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If you are from the media please complete the form below so we can best assist you. The New UntouchablesResources are everywhere, self-help, experts and assistance. Whatever you need there's someone there to help...well that is to say that almost every need has a resource. The one glaring omission seems to be those resources to help gang members move away from the life. We see the glamorous initiatives to "stamp out gangs", there's “wars on gangs” and politicians making noises but when it comes to providing real support to allow people to re-build their lives there are very few resources. What few there are tend to be church organizations working in their communities and they make a difference but as far as a national co-ordinated approach there appears to be nothing. The need for a national organization is crucial. Whether this would be a single organization or a network of separate organizations makes little difference. What counts is the opportunity exists for those wanting to leave gangs to be provided the opportunity to move away from their communities and gang affiliations if that's what they desire. Now of course this is not the whole solution the person wanting out has work to do. Channelview one of our team puts it like this: “Change your life. Change the way you dress, so you don't look like a banger. Change the way you act -- you may not realize it, but to some extent you act, and react, like a banger. In short, change everything that might make someone think you are a banger. They will stop associating you with gangs, and the gang problems will leave you alone. Many people think that just by moving somewhere different, they can get away. But, without realizing it, they take with themselves the same attitude, dress and mannerisms that let others know they are gang-affiliated. So, even though they are trying to avoid trouble, trouble finds them. A friend of mine was a banger on the northwest side of [a major American city]. He moved to the south side, deep in a rival gang's country. Nobody knew him in the new hood, and his homies from the old hood wouldn't go to that part of town. He changed the way he dressed, talked, acted. He started going to church, got married. Today, he's a devout Christian, happily married with kids, his wife has a nice job, he's going to college, and his job as a security guard allows him to study on the clock. Now he can kind of joke about his past. Get with Jesus, and ask Jesus to show you the way. Jesus will be happy to show you how to get out of trouble, because He hung on a cross exactly to get you out of trouble." So beyond suggesting we need a national resource we have strayed into the politically incorrect area of inviting Jesus in to resolve the problem. Einstein suggested that a problem cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created it. The number of gang members who are down with Jesus and have experienced transformation and healing in their lives are so numerous as to provide definitive evidence that "a life without Christ is a life that's not fixed." The beauty of the involvement of Christ is that those ex-Gs who are saved then return to minister in those areas where gangs are prevalent and in contrast to suited politicians or college educated "experts" these ex-Gs have been there, know the reality of the streets and are able to speak to those still involved in a way that gains respect and achieves results. The lack of resources addressing helping gang members suggests they are the "New Untouchables". For those who may not be familiar with the term, in Indian society the untouchables number around 160 million people and by their birth at this level of society they are considered impure, unclean and almost inhuman. To some extent gang members are considered in the same way. They are a "menace to society" a "threat" but we are missing the point. We are grouping individuals together in a way that strips them of humanity and identity and places them in a faceless group: "Gang Member". This is as convenient as it is dismissive. It's works for statistics but it doesn't work for seeing the pain, heartache and loss for individual gang members. We don't see the longing for change or a better life when we look at a statistic, we just see numbers. Part of the reason for this is that it is very hard to look into the eyes of pain. When we see suffering we are duty bound to relieve it. If we don't see the individual we don't have to deal with that. The uncomfortable truth is not visible and hey presto there's no problem. It's then an issue that can be addressed by strong arm legislation. How long can we let this continue? From a moral and societal viewpoint addressing the problem should not wait a moment longer. If we are being selfish about it, providing resources to help people out of gangs will reduce crime, improve neighborhoods and give hope to kids. If we care about the problem and see the day to day suffering we cannot stand by without trying to help. It takes strength to be gentle and kind. We don't need a “war on gangs” we need to show people involved with gangs that there are alternatives, that there are people that care and are there to help. Suppressing a problem is ineffective. It increases pressure, it does not resolve the underlying issues, it does not reduce gang membership. It promotes a siege mentality that proves to be the ideal recruiting ground for gang membership and provides a steady stream of new recruits. Gang members feel a sense of isolation. For many that's the reason they join: no family, no support network. The lack of support mechanisms that are caring and offer positive alternatives simply re-enforces this feeling. While starting at the grass roots will be most impacting and involving ex-gang members the most productive as always it comes down to resources. Will the politicians have the courage and foresight to seek resources for groups that have no economic power, are not a potent or identifiable voter group and who society as a whole deems undesirable? Thus far it would appear not but as gang membership spreads beyond its inner city confines into white neighborhoods and country towns the problem will then present itself as a clear and present issue that will demand attention from voters that do possess the necessary political clout. Bu legislating under pressure rarely produces the best results. So you're reading this, maybe you're in the media, maybe you have a voice, maybe you're even involved in the political process. It's time to look beyond the angle of a story, your career and getting re-elected and face a problem that is growing exponentially while at the same time seemingly attracting fewer and fewer resources. It's time to examine an issue in a way that identifies its victims, and yes in many ways gang members are victims, as people and not statistics. What are you going to do? We need a national network of organizations aimed at showing love to gang members, resourcing their desire to change and not trying to crush them in their current situation, which for many is borne out of poverty of choice. The death toll is staggering, and the costs to the judicial and penal system huge. The old saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." is so instructive in this instance but the problem is “the new untouchables” as represented by gang members are not visible to much of the population, not a "worthy" or vocal special interest group, not consolidated into a unified bloc and frankly invoke fear and misunderstanding when viewed as a whole. People are dying everyday. Can we save just one? And then another? Are we crying in the wilderness? Are you going to listen to the voice of the millions suffering? Write your politicians. Write news stories about the bare truth. Support local organizations doing meaningful work in your communities. And next time you see someone who you think may be gang affiliated show them a little love. Don't turn your eyes away. Don't pretend they don't exist. Don't treat them like "The New Untouchables." |
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