Terrorism And The United States - 1981 Words

Introduction Today when we think of terrorism and terrorist as being something grown out of radical and fundamentalist Islamic Societies in the middle east. However, terrorism does not have to come from abroad. Terrorism can be homegrown in America and for the past 40 years that is what has been happening in cities all across the United States. Gang related terrorism is extremely high in inner cities all across the country and the Crips are the largest gang that operates in America. In 1970’s California the Crips were created as a response to protect their neighborhoods but have grown to much more than that. Today there are over 33,000 members of this terror organization who use murder as one of their top fear tactics. Through their†¦show more content†¦Raymond Washington has been credited with creating the gang while still in High School at Freemont. It was originally created as a political organization which grew to provide protection from other gangs and profit from criminal ac tivity. Washington imitated the Black Panther party when creating the organization of the Crips and after the help of a few other original members in recruiting young men they increase the gang’s involvement in violent criminal activity. Initially there was no formal leadership in the gang how ever leaders were recognized by other members due to their charismatic personalities and influence. These leaders would make it a priority to expand the reach of the gang and expand the influence and power that the Crips had. By 1978 they had already grown to 45 separate gangs showing how quickly their ideas and influence caught on it Los Angeles. The Crips first main illegal activity was the promoting and distribution of the drug PCP. This allowed for them to acquire a large cash flow while at the same time expanding their influence in areas that they had not been in before. With the sell of PCP, the gang would also include marijuana and other small street drugs into the forte of illic it narcotic sales. They were seen as a large supplier of narcotics in Los Angeles at the time. The introduction of crack cocaine by the Crips in the 1980’s made them one of the most successful organizations in the U.S. and created a need for them to