The Pros And Cons Of Gangs

Boom! Boom! Boom! Imagine waking with your house riddled by gunshots knowing that you could be killed any second of the day for no reason whatsoever. This is what communities containing gangs do on a daily basis. In communities just like ours, an astonishing forty-eight percent of all violence in jurisdictions across the country is contributed by the gangs. The Crips and Bloods are two of the most well-known and largest gangs in the country. These gangs have been known to break laws on a regular basis and disrupt the lives of many of the members of towns and cities around them. The Crips and Bloods have a vast history together and control a larger amount of drugs and guns than any other gangs. This simple fact alone makes them some of the most

The rivalry is a passionate and murderous competition between both of the gangs. The code is simple, an eye for an eye. If a person wrongs someone else in any way, then revenge in the same way is allowed. Each member of either gang is willing to die at all times to fight for what they believe and have worked for. The rivalry started all the way back to when a sect of the Crips began to question and argue with the leaders. As the arguing continued, they decided to break off and form a new gang. Many other smaller sects of the Crips followed until the Bloods were fully formed; when this happened the rivalry began. First off, the most important attribute to rivalry is the color they wear. As absurd as it sounds it is true. The Crips started off wearing the color blue while the Bloods sported red. Not only do these colors differentiate the members of each gang, they mark the land or turf each gang has, and are used as secret code for the members in either gang. Both gangs also use this in literacy. For example the Crips never use the letter “B” and the Bloods don’t even pronounce the letter “C.” The fact that these two gangs hate each other so much that they won’t even use the letters in the opponent’s name describes the kind of rivalry they have. This affects the community and economy in a multitude of ways. It affects the community on a very personal level; meaning as a family living near one of these gangs, you have no sense of security. These families who may have lived in an area all their lives are infected with gang members that they cannot get rid of. As a community, not only is there no sense of security, but the violence and vandalizing of property is brutal. If someone is caught in the middle of crossfire between these two gangs, they most likely will be killed or kidnapped. Homes are destroyed on a daily basis to symbolize the gang’s authority and private property is non-existent.