Prevention is Key to Solving Hollister’s Gang Problem
Prevention is Key to Solving Hollister’s Gang Problem
Editor,
The highly disturbing trend in drive-by shootings and increased gang presence in Hollister (“Local Man Shot Four Times,” April 3) desperately needs community attention.
The most alarming part of this increase of tensions and hostility is that it is brown-on-brown violence. Chicanos and Mexicans are hurting and killing each other.
White racist hate groups could not have devised a better plan to provoke such levels of hatred within the Chicano and Mexican community.
While there are many proposed solutions to dealing with the gang issue, my primary concern is prevention. hat will it take to keep youth from engaging in such anti-social and sometimes brutal and senseless behavior?
Our over-simplified attitude toward youth is to wait until they get in trouble, then we decide how to punish them.
When one person commits a violent act, they not only hurt the victim, but also hurt the families of the victims and perpetrators, and themselves. When one gang member kills another, two souls die – one is buried in the earth and one gets buried in prison.
I believe that increased gang activity among Chicanos and Mexicans is partially based on social inequality, and a heightened sense of cultural alienation in our schools and community. Therefore, something should be done to increase their sense of self-esteem and cultural and ethnic pride.
Complex problems require complex solutions.
In Hollister, our youth have limited opportunities. Our community does not offer adequate resources for young people.
I think that anti-gang solutions should promote solutions to achieve increased educational success and meaningful employment opportunities as well as expose youth to a variety of cultural, spiritual and environmental perspectives.
Joe Navarro
Hollister
Monterey Trying to Cut In On the ‘Home of the Biker’
Editor,
American Marketing Productions is going to present West Coast Motor Cycle Festival at Monterey May 26, 27and 28.
It seems everyone wants to cut in and needs vendors. Hollister is the “Home of the Biker.” Someone always wants to take a cheap shot.
Robert Gila Jr.
Hollister
