Thug Culture and the idiots who tried to rob the Marine who had a knife

[Pilgrim]

I've had to work with many youngsters like that. They carry on with the "thug culture" bit as youths, and the day after they turn 18, they do the same thing - only now, instead of being let off with a juvenile slap on the wrist, they're adults, and they find themselves doing hard time. When they're in the pen with 1,500 other hard-core nasties, they find out really, really fast that they're not nearly as tough as they thought they were . . . but by then, it's too late.

I have a 'grandson' who is doing time in a CA state prison at the age of 18. He foolishly thought that since he was on probation from juvenile court, any transgressions would be referred back to juvenile court. Surprise, surprise, his next three burglaries landed him in county jail and eventually in prison. He was rather stunned.

Pilgrim

 

[hillbilly]

Socrates quote is noted.

And I would agree with you on the mollycoddling.

In Socrates' Greece, a young person who liked to commit armed robbery would likely be chopped up and fed to hungry fish at the base of some steep cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea.

Today, they get "counseling" and sent to juvenile detention, and get taught how to "make better decisions."

Yes, the sub-culture of violence that arose, especially in the American South, in the 19th century is also noted.

Eye-gouging fights were all the rage for a time, and one-eyed men abounded.

But in the same vein, thugs would often run up against folks like the infamous Bald Knobbers from around Branson, Missouri.

I'm not advocating vigilante justice here.

But as violent as the 19th Century was in America, there was also a much greater liklihood that thugs and punks would get taken out of the food chain after a short career.

And by taken out, I don't mean put into prison.

Many of today's young thugs seem to be turning to thuggery as a fashion statement or in the same way that one would join a club or a fraternity in the past.

Like the middle-class thugs who recently made news as they beat a homeless man to death on security video tapes.

Or the group of preppie college thugs who perpetrated the Alabama church burning spree, apparently because they were bored.

And there seem to be all sorts of social organs at work to protect them from the consequences of their thuggery, as long as they don't try to rob a determined Marine who has a knife.

Keep your eyes open, and your powder dry.

hillbilly

 

[cookekdjr]

I was a homicide prosecutor in Atlanta until last October.
The thug culture dominates. Its everywhere. Doesn't matter if the kids have good parents. Most of them (it seems) sink to the lowest common denominator: hip hop, housing projects, pregnant teenagers, dealing crack and carrying a handgun to threaten folks. Maybe rob them. Its cool, right?
You start that rant, people call you racist. You point out you are a liberal who has devoted his life to helping poor folks (mostly minorities) they don't care. :banghead:
The inner-city has huge problems. I don't see it getting better. Ever.
Just my experience. I hope I am very very wrong.

 

[c_yeager]

The parents of today's children are yesterday's gang members . . . do you really think a 70's/80's -era Black Panther, Latin King, Skinhead, whatever, is going to provide a good role model for his offspring?

Thats a bit of a reach. By this logic our "greatest generation" of WWII vets were raised by Al Capone and John Dillinger. Their kids were raised by the Boozefighters and their grand children were raised by the Sharks and the Jets. I guess we are all criminals.

 

[Maser]

What kind of parent lets their 17 year old kid get at "least 9 tattoos"? I think there *just might* be a parenting problem here.

I have to disagree with you there. I was allowed to get a tattoo of my girlfriend's name on my chest when I was only 14. My parents raised me great.

 

[Hawkman]

Maser, is she still your girlfriend, or do you have a permanent reminder of a mistake?

 

[Maser]

Maser, is she still your girlfriend, or do you have a permanent reminder of a mistake?

Read my profile.

 

[Hawkman]

If those kids are tried in Fulton County I wouldn't count on any convictions...

 

[ScottsGT]

And just think, Johnny Cash started all this "Thuggery Attitude" with "Folsom Prison Blues" way back in 1955.

 

[Working Man]

"These kids went to the right schools. They had all the chances," Huffman said. "They just wanted to portray this image that they're bad, they're tough."

That's part of the problem right there. They have not had to work for
anything so they have no sense of value. Things are just handed to them
(except discipline) so they get board. They want to feel some excitement,
some even think that these kind of actions prove they can make it on their
own. They think it will make them "hard" and a step above their other friends.
They want to be looked up to as some one who can handle a tuff situation.
So they gang up on what they think is easy prey because no matter how you
slice it they are still scared little children that need to overcome their
insecurities and their sad little life of boredom.

The cure is they need their parents to be in their lives as parents from the
get go and not as friends. They need to be denied their whims, put in their
place (sometimes with force) and have to work for what they want. Needs
can be given but there are very few of those.

They want to be hard, they want to be tuff, join the armed forces or leave
home and cut the ties to daddy's wallet, try to make it on your own knowing
you are the only one that keeps a roof over your head. Then thank your
parents for all they have done and apologies for having your head up your
bum.

I'm glad to see those interviewed in the article were not screaming "my poor
baby... that bad man killed my poor baby". It makes me sick when I see that.

 

[nfl1990]

What kind of parent lets their 17 year old kid get at "least 9 tattoos"? I think there *just might* be a parenting problem here.

I doubt that they know. I know a kid in 8th grade who already has one (almost done) tattoo on him, and his parents have no idea that he is having this done.

 

[Boats]

Something about this thread reminded me of a song from my own youth subculture from the 80s, one many would think of as "sick" at the time. My politics have evolved beyond those of the song, but I now present to you a Dead Kennedys "punk rock" song from 1983 or 85 I believe. The bolded part is what reminded me of this song as I read that thuggery is an age old problem:

"This Could Be Anywhere (This Could Be Everywhere)"

Cold concrete apartments
Rise up from wet black asphalt
Below them a few carcasses
Of the long gone age of privacy

It takes a scary kind of illness
To design a place like this for pay
Downtown's an endless generic mall
Of video games and fast food chains

One by one
The little houses are bricked up and condemned
A subtle hint to move
Before the rats move in

This could be anywhere
This could be everywhere

Those new kids at school seem cool
But dad says not to talk to them
Stick to your old friends
They're not our kind

So now there's lots of fights

So many people I know
Come of age tense and bitter-eyed
Can't create--so they just destroy
"C'mon, let's set someone's dog on fire!"

Empty plastic
Culture slum
Suburbia's a war zone now
Sprouting the kinds of gangs
We thought we'd left behind

This could be anywhere
This could be everywhere

Kids at school are taking sides
Along color and uniform lines

My dad's gone and bought a gun
He says he's fed up
With crime in this town

This could be anywhere
This could be everywhere
This could be anywhere
This could be everywhere
Anywhere
Everywhere!
I hope I'm gone before it explodes

I linger late at night
Waiting for the bus
No amount of neon jazz
Can hide the oozing vibes of death

My dad's a vigilante now
He's bringing home these weird-ass friends
Like the guy who fires blanks at his TV
When Kojak's on

Or the guy who shows off his submachine gun
To his sixteen-year-old daughter's friends
Whose sense of pride and hope
Is being in the police reserve

This could be anywhere
This could be everywhere-Everywhere

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Maser, is she still your girlfriend, or do you have a permanent reminder of a mistake?

Read my profile.

Your profile doesn't answer the question. It says you have a girlfriend. It doesn't say if it's the same girlfriend whose name is tattooed on your bod.

 

[XLMiguel]

"Read my profile"

Well, you're 16, with a kid, living at home in your parent's house with your girlfriend, working as a stockboy . . . at least you're still in school

But frankly, it's not like you're actually running your own life, pulling your own weight, or providing for your family. I don't know you or your parents, but based on your current situation, I can't say a whole lot for your judgement, values or self dsicipline, and judgement, values and self discipline don't just happen by accident, so when you say 'your parents raise you great'(sic), I must respectfully disagree.

You sound like a spoiled brat. I'll give you credit for trying to be 'responsible', but dood, you stepped on your schwantz big time, and you'll be a long time digging your way out of the hole you're in. I don't know if you'll make it or not, but I know how to bet . . . Good luck, anyway.

 

[english kanigit]

Alright, Kudos to the marine. I would be proud to buy him a brew or two any day o' the week!

And now, behold! The creme de la creme of the 'thug culture'. I present Tha Wiggaz!
Links are on the left. Don't laugh too hard.


I'll dop a song too. Food for thought...

Jazz by Grits


Jazz is the mother and hip-hop's the child.
She died and revived, now her child's running wild.


Rap's not hip-hop so lets get it straight.
Hip-hop is life and culture not revolute... (sp?)
Word from the generation of the younger,
The hunger for equality fathered this child.
The mother is the music which influenced its creation.
Jazz was the cry from the parents of this new nation.

Since it's birth, I've grown with it even though its been the target of murder and the victim of rape.
Yet, it still lives never givin' in, takin' a deeper breath gripping tighter than a vise.
Many misunderstand it's true meaning, they think it's economic and this causes drama.
Black birth, black grown, black owned was the thought intended but now the plan's demented.
Will a million blacks ever support this new creation? Until then, I'm teaching others of this stuggling nation...

Jazz, jazz, it's all about the jazz.

 

[gunsmith]

Maser

wow!

I got my GF pregnant when I was 17 so I asked her to marry me and I joined the Army, she said no and got an abortion & I set to drinking for a long, long time.

Good on you for not joining the culture of death and good on your girlfriend for having the child instead of killing it as so many people would have had you do.

If you look at the history of the USA's fighting forces you will find many teen dads.

Good luck, son! keep your chin up!

 

[Aquaholic]

Mike in VA

+1