ScyLarc

I especially liked the way he tried to continue on even though it looked like he had just shot his toes off!

ImHere

hehe, professionalism at its best.

Guelder Rose

You forgot to mention 'forum gangs'!

ImHere

Oh yes, best not forget those.

Guelder Rose

anotherlimey

I don't have a gang problem in the 'burbs!

I think what you're referring to is tribal mentality - everyone with their own 'type'.

A 'gang' in the US sense is something different.

Guelder Rose

The only gangs I see where I am all seem to use clothing (style, but especially color to separate one gang from another) as the way of telling the other gangs which gang they belong to. Most of them wear what looks like some kind of hosiery stuck to their heads, with a t-shirt that is 10 sizes too big and jeans that have to be constantly hoisted up to stop them from falling down. They gather in groups and generally look a bit menacing. Is this what is different about the US gang culture, or am I just barking up the wrong tree completely?

anotherlimey

The US gang culture is about "honour" and watching each other's back, it's not necessarily about the clothes you wear but most gangs wear particular colours.

It's prevalant in poorer neighbourhoods where residents perceive themselves as having little hope for the future.

A friend of mine who I play poker with was shot at while in his car, his best friend was shot in the head and died when he exited the vehicle to run away. All because my friend had broken the leg of a 'Latin King' who tried to assault him in a parking lot a few weeks earlier.

Dant3

I prefer the Latino gang look: Knee length Khaki Dickies, long white socks, white trainers, white vest, checked shirt, elaborate tattoos and their mother's fishnets on their heads. You score extra points when you see more than 3 of them bouncing along in a lowrider or lifted truck. There's a great organization here called Homeboy Industries, whose motto is, "Nothing Stops a Bullet Like a Job". When you go in their store to look at their T-shirts it's like stepping into your local correctional facility. Brilliant. How can anyone not love east LA?

Guelder Rose

Thanks for the explanation.

Must say that the above is really sad! I remember when I was in New York, someone was shot right outside a barber shop ... the locals just carried on with their business like it was an every day occurrence!

Guelder Rose

Have yet to see the fishnets ... and though I'm getting used to the black, red or white stockings which are worn as headgear around here, I still think it looks ridiculous. In fact the whole get up makes me chuckle ... I often wish I could see one of them being chased, just to see their oversized jeans fall down and make them fall flat on their faces!

anotherlimey

When I lived in NY briefly last year I was listening to the radio one morning and on the news they proudly announced that no one had been shot in 9 days... then 3 people were shot outside a KFC in Brooklyn.

There was a temp working for us a few years ago here in Chicago, he was only 18, everyone spoke very highly of him and they wanted to hire him permanently. He was shot and killed in a drive by. It was very sad for everyone, even more so when we learned the family couldn't afford to pay for the funeral, but the company president stepped in and paid for it out of his own pocket.

Dant3

The jeans thing is hilarious. Where I live, you don't see real gang members, just asian teenagers wishing they were. Every day I see some 16 year old kid getting out of his tricked out purple and yellow Honda Civic with the 12 inch spoiler, jeans midway round the thigh, checked boxers for all to see. It looks so ****** ridiculous! What's going through their minds when they get dressed on a morn.

(I've just realised I sound like I'm 50! :scared: )

Paint

The only safe gun is a gun that is unloaded and locked away in a secure cabinet, with the ammunition locked away in a separate cabinet.

If you keep a loaded gun in your house, then you are at high risk of either your kids, or your kids friends shooting themselves by accident, of having it used on you.

Saying to a burglar "Could you please excuse me for a moment, while I go and get my gun and load it" is generally a pretty useless tactic.

I prefer the company of two huge dogs, who are ready and able to protect my family with their lives if necessary, keep me fit walking them, and offer me unconditional love and bountiful furry cuddle opportunities. Great idea - but even some people get this idea wrong, and keep their own doggy protection chained up in the back yard, where they are completely unable to do anything but bark a lot (their neighbours being so used to the constant barking of a neglected dog that they would ignore it anyway)

No guns for me. Not ever.

Paint.

ImHere

But New York has extremely tough gun control laws...how can all these shootings be happening?