3 Ways Gang Culture Hurts Black America
There Is No Honor Amongst Thieves
When have the bloods opened a community center that offered after-school programs for inner city youth? When have the crips started a non-profit organization that offered employment for inner-city parents? When have the gangster disciples opened a food pantry for inner-city residents? When have the vice lords built affordable housing for inner-city families? The short answer to all of these questions is never.
Aside from the detrimental influence of rap music, gang culture has negatively impacted the black community. It is no secret that many black households are missing a positive male figure, and it is no secret that black male youth often seek father figures from men in the streets. Our young women also fall victim to gang-banging if they are raised in chaos.
Most youth who find themselves joining a street gang are seeking a sense of belonging and family. I was fortunate enough to have been raised in the suburbs, but I joined the military for the same reasons many youths join a gang. The difference is, there are benefits to joining the military whereas joining a street gang comes with none.
Although I have no real-life experience in the streets, I observe what is happening in my community and am able to pinpoint where many have gone wrong. We see that rap artists are not exempt from incarceration. We see that rap artists are not exempt from death. We see what continues to occur in Chicago. We see what continues to occur in Los Angeles. We see the high murder rates in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York City. We watch episodes of The First 48. We see that Atlanta is polluted with corruption and crime despite the amount of black wealth that exists in the city. Our people suffer because of lack of knowledge and our people also suffered because of ignorance.
Here are 3 ways gang culture hurt black America:
#1: GANG CULTURE KEEPS US DIVIDED
Street gangs wake up every morning with the intent of killing or robbing each other. These gangs do not wake up to promote positive changes in their communities. They wake up to commit crimes and these crimes are committed against each other. This is the number one source of black-on-black violence. As long as there is black-on-black violence, there will be a divide within our community. As long as there is black-on-black violence, we will continue to be at odds with each other.
If street gangs operated as a positive force instead of a negative one, these gangs would be working together to put an end to gun violence. These gangs would be working together to mentor fatherless children. These gangs would be working together to clean up the hood and make it a better place to live. These gangs would be taking classes at their community colleges to be educated in business, human services, and any other trade that could benefit their people. These gangs would be applying for small business loans to start companies that could employ every adult in the projects.
#2: GANG CULTURE PROMOTES WILLFUL GENOCIDE
Street gangs commit intentional genocide. Our youth are not dying from old age, health-related issues, or freak accidents. Our youth are dying from gun violence and at the other end of that pistol is another black youth. Our community also has the issue of having older gang members who never outgrew their decision to gang bang. These “OG’s”, as they are called, only perpetuate the vicious cycle that desperately needs to stop. They also influence our youth to go in and out of jail by engaging in criminal activity. Our youngsters see these older members as respectable elders and they revere them.
They revere them but have no reverence for the black mailman. They have no reverence for the black attorney. They have no reverence for the black congressman. They have no reverence for the black doctor. They have no reverence for the black social worker. They have no reverence for the black college student. They only respect the local drug dealer, their favorite rapper, and their favorite athlete.
Our youth are not being taught to stay in high school, graduate, and go to college. Our youth are not being taught the sacrifices our ancestors made for us to be able to become anything great we aspire to be in this country. Our youth are being taught to fight and kill each other with today’s rap music. They are obsessed with “hood movies” that do nothing but perpetuate racial stereotypes and toxicity. When they pick up a gun to aim it at their own kind, they are participating in genocide. Every day there is a news report of a black man dying at the hands of another black man.
#3: GANG CULTURE KEEPS US INCARCERATED
Unlike the military, street gangs offer absolutely no benefits. A street gang will not pay for college. A street gang will not offer you the opportunity to see the world. A street gang will not grant you the opportunity to leave your city. A street gang does not come with medical benefits. Although there is always the prospect of getting quick cash, that easy money always comes with a hefty price. That price is either your freedom or your life. Committing crimes for fast buck always comes with the chance of being killed or getting locked up. If you are fortunate enough to be incarcerated, you may keep your life but a good chunk of it will be spent behind bars.
How can we truly prosper as a race if half of us are constantly being killed and the other half are constantly jailed? How can we truly prosper as a race if we continue to abandon education to live the life of crime? How can we truly prosper as a race if we continue to see each other as enemies? How can we truly prosper if all we know is violence and illegal activities?
Thank you for reading!
