Gangs flourish in suburbs
Baltimore Sun – United States

In middle school, they were friends, playing in the same local football league. Some kids played for the Crofton Cardinals. Others wore the jerseys of the Odenton Wildcats.

It was innocent then, when the Cardinals – three seasons undefeated – began calling themselves TNT, or The New Threat. The kids from Odenton became ESD, or the East Side Diamonds.

Born of a sports rivalry, the two groups developed into what Anne Arundel County police are calling dangerous gangs. A resulting conflict left 14-year-old Christopher David Jones dead late last month. Days later, the home of someone erroneously believed to have been involved in Christopher’s death was firebombed.

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Los Angeles – Always Writing: ‘Homeboy Review’ Launches – LA Daily …
By Steven Mikulan
Homeboy Industries, the anti-gang intervention program founded by Father Gregory Boyle, now has a literary wing in the form of the Homeboy Review, a 160-page anthology of memoir, poetry and fiction by first-time authors and the likes of …
LA Daily – http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/

Homeboy Industries, the anti-gang intervention program founded by Father Gregory Boyle, now has a literary wing in the form of the Homeboy Review, a 160-page anthology of memoir, poetry and fiction by first-time authors and the likes of such professionals as Luis Rodriguez (Always Running, La Vida Loca), Kerry Madden (Harper Lee Close Up) and Fr. Boyle (Tattoos on the Heart.) According to a piece that appeared in the local Catholic paper The Tidings, a recent kickoff event featured these authors and others reading from their work at the Homegirl Cafe, located in Homeboy’s new building on the edge of Chinatown.

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FOUR TEEN ALTERNATIVES TO GANGS

1.  If You Want To Be A Leader, Or Develop Your Leadership Skills, Join Or Become A Part Of Non-Criminal Enterprises.

2.  If You Want To Follow Someone, Choose Those Individuals/Adults Who Do Not Have Criminal Records.  They DO Exist!

3.  If You Have Problems, Or, Want To Talk To Someone, Choose An Upright Adult Who Is At Your School, Church, Or Friend Of Your Family!

4. Y-O-U Have The Power To Make Sound Media Choices!  Do Not Feast Upon The Negative/Violent/Sexually Graphic! What’s Going In Your Brain?

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I think of gangs as ‘The Big Bad Wolf!’  They’ll huff and puff and blow all over you.  However, more and more teens are building houses out of the bricks of Jesus Christ and HE is sheltering them as they walk away from gang life.  Here are some other lies that these devils tell about the ‘greatness’ of being in a gang.  Bro Mike

THE FIVE MYTHS–AND REALITIES

Myth: “I Can’t Leave The Gang…”
Truth: People Leave Gangs EVERYDAY Without Consequences.

Myth: “I Need The Gang For Friendship…”
Truth: Your Friendship Is Best Given To Upright People.

Myth: “I Need The Structure Of The Gang…”
Truth: Structure ALSO Comes From Being Involved At Church, Work, etc.

Myth: “I Am Nobody Without The Gang…”
Truth: You WERE Somebody–THAT’S Why They Recruited You!
You Have Forgotten WHO You ARE Because Of The Gang!

Myth: “They’ll Threaten To Kill Me If I Leave…”
Truth:  If Someone Is Threatening You…Better Reason To LEAVE!

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The life expectancy of an average gang member is 18-19 years of age. (Victims of gang violence and the gang way of life are growing and are also targeted for death as early as 13 years of age).

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Facts at a Glance:

• 100% of cities with population greater than or equal to 250,000 reported gang activity in 2001
• 85% of cities with population between 100,000 and 229,999 reported gang activity in 2001
• 65% of cities with population between 50,000 and 99,999 reported gang activity in 2001
• 44% of cities with population between 25,000 and 49,999 reported gang activity in 2001
• 20% of cities with population between 2,500 and 24,999 reported gang activity in 2001
• 35% of suburban counties reported gang activity in 2001
• 11% of rural counties reported gang activity in 2001
• 95% of the jurisdictions reporting gang activity in 2001 had also reported gang activity in previous survey years
• 3,000 jurisdictions across the US are estimated to have had gang activity in 2001
• 56% of cities with population greater than or equal to 100,000 reported an increase or no significant change in the number of gang members in 2001
• 42% of cities with a population of at least 25,000 reported an increase in the number of gang members
• 45% of cities with a population of at least 25,000 reported an increase in the number of gangs from the previous two years
• 69% of cities with population at least 100,000 reported having gang related homicides in 2001
• 37% of cities with population between 50,000 and 99,999 reported having gang related homicides in 2001
• 59% of all homicides in 2001 in Los Angeles and 53% in Chicago were gang related, there was a total of 698 gang related homicides in there two cities combined where as 130 other cities with population of at least 100,000 with gang problems reported having a total of 637 homicides between them

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Highlights of the 2001 National Youth Gang Survey, by Arlen Egley, Jr. and Aline K. Major.

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This is Bro Mike from the Gangstyle.com Night Desk.

EVERYONE has a past.  However, the Good News is that Belief on the Lord Jesus Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection for our sins (all our sins, whether intentional or unintentional) will not only have our pasts forgiven, but forgotten by God.

Now, IF someone brings up your past; you don’t have to worry about it as a Christian.  It has been forgiven.  So, what IF someone brings it UP?  Rest in THAT fact that the Lord has forgiven it and forgotten it.

The reality?  Our past actions have consequences.  One cannot ‘do dirt’, and become a Christian to ‘hide’ from our past, then ‘expect’ never to have to ‘hear’ about it again.  It has been forgotten by God, BUT we still have to face–in SOME cases–the consequences.

READ your Bible.  GET you a KJV Bible and READ it!

IF you decide to become a Christian, the Devil, the flesh and the world will try to ‘punk’ you and your NEW life in Christ!  These three will attempt to ‘bring up’ your past in order to get you to stumble. YES there are consequences the Christian has to face from their past, but the FEAR and the GUILT are GONE because CHRIST walks with them THROUGH the consequeces AND GIVES you peace and boldness.  If you have to pay restitution for a past act, if you have to apologize for a past act, even IF you have to go to jail for a past act HE WILL STAND WITH YOU.

As you GROW as a CHRISTIAN you UNDERSTAND that NOT only will God, through Jesus Christ stand with you; he will bring along side of you other REAL Christians to stand with you and encourage you in your walk with Christ.

Will you ever sin again?  Yes.  Will you have to confess your sins to Christ again?  Yes.  I John 1:8-10; Ephesians, Chapters 1 and 2; Titus, Chapter 1.  Those are references from the Bible.  Check em out.

I trust that this answers your question…and that you GET OUT of gang activty!  Bro Mike

Jesus Christ isn’t looking for applicants; He wants commitments!

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Some interesting ideas for solutions to gang violence

How many children must be sacrificed?
Ventura County Star – Camarillo,CA,USA

Once again, another senseless gang killing of a child has occurred in Oxnard. And, once again, the city’s political, religious, law-enforcement and education leaders have a window of opportunity to make this the last child sacrificed because of their unwillingness to take needed action.

Oxnard’s leadership could start implementing the following preventive/curative actions starting tomorrow morning — at no cost. Results would be seen immediately. And, if they weren’t, the city could always go back to its traditional way of doing things.

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THE SHORT LIST: GETTING OUT OF GANG ACTIVITY
Reaffirm Need For Bible, Christ & Church:  The Banger life is one that seeks to FILL a SPIRITUAL VOID.  Youth AND family must decide upon a POSITIVE SPIRITUAL DIRECTION and CONTINUE in it, True Gospel Equals True, Permanent Change & Newness!

Do They REALLY WANT Out?  It must be explained to them that OUT means OUT!  Can’t Even Have the appearance of being a Banger!  Must Drop Colors & Even Gang Friends.

Secure Parental Involvement:  Parents MUST Be Involved Where Juveniles Are In Gang Activity.  Number ONE Factor In Putting Wayward Teens In Check ARE Parents/Guardians, PERIOD!

Confront Negativity:  Remind Teen That Perseverance and Determination ARE part of normal maturity and growth processes.  It’s About DEEDS, NOT Just TALK!

Confront Teen’s Entertainment Choices:  Just as one must ‘starve a fever to feed a cold’, a teen must ‘starve the negative by feeding the positive’!  Get Off The Rap/Hip Hop Prison Barge!

Confront Teen’s Educational Choices:  Develop sign in sheets.  Pursue what teen TRULY wants to be when they grow up.  Reaffirm the ‘Education’ mantra.  Clarify ‘Street’ vs. ‘Classroom’ Training.  Remind Them That Video Life Is NOT Real!

BOTTOM LINE: ONCE The Option Is Given To Them, LET THEM MAKE Choice!  Can’t Do It For Them!  Then Move To Next One!

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