🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <rlk.718648375@amstel>, rlk@VisiCom.COM (Bob Kitzberger) writes:
> dhosek@cbrown.claremont.edu writes:
 
>>Earlier this year I had the pleasure of meeting Greg Boyle, a
>>Jesuit priest who was working in East L.A. with gang members. He
>>has said, with regard to the young people (almost exclusively
>>latino) that he works with that there isn't a single gang member
>>he's met who wouldn't give it all up for a good job. My
>>experience confirms this.
 
> Interviewer:	"Mr. Gang Member, tell us a bit about your skill set"
 
> MGM:		"I work well in groups, I'm good at convincing people
> 		 to see things my way, by force if necessary.
> 		 I have quite a bit of experience in the import
> 		 business, too, working with various cartels to import
> 		 high-demand products into the U.S.  I also have a lot
> 		 of experience in the distribution side of the business
> 		 -- I increased sales to the teenage segment of the
> 		 population by 200% over last year's sales."

Or more likely, give me a job doing anything where I'm not
working in hazardous conditions and am making a decent living
wage. 

The skill set of the average gang member is about equal to that
of any other non-college-educated young adult. In some cases
stronger. They're not likely to be ready to become travel agents
or computer programmers, but they are more than willing to be
trained to be welders, mechanics, construction workers, etc.

> Yeah, right... I think the original poster, Kim, _is_ living in reality.
> People that thinks it's all "our" fault for not providing jobs (read:
> opportunity, etc.) for these hoodlums must be on some kind of guilt trip.

Did I say that it was "our" fault. Did Father Greg say so? 

A few interesting points though: There aren't many jobs to go
around in East L.A., but there's a tendency among hirers to not
even give Latino youths a chance to work. Note that I didn't say
gang members. Of course, I'm sure these people are living in a
reality where they think that Latino culture promotes dropping
out of school and drive-by shootings.
 
> Of course, I don't live in East L.A., so my view is certainly biased.

That's for damn sure.

-dh