Wide Angle

07/27/2008 :: 03:12:27 AM
bush will Says:

its good topic to generate new idea, gang culture back with them to a country awash in arms – remnants of a recently-ended civil war. By recruiting thousands of local small age.
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bush
Wide Circles

07/27/2008 :: 09:57:46 AM
ashu Says:

This is really interesting some of the returnees brought L.A. gang culture back with them to a country awash in arms.

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animesh

Wide Circles

07/29/2008 :: 11:58:49 PM
Vonnie Says:

…brought LA gang culture back with them…I thought it was the other way around. Organized crime, terroist groups, GANGS did not start in LA; what saddens me is that local law enforcement seems to be playing catch-up. I’m a transplant from the west coast and now live in the midwest…brown gangs are quietly growing while law enforcement concentrate on the black gangs. While I lived out west-the brown gangs were always complaining that the black gangs got all the press..which is still true today. The young lives that these gangs destroy is truly a threat to national security. Where are the missionaires when u need them

08/05/2008 :: 08:42:31 AM
max hess Says:

this is one of the saddest things ive seen.kids are learning to be killers!

08/05/2008 :: 03:06:39 PM
Lisa Says:

In response to Vonnie. LA may not have started gangs but let’s not be oblivious about the reality. Gangs are a result of social alliances not race. There are gangs of every “color” Black, Latino, and Asian gangs as well as White (yes). If we focus on what the roots are, economic and social factors, we can understand how to fix the problem.

08/05/2008 :: 04:02:23 PM
Jon Says:

No one should ever feel sorry for any gang member. When these gangs get press; the viewers see ignorant children running around without parental care. They need to start treating them like terrorists. Waterboard and torture them to get infomation to bring the gang down.

08/05/2008 :: 06:22:59 PM
miriam Says:

Oh I can’t wait for this one to air. Sounds interesting.

08/05/2008 :: 09:40:54 PM
Gerri in DC Says:

“Many of the gang members grew up without their parents” and that is the problem!

This is what immigrants pick up when the come to the US - black gang cultute: beating up and killing people. They don’t pick up something good, no. This shows how the majority of the human race is composed of idiots who do Monkey See Monkey Do. Even though the behavior is immoral, evil and sick they do it because that is what sick black people do in the US. All followers with a pea brain. No leaders and no intelligence. Just follow the crowd, evil idiots going through the motions. Really depraved!

08/05/2008 :: 10:11:12 PM
Jan Says:

In response to Gerri:
There are gangs of every color and culture in the US, including white. Seems that you need some education about what is going on in the US. The reality is that having a callous attitude toward life is not confined to one cultural group.

08/05/2008 :: 10:58:27 PM
Pep K Says:

Geri in DC gangs are not a black thing, there are gangs worldwide and gangs of all races here in the United States you just don’t hear about them as much. Gangs probably have been in the world since time immemorial when one group of humans fought power against another.

08/06/2008 :: 12:57:10 AM
Sam Says:

@ Gerri

What do you mean “black gang culture”??? 18th street gang doesn’t have anything to do with “black gang culture” in the U.S. it was formed way back in the 60’s…I don’t even know how to make sense of your comment really…and except for that one guy none of those other guys has ever stepped foot in the U.S. in fact the documentary is not even filmed in the U.S…in your eyes I would imagine the Italian mafia also picked up on “what sick black people do in the US” as well…there are gangs all over this world.

08/06/2008 :: 03:36:19 AM
Catherine Says:

A fascinating documentary in exposing the tragic consequences of historical colonialism and capitalist imperialism that has cursed Central and South America for decades. The bleak and painful reality of today’s El Salvador, where parents are forced to travel to faraway places to seek work, while they leave their children behind, is a shameful reminder of the grotesquely uneven distribution of wealth in the developed world and an unfortunate widespread acceptance to blame the victims of poverty and despair rather than tackle the causes of poverty. When watching this documentary, the young men all seemed like young lost boys who were trying to create a different reality then the one that was painfully familiar. These poor boys were trying to be like the adults who were missing in their lives, by making up rules and codes of conduct and disciplining those who broke those rules. The most heartbreaking realization for me was that the boys were willing to go along with killing, if it meant that they got the attention and admiration of their peers. Even when Slappy was arrested he was upbeat because he was in jail with his buddies. My fear for Slappy would be that he would find out sooner or later that he couldn’t rely on his friends for support. I got the impression that Slappy was resigned to his life of crime and despair. It seemed that these boys were trying to gain a sense of self worth, belonging and love by becoming part of a gang and its particular brand of fraternal and familial bonding. What was very devastating to watch was the phone call made by Diego to his mother, which clearly showed how much Diego needed a real adult, his mother, to take care of him. Also Slappy’s attention to a respectable haircut as a way of fooling the police, was a sad portrayal of an impressionable naive yet charming young man who you know is going to get caught eventually. Despite their outward bravado and reckless and violent behaviour, these boys seemed acutely vulnerable. I don’t know how anyone watching this couldn’t feel enormous empathy and sympathy for these boys and outrage for those circumstances that led these childern to join gangs, as a subsitute for the love and nuturing they deserve and need from caring adults. I applaud all those who reach out to help these boys and I thank the documentary makers for putting a spotlight on an issue that demands alot of attention.

08/06/2008 :: 08:45:06 AM
Craig Says:

I have friends heading to El Salvador as missionaries, and this film made what they are facing all too real. Where is the future for El Salvador with a post-civil war generation with no moral compass? They talk about respect, but only after they beat the snot out of someone (at best), or after they kill someone (at worst). Children having children, and children growing up without families. Eventually one of the gangs will get big enough to buy or take the government, then use the army to try to wipe out the other gangs, leading to yet another civil war.

08/06/2008 :: 02:09:14 PM
lydia Says:

All the comments are interesting,after watching this documentary for the first time last night,I perceive the root cause of what is happening in El Salvador and around the world,as the destruction of humanity that began the Garden of Eden. The same enemy of mankind,satan himself is still waging war and using the tools of his trade to destroy as many as he can,poverty and hatred are his common weapons that spawn all kinds wickedness. With the deconstruction of the family unit over the generations for prime example: By the removal of a strong Father figure gone of to war, and the removal of a loving nurturing mother who now has to find work in the absence of her husband.This trend set in place through generations,ultimately chipping away at the stability,and structure of family.Often times ,leaving vulnerable children to grow up without any nurturing adult supervision, these children in turn because of the empty void inside seek a means to fill what was stolen from them,the comfort,love,support and stability of a family.
They find this in their gang family and their “homies” with this counterfeit family they have adopted the strategies of satan,which are to crush, kill,and destroy.
And now we have humans hating humans and killing each other For the sake of the “Family”. satan doesn’t care who wins he is only concerned destroying and his desire ,which is death to all mankind.
This is a spiritual war that is being waged, satans goal is to undermone humanity by any evil means necessary and ignorance of the truth is what keeps the killing wheels turning, as mankind ignorantly and unwittingly continues to offer up plenty of it’s young boys and girls, men and women as misguided martyrs.

08/06/2008 :: 02:35:06 PM
Travis Says:

Why does social responsibility end when one is making a documentary? The death of the fruit vendor at the end of the film could have been entirely avoided had Mr. Pollack put down his camera and acted as a human being, not as a documentary filmaker. Ricardo Pollack, you are just as guilty in that man’s death as the people you were filming. Shame on you!! You could have prevented it.

08/06/2008 :: 03:40:03 PM
A Self Educated-Filipino Says:

” It’s Unfortunate, But The Bottom Line Is, It’s Human Nature… We Are All-Guilty…

08/06/2008 :: 06:48:27 PM
marta Says:

well i am from el salvador i was borned their but raies here in the u.s.a. and i do not know alot about in el salvador but i think that us like people we should not be judgement to people we don’t know because some of them come to change like better jobs,& to be better for there family.the goverment should help the people who kids to come to the u.s and do better for threr kids so the violences can st stop .& the gangs wouldnt have kids in there beause it just cause them prison,& death. & for those parent who come to the u.s and make a new family here and forget about there kids in el salvador is not right you should feel a shame of your self because all kids need the same love form here and there too.

08/07/2008 :: 12:59:34 PM
the rational animal Says:

to Travis: I remember there being a caption reading ‘police video’ when they showed the incident of the food vendor and Slappy. Meaning that Mr. Pollack was not there or in any way involved (or uninvolved as you put it). Accusing somebody of something like that is very serious, be careful.

08/07/2008 :: 02:36:02 PM
lydia Says:

To Travis and myself: It is easy to say what should have been done,in the absence of actually being there,and not knowing all the facts.It is easy to judge someone else for their actions or lack of,but how often due we check ourselves in any given situation and our moral/social/conscience involvement in the moments of everyday living? For example what if the scenario was different;, Instead of a food vendor being shot on the streets of El Salvador. How about right here on the streets of America. (I have seen this often), A young Mother,or Father usually around 18 -24 years old, with a small child anywhere from toddler to age 5. In a supermarket, parking lot,local street or local park,or just about anywere. The child does something minor to irritate the parent, and out the parents mouth spew a litany of profanity,all hurled at this small child,usually ending with a sure guarantee to inflict physical harm.I am sure I am not the only one who has witnessed this and heard parents cursing their own children,but how many people have stepped in and intervened on behalf of this child,during this public assault?A crime has been committed and their are dozens of eyewitnesses. This may be viewed as no where near the scale as an actual shooting and murder,but it is.And we the viewer how willing are we to get involved? Are we innocent bystanders in this trajedy? I think the majority of us,internally are appalled,but that doesn’t translate into action.Instead we turn and walk the other way.It is easy in retrospect,and in the comfort of our living rooms to say what someone else should have done. We all need to practice the right attitude and actions in the little things, so that when the big things come along we are more apt to do the right thing. I know for a fact,it is difficult at the end of the day to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge our own actions when we haven’t been practicing what we preach.

08/07/2008 :: 04:32:34 PM
Roselie Says:

Hi I was in a hurry from work to go home to watch the Series but couldn’t find the channel who knows if they will replay it again and when. I found this topic very interesting but miss it. I have Rocky Mountain PBS Denver Colorado channel only. Help thank You.

08/08/2008 :: 12:44:20 PM
rich Says:

“Gangs” Why is there not a law against being in one? I know it sounds simple, but is it? To be in a “gang” basically means this person has lost all regard for what is good, so why wait until he kills someone to realize that? Get all the people that are convicted of gang crime put them all on one island with one fully loaded gun each and let them shot each other to death, it sure bets letting them run in the streets of our cities because they do that as it is.

08/13/2008 :: 03:02:53 AM
Jessica Says:

I have not seen the documentary but as often happens, some of the comments I see are disparaging because of the ignorance they display. I’m no preacher but I can’t bite my tongue.

To Catherine: You are absolutely right about everything you wrote in your comment. I couldn’t agree more.

I’ve grown up and still reside in a neighborhood where gang activity goes on. From what I see, it is tame compared to the documentary, but it is still a problem, and I have learned from experts that many gang members suffer from learning disabilities or learning difficulty. I had no idea, but it appears to be a large determinant of gang involvement. Added to well documented factors like socioeconomic status and dysfunctional family life. When people join gangs they do so out of a desire to belong to a family of sorts where the welfare of each other is looked out for and academic merit is not a determinant for approval. I think that by labeling members as evil or by reducing them to the crimes they’ve committed we fail to understand the larger context of their lives and effectively -dehumanize- them. Since those coming from a privileged position in life can only limitedly comprehend the oppressive circumstances -almost entirely out of their control- that lead them to imprisonment and worse.

08/15/2008 :: 07:12:32 PM
Max Says:

Men from a young age need to be taught self sufficiency skills through small scale farming and construction. The problem of gangs will only get worse in all cities of the world until men are taught these skills and encouraged to move back to country areas all over the world as was society for thousands of years. CITIES ARE GOING TO BE THE FINAL DOWNFALL OF ALL MANKIND unless people reverse it and move out into the country and go back to small scale farming, construction and self sufficiency skills.

08/27/2008 :: 06:57:08 AM
Cali Says:

YAY!!! i cant wait to see the updated documentary and see what happened after the film stopped rolling. and the travesio’s mothers story. i’ve been waiting to see what happened to them and i am from new zealand but now living in australia, and have watched all the storys from duke,charlie and traveiso n co, and slappys. and cant wait to see this one!