Comments | bacchuswino: Stabbings and Rotten Teeth

bacchuswino

Stabbings and Rotten Teeth

May 14, 2009 15:42

So a large number of teenagers got into a brawl with weapons in the parking lot where I worked today. Kid got stabbed and everyone ran off.

Gang bangers in Santa Barbara are sad pathetic things.

There are socio-economic considerations to be made, but honestly the bangers in this town kind of disgust me. They're all so young too, most of them are in ( Read more... )

Comments 5

thelastmehina May 14 2009, 23:02:04 UTC

Gangs tend to form when law and order breaks down or is unavailable. Whether it's the Five Points of New York City, the Mafia or the Bloods & Crips, gangs form because the established constabulary isn't interested in protecting a given class of citizen. Not only that, but the economic deck is also stacked against the given class, and they find attaining middle-class privilege almost impossible thanks to artificial (read: racism-inspired) barriers ( ... )

bacchuswino May 14 2009, 23:13:07 UTC

Oh agreed ( ... )

demosthanes May 15 2009, 02:21:29 UTC

Gangs in SB have a lot to do with the glamourization of that lifestyle, and the kids just generally geing worthless shits.

They aren't gangs that are forming because of real reasons, they are forming because its cool. Being poor in SB has nothing on life in south LA, or any poor neighborhoods in actual cities.

I fully agree with you, in many ways the addicts are more respectable, at least they have a severe problem.

bacchuswino May 15 2009, 18:41:32 UTC

The phrase "real reasons" makes me feel a little silly. I mean, we have some theories according to studies (some of them dating back to Chicago in the 20's) regarding why teenagers join gangs. Mutual protection and respect being really high on the list ( ... )

demosthanes May 15 2009, 19:30:10 UTC

You're right, my referring to it as "real reasons" was a poorly chosen use of words. There are people who join gangs, and gangs that join from understandable reasons; in some cases, its just survival, which I can fully understand as a reason, and by and large I think is a pretty damn good reason.

That there might be understandable or possibly even good reasons why people form or join gangs in no way justifies murderous and violent behavior. There are very few things that justify violence, and there's almost nothing I can think of that justifies outright murder.