Mark Wilde Writes:
The police have a very loose definition of what it means to be a gang member. I think it is replacing
other, less politically correct terms, for poor inner city black men. It is easier to say you want to get
rid of gang members then to say you want to get rid of black people.
In my mind a gang is an organized group with top down leadership, which no one is suggesting for the situation over North.
Dennis Plante Responds:
I see this as too much of a generalization. Gangs exist is all cultures, African American, Latino, Asian and Caucasian. To suggest that that "we" are using the excuse of getting rid of gangs as a front for getting rid of black people is, to me, absurd. I am as concerned and incensed by the senseless killing of the young Asian boy three blocks from my house in May, as I am by the senseless critical wounding of the 19 month-old african american child last week.
Further, to associate gangs and African Americans as synonomous in our society is doing a great disservice to the overwhelming majority of African Americans within our society that aren't gang members. They are much more frustrated and grief to a larger degree than does mainstream society about the senseless violence and waste of potential. At least the ones I know do, including my wife.
If organization can be interpreted to include exploitation, than I would agree... Otherwise I wouldn't. Most of the young men that participate in gangs aren't getting rich, don't have much of a future and don't have much direction given them by their overlings. As long as they do what they're told, and continue to produce, they maintain their "status". However, when your opportunities are limited to begin with, joining a gang looks attractive.
Otherwise, I wouldn't agree. I've watched enough resupply drops occurr within a block of my house to know, that there isn't too terribly much organization that occurs. If a young seller runs out of product, he calls, or pages a gang supplier that drops-off more product and pick-up the revenues. Leaving the underlings with enough money to continue their existence for another day. The ones making the money typically don't live in our city and mitigate their risk to every extent possible. They in fact are the "survivors".. Possibly because they were smart enough (either through their own drvices, or pure luck) not to get caught. Simply put, it's black-on-black crime and exploitation.
My proof??? When's the last time you've heard of a gang member over the age of twenty-five being arrested??
Dennis Plante Jordan
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