You are less of a victim because you think everyone has equal capacity and opportunity? Yea, right…..

I am in love with my husband, not playing the victim or any other dramatic role. It’s not about “playing the victim” silly; it is about having compassion for others and both realizing and accepting the facts. We may all be born wet and naked and that’s where it stops. You bring up brains — well some have more capacity than others — at birth; another counterpoint to your theory. Yes, we receive gifts and I am happy for those I receive. No Mother Nature doesn’t care what color your skin is, but this society does.

You believe in the power of playing the victim. The truth is that Mother Nature cares nothing about any of us. Mother Nature doesn’t care how many parents you had or what color your skin is. You are here and she wants to now see if you can survive and thrive, given what you have. You assume it’s better to have two parents. Is this better for the species, for all of humanity, for the next million years? How could you know? You don’t. You get what you have, and you use your brain to make the most of it while you are here. Anyone who has a problem with that is having a love affair with the “victim” role. No one owes anyone anything in this lifetime. You are on your own and you always will be — in life and in death. If you get anything beyond that, it was a gift, and that’s it. Just a gift. Be happy with your gifts, but don’t grow to expect them.

http://www.justicepolicy.org/images/upload/07-07_REP_GangWars_GC-PS-AC-JJ.pdf

“Youth crime in the United States remains near the lowest levels seen in the past three decades, yet public concern and media coverage of gang activity has skyrocketed since 2000. Fear has spread from neighborhoods with longstanding gang problems to communities with historically low levels of crime, and some policy makers have declared the arrival of a national gang “crisis.” Yet many questions remain unanswered. How can communities and policy makers differentiate between perceived threats and actual challenges presented by gangs? Which communities are most affected by gangs, and what is the nature of that impact? How much of the crime that plagues poor urban neighborhoods is attributable to gangs? And what approaches work to promote public safety?”

What a completely distorted point of view! There are some ways possibly, that we are all born the same — like naked and covered with fluid, but other than those we are mostly born different. Like some with two parents and some with none…. etc. Get a clue!

@ Edna: As far as Asian gangs are concerned, they’ve toned down over the last several years and generally don’t seem to be the type to hang around on street corners or mini marts. However, they were a lot more active and agressive in the late 80′s/early 90′s – it was a very different scene then.

If I recall, the Asian Community and elders got involved to work the issues from the inside out. Three strikes and tougher sentencing guidelines may have also helped. In any case, there are very few Asian shootings nowadays.

The comments you overheard on the bus makes me sad. It doesn’t matter if someone is white, black, yellow, red, or opaque – if you live in the valley it is your community and it is your reality. Further, just because someone isn’t in a gang now it doesn’t mean they don’t understand the issues. Dismissing someone’s opinion merely because the color of their skin happens to be different illustrates the divide that is being created. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize the people involved in these activities need hope, education, jobs, and infrastructure (housing).

One point I cannot contest is your comment regarding our elected officials. The people at City Hall think they know how to solve the problems but they really don’t. Council Member Burgess is heavily involved in the youth gang initiative, and I believe he cares, yet he seems more focused on his next political seat than he does working the issues. By his choice he is going to be short-lived as a Council Member………it is sad because he had a lot of potential. He probably would have taken on the Mayor this year if he thought he could win.

SSSL