Sheriff Nabs Four for Goleta Gang Assault

"Investigators also went to a nearby home, where they found and arrested a 16-year-old suspect as well as the victim’s skateboard ."

Why did they arrest the skateboard?

"orale vato,lets do a skate bye shooting"!

Clearly the skateboard was the ringleader.

jokes aside, kids aren't kids anymore. it seems their egos are so influenced by media they have no grip on the good things in life.

Holly wrote on September 3, 2009 at 3:05 p.m "Why did they arrest the skateboard?"

You may have seen the bumpersticker "skateboarding is not a crime", but is Santa Barbara County, which is so fond of passing laws against everything, now they have made skateboards themselves a crime--but they may have good reason to do this.

Look, skateboards are dangerous--since many people get hurt using them. Also, they are rather ugly, and they clash with the landscape. If you see a skateboard in your neighborhood, tell it to leave at once, and if it fails to coöperate, place it under arrest at once.

Also, skateboards are a gateway drug. I looked at one once and ran straight for the nearest peyote dealer.

I know I am going to get another racist blasting and some suggestive links to the KKK or something, but, does anyone else notice that EVERY suspect arrested in the past year for gang related violence, murder, mayhem, etc has had a hispanic name? I know that even raising this issue is considered tantamount to promoting genocide on here, but, is it not maybe time to wonder why the criminals that have been beating and killing each other and innocent bystanders in our town lately are all of, well, umm, "non-white" origin? Is that polite enough?

I mean, seriously, is there anything that might help put an end to this growing problem?

So Sacjon, while you state the obvious, what would you propose to do with your insight? Is there a course of action that your observation steers us towards? You illustrate nicely why racial stereotyping is fruitless. It does nothing but point out that you are different from that group.

Describing the various problems Santa Barbara has with gangs and gang-like behavior, and seeing a high incidence of Hispanic surnames in associated news reports is not racist. After all, Latino incarceration percentages per 100,000 people in California are almost 2x the White /non-Latino population (although 1/3 the Black /non-Latino group), so I'm guessing the observation is fair.

But the way you say it is revealing (if you truly don't want to be considered a racist, of which I'm suspect):

-- using absolutes, such as the capitalized "EVERY"
-- broad-brush descriptions which are sloppy and non-specific and thereby become universally damning ("violence, murder, mayhem, etc....")
-- and the faux attempt at politesse, which lays it all out for me: "...all of, well, umm, 'non-white' origin?" (Besides it's incorrect grammar, what exactly is a non-white origin?)

So, yeah... Racist.

I knew it, and no surprise Binky the Nazi hunter is here to chime in with the accusations - what site shall i look at this time Binky? Jeez, you are more predictable than a sunny day in Santa Barbara. And of course you are completely right - I am indeed a stark raving racist! It is only obvious from my poor grammar and my attempt to discuss a volitile issue with some degree of politeness. And as any racism expert will tell you - politeness and poor grammar is conclusive evidence of racism.

And Roscoe - did you not read my post? I am not proposing anything at all - I am as curious as you are as to how or if there is way to end the problem. I am not advocating profiling but, yes, you are a genius and discovered my horrible secret: I am "not from that group."

Good job sleuths!

However, I am still concerned about safety - should I just ignore the gang problem because merely pondering whether there may be a solution that involves considerations of cultural or ethnic issues is more evil than the DEATH, VIOLENCE and MAYHEM these criminals have in fact (not sloppy binky poo - they are specific descriptions of action) caused?

I am honestly curious here.

And please, forgive this poor, misguided, racist demon for asking questions.

(Post one of two) Having released some tension by joking about skateboards (and here's one more: "Skateboards don't assault people, people assault people") I'll get serious and address sacjon.

We have two border countries, and since the one north of us has a standard of living similar (probably better) than our own, there is no need for them to immigrate in large numbers to the U.S. Mexico's conditions are terrible, thus creating the "push" factor and since the U.S. is the geographically closest country with a decent standard of living, this creates the "pull" factor.

Up here, there are business interests who hate the fact that there are labor standard because that means they have to create safe work conditions for their workers and of course they hate the idea of their workers getting decent $$$ so they want as many low-skilled workers as possible hence another big "pull" factor.

On the left, there are the endlessly hand-wringing people (rife in our education system) who believe that imposing any of the educational standards that have contributed to the successful infrastructure of the U.S. is racist and jingoistic. These people make sure that everything is in Spanish, which, while perhaps well-meaning, guarantees that those who come up here will not learn enough English to succeed. Not only does literacy mean success, but it also is the biggest weapon to combat racism from the ruling classes, as well as Mexican-on-Mexican exploitation, but those who insist on bilingual education and bilingual services apparently fail to see this. Additionally, being told you are not capable of learning the language of your adopted country while every other immigrant group is expected to learn it (and does) creates terrible self-esteem issues.

On the right, there are the big business interests who couldn't care less about anything other than ensuring their continued rule over the working-class. These people feed us the line that having an unlimited supply of cheap expendable labor helps the economy. Of course, nobody dares ask them if the money they undeniably is passed onto us. But what do they care?...Uncle Sam can insure their workers while they reap big-time $$$ while subjecting their captive working audience to conditions that labor reformers worked so hard to improve at the turn of the last century.

Add to this the fact that politicians in both political parties are more than happy to turn a blind eye to the open border. Coincidentally, Democrats are very big on "family planning" but don't dare address the overpopulation caused by the open border, and Republicans of course, love their cheap labor.

(post two of two)
The situation we are seeing is a powder keg that is exploding in our faces. We have *unlimited* numbers of low-skilled people with not much formal education moving into the most expensive state in the U.S., where in many places even "d.i.n.k." people (double income no kids) struggle to pay the outrageous cost of living. These people work all day long and cannot be at home to supervise their kids. Their kids grow up either being raised by the schools, or the boys/girls clubs, which are poor substitutes for the love/discipline their parents would provide. As I touched on before, the self-esteem issue comes into play as they see all other immigrant groups assimilating into the U.S. while in many cases their own parents are English-deficient.

Another factor that makes people very uncomfortable is the stigma of "acting White". Simply put, Mexican children who do well in school are often ostracized by other Mexican kids; I know what I'm talking about because this was quite obvious to me in high school, and yes: My best friend in high school (and to this day) can tell stories of paying the price for being a nerd of Mexican descent.

In short what we are seeing is the end-run of too many people crammed together, hence the "rats-in-the-cage" syndrome; low expectations; and the fact that we are seeing more and more of the least educated people from Mexico mass migrating here and being lied to by those who tell them that they don't need to raise the bar and assimilate. Add all this together and it's no wonder the gang problem is as bad as it is.

So what is the solution?...a good start would be for the U.S. to quit enabling Mexico's corrupt government. There is no incentive for Mexico to improve its standard of living as long as the U.S. keeps encouraging unlimited exodus from Mexico. The Mexican ruling class wants their poor people out of their country because if they were forced to stay, they might start asking themselves why their living situation is so bad and demand change.

Hopefully this may get some ideas flowing.

Here's an excellent article from National Review about the overall problem. Before dismissing NR as a far-right racist publication, note that its contributors have been engaged in a debate about immigration for years that is more two-sided than anything in the Independent. Contributors Linda Chavez and the late Richard Nadler for example favored continued high levels of immigration from Latin America.

"Catching up to Mexico" by Alex Alexiev

http://nrd.nationalreview.com/article/?q...

Two excerpts

"This is not an immigration problem, or even an illegal-immigration problem, per se. A strong case could be made that, in terms of educational achievement, industriousness, and entrepreneurial acumen, Asian immigrants to California have proven superior to white natives of the state. Therefore, if California were to experience a wave of mass immigration from Asia, its long-term economic prospects would be improved. Today’s Hispanic immigrants would probably have the same effect if they came from the top 10 to 20 percent of their society — according to those same measures of human capital — rather than from its bottom rungs. But the influx has instead been composed mainly of the poorly educated, the unskilled, and the illiterate. Such immigrants will likely soon dominate the state’s overall population and politics."

"In short, we are witnessing a highly advanced and prosperous state, long endowed with superior human capital, turning into the exact opposite in just one generation. What can be done to stop this race to the bottom? The answer is simple: California and Washington need to enforce existing immigration law. Unfortunately, it is difficult to convince the public that this is necessary, so deeply entrenched are myths about illegal immigration. "

It's really simple, take the "illegal" out of the immigration and instead of just giving people money to spend to stimulate the economy, put them to work on public works projects like in the 30s.

Little do most people know that the poverty rate in Mexico DOUBLED after NAFTA was passed.

Little do most people know that when NAFTA was passed, Mexico was pressured into altering their constitution which conflicted with NAFTA. They did this without the will of the people.

Little do most people know that there was a huge violent uprising by the Zapatistas to take back the land that was subsequently stolen and restore the Constitution and the rule of law.

Little do most people know that the U.S. backed the Mexican military that slaughtered many of the Zapatistas during the uprising.

Little do most people know that a giant surge of immigrants came to the U.S. in the 90s and early millennium as a direct result of all of the above.

It's called Imperialism and the US government and the international banking control grid is still involved in manipulating currencies and bribing leaders to bankrupt their countries in order to enslave the people to the IMF so they they can steal their resources.

So why did these punks jump a guy for his skateboard? :) henry

This has been a very interesting discussion, with clauson,loonpt,revisionist, and the link to the National Review giving us much food for thought.

I can overlook the bigots as they seem to appear in every blog on any subject. But we cannot ignore them, as they do make up a large percentage of our undereducated vocal population, spouting their racist attitudes which they probably got from their mommas and daddies. I think they were called white trash years ago, then rednecks, etc. I often wonder how many of these bigoted writers finished school.

It is interesting that this interesting dialogue got started by the omission of the word,"confiscating", which I assume was meant by the writer of article.

The demographics are changing rapidly and there is no reversing this.

It is true that the children of Asian immigrants are very high achieving students. There are also many high achievers amongst the Hispanic students. Unfortunately, more is said of the reverse,the poor uneducated, because of the demographics.

If there is a solution, it is in education. And building up the esteem of the young and giving encouragement for achievement.

As my monicker suggests, I live part time in Baja, and see that almost all the youngsters here are being taught English, and going on to the colleges and universities. And most of our Mexican friends are professionals who speak English. Our humble workers understand English and can carry on a conversation with a limited vocabulary. All are hard workers and are encouraging their children to higher education. Mexican parents display all their children awards and certificates proudly, building the esteem .

What is pathetic is the attitudes of persons from the US who demand to be spoken to in English and have things done the "American" way. One lady complained to me that it was terrible "these" people mostly speak Mexican, not American. She was totally upset when I told her that Mexicans are American, as are Canadians, US citizens, Central and south Americans. And there is no Mexican language; it is Spanish. Her answer: whatever!

We definitely have a problem. Education and understanding and working together might be a solution. Being a good example to others, getting involved , being helpful instead of hurtful.

Loonpt: Is it true that a program called the Elido program was eliminated under NAFTA? I friend told me that it was a program where the government of Mexico was giving parcels of land to people to farm and that when this program was killed under NAFTA that this had a devastating effect on the Mexican economy.

Also, while you know much more about NAFTA than I do, I remember thinking that when Clinton and the four surviving ex-presidents at the time all signed onto it so enthusiastically that something seemed very shady about the whole thing. I have also heard that it is a 30,000 page document.

Y bajamama: Soy de acuardo que el asunto de aprender la lengua de un país es una calle de dos vias. Si yo viviera en Mexico yo hablaría el español. Se dice “cuando a Roma fueras, haz como vieras“.

Sorry about the misspellings and grammatical errors.

To billclausen, yes , language is a two way street, and one does not have to be perfect or fluent to be understood. The willingness to use another's language is often enough to break the "language barrier" Not once has anybody laughed at my usage or pronunciation down here. Most are delighted that I am making the effort to communicate in their tongue.

This is often reciprocal, as they will ask me to teach them palabras-words and sentences in English. The children,ninos, especially, love to show off to me their new skills in my language. Sometimes they do laugh, not at my pronuciations, but at some of the silly things I do to make a connection between the two languages.

I did funny things to teach my international students in SB meanings and pronunciations. I had over 115 total and they appreciated the warmth and understanding and reinforcement of the language that we shared with them.

Most of my kids were scared at first, but I told them to smile, put out their hand and say (we practised this) My name is--- I am from ----. They told me of the "funny" looks they got from people. This is not right. And the Latinos here experienced this even more. I say this fearlessly, that it is we who have and are continuing to keep them outsiders.

Meet eye to eye sometime and smile and say "hi". Or "hola, como esta?" And we need also to remember that many of our Latino kids here in USA have parents who did not have the opportunity of full schooling as most of us had.

We cannot change the new demographics, but we can change attitudes with better communication and education, and understanding. We can make a difference--wherever we are. I have the audacity to hope that this is true.

Bajamama, the point is I have met immigrants from all over the world in Santa Barbara, but most of the non-Latinos do not expect me to fuss over their language and culture. It is hard to favor mass immigration from Latin America, when those immigrants demand so many special privileges in terms of language and preferential treatment in hiring and education. Such preferences are for the most part not demanded or expected by non-Latino immigrants in California, regardless of their native language or historical oppression.

to revisionist: I have never met a Latino who expected me to "fuss over" their language or culture. In fact, we are living on land which was at one time Mexico. It behooves us, as Californians, whether we are native or transplanted, to know the history of our country and state.
Although I have been here from Minnesota for 47 years, I am still a transplant. I remember the news in the 60's of the outcry of the populace moaning about all the people from other states coming to California because the "benefits"--welfare - was better. I know also that many of these were double dipping from two or more states. These transplants were not Latinos, but their offspring sure do know how to holler a good line against anyone different from themselves.

And most coming here from Latin America are only looking to feed their families and have a better life. And they are certainly not taking jobs from the lazy people who do not want to work. That is a myth.

Once again, we need an attitude change to cope with what is already here.

revisionist, I almost always agree with you but this time I have to address what you have posted:

I have found that the culprits behind the demand for special language consideration are the perenially hand-wringing white leftist types who insist that not putting everything in Spanish is "racist". These are people with a twisted sense of paternalism. There are of course, militant La Raza types who would just as soon see only one color on "The Bronze Continent" but the real culprits in terms of sheer numbers of people are those behind-the-scenes people in our government who make sure to stir the pot and keep the racial divisions strong.

A good look at our academic system and our politicians will show how radically far to the left we've swung. I still remember the local elementary school teacher who I heard say that ending "bilingual" education was akin to Hitler's Final Solution. He was a white man.

Take away the linguistic welfare system and you would see Spanish-speaking people learning English as other immigrant groups do. The fault lies with those who insist on everything being in Spanish--even if they mean well.

part 1 of 2
It is interesting how off topic people can get when reading an unfortunate story such as this one. We are so quick to turn this into a large issue when at heart this issue starts at home. Not only at the homes of these four very young boys that made very dangerous decisions, but also at home in Santa Barbara. Our town.

I am sorry to disappoint anyone who has found enjoyment in watching these comments mutate into a stereo-typical profiling game about latinos in america. I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade but all of the above assumptions are incorrect.

Yes, I know the boys that were involved in these crimes. No, I am not of latin decent, nor am I from Mexico. Yes, I am white. I also know the families of these boys. Seriously, who cares!!!

Speaking as an insider, these families are good families that have other adult children that are all well adjusted and have good paying jobs and not only contribute to society in the basic levels, but also partake in fundraising opportunities such as AIDS walks, local fundraisers, etc.
The boys are americans by birth...(but wait, that means they were born here...just like me...and you???) and grew up in the same public schools as yours and mine (who's freaking out now? haha)

Their parents are hard working US citizens (anyone surprised?) just like you and me, who are all honest good hearted people.

The boys all graduated High School (maybe with your kids)They aren't the brightest kids-obviously, but if you were ever to meet them you would never have guessed that they would have done this.

part 2 of 2
We are so quick to judge, but don't bother to assume that we are given very little information. Only what they did wrong and a picture to profile. Congrats to all of you who are so obviously out of touch.

As far as what the boys did....It was wrong and I do NOT excuse or justify it. I am glad that they got caught and I believe that the CJS will process them correctly. If it is decided that they are better in jail then I trust the courts to make the right choice.

I also want to express my extreme sadness about the unfortunate situation. My thoughts go out to the family of the boy who was injured. I am hoping that he heals quickly and that he gets all the support that he may need to get back to a normal life.

These boys are so young. They are possibly facing more time then they have lived. The families are devastated and are shattered!

If you love your children, please just turn your computer off and spend time with them. Don't give them the freedom to do things without you knowing. Be INVOLVED! Know where they are and what they are doing. Because you love them. Don't worry if they're mad at you for invading their lives! too many parents aren't assertive enough! These boys had moms, and four moms are not able to talk to their babies.

***And please, to those of you on here, please stop trying to profile people. It's getting old. (and commonly inaccurate)

To the families of the four boys who made these terrible decisions....You are all in my thoughts and I hope that you can find peace and clarity through all of this. It is tragic for everyone involved.

Ugh!!!......seriously, these boys speak fluent english. Get over it!

Can't we find something deeper than that....were they not hugged enough as children? Marilyn Manson... not enough jesus....too much sugar.....

maybe manifest destiny......if we tell them that they are criminals then they will become criminals....

Come on you guys,... put some actual effort into your blogs! I believe in you!!!

I'm all for ending racial profiling. The best way to do this is for government to stop classifying people on the basis of race. But when Ward Connerly placed proposition 34 on the ballot which would have eliminated such classifications at the state level, it was solidly opposed both by Democrats and many Repubs (including Schwarzenegger.)

You can't have it both ways -- groups that complain about racial profiling still want racial classifications so that they can benefit from government preferences. Without racial classifications, illegal immigrants could no longer play the race card to complain about enforcement for example.

I think acting as part of a street gang is an extremely serious crime and pretty much the same as joining a terrorist organization. If these gangs were composed of white skinheads I believe local attitudes would be entirely different. Enablers like Grant House and Das Williams who make excuses for these thugs are a big part of the problem. Voting them out, and hiring a new police chief in SB (what's going on in Goleta???) are the first steps to solving this problem.

"We are so quick to turn this into a large issue when at heart this issue starts at home. "

"Ugh!!!......seriously, these boys speak fluent english. Get over it!"

apraxmom: This *is* a large issue because it is happening across America. I have addressed cause-and-effect factors and of course that is going to make people uncomfortable. If the boys came from such great homes, why did they end up in a gang?...answer: Because there are obviously greater factors out there that are causing this, and I've addressed some of these factors in my posts.

As for the speaking English issue, I'm well aware that English is spoken among gang members as it is usually kids who are raised in the U.S. who form/join gangs but when the "acting white" syndrome (which as I've pointed out many times people don't want to touch with a ten-foot pole) is rampant, and hip-hop gangsta rap culture is considered more "cool" than getting ahead in school it's no wonder this is happening.

There is inconsistancy among white liberals and one dead on example is how they will ridicule white people who speak in double negatives but when black and hispanics speak in double negatives it's considered cute and cool. This proves how those who proclaim themselves to be compassionate show how they *really* feel about races and how they have lower expectations according to skin color.

I'm 47 years old and have heard the same well meaning platitudes thrown around as long as I can remember, all the while the problem gets much worse. I used to worry about being stereotyped and called a racist but I don't care anymore in part because I cannot afford to do so. The current society model isn't working, along with revisionist and a few others I'm daring to actually address *why* this problem goes on and on and on ad infinitum.

I just realized, I'm 48.

to aproxmom: you may have missed the point of some of the above discussions. Most were in rebuttal to the bigoted remarks of sanjon who picked up on the ethnicity of the surnames. And did his usual rant.

If it were 50 years ago he may have picked on Irish names. After all, we were real hooligans and no goods in many people's eyes.
Besides, being born in Minn. (yes, aproxmom, I'm white, too , altho I normally would never say it that way) I attended a college in Kansas at a time when people of color were served only in bags at restaurants. I refused to eat in such a restaurant, much to the dismay of my southern friends, who were brought to believe this was acceptable.

I agree that these kids used very bad judgement and should have found a healthier way to spend their evening. Where are the youth groups and places for young fold to recreate in Goleta? This is an age old problem. Give the kids a safe place to hang out and some of this energy would be used for clean fun.

I had hoped that the mandatory community service in high school might have given a positive direction to our youth. Community service is rewarding for all ages.

And I agree with clauson that those responsible for promoting for the bilingual classes are the whites. Total immersion is the best and only way to learn a language properly.
But I do think it is good to be bilingual, too. Easier to learn when young.. I know, because I am old.

Interesting discussion--hope the skateboard has a good attorney! And hope the boys have learned a lesson, get probation and community service to help them turn their lives around.

Bajamama,
I agree with much of what you say, and many others, I am not denying your points....just their relevance to this situation. These boys are born and raised Santa Barbaraians (how do you spell that anyway?) The issues of the borders and bilingual education are just not related to the situation at all in this case.
If there is to be a valid argument that relates to this it would have to be the after school programs. To be honest, there really isn't enough outreach for this group of kids. At least not until after they do something like this and then people start to pay attention.
As a society when dealing with kids that are falling to bad tendencies we should feel compelled to be more proactive in preventing things from escalating to this level and refer them to a program that would give them the additional guidance that they require. Maybe billclausen can start the "hug a latino, save a skateboarder" campaign.
These boys needed to have more activity, they shyed away from after school activities-sports, clubs, etc. There needs to be something else out there for these kids rather than us accepting that they are different and uninterested. We need to find a healthy place for them to spend their energy and develop passion. Otherwise they end up beating a kid until he has to go to the hospital.
As far as racial profiling goes, we all have our own beliefs...I feel that it has a place in our society and is necessary for the reasons that are of the human service type. If there is an area of need that is found, then we should address it. BUT...I strongly believe that we as a society need to be aware that when racially profiling people that we are playing with fire. We must challenge ourselves to question if racial profiling is morally appropriate on a case by case basis.
If billclausen is proud of his new found racist identity, I wish him all the best with that. I am sure that the people in agreement with you would have to be you and............you. My sympathy goes out to you-you really should get out more (and look around you-they are everywhere!!!). For me, that makes you just as scary, if not more scary than these four boys. They are not racist.
Let us remember that we all live on this planet together, we aren't here for very long and we should be spending our time enjoying eachother rather than profiling eachother. As for me, unless it is for the better for all involved, profiling is too commonly done out of ignorance.
~Love Peace and Chicken Grease

apraxmom: the negatives, bigotry and profiling started with sanjon. The following rhetoric, in my estimation, was in rebuttal to that. I have never thought of clausen comments as "racist" but educated and well thought out replies to those who are .

You backed him into a corner to get him to say that. You missed the irony of his remark. And you did not analyze the context in which he said that. He brings up background of the big picture and refers to good data when he writes. And this small picture does reflect to the big picture.

Solutions? Again, education, community activities for the youth, better communication and understanding.

And what did you mean by-(look around you--they are everywhere) ? Who are you referring to? Was this a racist remark?

You mentioned "racial profiling" more than any other commentator , but I think you have your own mindset on that, and it is difficult to discern what you are really trying to say.

I see that the word "confiscation" was added to original article, so that should end the comic part of this discussion.

So, apraxmom, get out there and be pro-active. Walk the walk, instead of talking the talk.

I don't mean to back anyone into a corner and really don't see that as my doing, just want people to challenge themselves as to what they believe that they hear in the media. We only receive so much information. It is not by any means the full story. And as far as me getting out there and walking the walk rather than just talking the talk, I know these boys for that reason. I am out there, that is what I do, and that is why I am trying to offer an alternative spin on this..... Why is it that when you voice yourself, that somehow gets people thinking that you're just venting and not involved? There is more than one view, I don't deny any of the above as valid issues, all I am saying is that THIS case is not about border control, bilingual education, etc. It is about goleta/santa barbara not having afterschool programs, these boys not having good outlets, and making sure our streets are safe.
I also want to thank the CJS for doing their jobs. It is good to see the boys being held accountable for their actions.
As far as bajamama saying that I missed something that someone else had said earlier that people were responding to, I have to say that I didn't read all of the postings (my fault) and I apologize if I missed something. I just find myself leaning to defend the families that are having to deal with all of this(including the victim).
I have to say that these blogs aren't very productive at this point. I have said how I feel and what I know and care to share as far as insider information. Take from it what you will, and leave what you want.
Again, my intention was never to "back anyone into a corner", just responded to what I read and felt compelled to offer another view. If anyone wants to solve a national issue, we have to start small, and here at home. Rome wasn't built in a day.

apraxmom: I have no idea what you mean by my "new found racist identity" other than your own racist condescending attitude and desire to throw anything at me that you hope will stick. Calling someone a racist today (like calling them a Communist back in the 50's) gets a lot of attention huh?

We see the commonality of gang violence, so rather than treat is as a spontaneous anomaly, desire for truth demands we recognize the *cause*, and of course, it isn't just happening in your backyard.

You simply are another clueless reactionary who is angry because she has *no* solutions and refuses to address failed immigration and social policies that are blowing up in your face.

Your failure specifically is that you only want to treat the symptoms of a greater problem which if anyone tries to address, will result in someone calling them a racist. Furthermore, you don't even have the courage to sign your real name for fear someone you know may see you and you might have to explain yourself.

What also is frightening to you and those who think like you is that I'm addressing deep rooted *American* attitudes about people of color--such as I brought up about the way many white people react when they hear another white speak a certain way that is considered uneducated yet expect it of people of color. These white people show their hand by this and you skated around that issue--as I figured you would because in truth, you have the same attitude of which I speak, which is to say that you simply expect these kids to fail and join gangs.

You typify "political correctness" in the sense that you want to stifle any honest dialogue that might strike at the root. If you really care so much about the people you claim to be helping, you would come up with a counter-argument to what I say but since you lack the ability to challenge your assumptions, you simply go to the predictable default setting of name calling and race-baiting.

Perhaps you have a social service job that depends on alienated youth?...I don't know, just a thought.

Let me assure you that I'm not some terrified first-year college student who is going to buckle under the intimidating presence of some angry race-baiting professor, and no, you have not backed me into a corner, buy merely illustrated how at best, misguided you are, and at worst, what a hypocrite you are.

Go ahead and keep hiding behind your phony "peace" mantra while you talk about how racially enlightened you are at one end while trying to convince the world how much better you are than us other white "racists". Meanwhile, we will keep bringing otherwise taboo subjects to the fore and hopefully stimulate ideas among ourselves, and those who really want to make our world better.