Senseless Violence

I noticed the same thing when I read that article earlier today.

Yeah. I can't tell if it says "Leo" or "Lil". I'll refrain from making any conclusions from an incomplete reading of a T-shirt from a photo off of a website.

Since the shirt also says get well, perhaps Leo is a nickname of Leondra. (The child who survived the shooting.)

I interpreted the shirt to say "Leo Gangsta" (or possibly "Lil Gangsta") meant as a nickname for the surviving child.

Wow. Even at 2 years old, getting shot gives you street cred in the ghetto.

The surviving girl's name is Leondra. I was pretty certain the shirt read :
From Top to bottom - "Get well son Leo Gangsta."
Then the sides read "I love you."

I did double takes about 5 times shaking my head because I was not sure and COULD not believe that was what I was reading.

If it is I mean... wow... Doesn't matter who the mayor is or how stringent the police are. That's hopelessness right there.

I agree that the word "gangsta" in ths image seems ridiculous and a glorification of gang violence (not to mention a woefully ironic perpetuation of pathetic gang culture). That being said, perhaps there is a contextual meaning intended by the shirt designer that we are missing, such as that the hope that the surviving child will be stronger than those who shot her, and that the true "gangsta" (i.e., survivor / tough person / fighter) is the child who is recovering from the gunshot wounds.

I hope that this is the sort of intended meaning, and that these folks are not so steeped in gang culture that they are grooming the toddler for a life of desperation and hardships. I do not know anyone involved, so I have no clue if my attempt at an optimistic interpretation has any validity. For all I know everyone in the picture proudly wears the colors of a gang affiliation.

I hope you are correct too. historymike.

Has anyone noticed how quickly custom tee shirts seem to pop up after incidents such as this? Somebody has a money making business going there.
Ghetto Tees , 1-hour service.

To ba fair, max, I have seen other symbolic and memorial T-shirts appear after a tragedy or untimely death, and I do not think this is exclusively a "ghetto" phenomenon.

Yeh, you are correct. It is a rather quick turnaround business tho, and the bucks spent might better be used as a donation to the family.

Re: T-shirts - Silkscreen is a rather quick thing to set-up, as it crappy print and Iron set-ups. I wouldn't call those shirts 'quality' in any sense.

The gang culture is such an odd mix of elements. You have feudal codes of honor, vengeance, and fealty (even if folks don't recognize them at first, they are there) while at the same time you have various forms of apprenticeship and 'entrepreneurial' crime. The big difference between Gang culture and Mob culture is age and suits. It's the younger kids who are more territorial and spoil for violence.

Look at some of the ways gang members rehabilitate when it occurs: Clever and ruthless businessmen, military soldiers, community reformers and leaders. I despise that there is a culture of crime and violence, but the real shame is the diversion of such talent into bloodshed and vengeance.

I hope that the family, instead of calling little Leo 'gansta' and raising her in a role to facilitate vengeance and hate through violence instead raise her to take become successful in school, business, and buy the whole damn neighborhood and kick the bastards out, or become a cop and bust them.

Hahahahaha

(And yet, that is pretty true.)

Or the memorial golf outing.

In radio, the "free t-shirt" is always the most requested item at any appearance.

Also suitable for funerals...