gang activity in america

 We're going to start this article with a short story.  Its about a fellow Marine I've served with.  He was born in El Salvador, and at 10 years old, his entire family of farmers was massacred by the gang known as MS 13 or Mara Salvatrucha, during a robbery the gang was conducting on his village.  He was lucky enough to have lived and was brought to this country through a charity, all alone, at only 10 years old.  I'm stressing all alone at only 10 years old for a reason.  He is one of countless people left alone due to senseless gang violence around the world.  This is quickly making a comeback in America also.  MS 13, 18th St., Latin Kings, Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disiples, Vice Lords, and all the other gangs inside America's boarders and causing pain and suffering throughout the country.  The current gang task forces that the police have set up are obviously not working.  The only way to solve the problem is the same way the FBI seriously disrupted the Mafia crime wave that occured throughout the 1900's.  That's having the police force declare war.  They need to take off the gloves.  Start using the RICO laws against the gangs just like they did against the MOB.  On top of that, increase punishments.  So far, some cities have come up with a way to document known gang members, some haven't.  Some cities have given committing crime for a gang a more harsh punishment, some haven't.  To defeat a virus like this, you need to make it a federal matter.  If the country starts looking at it the same way they looked at the Mob in the 1900's, the problem could be solved much more quickly than taking out the street corner thug once in a while.  Just like my past blogs, just like the ones to come, this is just something to think about.