Research Paper :)

The Influences of Gang Violence

By Samantha Shields

    It’s no surprise for the residents of the United States to have had experienced gang violence through the news, radios, or newspaper. Traject events are taking place on an hourly basis in large cities, and small communities are having problems of there own. But gang violence is not only visible all around us, but it is influential in our modern day pop music and media, and some of the wrong messages are being sent. 

    Social networking has become a addiction for teleology savvy generation of our country. But to think that it’s gone beyond “making friends” and staying in touch is a problem that was bound to happen. 

    “Gang members have been spotted on MySpace and YouTube and have now spread to Facebook and Twitter. It's a natural migration: The "sets" rely on technology to communicate like everyone else. But now lawmakers are seeking ways to keep tabs on gangsters online.” (Romero, LA Weekly)

    The purpose of gang networking could be much more dangerous than the public realizes. A San Mateo Police Chief, Susan Manheimer, speaks out about networking and internet gang issues after a church opened a public lab in their community. 

    “We’re seeing our gangs and the resurgence of some of the gang members coming back from prison looking more and more to those middle schoolers and the younger kids to recruit them,” said Manheimer.

    The internet could become a gateway for more members spread out along the country, and get more members to join. Through the internet, gang life could appear much more glamorous and potentially better, just like how music of our generation does. 

A New Times article by Dan Frosch gives example of how the law enforcement's are beginning to relate music to gang crimes. 

“...with 19 homicides already this year, compared with 15 in 2006, the police insist on a correlation between gangsta rap and violence, and point to three recent shootings. On April 17, a stray bullet killed a taxi driver during a fight between two groups who had left Eden Nite Club. After a fight at a concert at a local park on Memorial Day, a man was shot to death in a nearby liquor store parking lot. On July 9, a former high school football star, Diontea Jackson-Forrest, was shot and killed. The authorities said the suspect was involved in an altercation at Eden before the shooting. Two days after Mr. Jackson-Forrest’s death, the police issued a news release blaming the violence on gangsta rap. The release mentioned an event planned at Eden, called a “Pimp, Thug and Ho Party,” as the “type of behavior that causes concern.” The club’s owners called off the party.” (Frosch, New York Times)

Artists like 50 Cent, Lil’ Wayne, and TI along with various others have admitted and are very vocal about their involvement in gangs in the past, aiding their music and providing a theme of cash money, the good life, and struggle. 

Many songs include clever hints toward colors and gang chants or sayings. “Soowoo” is a crip saying that Lil’ Wayne uses frequently in his lyrics. 

“Young money is the label - Let us in the door, coming in this bitch all red to the floor - And I'm blooded soowoo and I'm blooded soowoo - I got bloods on stage bloods at my shows - Fuck with my bloods got blood on your clothes - And I'm blooded soooowooo.”  (Wayne, “I’m Blooded”)

“Blood” is also connected to the Bloods gang. The Bloods history originated after a vicious street war in Los Angeles and the surrounding area with the Crips. 

“At the meeting, the groups discussed plans to combat Crip intimidation and abuse, along with the creation of a new alliance that other independent gangs were free to join at will to counter the Crips with. At that time the color of flags (bandanas) was not important, but since the Crips were known to wear blue flags, the Pirus and the other independent organizations decided to discontinue the wearing of blue flags. They decided to take on the wearing of an opposite color, red, and created a new street gang alliance which became known as the Bloods alliance. Blood gangs also decided to start demonstrating their flags to the right side, since all Crips are known to demonstrate their flags to the left. Even though all Blood gangs now demonstrate their flags to the right as a result of that meeting, some old school Blood members continued to demonstrate to the left regarding it as the original side and how they were raised before they became Bloods. The Athens Park Boys and Pueblos later also joined the Blood alliance, and soon after, other independent gangs who had been threatened or attacked by the Crips also joined the Blood alliance as well.” (Anonymous, “Bloods Gang Knowledge”)

As it said, Crips are the Bloods enemies. “The Crips are an alliance of individual street organizations known as sets. The Crip alliance originated in Los Angeles, California. Each Crip set is it’s own individual gang and are known to have sub-clicks, blocks, or lines (line-ups) which are like smaller individual sets within the set. Gang members in gangs under the Crip alliance are known as Locs and all Crips call each other “cuz” (short for cousin) to signify that they see each other as family. The gangs under the Crip Alliance are mainly identified by the color blue which is worn proudly by all Crip members as a primary color. Each Crip set has significant differences such as hand signs, use of secondary colors, and customs. The Crip alliance has significantly branched out of California and has spread throughout the majority of the United States.” (Anonymous, Crips Gang Knowledge)

Gangs are battling through mass media; a term referring to internet, radio, television, commercial motion pictures, videos, CD’s, and the press. Children and young adults are the most likely to be exposed to these movies and television shows at great quantity. 

“There are those who believe only children who are predisposed to violence will be stimulated by it when shown in the media. Some believe otherwise nonviolent children learn to be violent by watching violence, particularly when it is observed without the supervision of someone who explains that certain kinds of violence are inappropriate and wrong. Finally, there are those who believe violence in the media releases one's feelings of anger and violence by providing catharsis (in this case, a purging of one's own anger).”

With such effects and alterations on the youth, the next step is to look for solutions. Livestrong.com created a 6 Step program to help parents with their children and the troubling obsticals of violence in the media. 

Step One :

“Learn who your child's friends are, what activities they participate in and where they go to hang out. Make a point to involve your teen in regular conversations and let her know you're available for her when she needs you.”

Step Two : 

“Deliver parental discipline consistently and firmly every time your teen needs it. Refrain from being harsh with him. When you set and deliver a consequence for an undesirable behavior, sit down with him and discuss why you're disciplining him--let him know why his behavior and actions are wrong and what the consequences could have been.”

Step Three : 

“Include your teen in regular family activities and outings. If you go to the bowling alley, take her along and allow her to ask a good friend along as well. Encourage her to suggest family activities--if she wants to go hiking, schedule a weekend day for a family hike.”

Step Four :

“Discourage your teen's involvement in gangs by telling him what kinds of criminal activities gangs participate in and what the consequences for their crimes could be. Make it clear to your teen that wearing gang-related clothing--colors and styles--won't be allowed in your home. Don't allow him to draw or display gang signs either.”

Step Five : 

“Let your teen know you expect her to go to school and do her work every day. Encourage her to work in school to earn the highest grades she is capable of earning. Suggest that she get involved in extracurricular activities such as yearbook or dance team so she stays busy.”

Step Six : 

“Intervene if you see signs of anger or violence in your teen. Talk to his doctor and ask for a referral to a therapist so you can get help in talking to your child. If he's involved in a potentially violent dating relationship, let him know he can ask you for help. Look for telltale signs that his partner is overly invested in the relationship, such as constant texting or phone calls or being followed by his girlfriend, and let him know that her behavior is not normal. Remind him of rapper Chris Brown's assault on ex-girlfriend Rihanna and what she did to stop his beatings.”

In our ever changing world, it’s impossible to cure society from all problems. Instead, our nation should be concentrating on solutions and encouraging those to better themselves so that someday mass media wont have such a direct effect on the youth of our nation.