Analysis Of Crips And Bloods: Made In America
In the documentary Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008), producer Stacy Peralta documents the beginnings of the most violent gangs known in America, The Crips and The Bloods. He outlined the many external factors that turned the African-American youth of South Central Los Angeles, California into a world of bloodshed and death from the 1950’s through 2000. Although South Central was not segregated as was in the South US during this time period, there was an understood segregation within the community between the African-Americans and the Whites. There was a lack of recreational outlets for African-American adolescents to join, such as Boy Scouts of America, as they are organizations for the Whites. Also, the Los Angela Police Department,
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The “Decents” were those who were amongst the working poor, to whom were committed to the middle class values. Their values were to provide a loving and caring home life for their children, in a world in which taking to the streets is easier, often attended church, and instilled obedience and the moral code in their children. The “Streets” were those who had a willingness and the means (guns, money, drugs, etc.) to defend themselves and their possessions. Because they were living a “to each his own” lifestyle, children were more often than not unsupervised and lacked any moral discipline. In theory, each culture would be passed down from generation to generation; however this was not the case in the documentary. Parents of the initial gangs were portrayed as those of a decent culture; however the oppression of the adolescent community turned the community into more of a street culture, forgoing the traditions set forth by their parents and creating their own street culture. Those heavily vested in The Crips and The Bloods were typically from single-mother households, in which the street life became the way of life; drinking, selling drugs, committing to the gang life versus the home life. More often than not, the mentality was “If some disses you, you better ensure they don’t dis you again by any means
The “Decents” were those who were amongst the working poor, to whom were committed to the middle class values. Their values were to provide a loving and caring home life for their children, in a world in which taking to the streets is easier, often attended church, and instilled obedience and the moral code in their children. The “Streets” were those who had a willingness and the means (guns, money, drugs, etc.) to defend themselves and their possessions. Because they were living a “to each his own” lifestyle, children were more often than not unsupervised and lacked any moral discipline. In theory, each culture would be passed down from generation to generation; however this was not the case in the documentary. Parents of the initial gangs were portrayed as those of a decent culture; however the oppression of the adolescent community turned the community into more of a street culture, forgoing the traditions set forth by their parents and creating their own street culture. Those heavily vested in The Crips and The Bloods were typically from single-mother households, in which the street life became the way of life; drinking, selling drugs, committing to the gang life versus the home life. More often than not, the mentality was “If some disses you, you better ensure they don’t dis you again by any means