MS-13

Being in a gang is probably one of the best examples of peer pressure and violence. Many of us do not realize how severe the guidelines of these groups really are.

Samuel Logan, a journalist, writes about a young boy and his experience with MS-13, one of the most dangerous gangs known in the world. His article specifically focuses on a time line of Luis' life involved with his gang members, who were considered his "family". He was "jumped in, a process by which new members are beaten by a small group of peers during an initiation ceremony" at the age of only 16. (Logan) From the very beginning, he experiences a violent encounter through mandatory principles of the group, something that his peers enforce and he must undergo. Logan seems to mention this to give us a similar feel of how we can relate. For example, as college students, we can relate when it comes to fraternity/sorority recruitment. Though it isn't as violent (let's hope not anyways), there is still obstacles that need to be accomplished in order to meet a certain standard.

As he elaborates on Luis' roller coaster ride of an experience with MS-13, he talks about how they treated him as a family, despite the extreme violence he was intoxicated with. He was showered with clothes, shoes, and overall physical support. Once Luis had lost his leg in a gang-related incident, he was told not to consider coming back to MS-13 by his few actual family members. However, after a few months, he was approached by his MS-13 members and encouraged to come back. He couldn't say no "because [Luis] knew if [he] didn't do something to prove [he] was still chillin' with them, they would try and mess [him] up, even stab [him], for not being loyal to them."(Logan) This form of peer pressure is so life-threatening in a number of physical and mental aspects, that it just shows a mere snippet of how common this is in the many streets of our country. These words by Luis are typical words of fear that all outcasts would say from a higher group. The emotion presented in his voice as well as Logan's article provide the reader with rhetorical devices needed to understand this form of violence.

Logan, Samuel. "Recruitment, Redemption in the MS-13." Samuel Logan Journalist & Writer. Google, 02/14/2006. Web. 24 Sep. 2011. <http://www.samuellogan.com/articles/recruitment-redemption-in-the-ms13.html>. 

A Bumpy Ride to Suicide

In today's society, our minds have perceived certain groups to be more superior than others. For example, it could be as simple as isolating the scrawny boy with glasses from the others when choosing a teammate for kickball, to intense discrimination of choosing a man over a woman with the same qualifications in the work field. The same can be said and done to the LGB (lesbian-gay-bi) individuals nationally and globally. Due to religious and traditional reasons, many heterosexuals consider themselves ranked above all and make it hard for those who are different to live an acceptable life. From the article presented by Reuters, a study was conducted stating "[LGB] teens are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers" (Pittman). Statistics were also presented in this article to provide more depth of how serious of an issue this is to all ages. Surveying young high school students has shockingly revealed how much suicide comes to their minds, majority attempting them because of bullying, discrimination, and emotional sexual abuse. Many of the homosexual teenagers describe how difficult and distressing their experiences are, causing them to commit life-threatening actions. Since all ages can relate to these issues, the article targets any audience from teens to adults from all around the world. Emotion is a major element in this article. For example, an interviewee stated "Every kid has to be protected, every kid has to be safe.." , which implicitly criticizes the social effects of peer pressure. 
  
We want our future generations, regardless of their sexual affiliation, to have a comfortable environment to live in. The stories presented in the news and internet tend to take a conservative side that misleads our nation to have one solid perception. Because of this, our friends, family members, or acquaintances could be at risk on any opinion that they may share.

Personally, I wrote about this topic neither supporting nor opposing the LGB people in our country. I wanted to get the idea through that groups who are considered "inferior" in our society undergo treatment that no human should go through. Thomas Jefferson used some wise words when writing our Constitution; "All men are created equal." Unfortunately, this principle is a rarity these days. 

Pittman, Genevra. "Social environment linked to gay teen suicide risk." Reuters. (2011): n. page. Web. 18 Sep. 2011. <http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/18/us-gay-teen-suicide-idUSTRE73H1GV20110418>.

Intro Post!

I remember blogging back in junior high, but I never thought I'd be back to blogging in college! Well, let me start by saying that this blog is mainly for an English class I am taking at Texas A&M University. This class focuses on Rhetorics of Violence and its Alternatives, which gives us students an outstanding field of ideas to discuss. I chose to concentrate on violence tied in with the peer pressure many have us have faced in this society from schools, workplace, and other public facilities.

This could be very broad, but it is also very important because we can all relate to it. We can all note an instance in life where we have been put in uncomfortable positions from our friends and family that has led to mischievous behavior. For example, many children have grown up playing Truth or Dare, an infamous game that has been familiar to all. When picking dare, our peers throw out requests to do outrageous things that could take that person out of their comfort zone, and lead them to emotional/physical abuse towards another or oneself.

This is just a small degree, but what about the pressure we face in college? When turning 21, the first thing we think of is taking 21 shots and getting completely wasted. Our society has forced these rules on us that can lead to violent effects afterward. A person simply celebrating their birthday could end up fighting with their friends that night, throwing up, driving home drunk, and possibly putting everyone at risk in that car by getting in a severe accident.

I mainly want to focus on how the environment and people around us have shaped our behaviors that somehow tend to involve us in acts of violence. It's vital that we recognize our own actions while looking out for others! :)