Gangs used Internet to plan street fight - Chefelf.com Night Life

Gangs used Internet to plan street fight Thursday, May 13, 2004

#16 Just your average movie goer

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Posted 14 May 2004 - 12:43 PM

Sorry Jen...

You shouldn't have taken that comment so seriously.

I just feel that we could do without all the people in the world who enjoy violence and fighting. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we woke up one morning to find that all these people had just vanished?

Seriously, there are enough problems in the world without testosterone charge men who feel they need to kill each other to retain their concept of 'masculinity'.

#17 Jen

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Posted 14 May 2004 - 12:58 PM

JYAMG -- Absolutely, I couldn't agree more. It would be kickass if people didn't enjoy fighting and violence (and I suppose it's inherently contradictory to say "kickass" in front of that sentiment ...) And I didn't/don't think that you were a bad person who wanted all gang members to kill each other. It's just that there is a well-established school of thought, here in North America at least, that espouses something very similar: Just let them all kill each other if they want to be in gangs. Why should we have to bother stopping them if they all want to kill each other? They LIKE living that way, they like the violence.

And, you know, I bet some of them do. But I think it's more complex than that. And those theories, when expressed seriously, are usually a thinly-veiled racism or xenophobia or what have you about "those people" who live in the "bad neighbourhoods" and "enjoy killing each other." That's what offensive -- I don't suspect you of harbouring such thoughts, but the way you phrased it could have come from the playbook of the people who do, which is what I reacted to. But, as I say, you are absolutely right -- given all the war reports and the violence that's inescapable right now, a little less would be a welcome relief for everyone.

#18 Just your average movie goer

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Posted 14 May 2004 - 08:18 PM

Ah, I see what you mean, Jen. Yeah, I agree. I guess the comment was too generalised. There are probably a lot of people who get dragged into these sorts of gangs for the kinds of reasons you've outlined - you're quite right.