The idea of forming their own gang was first hatched when Styler (not his real name), and an older brother, and a couple of friends from the neighborhood, were at the house of Styler's parents...
They were drinking beers and smoking "weed" (marijuana) at the time. They wanted to set up an outside base for their operation of selling drugs, and whatever other criminal activities they had going on at the time.
Then, at some point, Styler, his brother, and their friends, decided that the intersection of 145th Street and Rockaway Boulevard in the South Jamaica section of Queens (one of New York City's five boroughs) would be the perfect spot. Thus, this nondescript intersection in a working-class neighborhood would become the central location for their gang. They dubbed themselves the "145 Klick." Other gangs were in operation nearby.
According to Styler, it was a neighborhood overrun with teenagers and young adults who lacked direction and positive role models, while at the same time they'd look up to those who wore "gold rings on every finger but their thumbs, while carrying big guns under their shirts." These were the ones, Styler said, who got "respect."
Styler, whom I got to know quite well, was the youngest of nine children--four girls and five boys, all of whom were raised by both parents. Styler said that his parents were "religious, but nice." They were Jehovah Witnesses. He described his dad as hard-working, and his mother as a good cook. "We wasn't no ghetto folks," Styler assured me.
During a moment of reflection, Styler lamented that out of eight other siblings, only he and one other brother has ever been arrested. Most of his siblings have done very well for themselves, he said. Styler has now spent a total of sixteen years in prison. He confessed that he has no one to blame but himself. "The drug business is wild," Styler declared. "People get killed real quick." He himself admitted to killing a "dude" who was pushing in on his gang's turf. "It's deadly," Styler said of the drug trade. "The streets get bloody." He quickly added, "No survivors!" As he said this, however, he pounded with his fist on a table in the dayroom to help emphasize his point. "No survivors!" he repeated, still pounding the table-top.
He's right. Gangs and their criminal activities have turned many a neighborhood in the United States into a modern day killing field. And many who are in gangs have seen more violence than many of our military troops who are presently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At least Styler was keeping it real. He admitted that, if not for his getting arrested, he'd probably be dead now, pumped full of bullets by a rival. He said his brother was the "brains" of the gang's operation, and he was the top enforcer. Styler bluntly admitted that, back in his younger days, his mindset was to kill anyone who got in the way of the 145 Klick. In addition to the homicide for which he was found guilty of committing, for which he received a sentence of 25-years to life, he is also a suspect in two other "cold case" gang-related murders, which he did not do.
Long ago, while Styler was awaiting trial on what he is now in prison for, Styler went and joined the notorious "Bloods" gang, which has its deadly tentacles spread across many parts of the world. In jail, he was tested, and he proved himself well. Styler said that within a few months he was declared to be a "soldier."
Today, however, many years later, Styler has grown into adulthood. While still officially a "Blood," he looks back with sadness and regret at where this road has taken him. His brother ended up doing a ten-year stretch in federal prison for other crimes, and Styler says he seldom has contact with him anymore. While the dozen or so other men who'd found their way into the 145 Klick either died, or ended up in jail too, or joined another gang, as Styler did, or disappeared altogether. In reality, the 145 Klick was out of commission within a year. It's been forgotten about, and although he won't say it, I believe Styler knows his life up to this point has been a big waste.
These days, Styler says his biggest goal is to educate young blacks about the gangs. He says he is upset that all the gangs work against each other. He has a naive idea that if all gang members worldwide would join together and vow to do wholesome and humanitarian works, that out of this will come a "movement of brotherly love." He added that even all forms of bullying among youth would "come to a stop". In his view, gangs, he said, have the ability to "change the world" for the good. That if they'd but redirect their energy and efforts toward doing good, as opposed to doing bad, the planet would then begin to know peace. I don't think this is likely, however. But I kept my thought to myself.
In the time he's been here, Styler has only attended a couple of our chapel's services, often bemoaning that he cannot get up in time for church on Sundays. Our service always starts promptly at 10:A.M. But Styler insists he's a "night person." On weekends, he'd usually listen to music on his radio until four or five o'clock in the morning. Because of this, Styler is first going to sleep when the rest of the prison's population is just getting up.
Styler means well, however, yet he refuses to leave the Bloods; these days he is only considered by them to be a token member. His days of jumping other inmates and beating them up or slashing someone with a razor blade are over. He says the "wild stuff" is only for the younger guys. Now he just wants to focus on his plan for world peace.
He insists that all the gangbangers (slang for gang members) should focus on raising their children well. "This is nice," I said, but added, "If a guy is in a violent street gang and eventually ends up in prison, how is he going to properly raise his kids?" Styler, dreamer that he is, thought about this for a moment. He then gave me a weak shrug and said he didn't have the answer. Neither do I.
D.B.
Then, at some point, Styler, his brother, and their friends, decided that the intersection of 145th Street and Rockaway Boulevard in the South Jamaica section of Queens (one of New York City's five boroughs) would be the perfect spot. Thus, this nondescript intersection in a working-class neighborhood would become the central location for their gang. They dubbed themselves the "145 Klick." Other gangs were in operation nearby.
According to Styler, it was a neighborhood overrun with teenagers and young adults who lacked direction and positive role models, while at the same time they'd look up to those who wore "gold rings on every finger but their thumbs, while carrying big guns under their shirts." These were the ones, Styler said, who got "respect."
Styler, whom I got to know quite well, was the youngest of nine children--four girls and five boys, all of whom were raised by both parents. Styler said that his parents were "religious, but nice." They were Jehovah Witnesses. He described his dad as hard-working, and his mother as a good cook. "We wasn't no ghetto folks," Styler assured me.
During a moment of reflection, Styler lamented that out of eight other siblings, only he and one other brother has ever been arrested. Most of his siblings have done very well for themselves, he said. Styler has now spent a total of sixteen years in prison. He confessed that he has no one to blame but himself. "The drug business is wild," Styler declared. "People get killed real quick." He himself admitted to killing a "dude" who was pushing in on his gang's turf. "It's deadly," Styler said of the drug trade. "The streets get bloody." He quickly added, "No survivors!" As he said this, however, he pounded with his fist on a table in the dayroom to help emphasize his point. "No survivors!" he repeated, still pounding the table-top.
He's right. Gangs and their criminal activities have turned many a neighborhood in the United States into a modern day killing field. And many who are in gangs have seen more violence than many of our military troops who are presently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At least Styler was keeping it real. He admitted that, if not for his getting arrested, he'd probably be dead now, pumped full of bullets by a rival. He said his brother was the "brains" of the gang's operation, and he was the top enforcer. Styler bluntly admitted that, back in his younger days, his mindset was to kill anyone who got in the way of the 145 Klick. In addition to the homicide for which he was found guilty of committing, for which he received a sentence of 25-years to life, he is also a suspect in two other "cold case" gang-related murders, which he did not do.
Long ago, while Styler was awaiting trial on what he is now in prison for, Styler went and joined the notorious "Bloods" gang, which has its deadly tentacles spread across many parts of the world. In jail, he was tested, and he proved himself well. Styler said that within a few months he was declared to be a "soldier."
Today, however, many years later, Styler has grown into adulthood. While still officially a "Blood," he looks back with sadness and regret at where this road has taken him. His brother ended up doing a ten-year stretch in federal prison for other crimes, and Styler says he seldom has contact with him anymore. While the dozen or so other men who'd found their way into the 145 Klick either died, or ended up in jail too, or joined another gang, as Styler did, or disappeared altogether. In reality, the 145 Klick was out of commission within a year. It's been forgotten about, and although he won't say it, I believe Styler knows his life up to this point has been a big waste.
These days, Styler says his biggest goal is to educate young blacks about the gangs. He says he is upset that all the gangs work against each other. He has a naive idea that if all gang members worldwide would join together and vow to do wholesome and humanitarian works, that out of this will come a "movement of brotherly love." He added that even all forms of bullying among youth would "come to a stop". In his view, gangs, he said, have the ability to "change the world" for the good. That if they'd but redirect their energy and efforts toward doing good, as opposed to doing bad, the planet would then begin to know peace. I don't think this is likely, however. But I kept my thought to myself.
In the time he's been here, Styler has only attended a couple of our chapel's services, often bemoaning that he cannot get up in time for church on Sundays. Our service always starts promptly at 10:A.M. But Styler insists he's a "night person." On weekends, he'd usually listen to music on his radio until four or five o'clock in the morning. Because of this, Styler is first going to sleep when the rest of the prison's population is just getting up.
Styler means well, however, yet he refuses to leave the Bloods; these days he is only considered by them to be a token member. His days of jumping other inmates and beating them up or slashing someone with a razor blade are over. He says the "wild stuff" is only for the younger guys. Now he just wants to focus on his plan for world peace.
He insists that all the gangbangers (slang for gang members) should focus on raising their children well. "This is nice," I said, but added, "If a guy is in a violent street gang and eventually ends up in prison, how is he going to properly raise his kids?" Styler, dreamer that he is, thought about this for a moment. He then gave me a weak shrug and said he didn't have the answer. Neither do I.
D.B.
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