"I'm not going to lie to you, there's some (gang members) around here," (neighborhood, middle school)

[Steel Man]

Originally Posted by Latinocowboy

I was hoping you'd pick up on that.

BTW: You might want to adjust your direction. The "shootings" occur South of Potranco which runs East-West. Though your "range" of 2 1/2 miles is about right on!

[HT1]

I MADE A MISTAKE OF SENDING MY SON TO A PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL, THINKING I WAS PREPARING HIM FOR HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS. THE PEER PRESURE WAS TOO MUCH FOR HIM AND OF COURS, BEING A NEW STUDENT AND WANTING TO FIT IN. HE IS NOW IN THE SYSTEM. I SAY NO MORE.... HES NOT A "GANG BANGER", HE NOT A GANG MEMBER. HE WAS A WANNA BE TAGGER. A CHILD WHO IS LEARNNG AND ABSOURBING HIS SURROUNDING. AT HOME HE READ BOOKS, DID CHORES, RESPECTED OTHERS, PLAYED WELL WITH OTHERS, ETC, ETC... TODAYS SOCIETY HAD GLORIFIED THE SOCIAL HYPE OF GANGS, BAGGY CLOTHING, GRILLS, GUNS, DRUGS,SEX. (example: just watch the news. listen to music teenagers are listening to...). NO MATTER HOW GREAT OF A JOB WE DO TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN. YES IT WILL HAPPEN, THE EMBERS MAY BE INCREASING, AND NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, IT MAY NEVER CHANGE.
PARENTS, NEIGHBORS, COMMUNITY AND SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA.....
IT IS UP TO US TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. YES US, THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN, IN OUR NEIGBORHOODS, IN OUR CITY.

I AM FINDING AN INTEREST IN THE GANGS IN OUR CITY, ONLY BECAUSE I KEEP ASKING MYSELF WHY ARE THESE KIDS DOING THIS.

IT SEEMS THE TOUGHER/ MORE STRICT OUR CITY IS TRYING TO GET. THE MORE THE VOILENCE/ GANG REALATED ACTIVITY IS OCCURING IN OUT CITY......

WHY?

[michelangelosa]

Please, next time, not in all caps.

[mamatotex97]

Too strict? Not bashing, I am just really curious as what you think is too strict that the city is doing?
The kids I have talked to know the system. They know the state laws and the school laws. They know how much they can miss school and what kind of alternative school they will go to. They know the court system and what will happen to them after so many times of going to jail. It amazes me how much they know and the loopholes they have found. This to me says the state is not strict enough. Some of these kids I spoke with are very sweet kids, just no direction in their life due to whatever life handed them. And some just plain scare the crap out of me. If some spent half as much time on their education as they do "figuring out the law" they'd be going to Yale........

[SanAntoQT]

Originally Posted by HT1

I MADE A MISTAKE OF SENDING MY SON TO A PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL, THINKING I WAS PREPARING HIM FOR HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS. THE PEER PRESURE WAS TOO MUCH FOR HIM AND OF COURS, BEING A NEW STUDENT AND WANTING TO FIT IN. HE IS NOW IN THE SYSTEM. I SAY NO MORE.... HES NOT A "GANG BANGER", HE NOT A GANG MEMBER. HE WAS A WANNA BE TAGGER. A CHILD WHO IS LEARNNG AND ABSOURBING HIS SURROUNDING. AT HOME HE READ BOOKS, DID CHORES, RESPECTED OTHERS, PLAYED WELL WITH OTHERS, ETC, ETC... TODAYS SOCIETY HAD GLORIFIED THE SOCIAL HYPE OF GANGS, BAGGY CLOTHING, GRILLS, GUNS, DRUGS,SEX. (example: just watch the news. listen to music teenagers are listening to...). NO MATTER HOW GREAT OF A JOB WE DO TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN. YES IT WILL HAPPEN, THE EMBERS MAY BE INCREASING, AND NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, IT MAY NEVER CHANGE.
PARENTS, NEIGHBORS, COMMUNITY AND SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA.....
IT IS UP TO US TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. YES US, THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN, IN OUR NEIGBORHOODS, IN OUR CITY.

I AM FINDING AN INTEREST IN THE GANGS IN OUR CITY, ONLY BECAUSE I KEEP ASKING MYSELF WHY ARE THESE KIDS DOING THIS.

IT SEEMS THE TOUGHER/ MORE STRICT OUR CITY IS TRYING TO GET. THE MORE THE VOILENCE/ GANG REALATED ACTIVITY IS OCCURING IN OUT CITY......

WHY?

IMO, it all begins at home. I have two children who are grown now, but were growing up when gang activity was at its peak (I think). I realize that what I'm about to say may not be what the "experts" say you should do, but f*ck it! When I saw that my son was straying, I very quickly sat him down and had a talk with him...short and sweet...I told him that if he ever got an inkling about joining a gang, not to bother because I would kill him. I made it a point of knowing who his friends were, going through his room looking for any evidence, keeping tabs on his comings and goings, made a pest of myself at his school just to make sure he was going, kept him busy, etc. Only once did he attempt to step up to me in an argument about having him on a short leash. When that happened, I very bluntly told him that if he wanted to see his next birthday, he'd better back his a$$ up and take a seat. I also told him I was not prepared to bury him and that was why I was as strict as he thought I was. Thankfully, he is now 26 and about to become a dad for the first time.

I think a lot of parents take the easy way out and just let their kids run amok, relying on society to deal with results.

[TXtrkgrl]

Originally Posted by SanAntoQT

IMO, it all begins at home. I have two children who are grown now, but were growing up when gang activity was at its peak (I think). I realize that what I'm about to say may not be what the "experts" say you should do, but f*ck it! When I saw that my son was straying, I very quickly sat him down and had a talk with him...short and sweet...I told him that if he ever got an inkling about joining a gang, not to bother because I would kill him. I made it a point of knowing who his friends were, going through his room looking for any evidence, keeping tabs on his comings and goings, made a pest of myself at his school just to make sure he was going, kept him busy, etc. Only once did he attempt to step up to me in an argument about having him on a short leash. When that happened, I very bluntly told him that if he wanted to see his next birthday, he'd better back his a$$ up and take a seat. I also told him I was not prepared to bury him and that was why I was as strict as he thought I was. Thankfully, he is now 26 and about to become a dad for the first time.

I think a lot of parents take the easy way out and just let their kids run amok, relying on society to deal with results.

I agree with you. I know my kids friends and their friends parents. I know where they are at all times and yes I will check on them to make sure they are where they say they are going to be. My 17 year old has her own truck and she is not even allowed to go to the corner store without asking me. I know, I know I sound like the mom from hell but my kids have lots of respect for me. Or maybe they are just scared

SanAntoQT, I tried to rep you but I gotta spread it around first.

[ChrisSA_wxatUIW]

ironically i think my middle school was much worse than my high school. My younger sister, in this age group, who went to said middle school, now goes to a private Catholic school in Ft. Worth because it was soooo bad, and she was getting in so much trouble

I'm just glad it worked out for her- she loves it up there


more ironically- the middle school i'm talking about is Stevenson, which is on the edge of town on the W/NW side of town....

I guess it doesn't matter where you live, some areas are bad and some are good

[HT1]

Originally Posted by mamatotex97

Too strict? Not bashing, I am just really curious as what you think is too strict that the city is doing?
The kids I have talked to know the system. They know the state laws and the school laws. They know how much they can miss school and what kind of alternative school they will go to. They know the court system and what will happen to them after so many times of going to jail. It amazes me how much they know and the loopholes they have found. This to me says the state is not strict enough. Some of these kids I spoke with are very sweet kids, just no direction in their life due to whatever life handed them. And some just plain scare the crap out of me. If some spent half as much time on their education as they do "figuring out the law" they'd be going to Yale........

Valid point!!! This is true. Again, too much time on their hands.
Talking about tagging laws. This is a gowing problem in our city, that the city is "trying" to do something about.....

[SanAntoQT]

Originally Posted by Malone

I agree with you. I know my kids friends and their friends parents. I know where they are at all times and yes I will check on them to make sure they are where they say they are going to be. My 17 year old has her own truck and she is not even allowed to go to the corner store without asking me. I know, I know I sound like the mom from hell but my kids have lots of respect for me. Or maybe they are just scared

SanAntoQT, I tried to rep you but I gotta spread it around first.

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do! I didn't care if it was fear or respect that kept my kids in line...whichever it was worked.

Thanks for the rep attempt.

[Latinocowboy]

I've done a lot of counseling with teenagers who were/are in some of the toughest gangs in NYC. Even here, we've run in to the same gang cult-ure.

This is the reason why (most) kids join gangs:

Acceptance.

Gang life is all about "familia" and a sense of being a part of something, accepted, and gaining respect --> to gain more acceptance. Gangs offer hope (a false hope) to kids that have nothing or no one else to look to. It is a deadly cycle that only leads to two places: jail or the grave.

There is an epidemic of "homeless" kids who have a roof over their head, but don't know what it's like to have a home. These are the kids we try to reach out to, before it is too late.

We need to help deal with the symptoms and consequences of gang life, but not just from behind the gavel. We also need to address the home life, or lack of. This is where it starts, in my opinion.