Post: #1

Was out doing my thing last night–drinking and laughing with the bartender at a local spot–when I spotted two girls staring in my direction. I waved them over and said ‘hola!’

They were real Mexican natives, looking very zapotec, and didn’t speak any English. They wanted to take my picture. I obliged, made them pose, had them both kiss my cheeks, picked them up in the air…it was fun.

The guy who was djing behind the bar came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said “Hey man, be careful” and pointed to two dudes who were watching.

One of the guys looked like a cholo, gold teeth, slicked hair, shiny clothes, scar on his face. I went over to him and said “hey man, are those girls with you?” He said “yeah, sort of” and I replied “well, they act a lot like American girls, chicks are in love with cameras” and he started laughing. He asked where I was from and we started to chat.

He had just been deported from the states after he was arrested in Los Angeles and found to be illegal. His plan was to sneak back over the border in the next few weeks and go back to L.A.

He was in a gang there and told me about gang-life. I live in a neighborhood in New York that is home to a lot of Latin Kings and Bloods. We spoke a bit about that, how there is a shooting every week, usually between gang members, rarely involving anyone outside. I told him about the time I was coming home and came across a guy who had just been shot in the leg, and another time I saw I guy get pistol whipped. He started to go into more detail about his initiation, responsibilities, and duty’s as a member of the Surenos.

All of the violence is contained between rivals. There are frequent wars with other gangs that could start over turf, old beef, disrespect, anything.

He started to describe one situation with particular energy. His eyes got bright and his voice became more commanding. He started putting his arm around me and squeezing my shoulder to let me know he was serious. I sat there fascinated.

There was a war between his people and a gang of blacks. He said that one night he was out to ‘milk’ or draw blood from one of the other gang members. He was driving around town with four of his guys at night, smoking meth, hunting–they were in a van. One of his guys recognized a black girl walking down the street–she was the girlfriend of one of the rival members.

They stopped, jumped out and drug the girl into the van, kidnapping her. They drove down an alley and each one of the guys took turns raping her. Sometimes in the ass while the other members held her down. They yelled “make sure you tell your man what happened!”

After, they just dropped her into the streets and drove off to report back.

He told me this as I listened, dumbfounded. I don’t think I have ever met a rapist before, but they are out there, and this shit was as real as it gets. Not something some frazzled feminist would yell, but real, bloody, violent rape.

The guy was on the verge of tears as he told me, I listened intently and through my eyes I encouraged him to keep talking. I have been told many times that people find it easy to open up around me, and I do listening to deeply personal, emotional stories. This was almost too much.

After the story, we spoke about lighter things and his plan to sneak across the border with a ‘coyote’–a guy who is paid to smuggle. As we parted I gave the guy a firm handshake and he pulled me in for a big hug. I said right in his ear “Now stop fucking raping people, and stay the fuck out of jail!” He started to laugh and said he didn’t give a fuck about jail.

Then I went out, danced hard with 6 girls, and banged to get the demons out of my system.

Post: #2

Good story mate. I initially thought this post was going to be some shitty American feminist buzzfeed or blog article about how someone gave her a weird look or something.

Pretty heavy going though.

Post: #3

Good writing, man. Ten cuidado.

Post: #4

Jesus. Reminds me of this Immortal Technique song about the same thing. Only song I have ever heard to make me sick to my stomach Immortal Technique - Dance With the Devil (Offici…: http://youtu.be/xPa_8qKetxM

Post: #5

Wow, just wow.

You said he was on the verge of tears, do you think it was remorse? I imagine being in a gang, one may be often asked to do things that push one's belief system and possibly (most likely) damage a person.

Post: #6

(08-02-2014 05:13 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  Wow, just wow.

You said he was on the verge of tears, do you think it was remorse? I imagine being in a gang, one may be often asked to do things that push one's belief system and possibly (most likely) damage a person.

Didn't detect any remorse whatsoever. The tears were just from him getting so emotional. Fucking fascinating to witness.

Post: #7

Good story. The feminist use of the word rape probably started out to talk about situations like the one you describe. Somewhere along the line they started misusing the word. I wonder if we can pinpoint that historical moment, if it exists.

On a different note- Goldmund do you find that it's easier to get girls down there than back home?

Post: #8

I thought this was gonna be a link to some Butchfeed or Jizzabell article...

Instead a I got a well written awesome story.
Had me captivated.

Kudos man.

Post: #9

(08-02-2014 04:46 PM)MattC Wrote:  Good story mate. I initially thought this post was going to be some shitty American feminist buzzfeed or blog article about how someone gave her a weird look or something.

Pretty heavy going though.

Yeah, me too. It's amazing it's got the point where we assume it's some screeching feminist. Really can't take it any more having to listen to that. Really worn me out big time.

Post: #10

We should totally invite this man back to our country. He'll add a lot to our social fabric.

Post: #11

(08-02-2014 06:09 PM)Faust Wrote:  We should totally invite this man back to our country. He'll add a lot to our social fabric.

Post: #12

...And I thought illegals were all up here to humbly pick lettuce and mow lawns.

Post: #13

Just writing about it and reflecting on it today put me in a weird state of mind. Told my Aussie pal about it and he just said "man, we're running around, drunk, fucking girls, and right under our noses there are guys like this."

Never going to get a proper answer of course, but I do wonder just how much of a percentage of illegals come into the US and get into a life of crime....

-and soup, my game here is completely different than back home. If I wasn't so into self amusement--I probably could have gotten laid every night. Right now its a 50% chance every time I've gone out. Gotta tone down the cockiness with these mamacitas. But overall, I'm doing better here.

Post: #14

This is a well-written little anecdote, the type of morsel that stays with you for some time.

Hearing people confess to crimes in a nonchalant way has a strange effect on the listener. It is not so much the relation of the crime that shocks us. No, it is something other than that.

It is what Hannah Arendt called the "banality of evil": the strange dichotomy that arises from the fact that despicable acts are committed by ordinary, drab individuals who seem just like us. It disquiets us because we expect a monstrous crime to be matched with an equally monstrous personality.

The fact that horrible things can be done by all of us--even jovial raconteurs like this gang member--should be a reminder to us all of the beasts that lurk behind the facade of the ordinary man.

Post: #15

(08-03-2014 12:55 AM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  This is a well-written little anecdote, the type of morsel that stays with you for some time.

Hearing people confess to crimes in a nonchalant way has a strange effect on the listener. It is not so much the relation of the crime that shocks us. No, it is something other than that.

It is what Hannah Arendt called the "banality of evil": the strange dichotomy that arises from the fact that despicable acts are committed by ordinary, drab individuals who seem just like us. It disquiets us because we expect a monstrous crime to be matched with an equally monstrous personality.

The fact that horrible things can be done by all of us--even jovial raconteurs like this gang member--should be a reminder to us all of the beasts that lurk behind the facade of the ordinary man.

Have you ever read anything by Theodore Dalrymple?

I actually used to work with lots of kids like that. On an individual level, many are lovable rogues (many are not likable at all though), will say hi down at the local shops, etc., yet they're up to all sorts of mischief and are really bad for society. I was already a fairly sceptical person, but my politics took a very sharp turn to the right after working in the government education system in underclass areas.

Post: #16

I'm staying in a fairly rough area of town right now and I wonder how many of the characters who ping my danger radar are actually people with serious criminal backgrounds.

I used to think that some guy walking down the street with a few unsettling signals - unnaturally thin but strong, unshaven (and not in a hipster or lazy weekend kind of way), certain expression of the face, energetic but jerky and uncalibrated movements etc. - was probably just an interesting working-class guy. Probably quite cool once you get to know him etc.

But now I tend to go with my gut and I think I can even identify sexual perverts, violent criminals etc. And there seem to be a lot of them. Very difficult to verify how accurate the hunches are without going into law enforcement though.

Post: #17

Goldmund, your stories on the blog have been great. Consistently enjoyable, entertaining and informative reading.

You should change your favicon! HostGator doesn't deserve to sit over your work.

Post: #18

Had not ever heard of a favicon before this...thanks!

Will look into it and definitely change it when I have the time, can't be that hard...right?

Post: #19

Its good you were able to keep a connection when you were hearing about his vile acts.

I'm not sure I would be able to hide my disgust and that can be dangerous.