Gang/Race Tensions in LA Jails
Racial tensions and gang rivalries spilled over into two weeks of prison riots in the Los Angeles County Jails in the first weeks of February.
Long standing, but often overlooked tensions between African Americans and Latinos erupted into gang based racial rioting. Sheriff Lee Baca predictably said the problem was a lack of staff. The Sheriff ended up segregating inmates by race.
Black/Latino tensions are growing not only in prisons, but cities all over the US. The growing political power of Latinos, who now are the nation's largest minority, is resented by many African Americans who are still frozen on the bottom of the social and economic ladder.
Progressives were busy trying to downplay the racial angle -- Alternet reported the clashes were about power, not race, though admitting the essentials of press reports. Race is a forbidden topic among liberals, who often want to reduce racial differences to class.
gangresearch.net believes the LA prison riots are a dangerous sign of things to come. Efforts to promote racial unity among gangs on the streets has never been so important.
Other LA Jail Stories:
Race Riots Break Out - CNN