I've been watching these stories recently on the news about gang culture. Here is my view on it.
I think the only reason these gang sub-cultures exist is ultimately about people not feeling part of the wider society. Society is crumbling and people take less responsibility than they used to. So where a space emerges it seems like a natural step that a sub-culture happens to re-enforce a hierarchy in a mini society.
I think the key is the feeling of not being included in society, and while kids from ethnic minotorities will have more potential for feeling left out, it also effects white people to. I would even argue that its more dangerous for a white person to walk through certain white estates than it is for a black or asian person to walk through an estate that is predominantly their culture. At least in ethnic minority areas there is an over-arching general feeling. In the white areas its full outcast mode lashing out at everyone. When is the last time you heard of an elderly black or asian person being attacked by people of the same culture/ethnicity? Yet white people are mugging old ladies to get their drug fix.
For clarification, I'm white too. In my early youth I felt left out, as did others in my social circle and we went down the road of listening to the gangster rap and other rebellious media, as we felt like we was the outsider too. As we grew older we took part in society and eventually assimulated. But I can well understand how some people dont, especially if its most of the community that is going through the same thing at the same time.
Sadly this problem will never be solved until society itself becomes stronger and has a stronger identity. But while we have this identity politics going on this will never happen and will continue to get worse.
