Safe to wear gang colors? (gangs, neighborhood, looking for)

[Los Angel]

Originally Posted by MightyGandhi

I will moving to LA in August, and I will be living about one block West of USC. I know that the area is a gang territory .

It's no more gang territory than anywhere else in the city. It's just lower socioeconomic North of the campus. Thousands of hard working people live there that have no gang ties at all.

Originally Posted by MightyGandhi

I was curious if I could be safe wearing gang colors like red and blue .

You can wear whatever you like. People in gangs tend to target other people in gangs. Gang members generally don't target college except for an occassional robbery move, which happens near every campus in America. The community is use to USC students living among them.

Originally Posted by MightyGandhi

By no means do I look like a ganster, but I have heard of innocent people getting harmed for wearing certain colors. I am of indian descent if that makes a difference.

You'll hear alot of things. L.A. is a sensational/media type of town. It's good for ratings.

Originally Posted by MightyGandhi

In my mind it seems incredibly insane to think that one would have to stop wearing certain colors. It seems that the media and certain people tend to overexaggerate the rare times that innocent people are harmed in gang related murders and beating.

You'll be fine. Don't by into the media hype. Overall it's safe around the campus. Don't be stupid either such as walking by yourself at 2 & 3 in the morning. You might get robbed.

[CaliDude1]

To the OP, I think you will be fine. Truthfully, the whole Red/ Blue thing is really outdated. It really started dying out in the mid 1990s. That is not to say there are no more gangs. But I wouldn't be too worried about simple colors. Many of the areas that were traditionally Crip or Blood areas are no longer populated by African Americans. And there are very few, if any, Latino Crips or Bloods. The decline of the Crip/ Blood infuence in many parts of L.A. coincided with the exudos of African Americans in the 1990s. Heck, if you are worried about red/blue, or Crips or Bloods then you are actually better off in Los Angeles than in St. Louis or Houston.

Just be smart. Keep your eyes open, and walk with a purpose. I am sure you know not to be out by yourself at night in unfamiliar terriotry. Use basic common sense and you will be fine. And don't let people on these boards scare you. Los Angeles is the 2nd largest city in America. You don't get a city this big with no crime. Don't let that keep you from doing what you have to do.

Be safe, and good luck.

[traveler36]

I agree with everyone else its all about your look, but I have to admit I bought a flannel shirt the other day and chose the black one over the blue.

[slowbullet]

Most of these people simply have no idea what they are talking about..

If we were living in 1987, wearing red, or blue, might be an issue, but not so much these days.

You'll be fine.

Another person brought up that those cultural signals are so much more complicated nowadays then simply wearing gang affiliated colors.

Unless you are a young black male teenager, you'd need to flag those colors pretty aggressively to get attention.

Indian people are off their radar. Indian people in Los Angeles tend to not be gangbangers, or drug dealers.

I am in that area all the time. I wear Stacy Adams shoes, pressed dickies, and wifebeaters in the summer and buttoned down Pendletons in the winter. I wear my hair in a pompadour, and am completely covered with tattoos.

Nine times out of ten, it's the cops who stop me, thinking I am a felon or parolee fresh out the joint, then people from the neighborhood trying to hit me up.

Another thing, is that if you are a USC student, there is really no reason for you to be Moderator cut: inappropriate language around those side streets late at night. Everything you'd need is in a pretty tightly knit area.

Just be smart. Gang violence is not random. Innocent people get hurt, all the time, but the chances are pretty low if you are streetwise..

[KnoxTown]

It's simple. A blue polo shirt won't get you in trouble. However, a blue basketball jersey with a blue hat and blue pants might...

[slowbullet]

Originally Posted by KnoxTown

It's simple. A blue polo shirt won't get you in trouble. However, a blue basketball jersey with a blue hat and blue pants might...

It's a combination of who you are, what you are wearing, where you are, who you are with, and how you carry yourself.

18 year old kid flamed up, standing around other red clothes wearing kids, on disputed geography, at 2 in the morning, meanmugging cars that drive by? Might be a problem.

Creep through Piru street in a candypainted blue Monte Carlo tinted windows up/headlights off on a Friday night? You won't make it out.

An IT worker from India wearing holding a navy blue brella waiting for the bus in Pasadena?

Not so much.

[ProgShred]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I just heard a story on the radio about some Staples Employees getting jumped by gang bangers while wearing their red Staples shirts so I guess it happens. Who knows how often though. But remember gangsters aren't exactly blessed with large amounts of intelligence or impulse control so be careful. Being Indian might put you in a tough spot. If you're very dark skinned, the Mexicans will think you're black and shoot you. If you're lighter, the blacks will think you're Mexican and shoot you. If you could pass for white, they'll all shoot you. Good luck and just like with wild animals, don't make eye contact with the locals or they'll see you as a threat.

I really don't think exagerating is gonna give this guy the info he seeks. In reality, a black is more likely to shoot another black, and a chicano is more likely to shoot another chicano, if they think they are from a rival gang.

A block away from USC is not that bad. I wouldn't want to live there. but it's definitely not that bad for LA standards.

[graciously]

don't think immediate area around usc is not too bad or not like many other areas of the city.

[wvdevindavis]

I got to USC and I've never had any problem wearing my red and blue shirts. One block west of campus is kinda crummy, but I've got friends living in worse student area housing. You'll be fine.

[JakeInSoCal]

The bangers that go after people that you can tell aren't in gangs are the ones who are looking for trouble or enjoy actually killing people. You'll be fine. Theres no Indian gangs for the others to hate and war with. Just don't go walkin round the neighborhood at night.