Social Economical problems that stem from gangs

[Elle]

Also, when you say "people in poverty", it sounds like a generalization, and that's what I've gone with.

 

[Cotton]

Explain "severely emotionally handicapped" WTF is emotionally handicapped?

 

[Elle]

Explain "severely emotionally handicapped" WTF is emotionally handicapped?

That term pretty much defines itself.

 

[Cotton]

I didn't realize people could be "emotionally handicap." Does that mean they are void of emotion, or it's just crippled?

 

[boxer810]

I'm not lacking in compassion. I have compassion and understanding in abundance. I however do NOT have any sort of sympathy for people who think that the only way to live is to run around hurting others! Just because you're poor and you don't have all the breaks in life that you think that you deserve does not give you a free pass to take your frustrations out on society! Life is hard, and a lot of the time innocent people get the shit end of the stick. A life of crime doesn't alleviate any of that pain, nor does it make their standing in society any better, it simply serves to make that person feel better having gotten their "revenge" for having such a shitty life. It's a cop-out.

 

[Elle]

I'm not lacking in compassion. I have compassion and understanding in abundance. I however do NOT have any sort of sympathy for people who think that the only way to live is to run around hurting others! Just because you're poor and you don't have all the breaks in life that you think that you deserve does not give you a free pass to take your frustrations out on society! Life is hard, and a lot of the time innocent people get the shit end of the stick. A life of crime doesn't alleviate any of that pain, nor does it make their standing in society any better, it simply serves to make that person feel better having gotten their "revenge" for having such a shitty life. It's a cop-out.

Agreed...And again, when some mentioned "people in poverty" I took it as a general sense of the whole population of poverty stricken individuals.

Did you read the part that I mentioned, regarding the "Blood Drop?"

How fucking disgusting is that??

 

[BadBoy@TheWheel]

Let's look at some history of gangs if we can:

If anyone actually knows how and why the Mafia/Cosa Nostra was started in America as well as Italy please speak up. Okay, here goes.

It was started to help promote and protect Italian immigrants from a pretty oppressive government here, they were trying to get jobs, and protect thier little section of the city they lived in from crime.

The Irish did the same, noted in South Boston especially, Boston where my family is from was very ethno-centric, you have the Italian sections, Irish sections Black sections and Hispanic/Puerto Rican areas.

Over time, especially during the civil rights movements, the blacks became increasingly more hostile, as you can probably imagine, and the city decided to bus the blacks into the Irish section of town, the Irish oppposed this to the point of violently reacting to the move and to some degree in defense, the blacks began to organize.

Inpractically any other large city you will learn that gang mentality, at its roots is not an issue of "bad people finding other bad people", but rather an issue oif a group of people banding together to ward off violence from another group, that latinos did this as well when they immigrated in waves here decades ago, they were brutalized by the blacks, and formed latin gangs to protect themselves.

It wasn't until the early to mid eighties that these gangs began to see profit in violence and intimidation and of course drugs and prostitution, and the gangs finally came to the forefront of our minds, I doubt anyone in this thread could have given a damn that years before they ever reached the newspaper.

For years the blacks and latinos and even the irish and italians were brutalized by a police force that was backwards and paid for, a school system that didin't care and an economic system based on the advancement of Europeans.

I agree that gangs have long since gotten out of hand, but to say they all "chose" to be poor, or uneducated is rediculous, they are at the roots, groups of people that were welcomed into our country and given the cold shoulder.

As always, money and power corrupts, look at corporate America, they are as corrupt as you can be, they are just "socially acceptable".

I say we tell the government to put the money where thier mouht is, start encouraging education, and empowering people to achieve, rather than write people off as no good.

 

[Elle]

I didn't realize people could be "emotionally handicap." Does that mean they are void of emotion, or it's just crippled?

Sorry, if you weren't aware. But, yea, it's....well a prime example are vietnam vets. They suffer from PTSD, (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome). They can't sleep, eat, live life properly without having flashbacks. Basically, their own mind makes them crazy inside. Again, not every vet suffers like this, but those that do...it's very real. And that is one example of an emotional handicap.

These are not people who "make choices" well..if at all. The people I am referring to in poverty/ghetto, (who are NOT in gangs, but still reside there), are the same way. Their flashbacks, (if they have any) can be different, but most certainly most suffer from PTSD, which is an emotional handicap. Some act out in anger, some are too scared to venture out into the real world, and most probably don't think about living outside of the shitty house they live in. If they live in a rut, they will for th erest of their lives. Also, most don't seek treatment, because it's not recognized by them and their peers as a debillitating problem. Since their surroundings are erratical, they don't seem as bad, so no one looks out for them.

It's really a subject that can be discussed for a while, as there are som many facets to it.

 

[Cotton]

Shit I think I should develop a PTSD than.

 

[Elle]

Let's look at some history of gangs if we can:

If anyone actually knows how and why the Mafia/Cosa Nostra was started in America as well as Italy please speak up. Okay, here goes.

It was started to help promote and protect Italian immigrants from a pretty oppressive government here, they were trying to get jobs, and protect thier little section of the city they lived in from crime.

The Irish did the same, noted in South Boston especially, Boston where my family is from was very ethno-centric, you have the Italian sections, Irish sections Black sections and Hispanic/Puerto Rican areas.

Over time, especially during the civil rights movements, the blacks became increasingly more hostile, as you can probably imagine, and the city decided to bus the blacks into the Irish section of town, the Irish oppposed this to the point of violently reacting to the move and to some degree in defense, the blacks began to organize.

Inpractically any other large city you will learn that gang mentality, at its roots is not an issue of "bad people finding other bad people", but rather an issue oif a group of people banding together to ward off violence from another group, that latinos did this as well when they immigrated in waves here decades ago, they were brutalized by the blacks, and formed latin gangs to protect themselves.

It wasn't until the early to mid eighties that these gangs began to see profit in violence and intimidation and of course drugs and prostitution, and the gangs finally came to the forefront of our minds, I doubt anyone in this thread could have given a damn that years before they ever reached the newspaper.

For years the blacks and latinos and even the irish and italians were brutalized by a police force that was backwards and paid for, a school system that didin't care and an economic system based on the advancement of Europeans.

I agree that gangs have long since gotten out of hand, but to say they all "chose" to be poor, or uneducated is rediculous, they are at the roots, groups of people that were welcomed into our country and given the cold shoulder.

As always, money and power corrupts, look at corporate America, they are as corrupt as you can be, they are just "socially acceptable".

I say we tell the government to put the money where thier mouht is, start encouraging education, and empowering people to achieve, rather than write people off as no good.

You're darn right that it's out of hand. It glamourized by rappers for one, so the general public follows. It's "cool" to even OWN a gun. Then these are the little idiots running around schools settling their differences with the most pussyish means - their guns.

I really believe it's the mainstream media that's made the gangs worse, as again, it's glamourized by musicians. These people, in my opinion, are very close minded. There ARE rappers who are positive and NOT gangsta-like, but, these retards are too afraid to be "decent' in the 'hood, for fear of ridicule. So they hide behind their guns and tattoos, and join the rest of the hoodlums with no dicks to stand up on their own.

 

[Elle]

Shit I think I should develop a PTSD than.

:3gears:crazy:

 

[Cotton]

:3gears:crazy:

:willy_nilly::eek

 

[All Else Failed]

UGH! Seriously, this is fucking useless. Did I have a helping hand? NO... Not everyone needs a helping hand to get themselves out of a bad situation. The stupidity from some of you is disgusting...you are the ones that are blind.

Some do though. Not all bad situations are equal.




All I'm getting from this thread is: Hey we're a bunch of white folks commenting on something we couldn't possibly relate to, and since my child hood was hard and I happened to pull out of it, ALL PEOPLE MUST DO THE SAME REGARDLESS OF THEIR SITUATION BECAUSE I DID! Thats all thats being said in here and is stupid.

 

[Elle]

Some do though. Not all bad situations are equal.




All I'm getting from this thread is: Hey we're a bunch of white folks commenting on something we couldn't possibly relate to, and since my child hood was hard and I happened to pull out of it, ALL PEOPLE MUST DO THE SAME REGARDLESS OF THEIR SITUATION BECAUSE I DID! Thats all thats being said in here and is stupid.

That is not me...But, stupid? I agree.

I'm not talking from my ass here, and I DON'T join in debates if I feel I don't know enough about it to add to it effectively.


Or...most of the time, I just can't be arsed.

 

[Cotton]

AEF do you even KNOW what a hard time is.... I mean for fuck sake you are a self proclaimed UPPER MIDDLE CLASS white kid... Your parents paying your way through college, buy you your car??

You think you fucking relate to anything even remotely talked about in this thread? Don't down play other peoples lives cause you don't like what they say.

 

[Elle]

AEF do you even KNOW what a hard time is.... I mean for fuck sake you are a self proclaimed UPPER MIDDLE CLASS white kid... Your parents paying your way through college, buy you your car??

You think you fucking relate to anything even remotely talked about in this thread? Don't down play other peoples lives cause you don't like what they say.

I think he sees it. And you are confusing having money with a happy life.

In my little life excerpt, I mentioned how we lived in an exclusive neighborhood, known as Scottsdale Ranch. Life looked great to people on the outside. My mom threw money and clothes at me as a replacement for affection. I had a Visa card in my name, when I was 16. Again, that looked great from the outside, my having a ridiculously huge closet of clothing and shoes and what not. People at school, who didn't know me, thought I was perfect.

You are judging him by his status, when you don't know him, just as you "think" he's judging you because of your story.

 

[Elle]

To add: living in an upper class 'hood, doesn't keep away the hideous abuse that occurs also in lower class 'hoods. The only difference is the income level.

 

[All Else Failed]

AEF do you even KNOW what a hard time is.... I mean for fuck sake you are a self proclaimed UPPER MIDDLE CLASS white kid... Your parents paying your way through college, buy you your car??

You think you fucking relate to anything even remotely talked about in this thread? Don't down play other peoples lives cause you don't like what they say.

I'm paying my way through college with two jobs, and i paid for my car by myself.


And yes, I've been through some hard times, but nothing compared to what many people in poverty go through. I can bet you haven't either.

 

[Cotton]

Not long ago I watched a special on Discovery or TLC one of those channels. It was about kids growing up in Camden NJ. Camden NJ year after year is rated the number 1 most violent and dangerous city to live in. Yes worst than Compton CA, Inglewood and all those places rappers love talk about.

There was some great stories of kids succeeding. One guy was a senior in high school, he had 5 siblings and a single father. They had NOTHING N O T H I N G. The father worked 2 and sometimes 3 jobs. To keep their house warm they used the stove. None of them had beds, they slept on mattress on the floor. The oldest brother gave up his mattress for the younger ones. He slept in a sleeping bag. The house was falling apart, dry wall missing, huge holes in the ceiling, roaches everywhere. But this kid a senior in high school, he studied hard, paid attention in school, he worked TWO jobs to help his dad pay for the house. He graduated one of the highest of his class and went on to college.

There were several stories like this on this one episode.

Don't give me this bullshit that not everyone can do it. These kids lived in the very definition of poverty and they WORKED HARD, THEY WANTED A BETTER LIFE, THEY DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO THE RIGHT WAY to succeed. They lived in the middle of gang wars, drive by shootings, drug deals, prostitutes. They didn't get involved in ANY of it. Yet they managed to succeed, because THEY MADE THE RIGHT choices. Oh yea and ALL these kids were black or hispanic.

So fuck off with the "we're white and we made it and our lives are perfect" bullshit.

 

[All Else Failed]

Not long ago I watched a special on Discovery or TLC one of those channels. It was about kids growing up in Camden NJ. Camden NJ year after year is rated the number 1 most violent and dangerous city to live in. Yes worst than Compton CA, Inglewood and all those places rappers love talk about.

There was some great stories of kids succeeding. One guy was a senior in high school, he had 5 siblings and a single father. They had NOTHING N O T H I N G. The father worked 2 and sometimes 3 jobs. To keep their house warm they used the stove. None of them had beds, they slept on mattress on the floor. The oldest brother gave up his mattress for the younger ones. He slept in a sleeping back. The house was falling apart, dry wall missing, huge holes in the ceiling, roaches everywhere. But this kid a senior in high school, he studied hard, paid attention in school, he worked TWO jobs to help his dad pay for the house. He graduated one of the highest of his class and went on to college.

There were several stories like this on this one episode.

Don't give me this bullshit that not everyone can do it. These kids lived in the very definition of poverty and they WORKED HARD, THEY WANTED A BETTER LIFE, THEY DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO THE RIGHT WAY to succeed. They lived in the middle of gang wars, drive by shootings, drug deals, prostitutes. They didn't get involved in ANY of it. Yet they managed to succeed, because THEY MADE THE RIGHT choices. Oh yea and ALL these kids were black or hispanic.

So fuck off with the "we're white and we made it and our lives are perfect" bullshit.

I never said our lives are perfect. I'm saying that I don't think we can possibly know what its like to be black, or be in that type of situation. have you ever truthfully been in a situation like the one you mentioned above? I'm guessing not.