$65, tourists get peek at L.A.gangland
Posted on 17. Jan, 2010 by Shera Crossan in Audio-Video, Events, Feedback, Opinion, Shera Crossan
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Only miles from the scenic vistas and celebrity mansions that draw sightseers from around the globe — but a world away from the glitz and glamour — a bus tour is rolling through the dark side of the city’s gang turf.
Passengers paying $65 a head Saturday signed waivers acknowledging they could be crime victims and put their fate in the hands of tattooed ex-gang members who say they have negotiated a cease-fire among rivals in the most violent gangland in America.
Some members of Florencia 13, one of L.A.’s largest gangs, live a suburban, settled lifestyle with good jobs. But they are proud of their ties to the gang, which they call \’the neighborhood.\’
If that sounds daunting, consider the challenge facing organizers of LA Gang Tours: trying to build a thriving venture that provides a glimpse into gang life while also trying to convince people that gang-plagued communities are not as hopeless as movies depict.
18ST GANG VS FLORENCIA 13 GANG FROM L.A. ON THIS SPECIAL
“There’s a fascination with gangs,” said founder Alfred Lomas, a former member of the Florencia 13 gang. “We can either address the issue head-on, create awareness and discuss the positive things that go on inthese communities, or we can try to sweep it under the carpet.”
Several observers have questioned the premise behind the tours, and some city politicians have been more blunt.
“It’s a terrible idea,” City Councilman Dennis Zine said. “Is it worth that thrill for 65 bucks? You can go to a (gang) movie for a lot less and not put yourself at risk.”
The 131 page Federal Indictment against Los Angeles based F13 gang
More than 50 people brushed aside safety concerns for Saturday’s maiden tour to hear how notorious gangs got started and bear witness to the struggling neighborhoods where tens of thousands of residents have been lured into gang life.Story source
It’s going to dawn on some gang that there’s alot of vulnerable money sitting in those tour buses.
(shrug)
Someone dumb enough to do a TOUR of a hellhole…to actually play tourist to these creatures…they deserve what happens to them. I agree with ya a244, the only question left is how long before they do the simple arithmetic and see their potential for easy profit.