Is it still an issue, wearing Red or Blue in California?

CallMeKate said:
If anyone thinks they don't show up in "small town America" I'll assure you it's not true. The Crips & Bloods moved in around 2008... because the semi-small city just two miles from here had activity. They needed somewhere to live. :cry: That said, I would have never thought of not wearing red because of that (it's not my color, so I don't anyhow) and I feel extremely safe here because the bad stuff happens in the other town and MY town is awesome and safe.

If some of the other inhabitants are questionable, it doesn't bother me 'cause I don't get in their faces (Or at least I think I don't... I wouldn't even know it but I love my town and the other residents.) 🤷‍♀️
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Yes, virtually all the street drug gangs have spread nationwide, some Worldwide (eg: Hells Angels). As a law abiding citizen it's a good idea to stay out of drug dealers territory.
 

Nathan said:
Yes, virtually all the street drug gangs have spread nationwide, some Worldwide (eg: Hells Angels). As a law abiding citizen it's a good idea to stay out of drug dealers territory.
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If you want to stay out of drug dealer territory, don't hang around any schoolyards. And wealthy neighborhoods are actually more notorious for such activity, because those are the kids with $$$$ to burn.
 
Nathan said:
Don't believe all that you hear or read. Seriously.

Edit: OK, look at this: If you are a young black person that in fact lives or frequents an area in So. Calif. known to have active street drug gang activity, then you would be well advised to avoid wearing red or blue bandanas or sports jackets. That's a fair and accurate statement.

If you're a white person dressed like they just finished shopping at The Gap:
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...you probably won't be a target, and you probably will be far away from the Crips & Bloods turf as well.
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Isn't anyone subject to be targeted by gang members out for no good? Some tourists may be unaware of dangerous areas or be feeling adventurous and want to see how the locals live. Kate looks so elegant all the time...you really think she looks like a Gap shopper here? Hell I never shopped at The Gap. :LOL:
Bretrick, rapper-actor Ice-T has a rap about his gang days which warns against wearing the wrong color rag (bandana).
 
Yes it is, at least judged by how the kids dress in high school. They all wear black hoodies, even on hot days.

What kind of a power is this over society that one criminal segment is so powerful that they hold control over what our kids can wear?

And why did the politicians allow it to get his bad?
 
I lived in the L.A. area in 1982, to coin Bob Seger I was a midwestern boy far from home, I had always worn a red bandana to hold my hair back and to keep the sweat from my eyes. Willie Nelson always wore a red bandana I thought it was cool.

I learned very quickly not to do that, the wrong color could get you killed, I cut my hair and quit wearing bandanas even if Willie did.
 
Wearing red (Bloods) or blue (Crips) to signify gang membership or leanings isn't a statewide or even big city issue. It was an problem decades ago in certain neighborhoods, particularly for those in certain age demographics, but no more.

Gangs use all manner of identifying paraphernalia including sports team apparel.

I wear what I want. Believe me, nobody who sees me wearing a red shirt while grocery shopping would presume for a moment that I'm sympathetic toward the Bloods.
 
Magna-Carta said:
But saying that, I remember being in London with someone from the US. We were walking together and heading towards Leicester Square at night at about 11 pm. She couldn't get over how many people there were in the street; she had never seen anything like it. Her eyes darted around as she tried to look at everyone.

A single black man, walked along the same pavement and walked toward us, there were white people walking with him. This American person I was with jumps into the road as the black man walks past us. And I'm left thinking, "What the hell is going on here?!"
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I like watching YouTube videos made in London from the bus routes, I was absolutely amazed at the number of people I saw on the streets at two in the morning.
 
Seeing this thread has me laughing out loud remembering an incident from my life regarding wearing red or blue.

Back 1997 was doing a motorcycle adventure ride on the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Island chain. It was a two-day ride and on first day cut my neck riding off-road cane fields as part of the adventure. End of day told the guide I was going to the ABC Store and buy a bandana for neck protection on next day's ride.

"Just don't buy a red or blue one. Those are gang colors here."

So, playing it safe, I bought a pink one.

Next morning for the ride, guide says, "See you bought a bandana. Pink. By the way, those are Philippine gang colors. We have them here too."

AW shucks. Sometimes you just can't win. Rode with it anyway. Still have it tucked away in drawer somewhere.
 
TheOtherRick said:
I like watching YouTube videos made in London from the bus routes, I was absolutely amazed at the number of people I saw on the streets at two in the morning.
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Probably not much different from the number of people on the streets of Manhattan at 2 AM every day of the week. That city is always buzzing. By contrast, Los Angeles is a daytime city with nearly empty sidewalks after 9 PM.
 

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