Originally Posted By: Tyler_Durden
Originally Posted By: BordertownResident
I never understood why people here consider street gangs as not being tough compared to mobsters. I mean one lives on the cold streets and the other in a suburban neighborhood. I'm not saying mobsters are soft, far from it, well criminals in general are mentally and physically tough but to think that a mobster is tougher than a Crip or Blood is really too one sided or biased.

Because if truth be told most of them aren't. Part of the reason there's so much shooting is that most of them are scared to catch a beating. The reason there's so many of them is because they need to associate themselves with a gang that has hundreds, thousands of members to feel safe. Toughness isn't just willingness to shoot at someone.

For example look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJZjY6KaEVM

Do you see toughness in that? I don't. Look at their mannerisms, the way they act. All I see is fear and insecurity. All that bluster and that gangster talk, but they're scared to look an old white man in the eye.

As for mobsters, I don't know how it is these days, but in the past many of them were very tough, Italian or otherwise. That's because in the past they were getting an "education" in the life, served an apprenticeship, as it were. They were schooled, in violence and in streetmarts.

I understand what you're trying to say but don't let their soft spoken talk fool you but I have a feeling you're generalizing or stereotyping street gangs too much. But you're focusing on the young elements of the street gangs which are are less experience than the OGs and more prone to violence because they are young and feel they have to prove themselves. And you're right just because you can shoot someone doesn't make you tough but the cold streets and living on the edge makes you tough. And when I say street gangs I mean REAL street gangs not high school wannabe gangs. I would say is that the toughest gangs in the U.S are the prison gangs, there is a reason why mobsters don't mess with them. Many of the prison gang members are older and more experience guys, and are a lot more organized and disciplined than the street gangs. I can safely say that if you put 4 prison gang members with "home made" shanks vs 4 mobsters with "home made" shanks in a cell. The prison gang members will probably win many of the scenarios. There is a reason why cartel members used Mexican-American prison gangs as muscle back in the 90s and early 2000s. Because they knew how tough and brave they were. Hell even today you will see some deported gang members/prison gang members as part of the core members of the cartels. Especially in the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas to some extent.