In the last few weeks, a great many news outlets have have run stories on the city’s newest phenomenon—The LA Gang Tour.
The NY Times did two stories, NPR did one, the LA Times also ran two—a news story and an op ed.) Some foreign publications ran the usual Isn’t-California-Strange?-variety articles, and such websites as Truthout, and that of author/blogger Tom Diaz have written about the gang tours with happy abandon.
In fact the NY Times even quoted me on the matter. And then, this week, Diaz quoted them, quoting me, albeit not in the most entirely flattering fashion. (But Tom and I have since chatted via email about the matter.)
It seems, Diaz thought I believed the tour to be a swell idea-–which is how my out-of-context bit of nattering to the NY Times guy made it sound. (NOTE TO SELF: Don’t talk to reporters. They’re clearly a scurrilous and untrustworthy lot. Uh, no, wait…)
Diaz was making the point that, to be truly authentic, some of the stops on any real gang tour ought to include places like the ER, the morgue, and Rancho Los Amigos, the place where all the gangsters with gun-shot-related spinal cord injuries go to be treated, all of which is hard to argue.
I assured Tom that my true opinion of the gang tour thingy (which I expressed to the NY Times guy, who is actually a nice fellow) is that the tour, and the kerfuffle surrounding it, was a bit silly—but that it was unlikely to bring down the empire since the actual tour seemed to have very little to do with—you know—gangs.
Here, for example, is a list of the 11 tour destinations that LA Gang Tour website tells us will let tour-goers be the “FIRST IN THE HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES TO EXPERIENCE AREAS THAT WERE FORBIDDEN…UNTIL NOW! ”
So what are these terrifying pockets of LA’s gangster culture? (You might want to send any children out of the room before reading on.)
They are:
Two jails
One detention center
One sheriff’s station
Skid Row—which, while distressing, isn’t terribly “forbidden,” nor is it gang-related.
The banks of the LA River, the graffiti on which was, regrettably, painted over right before the tour. (Even the tour description admits that this location is more of a movie set than it is a gang hang-out. But it is, in actual fact, a cool place to check out if you’ve never been. ‘Twas sad that the city developed a case of self-consciousness and decided to frantically paint over the cacophony of color.)
The Pico Union Graff lab —A non-profit program that lets kids explore the notion of urban art—aka graffiti et al— in a safe, legal, drug free setting. Nice that the tour is spotlighting it, I guess.
The site of the Symbionese Liberation Army shoot out at 1466 E. 54th Street in LA. Not sure what this has to do with gangs. But thanks to the miracle of Google Street view you too can check out the infamous location from your laptop or iPhone.
Florence Avenue.. Last time I checked, Florence Ave was….well…..a street. That people drive down. Daily. Going to work. And school. (Okay, yeah, I’m sure the tour bus passed by Florence and Normandie, which isn’t gang related, It’s LA Riots-related, but I supposed there’s some I guess.)
The birthplace of the Black Panther Party. Huh? The Black Panthers were founded in Oakland, for God’s sake. Even I know that. (Note to gang tour planners. Wikipedia is your friend.)
That leaves the two semi-legitimate parts of the so-called LA gang tour: both have to do with a drive through Florencia 13’s neighborhood, a gang that is described as being part of the Zoot Suit Riots, which no credible history of that period that I’ve been able to find seems to verify. But, okay, whatever.
Like I said: silly.
And much ado about not a whole lot-–especially since, for the most part, the only people who seem interested in the endeavor are all the journalists opining mightily about the thing.
Now, as you can see, I have added myself to the throng.
It should be noted, however, that the proceeds for the gang tour are, according to organizer Alfred Lomas, being plowed back into South LA communities to create jobs. Since jobs are so desperately needed, it is hard to be too critical of the strategy.
So, as it turns out, yeah, I guess the NY Times quoted me correctly after all. Gang tours? What the heck. I’m for ’em..
(Photo of Alfred Lomas by Ben Bergman, NPR.)
I have found out one good thing about gangster families. They are almost always willing to donate organs from their dead gangster relatives to those on lists who truly need them and will put them, for the very most part, to good use.
I don’t know why that is buts it’s a fact.
Most cop families are not donors, I’ve found out. Which means that there’s nothing good about cop families. Oh, I kid. They get you out of the occasional ticket.
The gang tour should include the Bank America in North Hollywood, where the infamous shoot-out with the AK-47 equipped bank robbers occured.
You can still see where all the bullet holes where patched on the Bank building, you can walk around the corner see the spot where one of the Bank robbers was shot in the head.
Hey Sure Fire, have you considered building your own still.
All you need to do is read a couple books, get the parts, find a welder you can trust, mix up some mash and boom. You could spend more time here instead of the commutes to the bars?
No more stepping in pot holes also 🙂
What I posted makes the saying “the only good gangster is a dead gangster” ring even truer.
(Ignoring all the nonsense.)
SF, your point in comment #1 was interesting. Thanks for posting.
Rob, my friend, #2, not helpful.
WTF, not exactly gang related, but good for a true crime tour.
HHYCC: You’re in the personal attack zone. Deletions could be immanent.
OK then, Celeste. Could you please ask SF what he means by “gang families”? I don’t see how he’s being helpful by assuming most gang members are part of a nuclear family where mom, dad, grandma and grandpa all gang bang. I know there are some instances, but the majority? I’m willing to bet 10% of gang members come from such backgrounds. Tops.
I’ll answer since you asked nicely Robbie though you, as is your s.o.p., only want to go to the far reaches of the Robbie Universe to bitch about something trivial. Your constant attempts to be cute, and that’s all you’re doing, are pretty juvenile and I’d bet anyone else reading the post didn’t get as lost as you seem to be. I’ll humor you this one time.
A gangster gets killed and most often the cause is gunshot wounds and most victims are younger teens to late 20’s, though obviously not always. Whoever the next of kin is will be contacted and asked if they’re willing to allow the harvesting of any usable organs. That would be the family I’m talking about, the person or people contacted. They would have to field questions about the health and habits of the deceased and of course any organ is checked for it’s viability.
This wasn’t about me assuming squat, MOST GANG MEMBERS WHEN KILLED DONATE ORGANS BECAUSE THEIR NEXT OF KINS OK IT. Maybe you should get a translator who can teach you how to use common sense when reading what I write instead of constantly playing the smart ass card. You’re not that smart.
You stretching my words is due to you not having anything really to say on the subject as evidenced by your response about cops. That’s why I don’t usually respond to you.
Lastly, I know this to be true because one of my realtives is transplant co-ordinator, meaning they talk to families, contact the next recipient, arrange for the labs to be done on any organ and not only for transportation from the organs location to the hospital, but also arranging transportation, and sometimes even food for any transplant team members that need it.
Got it now Robbie? This relative told me dead gangsters next of kins, 99.99% of the time are a family member and are ok with donations. They didn’t know why, it’s just how it is.
I never said anything about everyone in the family being a gangster, grow up dude. Your constant cop hate b.s. is pathetic.
Tell me, when brain transplants are finally successful and a brain from a gangbanger is implanted in a law-abiding civilian will the recpient be a banger? Surely technology will insist that the organ is reformatted, install a new operating system like I did on my computer? Yup that’s the ticket, reformatte banger brains. What a wonderous world!
Skid Row’s dope trade is run by the gangs, FYI. There’s plenty of gang activity down there, albeit, some of it not resulting in the cliched behavior seen in Hollywood movies. Grape Street for one is particularly active.
Also, speak to Asst. Coroner Ed Winter about the “donor” program. He too doesn’t advise being a donor. Like most feel-good programs in Cali, it’s a charade.
I’ve known Ed for many years, a good man but wrong on this issue.
How so SF?
Are you donating your organs to science (fiction)?