I know that they exist and they are problem too. If you look at crime statistics in the USA like here you would have a focus of all the gang rleated crime in the US
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment and which type of gang criminality are the more dangerous.
Georges, the (logical) problem that you have here is that you've identified certain people as members of your "ghetto scum/thug" category based solely on their race and/or their choice of clothes. I haven't read a great deal about Trayvon Martin. So I'm unable to link him to the "ghetto scum/thug" category, as you seem to have. And whether you're a racist or not, I can't say. But for one to conclude that you display signs of prejudice, I don't think that's even a question at this point. By your own posts, why not just admit that, since it's quite apparent? And now you seem to be trying to justify your prejudiced position by hawking stats on gangs.... despite there being no word that Trayvon Martin was in a gang (neighborhood based, motorcycle or prison).
I work with statistics most every day of my work week. So I did read over the data from your link. What is it that you're trying to convey by presenting those stats? Do you (truly) understand what you've presented? Statistics are (or can be) an indicator of probable occurrence. But in the hands of people who don't understand statistics or probabilities (those who are only trying to rationalize a prejudice), it's really not all that hard for people who do understand statistics and probabilities to rip those rationalizations to pieces. So... what is it that you are trying to convey here?
Chart 1. Threat Posed by Gangs, According to Law Enforcement
The NGIC collected intelligence from law enforcement officials nationwide in an attempt to capture the threat posed by national-level street, prison, outlaw motorcycle, and neighborhood-based gangs in their communities.
I'll help you. By this data, the gang category that tends to pose the most significant threat level is "Neighborhood-Based gangs". As I read the data, that category is made up of a good many subsets, and it's more to do with the demographics of the neighborhood than anything else. So using
your logic (based on apparent prejudice), as long as I can get myself to
assume that some person that I see on the street is probably a member of a "neighborhood-based gang", I could accost that person as he walks in a common area of a neighborhood? And if I really think that they pose an increased threat to me, why in the hell would I approach them to begin with, especially if I'm not a cop and they've done nothing to me??? You know why I don't fuck with bears when they come on my property? Because a mad bear will kill you! And as long as he's not bothering me, why the hell would I skip out there and bother him??? Here's a country saying for you:
"Don't fuck with that which ain't fuckin' with you!" See, that's why country folk tend to live long lives.
But no matter how you answer that, by the very data that
you've presented,
by definition, "neighborhood-based gangs" would tend to affect particular neighborhoods. National or regional gangs would more greatly affect larger portions of our population. I'm not affected by any sort of gang activity, just because of where I live. But at one time there was a gang in this county: the Pagans motorcycle gang. But you won't see me running around accosting guys on Harleys who are wearing funny looking leather jackets. With my AK across my shoulder
(and the handy, dandy 100 round drum attached), I'm sure that I could. But why in the hell would I do that???!!! See, unlike some of my fellow gun owners here, I am not stricken by the
Barney Fife Disease.
I'll help you, and others, further: later this year, I'll be in SoCal visiting relatives who live in Palos Verdes. Now, being from the south, I don't sound anything like the average native born Californian. So if I go for a walk through Palos Verdes, and some scared rabbit neighborhood watch captain sees me, because of my accent, he might assume that I'm a member of the
AGOB gang (Angry Good Ol' Boys - we don't die... we multiply!!!). If he decides to call 911, that's fine. But if he follows me, accosts me and then starts asking me why I "talk funny" and why I'm there, if he presses the issue... at least
one of us is going to have a major problem. If people are prejudiced, that's fine. But people with those sorts of issues really need to learn to mind their own fucking business!