By Steven H. Brackett
Re: “Gang members are people too,” (SMDP, March 9, page 4). The writer of this letter seems to miss society’s point: Gangs are bad. Granted, gang members are people, have families, may work, etc. But sadly their similarities to valued, law-abiding society pretty much end there.
Gangs account for more than 50,000 deaths/murders (shootings, drug overdoses, stabbings, etc.) a year in our nation, not to mention those sent to prison. For some reason society has tolerated this needless, senseless, costly drain on America’s young people.
Gang values are contrary to our community and nation’s health and beliefs. Gang members are ingrained with not stopping another from committing a crime, nor divulging the identity of even murders, victimization, violence — including their own family members and friends. Intimidation, retaliation, graffiti and often substance abuse are their accepted values. If an editorial referred to them as “punks” or “bad guys,” it was probably mild when you think about it.
We all need to work together, with the police and gang intervention groups like Homeboy Industries (Father Greg Boyle) to enlighten the young people to the totally devastating, life destroying spiral encountered with gang membership. We cannot accept them as a normal, routine part of society. Nothing can be worse then for society, mothers and fathers, to continue to lose such an important segment of our communities to senseless gangs. If it means “taking back our streets one corner at a time,” so be it.
Each year Santa Monica Police coordinate a crime night out celebration in the heart of the city. This, the Police Activities League, Police Explorers, anti-graffiti program, etc. hardly sound like police harassment to me.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 15, 2006. Read the original PDF.