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As concerns over immigration rise, so too have fears over Latin American gangs. One in particular, MS-13, has received much attention of late, some dubbing them the world’s most dangerous gang. But Kevin Pranis, co-author of a recent report, found that MS-13 is less organized network than global brand.
The host just used the worg 'gang-bangers', and I flinched. Last I knew, and I just looked it up, and the primary meaning of gang-banging is gang rape. Sexual violence is probably the most wide-spread, casually accepted, damaging, under-reported and under-examined features of American culture.
MS-13 had its origins in the Reagan-backed Contra/Sandinista conflict in Central America.
http://www.newschannel9.com/engine.pl?station=wtvc&id=6092&template=breakout_story1.shtml&dateformat=%25M+%25e,%25Y
http://www.columbiapoliticalreview.com/issues/5/4/ms_13.html
I wonder if Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo and the rest of the republican demagogues will talk about this blowback?
Deborah, gang-banger is also a term used for gang member.
Thank you for this story. It's about time that a journalist took this on and presented objective coverage of the issue. Like the story of the recent murders in Newark, which likely would not have received the extent of media coverage we've seen without the link to MS-13, typical news reporting of MS-13 plays into the anti-immigrant sentiment in America -- breeding fear and giving way to xenophobic municipal policies such as those recently passed in Prince William and Loudon Counties, VA. MS-13 is the direct result of the collusion between the US Administration under Reagan/Bush and the Salvadoran government. The US-backing of the Salvadoran army during the civil war drove hundreds of Salvadoran refugees into the US, namely, Los Angeles, CA, where Salvadoran boys and teens who had been raised in the rural countryside suddenly found themselves confronted by urban violence. The gangs MS-13 and 18th Street were formed in response to the threat that Salvadoran youth faced on the streets from Black and Chicano gangs, and the exportation of this gang culture happened en masse with the 1992 deportations in response to the Rodney King riots. LAPD's haphazard attempt to reclaim the streets resulted in nothing more that the dumping of young people, without their families or any support system, in a country that was barely on its feet after 12 years of war. El Salvador never knew gang culture before 1992.
Gangs have nothing to do with rasing illegal immigrants problem but with raising racial tension between Latinos and Caucasian vs. blacks. i would know because i'm an ex member of Latin Kings who have problem with MS13. I know it seems to link but it has nothing to do with it. And to the guy on the 1st column gang banging a group of gang member doing what gang members do from fighting to theft to murder, not porn. so look at knowgangs.com. I also would like to add that MS13 is often refered as a Salvadorian gang but ironically the gang may have salvatrucha (Salvadorian) in it name but it actually consist more of Mexican members all over U.S. claiming to be Salvadorian to give them a bad name. A common mistake that i found out while in Latin Kings. I myself am a Salvadorian but I as do many Salvadorian hate MS13. This true to all over US and i would know.
hi i wana join the gang
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