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"As boys without bonds to their fathers grow older and more desperate about their masculinity, they are in danger of forming gangs in which they strut their masculinity for one another, often overdo it, and sometimes turn to displays of fierce, macho bravado and even violence."

-Frank Pittman

Links:

-TRIO ThinkQuest

-University of New Mexico

Version: 1.0
(July 19, 2006)

Many gang members believe that being in a gang is a lifestyle. They believe that a gangster is a job that pays well and gains respect. Some people grow up knowing gang members and want to be just like them. They see the way they live and they want to have the same lifestyle. Gangsters wake up in the morning and set out to accomplish goals. Unfortunately, the goals they set out to accomplish are illegal. They sell drugs, steal, and many kill people. They are soldiers of a different army. They live the lifestyle of tearing away at peoples dreams and breaking families apart. Gang members have the lifestyle that many people nowadays want. The easy money and people to back you up can sound very persuasive to those who are confused and do not know where they belong in life.

Those who are searching for a place to fit in are the ones with the mentality of a gangster. The gangster mentality is to have a family and to kill anyone that tries to come in between that family. The mentality also involves drugs, money, cars, and jewelry. You sell drugs to get money. You get money to buy cars. You buy jewelry to match your expensive cars. They suddenly have the mentality that they are complete. They don’t realize that they are being lied to by the leaders of these gangs.  Gang members do not understand that being a gang member gets you a one way ticket to jail.

Gangs in jail pave the way for gangs on the streets. Many gang members that end up in jail have their friends join gangs in jail to become more powerful.They have territory in jail that other gangs should be aware of. They mark your body with home made tattoo guns when you become one. Gangs in jail are starting to surface outside, to those who are released from prison they are seen as recruiters. These people are committing crimes in our society. Gangs in jail are a lifestyle to those who are doing 30 years to life, and a mentality to those who will want to be protected.   



To answer the question of whether being a gang member is a lifestyle or mentality; it is both. Depending on your situation, you choose what it is to you. Those who make gang banging a lifestyle are bringing the economy down. They are killing the people that are trying to survive the right way. They are turning future doctors and lawyers into thugs and drug dealers. They are killing people in your family for wearing the wrong colors or talking to a certain group of people. Those with the mentality of being a gang member are the one who are the victims. They have been persuaded by the protection, money, and a family that has your back pep talk. Gangs in our society are trying to take over. Many gangs are taking their territory and letting everyone in the society know it. Being a gang member is a mentality to some individuals, but a lifestyle to others. Being a gang member to me is a just an easy way out of life.