"MY BROWN EYES"

This article, written by Alexander Amador, describes the life of a Hispanic living in the neighborhood of the Eigth Street Locos 13 gang. Amador tells us about her family, friends and the gangs that she grew up with. She offers us a new perspective, one of respect and love. In her eyes, gangs are groups of people who take care of each other--they are like families. She does not support gang wars, but noted that gang members are good "homies" and chose to take care of her even though they gang banged. The norms in this article contradict the common belief that gangs are being purely destructive and violent. With her story, we can see another perspective, we just have to be open to it. At the author's home, the same principles of respect and love are present. From her story, we learn that people can care for each other, but it isn't always in the way we expect.

While reading this article, I accepted this perspective and thought of my friend Angel. He is in a gang, and is a foster child. All my friends, including myself, have told him at one time or another to straighten up his act, get out of his gang and stay out of trouble. However, now I wonder if his gang gives him a real family that he can love and count on. Something that he might not have at his foster home.