Don't go to Santa Barbara not a safe city (Los Angeles: loft, safe area)

[Roma]

Jerz,
I see you like to start trouble. Well I am not going to play.

Like someone else on here noticed, I was making a observation from a pattern I saw. I never said anything about wanting to "eradicate" anyone or any race. YOU said I said that.
Now I see I also offended you regarding education. If I am offending you that much then don't read my posts.
This will be my last response to you.

[JerZ]

Originally Posted by Roma

It is in their culture to be in gangs. It is what they do here in the good old USA. Any place that has a high number of latinos has a major problem with gangs.

Okay. I must have taken that the wrong way. By stating that ANY place that has a high number of Latinos has a major problem with gangs, you WEREN'T saying that the entire race is bad. You were just saying...well...that it's their culture. And that gangs are bad. And that Latinos all form gangs. But not that it's bad. But that it's...bad. And that it's going to happen, period...because it's in their culture. That's what they do.

And that we should all fix the problem but that the problem is in fact their very nature.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Roma

I guess I found out my comment was "socially taboo".

Roma, I wouldn't say it's socially taboo to point out that Latinos often form and perpetuate gangs. If that's the case, then that's the case. But stating so as an end point doesn't mean much. It seems to infer that Latinos form gangs because they are Latino, and therefore are somehow not expected to behave any other way. This I take objection to this because I know it's not true.

The important thing, in Santa Barbara's case, is not that the criminals are a certain race. The important thing is that it's happening at all! This is what needs to be addressed. If it's not, today it's Latinos, tomorrow it'll be little blondies, too, as the rich-poor divide continues to grow in Santa Barbara.

Nuff said. Moderator SandyCo suggested -- by power of deletion -- that we get off the race side of it. I agree. Can we move to the deeper reasons behind why our young people fall to gangs and what can be done about it?

[Roma]

Thanks for the civil comment Cre8! I appreciate your feedback.

This is my opinion on how to get people out of gangs or not to go into gangs in the first place,

"Parenting"
Good role models
Education like I said, is the ticket out of poverty.
Sports. Keep them busy with sports.
If there is no father figure in the home then I would recommend getting a "Big Brother" (my brother had one).

This is just some things I would suggest. At least it is a start.

[Roma]

I want to add some more suggestions:

Get these boys in Boy Scouts. Great organization. They have meetings (keeps kids busy so they don't get into trouble). They go camping. All kinds of stuff.

For the girls, Girl Scouts.

Also what about getting your child to volunteer. Volunteer in some form or another in helping people, animals or the environment.

[goatherder]

As for why kids join gangs there are a slew of reasons, there is alienation from society and teenage angst, there is protection, if gangs already exist in your area an unaffiliated teen will be threatened and intimidated by the gang in his hood as well as other gangs until he gets with the program and joins up. One time I read a local gang members account of his joining that astounded me, he said "It's about the memories" and he described how he would sit and listen to his father and uncles sitting around and talking in fond terms of the craziness of their youth and he did not want to grow old and not have similar stories to tell. There is also an incredible feeling of belonging that is strongly felt by a teen whose parents have to work two jobs to get by and are never home. It is a surrogate family the members of which will risk their lives for you and you had better do the same.

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

There is little that the city can do to change culture.

Boy Scouts can only do so much. A teen center may occupy their time but does it change their ideas or culture? -No. Change needs to start at their birth. -Give them strict parents with no tolerance for this crap. We need parents who will say, "I will lock you in your room until all of your homework is done." Parents could be 70 times more effective than any city program.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by newportbeachsmostwanted

There is little that the city can do to change culture.

That was said about all of our ancestors, remember....

As was done with late 19th and early 20th century European immigrants, educational institutions can make a huge difference. The "elite public schools" of NY, Boston, SF, etc. (the predecessors of today's magnets) and free universities like CUNY performed an invaluable service in integrating Southern and Eastern European immigrants into American life. (and they were demonized at least as much as Latinos today) So did the political systems in place in the Northeastern cities of that time. This suggests that educational policies based on merit and lowering tuition for public universities to the point that it is free or virtually free for anyone who can get high scores on an entrance exam can "change culture" as it did in the past.

[miracle]

Originally Posted by majoun

The Palisades is geographically lucky. It benefits from having Brentwood ,Santa Monica, Topanga, and Malibu as its neighbors. Just as Thousand Oaks wouldn't have one of California's lowest crime rates if the closest areas of the San Fernando Valley were Pacoima, San Fernando and Sylmar instead of Woodland Hills, West Hills, and Calabasas.

A former girlfriend of mine grew up in Mount Washington and she described that area as how the Palisades would be if it were next to Highland Park and Lincoln Heights instead of SM,Brentwood, Topanga, etc.. (Mt. Washington is not a bad area by any means but it does have more crime than the Palisades, due to its Northeast LA location....)

and North Long Beach would not be such a gang territoy if werent located a few miles away from South Los, and Studio City wouldnt be as good if it wouldnt lie north of the hills.....and Rolling Hills it were not isolated in the southern peninsula....obviously location is a plus.

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Originally Posted by majoun

That was said about all of our ancestors, remember....

As was done with late 19th and early 20th century European immigrants, educational institutions can make a huge difference. The "elite public schools" of NY, Boston, SF, etc. (the predecessors of today's magnets) and free universities like CUNY performed an invaluable service in integrating Southern and Eastern European immigrants into American life. (and they were demonized at least as much as Latinos today) So did the political systems in place in the Northeastern cities of that time. This suggests that educational policies based on merit and lowering tuition for public universities to the point that it is free or virtually free for anyone who can get high scores on an entrance exam can "change culture" as it did in the past.

As shown shown in those 'same northeastern cities,' it took assimilation to develop "these institutions." (the Italians, Irish, Catholics, etc..) It took partial abandonment of what divised their communities. In Southern California, the porous border is detrimental to many Latino's chances of assimilation. Instead this is energizing Hispanic, pro-Mexican culture. A culture which has not been a cultivator for educational-excellance.

Also, the population has grown so large that it has caused many to question whether assimilation is necessary. Mexico-of-the-North has been established, replicating many of the problems in Southeastern United States.