LaVar Hosting Jeopardy July 26-30 Stan Account 👁

1/Time for a random rant. Every time I read the phrase "gang violence", I sort of shake my head. What a dumb concept!

2/There are two things in this world that we call a "gang": 1. An organized crime syndicate 2. A group of friends These are not the same thing, or even similar things, really.

3/The distinction gets blurred, because sometimes friends help each other do illegal things like sell weed, or go beat someone up. But fundamentally, an organized crime syndicate is a *business*, while a group of friends is not a business.

4/Do organized crime syndicates cause crime? That's an interesting question. Since they operate in black markets, they have to enforce (implicit or explicit) contracts with violence instead of with the courts. That obviously leads to violence...

5/For example, organized crime syndicates can fight over land (turf), distribution channels, suppliers, or refusal to honor contracts. All of these cases are standard plot elements of many movies, comic books, detective novels, etc.