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Plight of the Intruder: Social Disconnect of Minorities and Whites in LA »
Posted by: trnscndr 2 years, 7 months agoIs there any solution in site to the problem of confrontation between races in the ghettoized cities? A problem which, at first seems isolated to LA but is coming to a neighborhood near you!
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trnscndr
1)Of all my political tenets the one I know to be true is that emotional politicians who ignore logic are enemies of the state ...
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Comments: 361
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trnscndr
May 20, 2007, 11:20 a.m.This is the core of the problem and the future! It does and should matter to all races!
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ameliog
May 20, 2007, 11:33 a.m.Whatever we're doing so far, it isn't working. What are we willing to do to help our neighbors, our brothers and sisters in humanity?
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lvrofwolves
May 20, 2007, 11:41 a.m.cont-Ok I'm glad they left on one hand and glad our tax $ isn't being spent on their stay in jail...but what about all the others???
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nostalgia
May 20, 2007, 11:47 a.m.This is a good read - explains the spread of gangs - an increasing problem in middle America
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/2001/decemb...
This is also very interesting - MS-13 spread in the US
MS-13 has grown from its start as a local gang in Los Angeles to a well-organized gang syndicate with a presence in 33 states and membership of more than 10,000 in the US
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2006/october...
This is also interesting
Learning from Gangs: The Mexican American Experience. ERIC Digest.
http://www.ericdigests.org/1997-4/gangs.htm
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trnscndr
May 20, 2007, 11:48 a.m.It it inevitable that anywhere there is cheap housing, there will eventually be an influx of poor people as that's the ony place they can afford to live. Pennsylvania, for example has has more than 500,000 estimated immigrants, illegal and legal move there to buy $35000 houses.
Dalton, GA now, the carpet factory capitol of the world is 60% non-English speaking now. Whatever is happening in LA, will happen everywhere else. It's only a $50 bus ticket away.This is the core of the problem and the future! It does and should matter to all races! If we don't care now, we will when gang wars erupt in our own backyards.
Out of site, out of mind? Well, get ready!
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canadianrancher57
May 20, 2007, 12:02 p.m.This problem is partly racial and part economical. As people move in from mexico whether legally or not they are expecting to better themselves financially. When they arrive they are expecting to share in the American dream only to be exploited by many people. It costs alot to survive in an American urban area as many of these people find themselves in desperate situations. This deseration then leads to acts of crime, such as drugs and prostitution, if the class above these people are already involved in theses activities then conflict will result, hence we have Mexicans warring with African Americans.
The dangerous part of this is it will likely expand from these two groups to the rest of society. I am always worried about the enemy from within, and social and economic injustice can create a truely volatile situation.
Just my opinion might be way off on this though.
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Radiofreeeuropa
May 20, 2007, 12:04 p.m.This is so true. I live in an area of N.J. that is a seasonal resort 70 miles from Phila., and 110 miles from N.Y. Gang members threatened violence at our local High School just last week, I thought it must be a hoax as this is a relatively quiet community and hardly "urban". Yet after police swept the school, sadly, guns and other weapons were found, the owners were members of the "Bloods" and their rival gangs.
"It can't happen here".
Believe me it can, and it will.
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Radiofreeeuropa
May 20, 2007, 12:16 p.m.We have attempted to be a nation of Laws and must uphold them now. There are already laws against illegal entry into this country as there are for every sovereign nation on earth. Why aren't these laws enforced? The only changes I'd like to see is larger fines for hiring undocumented workers, a temporary work visa should be available to those that want to come, but purposefully allowing unchecked entry into the U.S. is completely insane from a security point of view alone, forget the economic impact. And don't even dream that I am some sort of racist, I stood in Washington with Dr. M.L. King, and believe strongly in the inherent value of all cultures.
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AntiNeoCon
May 20, 2007, 12:25 p.m.Payback for allowing illegals into our country I suppose to some degree. How are we going to deal with violent gangs? This question should have been addressed 50 years ago. The time will come when the scumbags will take over unless we deal with them effectively. Our law enforcement is going to be at war with these thugs someday, but you can depend on the bleeding hearts to try to defend their rights.
Its us vs the scumbags, and they are winning.
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Radiofreeeuropa
May 20, 2007, 12:44 p.m.Scumbags aside, The truth is there is a major problem.
Unchecked entry into the country is part of the problem, but socio-economics play a large roll too.
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trnscndr
May 20, 2007, 1:06 p.m.The sad thing is, many whites think it does not affect them until it hits their neighborhood.
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bubba2
May 20, 2007, 1:22 p.m.Yes, people do ignore the problem until it is in their backyard.
I live in Memphis, and the problems here are classic and fit the pattern of other larger cities.
There was "white flight" from the heart of the city, supposedly to get away from "crime", but the issue has always been race and, sadly and to our community's DISCREDIT, still is.
We have some VERY poor neighborhoods. And, obviously, it is in those neighborhoods were crime and drugs and gangs are the worst. Gangs have also infiltrated many of the local high schools. Local authorities are doing a halfway decent job of working on the problem in the schools. But the problem in the urban poor neighborhoods is not getting any better.
Employers higher illegals and pay them way below minimum wage and those people are willing to take that pay. But, then they have to find cheap places to live, and then the accompanying problems build up.
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bubba2
May 20, 2007, 1:30 p.m.They have been for YEARS!
The 'county' area outside of Memphis has been 'developed' over the last 20-30 years. Now people are even moving OUT of the county into the next TN county east of Shelby (Memphis), or they are moving across the Mississippi line into DeSoto county.
Memphis is over 60% African American. There is nothing wrong with that. But the "white flight" causes the people who CAN afford to leave to do so, while those that are financially unable to consider moving are left behind.
This erodes the tax base, and the public apathy (low percentages of voters, not getting involved with their communities to take some responsibility for the crime and drug problems) with many of the city citizens just exasperates the problems.
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bubba2
May 20, 2007, 1:34 p.m.Our Mayor had the gall, last year, to say "let them leave" (those moving out of the city). Absolutely inane.
However, on the positive side, one of the local TV stations has started a campaign of "taking back our neighborhoods". It is having some effect and they have run several stories about neighborhoods where the dwellers are banding together and working on solutions to reduce the crime and to unite to take care of each other.
That does give me hope -- I do live in the city of Memphis and I live in a very stable neighborhood. On the one hand, we have been fortunate that we have not seen an influx of crime and drugs. But, we do have a pretty good, fairly active neighborhood association which helps.
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Radiofreeeuropa
May 20, 2007, 1:46 p.m.Bubba2,
My cousin is an MD in Memphis, aside from it's problems which every community deals with on some level he tells me he would choose to live nowhere else. It is a beautiful City, I had some of the finest barbq ever on your river walk.
I think for most though certainly not all, it is economic differences that put those walls and barriers up between people, as opposed to race. It's just that economic rewards tend to fall along racial lines, but "face to face" people tend to get along. That's not to say when they get in groups where a "group" mentality trumps common sense there isn't bigotry. We all know how that is evident. But look at the progress that has been made since say 1950 when racism was actually legislated! My kid's for instance can't even visualize that world.
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Digidave
May 20, 2007, 2:08 p.m.I grew up in Los Angeles.
Is this a problem.
Yes.
Is it as bad as the article makes it sound.
No.
I went to a public highschool 30 percent white, 30 percent black, 30 percent latino and 10 percent asian.
There was no isolation.
Were things always honky-dory.
No.
Did I learn more by being emersed in this environment.
Yes (much more than my white counterparts who went to private schools).
Is there isolation in LA. Yes -- but because of its diversity it is also the starting point where the national concious can be healed -- where mixing and understanding can take place.
I have a much more hopeful outlook -- but I have been lucky enough to have grown up in a very unique and mixed situation (thank you Los Angeles!).
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Radiofreeeuropa
May 20, 2007, 2:10 p.m.Neighborhood grassroots organizations are the most effective way to maintain and improve the quality of life wherever you live. We have one that only encompasses about a square mile (actually less) that among other things organizes volunteers to help paint, clear, beautify, or clean properties that could use it ( mostly older folks who can't do it themselves and don't have income enough to pay someone else). We also show open air movies in our park once a week, sponsor trips, and have even started a scholarship fund for promising students within the neighborhood!
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bubba2
May 20, 2007, 2:11 p.m.And I agree that it is economics that is the bigger issue into which race gets pulled.
I've used the cliche in other posts recently - most people do just want "an honest day's wage for an honest day's work".
I challenge anyone, especially Congress, to try to live on $5.15 an hour (minimum wage) for just ONE month. They don't even have to include their family - just themselves.
Rent alone soaks up most of that money, and that would be in the CHEAPEST places in the community.
When people can't make ends meet, they are frustrated, depressed, and angry.
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Macas
May 20, 2007, 2:16 p.m.It's so sad when I see this ... I wont say anything because words here saying so much and beside any comment .
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bubba2
May 20, 2007, 2:45 p.m.I just got into reading the local paper. There are articles in there today about a recent 'efficiency' study of Memphis that says that several community centers and library branches need to be closed up in several communities.
Can you guess which communities? If you guessed the most depressed and/or the neediest economically, then you win ...
"As neighborhoods lose amenities, drift sets in"
http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/opinion/art...
The 'study' recommends moves that would only make some communities even more troublesome and less desirable to live in or for its inhabitants to attempt to support.
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Radiofreeeuropa
May 20, 2007, 2:54 p.m.This is happening all over.
Regrettably it's more than just a disturbing trend.
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bubba2
May 20, 2007, 3:05 p.m.Yeah ... our Mayor wants to build a new football stadium, but meanwhile we don't have enough resources - or don't consider the situation important enough - to give police and firefighters a raise, to maintain community centers and libraries, and to pay our educators a decent salary.
It is just so frustrating ...
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