^^^This must be repeated! Living in Chicago which has a long history with gangs and has the second most chronic Gang Problem (LA is number 1), I knew I would have to be weary of where I wear my letter and where I throw up my sign (I think calls are very easy to designate a setting).

I really don't wear my letters or colors anywhere other than on campus, being that I have to travel through the gang dominated hoods and many gangs moving into my neighborhood...I remember waiting for the bus in this neighborhood called Oakland here on the South Side, wearing my letters and colors (I was a happy neo), and having dudes come up to me asking 'What you be about?', I'm learned on gangs but dunno why if didn't hit me that hey 'I shouldn't be wearing this stuff'.

I think we need to let folks know who may not be familiar with the gang lifestyle or who think people are willing to differentiate from a gang/fraternity that we must use discretion with out insignia, I really don't like having out of town folks from NYC or FL come here wearing their para which can be confused for gang gear laughing or dismissing advice Chicago natives give of "please put something over that" or "don't be throwing up that stuff here!"

Hell, my folks are just registering the fact that it's not a college gang! :mad:


Some crossover gang examples:
Alphas' "Phi" sign=Blood's "neighborhood" sign
Sigma Lambda Upsilon's "Sigma Lambda" sign (index fingers connected to one another with thumbs sticking out=Blood's 'Avenue" sign
Black and Gold=Gang Colors
Brown and Gold=Gang Colors
Black and Blue=Gang Colors
Red & White=Gang Colors (in my old neighborhood which houses a lot of mini gangs)

I'm sticking to pins from here on out :cool:

TotallyWicked, thanks for sharing that info because there are times when experiencing something firsthand really drives the point home so lessons are learned.

I wouldn't have taken it so seriously if I hadn't seen it myself. Granted, I didn't live in or frequent gang infested neighborhoods. But, instead I know ex-gang members who are now in BGLOs and I've encountered gang tensions from locals at parties as previously mentioned.

What about the GLO's that came before us and other clubs/organizations? So by no means am I saying that BGLO's came up with these expressions. I think these things can be found among many different orgs/clubs in the U.S. and around the world. What about the Black community and the peace sign? What about the Black Panthers throwing up the Black fist? The point is that handsigns/symbols can be found among all kinds of clubs and organizations. The gangs copied from others and so did we...doesn't matter who did so first. I just hate it when people try to act like it's gangs that invented them and we copied from them directly because I know that isn't true...gangs didn't invent them and we didn't copy from them.

Okay, but according to your previous post, you were at an NPHC party. So are BGLO members not supposed to wear their colors and stroll at their own parties because of gang members that might be there? What members in gang infested areas should be examining is ways to make sure that gang members don't enter our parties. Having gang members at an NPHC party is not a good look and is a huge liability in regards to the safety of party goers.

Glad you have such first hand knowledge in this to be able to be so definitive in your statement.

And I don't get your analogies about the Black community and the peace sign and the Panthers and the fist

And that is when the fights begin, especially if the party is open to the general public.

well I think folks should do some research before trying to host a party in a gang infested neighborhood...couldn't hurt in the long run to avoid any major issues....even though I acknowledge fights can break out anywhere.

I surely did not get the impressions that the parties were purposely held in gang infested neighborhoods. The thing is public parties are intended to attract just that--the public. Especially if they are a fundraiser, which many are.

Let's not be naive about gangs--they do travel. And you may not even know that you are letting mambers into a party until it is too late. And very honestly a party of any kind, anywhere is a magnet for gang face-offs. Heck here a U of MN football player was killed attending a public club by a gang member in downtown Mpls for no real reason. We have teens killed at bustops because they were mistaken for rival gang members.

This is no joke. And if anyone thinks all that needs to be done is some research on venues and how to keep them out of the parties, then they are very naive, or they do not live in an area with gang problems.

Oh and guess what? Some gang members do go to college and join BGLOs.

The point is that many groups have had handsigns/symbols in and outside of the U.S. Gangs don't own that expression. You are giving those thugs way too much credit. They learned how to be organized by watching others.

And this needs to stop, fundraiser or not. Undergrads need to keep their parties on their campuses. The liability is just too risky these days. It's so bad now that one of the schools that my alumnae chapter advises only permits the students (with school ID's) to enter the campus parties now (NPHC parties included). Everyone else must be on a guest list to get in and must arrive before 12:00a.m. Oh and security must be provided.

If there is a party on my campus they normally do not check IDs, but it will be over by 12, so having a party on campus for most people (at my school) is a waste of time.

I am very much aware of gangs, I grew up in one of the largest gang areas in the Midwest...I know gangs do travel, I think it would be best to minimize the possibilities of gang fights if the venue were held somewhere not identified as a gang zone. Also, the average age that people leave gangs is 19, while former gang members join BGLO's, that shift in life (going to college, growing out of gangs, getting married, etc.), will detach them from gangs so that should not be a worry (It may be difficult for them, but for the most part this is how people leave gangs).

LOLZ. Unless you're talking Chicago, the Midwest is not exactly known for gangs.

Yup! South Side of Chicago! :cool:

Also, that's a dangerous assumption, there are other cities in the Midwest whose gang problems get downplayed, e.g. St. Louis, Gary, IN, Detroit, Cleveland, etc. Chicago is not the only one with a severe gang problem, and hopefully people don't look at Chicago as the sole representative for gang issues.

So, why didn't you just say that you grew up in Chicago? Chicago is about the only city in the midwest with a significant gang problem. Adding mileage to your agrument, in this case, doesn't add to the impact.

You edited as I was posting....

St. Louis, ok, I'll give you that - but I don't think Detroit is considered Midwest, and I don't think you can put Cleveland and Gary up there with Chicago and St. Louis.