Who are you really trying to get?

The proposition’s name “The Safe Neighborhood Act” clearly portrays that it will pursue positive agenda. The name states that the policy will render greater safety to Californians. I wonder, though, who will this prop make us safer from? Well, the answer is quite clear and explicit.

The official support webpage for proposition 6 states: “Stop Gang, Gun and Street Crime.” The proposition is tailored to combat street gang-related crimes. This is evident through the penalties that will be increased for those convicted of for gang-related crimes such as being in possession of a weapon, recruitment and intimidation of individuals. In addition, it will increase penalty sentencing for the sale and possession of methamphetamine, and passions of firearms among others.

One of the authors of the proposition, Senator Reynolds stated that proposition 6 “increases penalties for crimes often associated with gangs,” which it clearly addresses. Now, the question becomes, who are the participants of these gangs, and who is this proposition really targeting?

Gangs mostly exists in larger urban settings, thus, enactment of the law would take place in the larger cities of California. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland among a long list of others would all be targeted under this bill. Something important about this is the fact that these centers house large percentages of ethnic minorities who would be purposefully targeted.

Gangs of blacks and Latinos would be targeted for crimes instead of attempting to reduce crime as a whole. By virtue of its aim, Proposition 6 will target blacks and Latinos and increase their time in prison. Somehow, by incriminating more blacks and Latinos, crimes such as robbery and murder would disappear and crime would not exist as it presently does. Somehow, the issues that contribute to this behavior will no longer play a role in street crime.

The measure does, I must include, require spending on programs designed to target gang-related activities. However, its funding in itself takes 1% of California’s General Fund, which in itself is spent on socials services such as the public school system. The financial aspect of this proposition also very important, and something I will further investigate.