitized and disconnected.

Answer 2

I don't there is a way other than violence. It's easy to say "Education" this and "Education" that but really, we can't force everyone to go to a private school where they actually learn something.

Parental influence would be a step, but I don't things will truly start to change until the cops start doing their jobs and blasting the holy rotten hell out of the gang members until they're all dead. I don't usually say things like that, but this gang thing has gone too far.

Did you know that Los Angeles has the most gangs in the entire world?

Wake up, America!

Answer 3

I see these gangs as primal tribes, needing acknowledgement, competitive, not actually evolving, holding on to the old ways. Needing the gang as support, a way of existing, feeling wanted.
Many gang members cannot live without the gang, similiar to inmates let out of prison, who re-offend to get back with their mates.
Gang mentality means just that, the need to belong, feel needed, wanted. Seeing self only in group. Interesting.

I have a great interest in community of heart, living as heart, as I feel community is a "good way" to live and serve in this world.

Gangs live in community, but the "mission statement" is quite different. I feel it is a community where the participants are operating from the base, navel and solr plexus chakra. Which is about survival, groundedness, and creativity, sexuality,manifestation and personal power, spontaneity and energetically about nourishment.

As we embrace and live more in consciousness, the "gap" with either get greater, or the unconscious will feel an inner movement to move energetically into the heart.

As beings allow more light to manifest within, this can bring up all sorts of "feelings" from those around who "fear" this change. This is an interesting time we live in, it is not for the faint-hearted.
All need to "Take up the Torch" for all.
As one learns, expands and grows more within the light of all, others will glean, maybe squirm a little, and in their time will move also.

In the gangs it could be difficult as one has the "group energy" strength "pulling". If one wants to evolve, I feel one would need to "leave" the gang until strong enough to hold oneself out from the zeitgeist of the gang.

Sorry, I may have got of your subject a little, but felt the need to follow my feeling through.

"One strengthens, what one gives their energy to"

Bright blessings.
Great question

Answer 4

Teach them the science of the eternal soul That they are not their bodies, IE, Race, Color, Nationality, Religion, Intellect, status, etc. Unless people understand this they will be prejudice and hate others based on these false identifications. That is the only reason for terrorism. Understanding these simple trutsh are essential for world Peace. Did you see the movie Freedom Writers. Very excellent true story movie available on CD now.

Answer 5

It would help if we could get the media to stop portraying this lifestyle as cool or the "in" thing to do. We coddle so many fake wannabe gangbangers and foul-mouthed rappers it's no wonder we have all these disorderly kids around these days.

Teach and train your children early to have good manners and be well-educated. Do not allow them to listen to hip-hop/rap, thinking that it's an "innocent" music preference that won't influence them - it's become quite clear that it does through the effect it's been having on society. Make sure you children can speak correct English, and not the crapbonics that is so prevalent.

Answer 6

I know that our prisons are hugely responsible for perpetuation of the Gang mentality. I don't understand why the guards allow them to congregate like that;latinos in one area, blacks in another, whites in another, and the second a convict gets to prison he HAS to swear allegiance to his race or end up dead. That can be pretty persuasive.

Answer 7

It saddens me to see you feel this way...you are vulnerable right now and '****' seems magnified...make friends with a man's best friend.. this will help you and Be a Friend and (keep a 'scatter-gun' for extra trials and tribulations that other as*holes might figure in)...I reckon you are cool and only bad circumstances will hinder,if at all,T4...Get a Dawg Man! That's what I reckon.You gonna be just Cool! You just got the "willies" as we say in OZ.Time.

Answer 8

if parents would stop abandoning their dam children it would stop

sadly most people i know in gangs don't have but 1 parent and lack of discipline

Answer 9

good morning T
gangs have always been around but they are just more violent just like all of society
cure:education and family strength

Answer 10

You have to elect governors to office that will appoint more conservative judges, so that the law will be enforced and not subverted by shifty lawyers who get their clients off on technicalities. Make them pay at the voting booths. If you can, make this an issue that they run on instead of global warming. This is a real and tough issue to tackle and should be debated by both parties who run for election at the state level. Gangs will not go away because of liberal toy for gun trade ins or because of the drug free feel good zones. Tough issues should be solved by real hard solutions that the hacks try and avoid every election. People have the power to vote. Exercise it to make better choices in those whom govern us.

EDIT:
I focused on your question of how to defeat gangs and not on trying to understand them. Its my opinion that the people in gangs do not want to be accepted but feared. They stake out territory and call it there’s. Cops try and clean things up but its very difficult to when the law is not being tough enough to put the people away in prison where they should be. Behind bars and not walking the streets because the judges do not impose the toughest penalties. The death penalty should be enforced when called upon. The only reason why this dose not work is that it a rare event that we put people to death. Juveniles, in gangs should all be treated like adults when caught for malicious crimes, but as long as the judges and lawyers whom are the best defense against hard time should be put in their place by hard nosed conservative judges.