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As a parent of a graduating senior I can tell you that the parents who are really involved in their kids lives and get to know their kids friends usually don't have very many problems. It is the kids who are left on their own and the parents who don't bother to go to any of their activities and don't know who their kids are spending time with this is where the problem starts. My husband has been living in NC since January until we all move down there next month and he is in constant contact with our oldest making sure he is doing everything he should be and to talk just to see how things are going. Parent involvement does not stop after elementary school they need you more as they get older.
Here is a sad, but true, fact: something is only a crime if you make it illegal. Now think about that for a second ....
Okay. Now that you have thought about that, let's look at the root of the gang problem in this country. In the first half of the 20th century, gangs existed in inner city neighborhoods to protect those neighborhoods from external threats and to establish a power base in the neighborhood. They were also primarily located in neighborhoods populated by new immigrants. Their crimes were localized and rarely impacted anyone outside of their own local areas. They were not the criminal organizations they are today, because the types of crimes being committed by gangs today were not crimes in those days. It wasn't until the first prohibition (alcohol) in the 20s that gangs turned into large scale criminal organizations.
With the second wave of prohibition starting in the late 60s (the war on drugs), gang activity shifted from protection to far more profitable activities. Making narcotics illegal only increased their demand and placed the only supply base in the hands of the black market. The crack epidemic of the 80s turned these local gangs into international criminal organizations. The profits from the distribution of illegal drugs are enormous, and of course given the nature of black markets, the most violent elements seized control of the means of distribution and grew ever larger and more violent to maintain that control.
Drug laws keep these gangs in power and maintain their ability to recruit and grow. The amount of non-violent drug offenders sent to prisons provides a steady base of recruitment, as most of these gangs are actually run from within prisons. You send a drug user to jail, and he comes out a gang member and drug distributor. The facts here are indisputable. This is also the primary culprit for our revolving door prison system. Jails are full of non-violent drug offenders, so there is no room to house the truly dangerous elements of our society.
If people want to get serious about eliminating gang activity, they are going to have to take a long, hard look at our drug laws. Do we want to continue creating criminals by continuing our failed war on drugs? It is a tough question that requires a new way of looking at what should and shouldn't be considered crime.
they're scrubs they problly got those from there parents hunting collection the whole south soft
Hunting collection? ROFLMAO! These kids are not the types to have parents who HUNTED. I am sure neither of their parents (assuming they locate/indentify their daddies) belong to the NRA or have ever been out hunting. Holding up the local gas station, maybe. Hunting, NOT HARDLY.
Last edited by brokensky; 06-19-2008 at 10:20 AM..
Reason: changed word
Here is a sad, but true, fact: something is only a crime if you make it illegal. Now think about that for a second ....
Okay. Now that you have thought about that, let's look at the root of the gang problem in this country. In the first half of the 20th century, gangs existed in inner city neighborhoods to protect those neighborhoods from external threats and to establish a power base in the neighborhood. They were also primarily located in neighborhoods populated by new immigrants. Their crimes were localized and rarely impacted anyone outside of their own local areas. They were not the criminal organizations they are today, because the types of crimes being committed by gangs today were not crimes in those days. It wasn't until the first prohibition (alcohol) in the 20s that gangs turned into large scale criminal organizations.
With the second wave of prohibition starting in the late 60s (the war on drugs), gang activity shifted from protection to far more profitable activities. Making narcotics illegal only increased their demand and placed the only supply base in the hands of the black market. The crack epidemic of the 80s turned these local gangs into international criminal organizations. The profits from the distribution of illegal drugs are enormous, and of course given the nature of black markets, the most violent elements seized control of the means of distribution and grew ever larger and more violent to maintain that control.
Drug laws keep these gangs in power and maintain their ability to recruit and grow. The amount of non-violent drug offenders sent to prisons provides a steady base of recruitment, as most of these gangs are actually run from within prisons. You send a drug user to jail, and he comes out a gang member and drug distributor. The facts here are indisputable. This is also the primary culprit for our revolving door prison system. Jails are full of non-violent drug offenders, so there is no room to house the truly dangerous elements of our society.
If people want to get serious about eliminating gang activity, they are going to have to take a long, hard look at our drug laws. Do we want to continue creating criminals by continuing our failed war on drugs? It is a tough question that requires a new way of looking at what should and shouldn't be considered crime.
Here is a sad, but true, fact: something is only a crime if you make it illegal. Now think about that for a second ....
Okay. Now that you have thought about that, let's look at the root of the gang problem in this country. In the first half of the 20th century, gangs existed in inner city neighborhoods to protect those neighborhoods from external threats and to establish a power base in the neighborhood. They were also primarily located in neighborhoods populated by new immigrants. Their crimes were localized and rarely impacted anyone outside of their own local areas. They were not the criminal organizations they are today, because the types of crimes being committed by gangs today were not crimes in those days. It wasn't until the first prohibition (alcohol) in the 20s that gangs turned into large scale criminal organizations.
With the second wave of prohibition starting in the late 60s (the war on drugs), gang activity shifted from protection to far more profitable activities. Making narcotics illegal only increased their demand and placed the only supply base in the hands of the black market. The crack epidemic of the 80s turned these local gangs into international criminal organizations. The profits from the distribution of illegal drugs are enormous, and of course given the nature of black markets, the most violent elements seized control of the means of distribution and grew ever larger and more violent to maintain that control.
Drug laws keep these gangs in power and maintain their ability to recruit and grow. The amount of non-violent drug offenders sent to prisons provides a steady base of recruitment, as most of these gangs are actually run from within prisons. You send a drug user to jail, and he comes out a gang member and drug distributor. The facts here are indisputable. This is also the primary culprit for our revolving door prison system. Jails are full of non-violent drug offenders, so there is no room to house the truly dangerous elements of our society.
If people want to get serious about eliminating gang activity, they are going to have to take a long, hard look at our drug laws. Do we want to continue creating criminals by continuing our failed war on drugs? It is a tough question that requires a new way of looking at what should and shouldn't be considered crime.
Most people are gonna freak when they even hear any mention about legalizing drugs. However, if we at least legalized marijuana, it would mean 1. control of distribution 2. tax revenues 3. control over the pharma elements in marijuana (as in . . . purity). 4. Take the distribution out of the hands of criminals.
Legalizing marijuana would be done to control the use, not promote it. It is here, so why not control it.
Now I don't know that this would work, but I surely have thought about it and wondered if it would. The other thing would be a needle exchange program, so as to at least cut down on diseases (Hepatitis, HIV) w/in the population of drug users. In addition, w/ a needle exchange program, one could then better monitor the users and offer cessation programs . . . rehab, etc.
I don't know if it would work, but I surely have thought about it in re: to both a public health problem and a control/crime problem. It is certainly something to ponder, even tho I know that at first glance, most people react very negatively to the idea.
Hunting collection? ROFLMAO! These kids are not the types to have parents who HUNTED. I am sure neither of their parents (assuming they locate/indentify their daddies) belong to the NRA or have ever been out hunting. Holding up the local gas station, maybe. Hunting, NOT HARDLY.
wow they and the rest of the south
are punks trying to look hard for myspace
and they dont bang in the south they just claim
false claimers
wow they and the rest of the south
are punks trying to look hard for myspace
and they dont bang in the south they just claim
false claimers
Translation please ....
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