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Can we get ahead of gang recruiting?

Thursday, May 31 at 12:01 AM

This Speakout has not been edited

By Steve Schweitzberger, Littleton

If it took this long to take “threats” seriously at schools and on trains, when will we get ahead of gang recruitment? I saw an excellent speech by William Leone to the Denver City Club. It was from Feb. 13th but I just saw it last week on KBDI. Have they begun to shuffle programming? Halleluiah.

Friday I attended a “gang forum". The guest speaker was the politician who bumped Leone...Troy Eid of Federal justice. He spoke after Terrance Roberts did. Troy didn’t recognize me.

Eid could not answer my question about gangs in prisons, it’s more a “state and county jail” issue he said, because by the time federal prison is involved, felons serve long sentences and age has it’s effect on gang recidivism. Leone had talked about 100,000 (yes one hundred thousand) prisoners released every year in Colorado, and they virtually all have gang ties after incarceration (survival) even if they had not when they went it! Leone said prison administrators actually encourage gangs to help with discipline...confirmed by a lady at the forum who talked personally with me about her experience as a former prison administrator.

How in the hell are we supposed to counter gangs-recruiting in prisons? Is the outreach of gangs in prisons how a prisoner can reach out and kill a Denver Bronco? Hey, they sit in a cell running their in-prison gang, but releasing 100,000 members who owe them big time, and have to perform services if they want the same gang as their resource on the outside? Gangs provide a source of income (who else hires the ex-con?) and they provide lawyers for their members to help protect the illegal activities which provide the income. A discussion of Latino vs. Mexicano also explained why illegal immigrants join gangs in large numbers, “gangs don’t care about papers", says Cisco.

You should see the City Club speech or interview Leone. I wonder if it was his comment about “gay marriage” that got him bounced by the Bush administration. Yeah right. Talk also with Ciso Gallardo if you can handle the truth about immigrant issues.

I collected several e-mail contacts and if you want more I can share them without explaining why. Or you can contact the sponsor of the forum...Ralph Rojas Jr. at rrojasjr@mscd.edu and he might give you their list of guests.

The “gang forum” was all day at Arapahoe College...cost me a c-note (I told them they should have paid me) to attend...and provided a look at political issues and the work ethic of some lackeys from government who have a gazillion excuses why they are not doing their assignments. You should have been a fly on the wall when graffiti came up because of the RMN photo of Hickenlooper (and graffiti on city property) where the 2-year old drown. Excuse me?

My highlight was being “outed” by speaker Terrance Roberts. Boy does he tell truths. I wore a Hawaiian shirt and thought I was incognito (there are so many gang colors that I didn’t know how else to dress). There were three Hawaiian shirts in the crowd...hmmm...and a few “badges” carrying guns openly. I appreciated the security. I met a really good cop from the Springs. Met a really bitchy representative from the City of Denver. Not a single politician who received copy of Upon Further Review has yet responded to acknowledge receipt of my work.

The Broncos were respectful at least (Dave Abrams their security chief). Call me incorrect.

Is drug-user suicide-gonzo Hunter Thompson still an icon? Gotta love selective law enforcement. Has SWAT knocked on any doors recently in Aspen, Telluride, or Vail..."oh my".

READER COMMENTS

GOP and Dixiecrats are all alike. Gov. Ritter said, "illegal immigration" is a federal issue. TRANSLATION: While Denver DA I didn't prosecute bank robbers because banks are protected by the FDIC.

Posted by [my40acresandmule] jjvietnam on June 1, 2007 08:00 AM

GOP and Dixiecrats are all alike. Gov. Ritter said, "illegal immigration" is a federal issue. TRANSLATION: While Denver DA I didn't prosecute bank robbers because banks are protected by the FDIC.

Posted by [my40acresandmule] jjvietnam on June 1, 2007 08:00 AM