Everything is gang shit
Bonnets vs. Barrettes
Du-rags vs. Dockers
Earned Degrees vs. Honorary Degrees
Licensed Mental Health Professionals vs. Unlicensed Mental Health Professionals
Democrats vs. Republicans
Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola
Crips vs. Bloods
Everything is gang shit, let me explain.
I grew up in San Diego, where, for some reason, people think it’s always sunny and sweet and fail to understand the Black migration patterns from Los Angeles and the significant presence of Mexican street culture that influences our environment and social systems. Hold that point; we might come back to it. First, let me walk you through my thought process on dress codes, the Cheyenne Bryant discourse, the Verzuz battle between The Game and YG, and how the public response ain’t nothing but some gang shit.
White supremacy culture is masterfully deceptive and continues to do a beautiful job of designating hierarchy among the oppressed. There are times when I sit back and marvel at how easily it facilitates infighting and creates territorial responses. I am guilty of playing along, and I am aware of it. Yet it seems that many do not recognize that they, too, are actively participating in socially constructed turf wars.
Whether we want to accept it or not, gang culture permeates everything, and it is not difficult to see or understand. Gangs are not unique to the United States, and gang culture is generally characterized by identity, symbols, loyalty, social structure, and territory (Churcher, Kalen, 2022). Gangs are also widely known for offering belonging and protection (National Gang Center). Take a moment to reflect on this basic information and consider how you identify, where you find belonging, what you are loyal to, which symbols you revere, and what you fiercely protect.
Gang culture is all around us, and the fundamental difference between street gangs and other gangs is that street gangs lack social acceptance and legal protections, while others have them. Some people argue that violence is what distinguishes street gangs from other gangs, such as political parties, but that is not true. I maintain that political parties and social institutions are far more violent than any street gang. If I had to choose a country run by Democrats or the Bloods, suwoop me every single time.
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I digress. This is bigger than bonnets, degrees, and licenses. We are witnessing a moment when people are confronted with a truth so many have hidden from for so long. The truth of who they are, without affiliation to any of these posh, proper, and publicly permissible gangs.
An innumerable number of folks do not want to meet the liberated versions of themselves because doing so would require them to reassess their values, deconstruct their belief systems, and reposition their place in the established social hierarchy. It is much easier to play along to get along and suit up for battle to defend your turf, be it a degree, a title, a license, an ideology, or appearance.
All this shit is gang shit.
You can present me with almost any scenario, and I could very likely connect it back to gang culture.
Social work title protection, gang shit
Regulatory boards and clinical licensure, gang shit
Colleges, universities, and professional degrees, gang shit
Dress codes, gang shit
Fraternities and sororities, gang shit
Industry identification, job classification, and employment titles, gang shit
ALL THIS SHIT IS GANG SHIT.
We are all being played. Some of us recognize it, and others do not. Here is how I spot the differences. The ones who read this and respond with offense before curiosity—congratulations, you’re being played. The ones who are quick to defend their titles, degrees, institutions, organizations, or jobs without acknowledging that they are all built with the master’s tools—congratulations, you’re being played. The ones who believe that performing for the white gaze equates to advancement and safety—congratulations, you’re being played.
I see this world for what it is and accept it for what it is not. I consistently teeter on the line between awareness and exhaustion. I regularly interrogate what drives my loyalty and earns my protection. I recognize that all this shit is gang shit, and I do not pretend otherwise. I also acknowledge that I have access to various gangs and the power that comes with them. Nonetheless, the only gang I proudly claim affiliation with is the people's gang. I will ride with the people against the oppressor in any form and in every lifetime.
People over politics, position, and profit, gang shit.
References:
Churcher, Kalen (2022) Gangs and Gang Culture
National Gang Center https://nationalgangcenter.ojp.gov/
