Cross posted at Crystal Clear on January 26, 2005

Gangs viewed as ‘terrorists’

Ceres police chief says shootings support worry over rising militancy   

    Here is yet another example of the great job the crew over at The  Modesto Bee are doing in reporting events surrounding the tragedy of Andres Raya and his murder of officer Sgt. Howard Stevenson. Furthermore, it appears Crystal Clear to me with Police Chief de Werk’s comment,"I hate to tell you, the days of May-berry are over." , he really  gets it regarding the danger his officers and all Americans are facing with regards to ignoring the nihilism of gangs any longer.  Although I don’t want to get into it completely right now as I am not quite up to it, I did also want to use this as what I see as an example of what I am talking about with regards to the way an individual or group of individuals might give  meaning to an awful , tragic and senseless event. In this case the police suffered a great loss in the slaying of fellow officer Sgt. Howard Stevenson. They are stepping up to the plate to transform this event into something more than their loss. They are taking action with the hope and intent no others including BOTH the police force and their community  will have to needlessly suffer in this way. De Werk said, “It will be a mistake if people believe we are doing this to attack any one group,” he said, noting that police are looking for gang members, not any ethnic group. “We don’t care what they look like.”
   
On the other hand, I gather from the contents of this linked article and others I have read, the gangs continue to be thugs and blame the police. There has been an increase in threatening graffiti towards the police. Chief De Werk, who increasingly appears to be a truly gifted civilian servant had to counter some stupid idea that his department was targeting Latinos for arrest in sweeps of gang  areas that have followed the deadly attack. As I have written before, in my opinion, those who know the truth and reality of the gang infestation and are not speaking up are absolutely complicit. For the family and Latino community to ignore what this young man could have accomplished by serving our country and staying completely  away from the gang and to miss the opportunity to come completely and bravely forward and not hide behind their shared delusion gangs weren’t a part of this evil, serves to ensure it will only happen again to some other soldier, some other family , and some other community.

Said Crystal Clear @ 1:12 pm | Permalink   

1. Sometimes racial profiling is a means of law enforcement, so long as it is not abused. Facing reality is hard for some people to accept, but if a latino gang is made up of…you guessed it…latinos, then you watch for latino youths participating in activities that are deemed inappropriate, you don’t look at little white ladies or old black men. It just makes sense.

   Comment by Richard Nixon — 1/29/2005 @ 1:56 pm

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2. Michelle Malkin had an interesting piece called “The Truth About The Cop Killing Marine”.

   A far Left Web site, San Francisco Bay Area Indymedia.org, posted a complaint that the California legislature — which lowered its flags to honor slain cop Sgt. Howard Stevenson — was showing “no consideration [for the] young man whose life was ruined by military service.”

   So I think it’s important what you’re talking about here–what I’m concerned about is that this guy got into the military with his background.

   Comment by Cao — 1/29/2005 @ 4:36 pm

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3. I think, Crystal, you have got it exactly right. Gangs are a perfect analogy to terrorists. They are filled with youths who’s futures are dim at best. Their leaders tell them who to hate. How their enemies have caused their lot in life. It is easier for them to except those truths than to look inward. Young, angry, directionless men are dangerous in any culture.

   Comment by GBlagg — 1/29/2005 @ 6:52 pm

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4. I have perhaps a bit more I can explain about this kid getting into the military with his background in a latter post…It is NOT an unusual event. Also as I have written before, I greatly encourage it with some of the teens I work with…I guess “some” being a qualifier. I think that is a post I can post at another time!!! I also have some plans in mind to post on PTSD and treatment and outcomes…I have experience and research that maches my experience that really should be shared since we are all going to have a great deal more of these stories thrown out …some correct and some like this blown WAY out of proportion or the IRaq part of PTSD

   Comment by Crystal Clear — 1/29/2005 @ 7:11 pm

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5. I forgot to add that I wrote a post previous to this one called
   that looked at the whole PTSD and gang issues in a bit of a different thinking.

   Comment by Crystal Clear — 1/29/2005 @ 9:29 pm

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