Read a few pages in this thread... and started laughing at all the suburban white folks discussing gang signs and how they identify them.
Then, I was a little bit sad because it made me realize how many people there are on this forum that pull **** out of their asses without having a clue what it is they're talking about.
First, I looked at this post:
First and foremost, the gangs have a pretty large array of gang signs. That sign that Spock from Star Trek makes? Vice Lords. That heavy metal sign? MS13. Crossed fingers? Ñetas. Placing your fingers in a way to signal size and creating a C? Crips. So yeah, pretty much
anything is a gang sign. In short, putting out your fingers the way he did is pretty common in pictures by ghetto kids whether they're in gangs or not. It's not really something which can be associated with a gang.
However, let's say for argument's sake he really
was throwing up a gang sign. Making a gang sign makes you a gang member the way holding a guitar makes you a musician. It doesn't matter the context. It's irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Being a baby-G, affiliated, initiated or OG doesn't work like that. Doing a gang sign in the ghetto won't get you killed. This
isn't 1983. The overwhelming majority of neighborhoods where people are getting killed are neighborhoods with turf wars going on. However, even if it was the early days of the crack epidemic, you'd mostly get your ass kicked and it'd be done. Gang murders happen because you tried to come and sell product in an area that was already controlled by someone else. Don't believe me? Ask Frank Lucas.
Source: I know a little bit about these things.
As far as the rioting goes... I can't say I'm all that surprised but I don't condone it.