GANGS & TERRORIST GROUPS.   Term Paper ID:21175 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Compares causes, murder, efforts to control, education, member motivations, role of media.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Compares causes, murder, efforts to control, education, member motivations, role of media. Paper Introduction: Gangbanging has sometimes been compared to terrorism. Many people believe the two activities have common goals and results. On a basic level this is true: both of the members of these groups believe they are disenfranchised in some way, and in their frustration, they have turned to violence to obtain what they need. The following research will explore this premise, as well as point out where the two groups differ. After the Los Angeles riots of 1992, many people tried to understand the causes of such violence and why young men join gangs. One of them was Jim Brown, the movie actor and athlete. He gathered invited some gangbangers on a radio show and gave them a voice. He found that they were desperate young men who expressed the hopelessness of their lives and explained exactly why lives of violence made sense given their reality. Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. The FBI has organized atask force to target violent youth gangs in Washoe County, Reno, Nevada,and in Portland, Oregon. Security measures were enhanced at embassies, military bases, andother potential targets. Gang activity can often be stopped byaddressing social grievances, but since terrorism involves larger issues,this method may not be effective or even desired. Mostof these youths, who lived on the streets, had joined gangs as a way tohave some semblance of order and a family life; all had criminal records.The outreach classes provided basic education in subjects ranging from sexeducation to traditional academics. Fighting between Zulus has made Natal the country's mostviolent province. Gangs are not just a California phenomenon. The criminal aspect of theiractivities is the means by which they have chosen to obtain their goals,but is not an end in itself. These elements aresimilar to the motivational needs that gangs provide for their members--thefeeling of group solidarity and well as a feeling of individualachievement. In most cases, theyouths' parents had abandoned them or were stranded in refugee camps. According to Golding, gang members try to impress prospectivemembers about the publicity they have been receiving in the press. Many peoplebelieve the two activities have common goals and results. Cooperativelearning is the instructional use of small groups so students work togetherto maximize their own and each other's learning. One of them wasJim Brown, the movie actor and athlete. However, because Egypt is primarily an Islamiccountry, the government cannot afford to ignore these fundamentalists.Unfortunately, at present the fundamentalists are unwilling to compromisetheir beliefs and are not interested in promoting a free society. In addition, itemphasizes a family feeling, in which all group members are committed toeach other's academic success and personal well-being. Many ofthese have been women and children.[5] One attack that particularlyshocked South Africans involved the killing of six children as they sat ina pick-up truck that served as their school bus. "The Children on South Africa's Front Line." U.S.News & World Report, 15 March 1993, 16.Stein, M.L. Department of StateDispatch," 8 July 1991, 496. [9]David W. "Escaping Mean Street." Macleans, 25 March 1991, 26."Fighting the Unholy War." National Review, 19 July 1993, 14-15."Gist: International Terrorism." U.S. [11]Bruce W. He found that they weredesperate young men who expressed the hopelessness of their lives andexplained exactly why lives of violence made sense given their reality.[1] After the radio show, Jim Brown continued his work with gang members,which often has been in the form of giving them money for necessities, suchas a mother's day gift, baby medicine, or money for funeral expenses. In these meetings,gang members expressed feelings of wanting to be loved. and Roger T. [3]Ibid. In Oregon, curfew laws and uninsured motoristlaws are aimed at keeping youths off the streets so they cannot engage inviolence--including drive-by shootings.[3] In Tracy, California, a ruralcommunity, teen gang membership has doubled. In conclusion, gangs and terrorists are groups who feeldisenfranchised from the society in which they live. "San Diego Mayor Discusses Gang Coverage with Media."Editor & Publisher, 13 March 1993, 29.----------------------- [1]Terry Mulgannon, "Something of Value," Sport, June 93, 85. On a basic levelthis is true: both of the members of these groups believe they aredisenfranchised in some way, and in their frustration, they have turned toviolence to obtain what they need. Johnson and Roger T. For example, fourteen-year-old Eduardo Samaniego, not a gang memberbut a Little Leaguer and active church member, witnessed a gang killing andwas asked to testify at the trial. Many people believe that the media glorifies terrorism and gangactivity, and thus escalates its growth and encourages its aims. For example, the IRA has been bombing Londonfor the past 25 years without seriously disrupting the city and withoutchanging the British policy in Northern Ireland.[15] Others believe thatterrorism may, in fact, escalate the opposition. Department of State Dispatch, 8July 1991, 496-497.Johnson, David, W. It is a widely held belief thatmaking concessions to terrorists will encourage more terrorism--becauseterrorists will feel that their actions have obtained results.[8] Whilethe United States tries to learn about the goals and ideologies ofterrorists, it does so only to better identify and apprehend them. [8]Ibid. Many credit Sadam Husseinfor creating Israeli neoconservatism.[16] The fact that many Palestinianssupported Hussein's terrorism, angered Israelis who otherwise might nothave leaned to the right politically. &World Report, 15 March 1993, 16. [12]"Fighting the Unholy War," National Review, 19 July 1993. It was to bringthe news officials together with law enforcement officials and communitypeople who are in charge of anti-gang programs, so that there would be somedialogue and a better balance in coverage. Nelan, "Bombs in the Name of Allah," Time, 3 August 1993,28. His parents were reluctant, but thepolice assured them that Eduardo was not in danger. Other terrorist groups, such fundamentalist Islamic groups, enjoysupport mainly from within their own group.[13] In Egypt, regardless ofwho the fundamentalists' intended victims are--Muslim opinion leaders whofrown on fundamentalism to Christian Copts, foreign tourists and policeofficers--their long-term aim remains constant: to topple the governmentand install a purely Islamic anti-Western government, complete with thetraditionally harsh punishments such as beheading and limb amputation.This goal obviously does not have world-wide support, except among otherIslamic fundamentalists. Some 2 terrorist incidents did occur during thePersian Gulf War, but most were perpetrated by local terrorist groups inTurkey, Greece, Peru, and Chile who exploited the war to advance their owngoals. "L.A.'s Fourth St. [7]"Gist: International Terrorism," U.S. Of major concern was the fear that when the media publish the namesof certain gangs, it becomes a recruiting tool to bring in more gangmembers. [4]Ibid. In addition,many of their victims are innocent bystanders who are targeted for murderin order to draw attention to the terrorists' aims. The following research will explorethis premise, as well as point out where the two groups differ. The mayor was concerned withthe escalation of gang violence and the danger of the media glorifyinggangs. [13]Nelan, 3 . The main difference is that terrorist groups alsohave a political, social, religious, or economic ideology for which theystrive.[11] Thus the terrorist believes his crime is motivated, not bygreed or anti-social behavior, but by this ideology. Educators have long searched for ways to keep students from joininggangs. Often terroristideologies have merit and a following with a large group of sympathizers--even though most find the methods used to by terrorists abhorrent.[12] Forexample, many non-Irish support the IRA's goal of self-rule for NorthernIreland, even if they do not support its terrorist activities. The six million South African Zulus, who live in the province ofNatal, are bitterly divided in their support for the ANC and the InkathaFreedom Party. "Put Gang Dynamics on YourSide!" Education Digest, December 1993, 35-38.Jones, Arthur. [2]Arthur Jones, "L.A.'s Fourth St. [14]M.L. "Bombs in the Name of Allah." Time, 3 August 1993,28-3 .Ransdell, Eric. Alarge proportion of people who do live in poor neighborhoods also do notwork there--because they have no jobs. Another method used to prevent gang membership has been to establishoutreach programs in the schools. "Something of Value." Sport, June 1993, 85- 86.Nelan, Bruce W. Indeed, many people believe that gangs will disappear once jobs areplentiful for inner city youths.[2] This is because gangs appear in thepoorer neighborhoods, but to end gangs, the jobs will have to be createdwhere poor people live. However, recently, throughthe efforts of the city's Gang Intervention Task Force, a new Boys andGirls Club opened on the city's poorer south side. Terrorist groups also provide the same motivational needs for theirmembers that gangs do. After the Los Angeles riots of 1992, many people tried to understandthe causes of such violence and why young men join gangs. "Peace Nix." New Republic, 1 October 199 , 12-14.Mulgannon, Terry. In San Diego, alarmed that the media presents an unbalancedpicture of gang violence, Mayor Susan Golding called a meeting ofnewspaper, television, and radio executives to discuss the issue.[14] Thepurpose was not to tell the media how to cover gang news. Those negotiations were suspended in June 1992, after the AfricanNational Congress (ANC) accused the government of complicity in a massacreof 43 ANC supporters by the rival Inkatha Freedom Party. While anti-gang measures have included making concessions to gangmembers, in the form of creating job opportunities for them, giving them avoice in the community, or providing them with a place for recreation, U.S.anti-terrorist measures include making no concessions to terrorists,especially when terrorists are holding American citizens hostage. Thegovernment, however, will try every means possible to obtain the release ofhostages without making concessions. Of the 15 youths who entered the program, only three drifted backinto gang membership. Gangmembers generally do not have this higher purpose--accept the belief thatthey have been disenfranchised from society and are retaliating, or helpingthe solidarity of the gang, by engaging in criminal behavior. To reduce gang influence and maximize achievement, schools need toalter their system to provide for cooperative learning. Many believe this violence will become a Zulu blood feudthat will undermine any agreements reached by South Africa'spoliticians.[6] In the United States, most of the action taken against gang activityhas been law-enforcement related, which according to Smolich, is a reactionto the symptom and not the cause. [15]"Fighting the Unholy War," 15. According to Jesuit Father Tom Smolich, at DoloresMission Parish in Los Angeles, the city's economic divide is no differentfrom the absentee land lord in West Virginia or in a developing country.The emphasis needs to be on local development. For example, in response tothreats of a major terrorist campaign by Iraqi operatives in 199 , theUnited States and 5 other countries expelled, deported, arrested, ordetained many suspected terrorists.[7] Other countries thought to behavens for terrorists were warned of the consequences of mounting terroristattacks. Gangs, however, areprimarily involved in criminal activity for personal greed or because thereare few opportunities for earning a living within their community.Terrorists are primarily involved in criminal activity because of somehigher ideology they wish to implement. Desmond Tutu called theattack a deliberate attempt to derail multiparty talks that had recentlyresumed. Bridge Traverses Troubled Waters,"National Catholic Reporter, 8 January 1993, 3. Counseling was also offered to theyouths. Generally, most of the gang-related deaths nationwide involve murdersby rival gang members, but bringing the felons to justice is not an easytask. The people who own LosAngeles businesses do not live in the poorer neighborhoods, nor do thepeople who work at well-paying jobs--they go to the suburbs at night. BibliographyBergman, Brian. Healso meets with them to discuss their goals and needs. However, a short timelater, he was shot to death after testifying at the preliminary hearing.[4] Terrorists also kill members of rival terrorist groups. Johnson, "Put Gang Dynamics on YourSide," Educational Digest, December 1993, 35. Communityactivists believe that the media perpetuate the problem by focusing on gangactivity while mentioning little about the economic conditions that giverise to gangs. For example, in Winnipeg's inner-coreschool, such a program was established for Asian youth drop-outs.[1 ]Realizing that money motivates many potential gang members, the school paideach of the students $3.5 an hour to attend class. He gathered invited somegangbangers on a radio show and gave them a voice. It emphasizes the dualresponsibilities of striving for one's own learning, and for learningachievements of all other members in one's group. Gangbanging has sometimes been compared to terrorism. He also has foundthem work in his many business ventures, such as in his security business,his sporting-goods store, his independent film company, or his Amer-I-Canprogram. [6]Ibid. [5]Eric Ransdell, "The Children on South Africa's Front Line," U.S. With respect to terrorism, many believe that they generally do notachieve their aims, regardless of how many bombings they accomplish or howmuch media coverage is given. Bridge Traverses Troubled Waters."National Catholic Reporter, 8 January 1993, 3.Karny, Yo'av. Cooperation among law enforcement and intelligence services in manycountries increased the effectiveness of preventing terrorist activity. [16]Yo'av Karny, "Peace Nix," New Republic, 1 October 199 , 12.----------------------- 1 Johnson. [1 ]Brian Bergman, "Escaping Mean Streets," Macleans, 25 March 1991,26. Efforts to end internationalterrorism have also utilized police methods. For example, in SouthAfrica, since 199 , 9, people have died in political violence. In order for these ways to be successful, educators must fulfillthe motivational needs met by gangs.[9] The interpersonal, competitive,individualistic structure of most schools does not meet most students'needs. Stein, "San Diego Mayor Discusses Gang Coverage with Media,"Editor & Publisher, 13 March 1993, 29. Their groups providethe solidarity and the chance for personal achievement that their membersbelieve cannot be obtained within the mainstream. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.