Give me the freedom of action, and I will solve the gang problem. :-)

bill: very true. also, everyone should be careful who they label as likely to be a marijuana dealer. They aren't always the guy with a mullet next door, or the guy with 22s and a 16 inch gold chain around his neck. Nor are they always gang members. Most, gang members or not, get involved because as you said, it's a VERY lucrative business.
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Are there any stats out there that show what the drug of choice is among hardened criminals/gangs? I know that the saying goes "it all starts with pot," but I have a hard time believing the "Murda Mob" dealt solely in the sweet cheeba.
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And, I agree. The sole responsibility does not lie with the police to combat these and other social problems.

What you say is mostly true. One thing though, drug dealing is a very lucrative business. If gangs' customers would stop financing the gangs’ lifestyle, at least the drug buyers would stop being a party to the crimes of these gangs and the gangs would lose a lot of income. Yes, there is a lot of “will” in those gangs for those things you state, but the “way” would be a little tougher if we could just get these marijuana users to obey the law.
We’ve been trying to solve the gang problems for years. Some of the solution starts with each and every one of us. It’s not just up to the police to fight gangs.

no matter what they deal or don't deal, if you are going to be in any sort of gang, you have no respect for YOUR life or anyone else's life or well-being. The drugs and the money they bring in are just a way for the ends (purchasing more "heat", marking more territory, etc) to justify the means (dealing, shooting, stealing, etc..,).
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While this may have been 2 rival gangs shooting it out because of drugs, let us not kid ourselves. If we legalized pot or any or all drugs for that matter, gang activity and the crimes associated with them would not disappear. It's a way of life for them and if they weren't "packing heat" to protect their drug territory, they'd be doing it to protect their stolen car chop shop or other illegal activity.
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You can invent all of these social programs and give these kids ways out all you want. Bottom line is it may often time be too late. Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source to site, but look up Maurice Clarrett. This kid could have had a cupcake life. Instead, he will be frosting cupcakes while on kitchen duty in prison.
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What's the saying? You can take the boy out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the boy.....???
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If there's a will, there's a way. And, just because you eradicate one way (drug dealing) doesn't mean the will (to belong, quick money, fear and intimidation, power, nice cars, "bling") will be lessened to a more productive and law abiding manor.

dub190:
Sherlock Holmes here.
I hate to bang my own drum but click this.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx...
It seems that 2 members of a street gang named the Murda Mob were killed in the shooting by what police believe to be 2 rival gangs due to a gang war started to control the drug trade.
Now I know that the marijuana users who defend their favorite weed want to believe that these vicious gangs only deal in coke, heroin, pcp and meth and that only good, responsible people deal the sweet leaf as they are so mellow that they would never think of harming another person. But the facts are that the same gangs that deal hard drugs deal marijuana as well and will try to kill anyone in competition and they don’t care if any of us and our families are in the line of fire.
I guess maybe marijuana is addictive after all since so many are willing to rationalize dealing with murderers to obtain it while lying to themselves about the character of their dealers.
If "good, responsible" pot smokers really exist then they should stop enriching these thugs and obey the law.

Pop culture has everything to do with it. Where have you been the last 20 years? They write "songs" about this (excrement deleted) and ten year old boys want to be "gangstas".

I don't like guns at all, growing up on the southside of Chicago, I have had first hand experience with the tragedy that guns in untrained hands can do..
but how about this suggestion,if our government could spend a little more money on extracurricular activities for children in the 'hood, maybe they would be less inclined to join gangs and break the law..
what is that saying about idle hands and the devil?

I guess La Crosse and Eau Claire must be overflowing with refugees since Minnesota passed their CCW permit law in 2003. Did Marinette ever take down that fence they put up to keep the Upper Pennisula crowd from fleeing the "wild west" that Michigan turned into when they became a "Shall Issue" CCW state in 2000? I never noticed gunfire when I visited my sister in Indiana. I suppose there's a sensor at the state line that detects Wisconsin license plates and all the permit holders there get "Cheesehead Alerts" and left their guns at home while I was in Hoosier territory.
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CCW laws have consistently reduced criminal violence in every state they have been passed. Property crime goes up as many criminals decide that robbing an empty house or stealing a car is safer for them than trying to hold up someone who may be equipped to shoot back, or that a Good Samaritan may decide to get involved if they have a more effective tool than a police whistle. CCW laws don't stop all violent crime, but there is a reason that only Cheeseheads and FIBs live in states with NO CCW permits - the other 48 states were smarter to begin with (no permit even needed in Vermont) or have wised up. People who think law-abiding citizens shouldn't have the right to protect themselves on the street have led very sheltered lives.

you people that think ccw is a good idea crack me up. instead of 4 dead you would have 40 dead. great idea nra. more guns that is just what we need.

no body will talk to the police about the shooting so what do's that tell you {these people are afraid,Or just stupid,} the inner city way of no snitch on the brother's

HALF OF THESE COMMENTS DO NOT EVEN HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MAIN TOPIC! STICK WITH THE TOPIC PEOPLE!

Good idea, let the pipes chase their own dreams.

If marijuana were legal, local farmers could grow it in bulk. Even with taxes and regulation, the price would drop significantly enough to make it a poor revenue choice for gangs. Instead of spending so much on Coast Guard interdiction, the government could make use of the unregulated stuff a serious felony and an occasional 20-life sentence for a user of unregulated pot would scare the majority of tokers into purchasing the legal weed.
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They might REALLY legalize it and allow people to grow their own for personal consumption, like people can make their own beer and wine now. Imagine enough of the industry going legit for an annual "Seed and Bong" weekend show at the Mall.
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Micro-"Groweries", TV ads for Maui Wowee and Acapulco Gold, scratch-n-shiff ads in Better Homes and Gardens, John Deere selling their GangjaMaster 2000 cannabis harvesting combines, this might be just the thing to end the recession. Let's call our legislators and tell them to take the commercial potential of pot out of the hands of gangs and give it back to the people!
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Of course, we could put our energy into fixing society and making life better for those who currently use drugs or excessive alcohol to escape and encourage them to quit using... nah! Let's not chase a "pipedream".

I surmise that if marijuana were legal and governments were taxing its commerce like they do tobacco and restricting its use like most other drugs and since the black market for marijuana already exists, the likelihood that street gangs would still be dealing it just as they do other legal but restricted drugs is very high. Therefore, it’s elementary my dear Watson, that the illegal trade in marijuana will continue with its subsequent mayhem unabated in spite of its legal status with the guilt for the carnage at least partially falling upon those who buy their marijuana from that black market, just as it does now.

It's too bad none of the 100+ people pulled out their legally concealed handgun and returned fire to stop the shooting. Oh, I forgot, Doyle TWICE vetoed the CCW bill that would let law-abiding, screened, and trained residents carry guns to protect themselves from gangbangers or psycho ex-spouses or psycho ex-coworkers.
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I've been to hundreds of gunshows in my life, where the weapons are stacked all over the place and routinely handled by complete strangers as well as their owners, and have never even experienced one being accidently discharged while I was there, much less someone deliberately shooting anyone. The odds of survival at at gun show are much better than going to a party or visiting a park in Milwaukee.
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CCW permits will not stop all the gun attacks by criminals and mental cases, but return fire by honest citizens will render more justice than the courts sometimes dispense, and it will certainly reduce the recidivism rates of career criminals.

Yup, that's what it was Newbie. They shot people so they could sell more pot. You are a regular Sherlock Holmes.
Let's say that is true. If pot were legal, people wouldn't have to look to "street gangs" for their medicinal, and recreational weed.

Hey thekid3477, it probably was the greater of many evils, street gangs shooting it out over control of commerce in your favorite recreational substance without regard for who was in the firing line.

ihavealife, if you're trying to take a dig at me, good luck. By the way, I agree with momof5 about that this is a non-sense word. This word is also relatively new and isn't even something that was allowed to be misconstrued. What could you say about a gay person that could be unknowingly misconstrued??? I'm curious what your views are on gays. Nizzle (and other non-sense words that end in "izzle") are made up and have no meaning. It's like when you are a kid and try to speak in your own little language that no one else can understand.

nizzle can also be an non-sense syllable added to the end of a word. I never knew what it also meant before going to urbandictionary.com. Snoog Dogg puts -izzle on the end of nearly every word. Nizzle can also mean a part of a male's anatomy or "adult extra-curricular" activities.

rockstar....Lets use word play on the gays ..mmmm ....how would you like that ? Or would that be 90% that wouldn't know what we /I was talking about ? Any way you say or use the word IS NOT RIGHT !!! How well do you think that would go in a black neighborhood ,used by a child or adult that doesn't know what they are REALLY saying ??

Why don't we outlaw cars too? This psycho could have killed just as many if not more with an automobile! Look at Washington DC, they took everyone's guns away and more people than ever are being shot in that city!
If there were people in that crowd carrying weapons, the perp would probably be dead too. Quit giving these creeps life and fry em in the chair!
Unless you are voting for Obama, who believes murderers have rights and should be spared from death, but babies have none and if a woman wants to invoke her "freedom to choose" she can murder multiple babies (even AFTER they are born)

ihavealife, I think you're looking too far into his/her username. It was made into something else which you think seems derogatory but is in actuality just word play. 90% of people (or more) don't even know what it is implying.

Get over it. It isn't like his username is straight up "the N word".

so before pop culture there were no thugs ? shame on you, stop playing the blame game. some people are bad and do bad things , go figure. pop culture has nothing to do with it. no one finds shootings romantic !

We do not delete posts that we disagree with. That would be impractical and would defeat the purpose of an open forum.

We delete posts that cross the line and violate the rules, which are clearly stated below.

Scott W. Angus
Editor

What was deleted?

marymac4, I respectfully disagree with your comment that "think of all the people like this that would be allowed to carry weapons." These "people" are not the ones that will be LEGALLY carrying guns. There is a very extensive background search and training program to be certified. It only means that legally abiding citizens (like myself)will be able to pack heat and smoke these little bastards.

Marymac4-These thugs would never be allowed a permit. The guns they used are not registered and no law would stop them from acquiring them. "All the people like them" already are carrying weapons.

Please tell us then what it means to you and your family ! in mine (and urban dictionary) it means the N word !

Thats why some of us call Milwaukee "KILLWAUKEE" People just killing each other to much over there. and screw you people who think my name is affensive,you dont even know what it means to me and my family.Get a life.and stop reading blogs.

My heart is with the families and victims again........ Now lets look at the right to bear arms and think of all the people like this that would be allowed to carry weapons. without the law we have so many idiots and gang bangers carrying them. Yes there are responsible people that would do well but I personally believe there are more like whats in this article that would make our world worse.

same'ol, same'ol

Thugs! As long as pop culture keeps romanticizing them, they will keep getting away with murder.

gee, i wonder if the 'eviler of two evils' was involved.....

Hey look, Milwaukee made national news again.

"Police were having difficulty getting cooperation from witnesses"
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This is so unfortunate. Even in a town without the police problems that Milwaukee does, this "anti-snitch" culture is a problem. There was a shooting a few years ago (when the Fourth Ward was getting pretty bad) where a crowd of at least 50 had gathered to see whatever it was going to be. When the gun fired, everyone scattered, and according to the cop who questioned us, "nobody saw nothing". But they had all known it was going down even before it happened.