CRITGIT,
I believe that you have a fairly accurate view of the origins of gangs.
In the origins, I will question the emphasis placed upon a racial component. History will show that many of the “outlaw Biker gangs” were predominantly white and to a lesser degree Hispanic. For this reason, I have to conclude a predominant organizing factor of gangs is economically-driven.
Obviously, there is a national origin/creed component to “gangs” if we consider the Italian, Irish, and Jewish mafias—which certainly qualify as gangs in their own right. Later to the game, we see the Japanese mafia.
However, this national origin/creed component—in my opinion—is subordinate to the economic component. From what I have gathered, there would be no need for developing a cohesive group centered around a commonality without a level of disenfranchisement.
But you know what? Our history is filled with examples of disenfranchisement originating around ethnic/national/creed lines. Many immigrating groups to the US met and rose above the same challenges.
The Irish have been a well-known group that met discrimination/disenfranchisement. German and Italian immigrants knew it as well. After the Vietnam War, we saw an influx of Vietnamese immigrants. I wager that they met quite a bit of disenfranchisement – and yet they have for the large part met those challenges.
And in the formation of this country and throughout its waves of immigration, groups of common origin have tended to band together out of necessity or comfort. There have been many areas that were primarily settled by groups from one particular origin.
And disenfranchised former indentured servants were a large component of our nation’s push into the frontier. Having very little in the way of resources—if anything—and prospects in the population centers, they set out into the frontiers. I can’t imagine anything more disenfranchised as that. And it largely was based upon economic conditions.
Our nation has always been a struggle against a type of “Balkanization.” Today, I see a certain degree of regression in our efforts to remain assimilated in a cohesive nation. I see groups of various origins having no desire to be Americans—but rather [fill-in-the-blank] Americans. We are carving ourselves up into subcomponents.
Where I find myself in conflict with your assessment is where the “blame” lies. You say we are/have “dropped the ball.” I disagree.
For decades, the USA has done MORE to address disenfranchisement than probably any country in history. Indeed, it is doing more today that it ever did for a multitude of groups that have faced and risen above disenfranchisement.
With the resources available to ANY American how is willing to work towards a brighter tomorrow, the economic need in formulating gangs has been essentially eliminated. There is government assistance if you need to eat. If you want to go to college, you can go without a dime to your name. In short, anyone who tries CAN rise above the level we see in gang life.
No.
Gang motives today are about Greed, Laziness, and Immediate Gratification.
I say greed because we have a constant bombardment of materialism in our society today. Everyone must have “Bling.” I see it every day. Both my wife and I work in schools that are in impoverished areas.
I say laziness not in the terms of work, but drive. For many it is more appealing to sell drugs or engage in other contraband activities than it is to read a book, take a test, and apply to a college or trade school.
And I say immediate gratification because it is obtainable NOW without putting in the time and effort to build a foundation that one can build a family upon.
To ask society to take responsibility for this condition is to ask it to take responsibility for human nature itself. The reality is that NO society can eliminate those aspects of itself that are cleaved from mainstream society. The reality is that no society can eliminate those who place their own interests above that of others and of morality itself.
The reality is that economic disparities can NEVER be eliminated. There will always be those on either extreme of the bell-curve.
I’ve long asserted that the nature of our world is savagery and that we see pockets of civility arise out of this chaos on occasion. The USA has been one of those pockets. But like every other great nation in history, it becomes a victim of its own success.
So what is the answer? There isn’t one. There is no answer to human nature other than acceptance. But neither is there guilt that there isn’t an answer. With the resources available today, if one chooses gang-life, it IS a choice.
-- John
You are sometimes to logical for your own good. 
