(Boston's) Celebrated gang truce disintegrates

[unhappycamper]

By Maria Cramer
Globe Staff / August 16, 2010

The shooting death in May of a 14-year-old honors student has done more than shock the city; it has also unraveled the final remnants of a 2006 gang truce once hailed as a historic success.

During the recent arraignments of Jaewon Martin’s alleged assailants, prosecutors said Martin, who had no gang ties, was apparently targeted by members of the H-Block gang because he was hanging out on a basketball court frequented by their Heath Street foes.

Martin was the third shooting victim connected to the gang feud since high-profile peace negotiations four years ago put a temporary end to deadly warfare between H-Block and Heath Street.

~snip~

Law enforcement officials and community leaders cited several reasons for the crumbling of the much-heralded truce, including insufficient resources like long-term jobs for participants, the release of gang members from prison who want to retaliate against old foes, changing membership within the groups, and the overwhelming challenge of tamping down tensions between rivals who have feuded for decades.

Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis acknowledged the fragility of truces but said if they result in even a few months without violence it means success.

[RandomThoughts]

1. Note that economic conditions that are known to create suffering

when those things are done are the same as violence, unless equally applied across all groups. An equal condition would be best someone could do, a targeted one would be choosing someone to hurt.

[SpiralHawk]

2. "They're depraved on account of they're deprived." - Officer K.

"My father is a bastard,
My ma's an S.O.B.
My grandpa's always plastered,
My grandma pushes tea.
My sister wears a mustache,
My brother wears a dress.
Goodness gracious, that's why I'm a mess!"

- The Jets