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I find it strange that there is not a Surgeon General's Warning on the red and blue bandannas found in our department stores. There is not even a warning label or flyer affixed to the infamous .25 semi auto pistol. Sure, there are warning labels affixed to ALL packages of tobacco, but why...why aren't there any warning labels on the "dew rags" and "gats" for the gang bangers and their parent(s) to see?
Maybe something like: "Warning, the wearing of this blue (red) bandanna (dew rag) may be interpreted as a hostile action by certain factions of society. The manufacturer will not be liable for any claims to injury due to the wearing of this garment."
And for the gun of choice among bangers: "Warning (YO!) The use of this weapon (or gat or piece for you that may not know the lingo)may result in the user being sentenced to the Texas Youth Commission (Juvy for all of you squares) and/or the Texas Department of Corrections for a determinate sentence.
My partner and I are surprised at the number of parents who do not know their child is in a gang. Sooner or later, the child and his/her parent(s) meet us at the P.D. in reference to the child being a suspect in a case. The infamous child will have his pants "saggin'" (this means that the crotch of the jeans or slacks or at the knees of the said child), he or she may also have "BK" written on his arm in a home-made tattoo. The parental unit still remains unknowing. The kid may have a blue dew rag in his pocket...just flaunting all unknowing teachers and parents. Oh Yeah,...the kid has "Demon-Loc" inscribed on his Dallas Cowboys football cap. The parent(s) will state the he/she is at their wits end (in dealing with the youth) and that they do not know what caused this drastic change of behavior in their child.
When we first bring up the topic of gang membership, the parent(s) will defend the child by saying, "Why, Junior just dresses that way because all of his friends do. It is just a fad that he is going through. He has been called 'Demon-Loc' all of his life, it is not a gang name." After we explain what "BK" (Blood Killer) means and the symbolism of the word "Cowboys" (Crips On Wheels Blastin' On You Slobs) means, well, let's just say that the parent(s) is "enlightened." Usually, a few days after this meeting the parent(s) bring us all of Junior's "art work" for interpretation.
Cancer is defined by Websters Riverside Dictionary as: "A group of diseases in which some body cells change their nature, start to divide uncontrollably and may revert to an undifferentiated type (or) the spreading of evil."
To combat cancer, one simply cannot ignore the problem. One cannot "just get along" with cancer. Cancer must be eradicated if one is to survive.
Maybe of the Surgeon General affixed "Warning Labels" on guns, drugs, spray paint cans, this would open the eyes of society and would expel the gang dilemma.
Det. Cpl. G.C. Cole (1995) **P.S. (2006) The Odessa Police Department has not experienced the influx of gangs in the past few years. The reason (I would like to believe) is because parents, teachers, and law enforcement were taught what to look for with gang involvement. Now, if we can educate people what to look for with cancer...weird, oddly-shaped mole, etc. Oh, by the way, this was printed in The Odessa American newspaper in 1996.
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