By David Mendez-Yapkowitz Santa Monica
I’m writing this as a response to an editorial that was found in the SMDP titled “Take back our streets one corner at a time” (SMDP, March 2, page 4). I found it to be very disrespectful by referring to gang members as “punks” and “bad guys.” Too many times our society has criminalized the youth that live in low-income areas such as the Pico neighborhood. I myself grew up in the Mid City district of Los Angeles. I’ve seen violence. I know what it’s like to have someone taken away by a bullet. To me, it seems that society is too quick and willing to label all gang members as “punks” and “bad guys” without knowing the truth.
Most people that refer to them as such do not even live in a low-income neighborhood, and really have no knowledge whatsoever of what we go through on a daily basis. I’ve come to see gang members as what they truly are, and that is human beings, just like anyone else. They’re my neighbors. I say “hi” to them just like I would any other neighbor. They cry, laugh, smile, frown, get upset, just like we all do. I know the side of them that the media is not willing to portray.
Their voice is constantly silenced, except to people like me who are willing to talk to them and hear what they have to say. Instead, they’re portrayed as violent criminals that are out to get you at every turn. What happened to Eddie Lopez was very tragic. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
I’m a former student of Samohi, and my younger brother will be there in a year. Violence in our communities is an issue that needs to be addressed. However, upping the police presence, like it was suggested, is not the way to go. Stationing an officer on each street corner? What are we trying to do, treat our neighborhoods like an occupied country during war? Not to mention the fact that the police department have effectively alienated our community. To quote Mexican rapper Sick Jackn, “It ain’t the gangs in the hood, but the cops who harassed me.” Too often, every black or Latino youth is a violent criminal to them. There is a lot of mistrust of the police department from the entire community. So I ask of you all, please think next time, before you call a gang member a “punk” or a “bad guy,” when you’ve never even had any contact with a real gang member except for what you see on your TV.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 9, 2006. Read the original PDF.