This article is a very subjective view of gang life and what happens to a person as a gang member. The author only seems to focus on the negative, such as jail time and putting others in danger. To be honest, those aspects are very harmful and awful, but there are things that seem good to a person who joins a gang.
Most teenagers who join a gang are looking to belong to something and to be cared for and looked after. A gang provides this comfort to these kids and makes them feel like they have a true family looking out for them and helping them.
Although the negatives affect the safety and wellbeing of the member, the positives can help a person's confidence and way of life. It seems like a very twisted way to think about it, but if you look at it from a new member's point of view, all they are trying to do is be a part of something that they think matters.
http://www.gangfree.org/gangfree/gang_facts_happens.html
4.) I think this is an extremely valid point. People wouldn't normally associate gangs and gang violence to positive factors. Gang violence can not be justified by any means but we have to remember as outsiders, that we do not know what goes on in that child's life, maybe they were socially and emotionally abused and neglected, and this is how they take out there anger. I agree that even though a gang does not have a very positive essence, it serves as a "family" who is always there for them maybe when their real families weren't. It is a human emotion to want to be apart of something and to feel loved and appreciated.
ReplyDelete#5 I agree with this idea. Although it is odd to think about benefits of gangs, I think you are correct. Everyone has a longing to fit in somewhere and be a part of some kind of group. Some gang members join gangs just to have that feeling of belonging and family they may lack in another aspect of their life. Usually when you think of gangs you are associate them with violence, crimes, and jail but not many people look at the "family" aspect a gang can provide for a member. I think this was an interesting post and I enjoyed your perspective on the topic.
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