Actually babies born into gangs that are in impoverished areas basically are gang members straight out of the womb since they will be raised by gang members.
Is it ok to be proud of your skin color?
- Thread starter BreakfastSurreal
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D
I always keep missing your posts! haha
so whats wrong with the old adage that if you want a better life you work hard.......whatever field its in.......i mean,america's a prime examle of this.......many of your most gifted atheletes were from ghetto type areas but they stayed out of trouble and worked hard at what they do.......in fact they're achievements benifitted society in that other kids could be inspired
A few examples of people getting out of the ghetto doesn't mean all have thew type of resources that were available to the ones who did.
I did a quick Google of "gang member recidivism". Here's a fascinating read for you AEF. It's a study done on gang-member recidivism in Illinois, I believe in 2000.
http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/oga/gang_oga.pdf
Within 3 years of release, 75% of released prisoners who were affiliated with a gang were rearrested.
The Link said:
Now, you're always quick to point out the educational opportunities available in US prisons. So why do these people go back to the gang lifestyle after they get out, instead of using the opportunities made available to them in prison? At the core of it, isn't that a CHOICE they make, to stay in their same lifestyle instead of using every tool at their disposal to better themselves?
but you do have that......every olympic games you have atheletes that come from impoverished backgrounds
Amen to that! From what Ryan has told me, I think American prisons need to seriously enforce mandatory education.
So you're saying that not having an easy way out of the gang life excuses them from not trying to get out of the gang life? I'm not buying that.
Your argument all along has been that they don't choose to live in poverty. I'm sure you agree that the gang lifestyle lends itself to living in poverty, right? Then how is choosing to stay in the gang any different than choosing to stay in poverty?
I'm not saying an easy way out, but a practical one that will give them enough opportunity to stay out and far away from the gang. That though, would involve having to move them away from the area.
In some situations you're forced to stay in gangs, choice isn't even a factor. Either you stay in, or face brutality.
Alright then, I'll phrase it this way. You've said it's not their fault they're in a gang, because they can be born into them. You've said it's not their fault they stay in the gang, because that could make them a target.
So my question to you is: At what point do they need to accept responsibility for what they do with their life?
BAM!! Donnie, you hit the nail on the head! This has been the point that I have been trying to make throughout this entire thread! AEF claims that those born into poverty have disadvantages in their lives. Oh wah wah the system discriminates, wah wah this and that. I was born into a poor family, my parents didn't have shit until I was grown and out of the house. I took it upon myself at an early age to make sure that I had better than my parents did when they were first out on their own. I worked hard, I busted my ass, I fought the system. If I can do it and SUCCEED, why can't they? And don't give me the crap about how black people are so persecuted and they have it so much harder than white folks do. I had it just as hard. It's all about taking responsibility for your own actions and your own life. THAT is the bottom line.
They probably want to, but aforementioned things keep some from doing so.
You weren't black and you don't have several hundred hears of discrimination behind you.
That's not answering what I asked:
Or are you saying they probably want to accept responsibility but are unable to do so? Because I think that's a complete load of crap.