Gang Membership

[Agnapostate]

Are you or have you ever been a member of a street or prison gang?

[Jimmie Higgins]

No, but if people were, I don't know if it would be wise to talk about it on a political public forum. At least not in the US.

Interesting subject though and there's a whole history of the relationships between criminal organizing and left-wing organizing - usually where when workers are winning, they are able to build really militant and political unions and organizations but when they are knocked back on their heels, criminal organizations often come in and take the void.

I've heard semi-conspiratorial arguments that criminal influence in unions and criminal street gangs were actually encouraged by the police and bosses in order to counter independent political organizing, but I think that's just a bit too much to believe it was a plot. I think it's more about if people accept that you can't fight, then why not help the mob smuggle booze if you're a teamster - it's the only way to make a little money if strikes are not going to happen. Sam thing with street gangs - the Black Panthers were able to work with the addicts and organize the neighborhoods along political lines. If people think it's impossible to organize politically and change their situation, then many believe the best option within current situations is to organize the block and control drug-dealing yourself. Many gangs started out as vigilante groups by chasing out unwanted criminals or a gang from another block - but since chasing out some criminals just creates and open space for different ones, these grouping have often then organized and controlled local crimes in order to minimize violence and so on.

[Sasha]

no, but when i was in an exchange program in the US i wasnt allowed to wear my boots straightlaced nor any clothing with the word skinhead on it from the anti-gang rules of the high-school i attended

[Jimmie Higgins]

no, but when i was in an exchange program in the US i wasnt allowed to wear my boots straightlaced nor any clothing with the word skinhead on it from the anti-gang rules of the high-school i attended

We weren't allowed to wear our jackets off our shoulders or hats backwards at my school - they didn't care about the kids with the confederate flags on their cars or bonehead signifiers though. Hmm, wearing popular hip-hop styles was against the rules, but having a hat with "88" on it was ok:rolleyes:

[NoOneIsIllegal]

No. Seems cappie-like anyway.

[The Douche]

i used to be in this hella sick communist street gang...

[hatzel]

I was in this gang called the Tough Brets :)

[Sasha]

oh yeah, according to several left-coms and trotskysts here AFA is nothing more than an hooligan street gang (something they have in common with most politicians and public prosecutors, funny that) so i guess i'm in that one.

[Pioneers_Violin]

No.

Just my Union, the importance of which I appreciate more as time goes on.

Now I'm wondering... Is there such a thing as the Swedish Mob? :confused:

[A Revolutionary Tool]

I used to be a Norteno.

[Agnapostate]

I used to be a Norteno.

I've always kind of been a secret Norteno at heart, born on January 14, named after a character in The Red and the Black (Le Rouge et le Noir), the anarchist colors themselves being red and black, approving of the huelga bird and other labor symbology that they incorporate, preferring the NF-BGF alliance to the MM-AB alliance, etc...lol.

Actually, when I was younger and not too street smart (went to private school for a while), a white friend of mine from Colorado came to my school and told me that he used to get beat up by a gang called Sur 13, and I just thought that it must be something that these crazy white boys have out in Colorado. :lol: So us and another guy started a wannabe set (really just joking around) called the "Northside Redcoats"; we were probably the only Norteno gang that ever existed on the Southside.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Yeah I like the imagery of Nortenos, it's pretty badass and worker orientated and they're against the AB which is a plus. Half of my family still think I'm gang affiliated because I still wear a lot of red stuff and they have no idea about my politics.

Starting a Norte gang in Southern CA, yeah that's a sure way to get beat up/killed. I've heard there are a few around the border region on the South and knew a guy who moved to L.A. and was trying to start a set. Haven't heard from him in a while lol

[black magick hustla]

oh yeah, according to several left-coms and trotskysts here AFA is nothing more than an hooligan street gang (something they have in common with most politicians and public prosecutors, funny that) so i guess i'm in that one.

i dont think AFA is badass enough to be a gang lol

[Zanthorus]

oh yeah, according to several left-coms and trotskysts here AFA is nothing more than an hooligan street gang (something they have in common with most politicians and public prosecutors, funny that) so i guess i'm in that one.

According to the AFA it's goal it to 'smash fascism in all it's forms', something they have in common with the supporters of western democracy, funny that.

[The Douche]

People who don't support AFA have clearly never experienced the absolute joy derived from totally kicking the ass of someone who totally deserves it.

[Susurrus]

According to the AFA it's goal it to 'smash fascism in all it's forms', something they have in common with the supporters of western democracy, funny that.

So you want to breath huh? Guess who else breaths? Supporters of Western democracies.

[Zanthorus]

So you want to breath huh? Guess who else breaths? Supporters of Western democracies.

Breathing is a fairly neutral activity though. 'Anti-fascism' on the other hand was an ideology which allowed the workers to be mobilised behind the popular fronts in France and Spain, and behind their own governments in all the democratic powers prior to the Second World War. One of the primary functions of fascism was to give a huge ideological boost to a western capitalism, which was collapsing amid the unemployment and poverty of the great depression. This is why Bordiga said that the worst product of fascism was anti-fascism. The point I was trying to make in a somewhat snarky way was that the Left-Communist critique of anti-fascism has nothing to do with being against 'hooliganism', in fact 'Bordigists' in Italy were at the head of some of the most violent actions against the Mussolini regime. It has to do with the role that anti-fascism and the defence of democracy played in recuperating capitalism in the mid-20th century. The choice for the working-class is not between democracy and fascism, but between the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie and the dictatorship of the proletariat.

[Susurrus]

Breathing is a fairly neutral activity though. 'Anti-fascism' on the other hand was an ideology which allowed the workers to be mobilised behind the popular fronts in France and Spain, and behind their own governments in all the democratic powers prior to the Second World War. One of the primary functions of fascism was to give a huge ideological boost to a western capitalism, which was collapsing amid the unemployment and poverty of the great depression. This is why Bordiga said that the worst product of fascism was anti-fascism. The point I was trying to make in a somewhat snarky way was that the Left-Communist critique of anti-fascism has nothing to do with being against 'hooliganism', in fact 'Bordigists' in Italy were at the head of some of the most violent actions against the Mussolini regime. It has to do with the role that anti-fascism and the defence of democracy played in recuperating capitalism in the mid-20th century. The choice for the working-class is not between democracy and fascism, but between the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie and the dictatorship of the proletariat.

Ok, that reasoning makes a lot more sense.

[Agnapostate]

Starting a Norte gang in Southern CA, yeah that's a sure way to get beat up/killed. I've heard there are a few around the border region on the South and knew a guy who moved to L.A. and was trying to start a set. Haven't heard from him in a while lol

I doubt it will ever happen, in contrast to the numerous Sureno gangs on the Northside, given that migration patterns tend to move north, I guess. If it did, all the Southsiders that previously fought each other would clicc up just to fight that set, obviously.

I think Delano still functions as the border, and have never heard of any Nortenos south of there. Some people from Fresno or elsewhere in the Central Valley were claiming that they were in Bakersfield, but my cousin's a Sureno there and claims there aren't any.

[Bardo]

I was a member of the Jets.

We loved to break into song/dance and rumble with those Sharks.

[Rusty Shackleford]

i used to be in this hella sick communist street gang...
you beat me to it.

[Tablo]

Lol, don't think revleft has had many gang members. I generally dislike gangs and wouldn't join one unless it had some good politics behind it, which none have.

[Buitraker]

I was member of Segi, a group of basque young people.
Direct Action supporting basque fight against Spain xDD
Today its a terrorist group

If you ask about street gangs, i wasnt in anyone, but my exgirlfriend way of life its drug-dealing,robs,assaults,burglary and shits like that
Here we dont have anything like U.S or Uk streetsgang

[Susurrus]

It seems to me that gangs are sort of the epitome of capitalism, making its workers sacrifice their lives and freedom for profit. Correct me if I'm wrong, if there are any politically good gangs I would love to hear about them

[Obs]

People who don't support AFA have clearly never experienced the absolute joy derived from totally kicking the ass of someone who totally deserves it.

This. I, for one, am not ashamed to admit that many of my political stands are based on how much enjoyment I get from feeling some dickhead's nose breaking under my knuckle.

[Sasha]

I was member of Segi, a group of basque young people.
Direct Action supporting basque fight against Spain xDD
Today its a terrorist group

i have met quite some, and always very nice Segi members.
what do you mean by terrorist? i know they are proscribed like that by the the spanish state but do you mean only that or do you agree with that label?

[Buitraker]

i have met quite some, and always very nice Segi members.
what do you mean by terrorist? i know they are proscribed like that by the the spanish state but do you mean only that or do you agree with that label?
I mean spanish state proscribed
The fucking antiterrorist laws are so fucking

I have no regrets and i never forget some boys and girls
http://oi53.tinypic.com/30m1x5s.jpg

[Sasha]

thats what i assumed, i know some ETA prominents came out of segi but all the SEGI people i met always seemed pretty critical of ETAs chosen tactics and in no way the "ETA youth organisation" the spanish state claimed they where

[Buitraker]

thats what i assumed, i know some ETA prominents came out of segi but all the SEGI people i met always seemed pretty critical of ETAs chosen tactics and in no way the "ETA youth organisation" the spanish state claimed they where
Reallly?

All of teh Segi people you met seemed critical with ETA tactics?
Thats its fucking strange, because is too easy meet important people of Segi or ETA when you are active in the movement(I dont know why, but its too easy get in)
And almost all action was to support some ETA movement, ETA member detention or something like that in the streets
Of course we support other fight like squatters, strikes, etc...

In my case i get out after proscribed like terrorist group and ideologycal difference with organization

[Sasha]

well i didnt discuss eta with all of them but all who i did with said that while they still supported ETA all where also critical of the increasingly isolationist chosen path of the military leadership, they wanted to foccus more on prisoner support and insurectionist street warfare than on big bomb attacks

[Buitraker]

well i didnt discuss eta with all of them but all who i did with said that while they still supported ETA all where also critical of the increasingly isolationist chosen path of the military leadership, they wanted to foccus more on prisoner support and insurectionist street warfare than on big bomb attacks
Thats have more senses :laugh:

Today ETA movement destroy street fight, so its normal no military people want more action in the streets
4 Years ago all week fight with police, all Thursday of year we make demo(what allways finish in riot) and usually Saturdays too

[A Revolutionary Tool]

It seems to me that gangs are sort of the epitome of capitalism, making its workers sacrifice their lives and freedom for profit. Correct me if I'm wrong, if there are any politically good gangs I would love to hear about them

Really they are, that's why I got out, realized what we were doing was basically running an underground market economy that just fucks over their members. I mean you're expected at some point in time to go to prison and if you want to move up you have to be prepared to kill other people because they're in your area of operations or some other shit. I mean basically a very violent way of trying to enforce a monopoly over whatever illegal activity your group is trying to commit.

[The Douche]

you beat me to it.

Well its only fair that I got to say it, since I actually was in a hella sick communist street gang.:cool:

[Os Cangaceiros]

As a "middle class" white person, I don't think there are any opportunities for me gang-wise. There used to be Hardcore-based gangs (LA Death Squad, Suicidals etc) but I don't think they exist anymore. I guess there's always neo-nazi gangs, though.