New Haven Independent

Posted by: cedarhillresident | September 24, 2007 12:42 PM

My neighbors said she heard gun fire last night??? She did not call it in.
But, I to have heard the bloods are here and the color of choose is white tee's. They call the white T's urban camouflaged. The whole white T was spurred on by some song.

Posted by: on whalley | September 24, 2007 12:51 PM

"and Whalley Avenue neighborhoods"

Yea!! If that doesnt warm the home fires.

I'm surprised New Haven isnt welcoming the "culture" the bloods will bring to our fair city.

Posted by: Ben Berkowitz | September 24, 2007 4:05 PM

Watch "the wire" if you want to learn about white t-s.
According to the wire, they are called urban camouflage, because they make the drug dealers and gang members all look the same which in turn makes them harder to identify for victims and police. Short nondescript haircuts are also part of this attempt to homogenize themselves.
I don't believe this is something tied specifically to the bloods, but I have seen a ton of kids dressed like this around RT. 80 recently.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | September 24, 2007 4:46 PM

You are right it is not limited to one gang but because the word is the bloods are in town I am guessing that it would be the bloods. The scary thing is miss identification of a criminal. In my area I have 3 young men that all look the same and one is a bad kid. They all wear the white t's, I can tell who is who a mile away with there backs turned but to someone that does not know them they may ID one of the good boys as the bad one....which my guess is the whole idea of the white t. Most kids are now wearing them because of the song but it is scary to think one can get shot because they think he is someone different or just the fact that they are protecting the crimianls thinking it is cool.

Posted by: eli | September 24, 2007 4:53 PM

Now will the Bloods be allowed to get special notations on their New Haven I.D. cards that seperates them from the island boys, KSI and the newhallville dogs?
Oh, wait, didn't "cisco" tell us there was no evidence of organized gangs in new haven? Kind of like the Isrealies and Hamas not recognizing each other - SOMEBODY is pulling all those triggers.
And can Rev. Morris please take a break - it's not working man, turn off the bullhorn, all the drug dealers are sleeping till dark. Maybe we should send in a Wiccan Shaman to the hot spots, or sacrafice a goat on the steps of city hall - that can't do any WORSE.

Posted by: suburban guy | September 24, 2007 6:28 PM

Maybe the police department got that bogus e-mail about the car driving without head lights that was supposed to chase who ever flashed their lights at them and kill them as a part of the Bloods initiation. I got an urgent e-mail last week from a friend in VT telling me to watch out for this. Another incident of over reaction ( think terrorism by flour). I would suggest that they try real policework, like finding murderers and shooters, and next time check Snopes ( Urban Legends- Bloods initiation).

Posted by: cedarhillresident | September 25, 2007 8:11 AM

This is not an urban legend!!!!! Let me tell you I can name at least 2 that may be members in my area but it is roamers at this point. I take this very seriously! We think they did there initiation a few weeks back. This is a very scary thing for our youth. My wonderful Alderman said he was sending one of the youth guys from that new program but nothing yet!! Talk Talk Talk.

Posted by: Been Called Worse | September 25, 2007 2:32 PM

White Tee by Dem Franchize Boyz, I believe is the song you are referring to.

Eli, your can-do problem solving attitude and suggestions show a sincere effort and involvement in remediating the problems plaguing the city. You should focus more of your energy in pissing on other's parades, especially when they are attempting to become involved and making a difference as is Rev. Morris.

I'm not advocating we all join hands and sing Kumbaya, and I'm not naive enough to believe that ANY amount of cops would be able to PREVENT a shooting (unless there is an officer on every block, but then we would scream about big brother's intrusiveness). Police Officers rarely, if ever, are involved until after a crime has been committed. For sake of argument, I'd love to hear the last time a shooting has been prevented in the city, and under what circumstances. If an offender has decided to indoctrinate themself with a gang mentality, I think it stands to reason that the basic premise of legalities, social norms and police presence offer little by way of deterence.

And to think.... I might be misidentified as a gangbanger because the white t-shirt I'm wearing happens to match my kick-ass nike airs.

Posted by: new_haven_raised | September 25, 2007 9:50 PM

Yes, the White Tee-Shirt is popular nowadays. Part of it, I'm sure, DOES have to do with gang influences in that they are trying to avoid being labeled one way or another. This goes for both the "good" and the "bad" ones. Trust me; for every kid out there acting maliciously and trying to get away with it, there are 50 more who want nothing more than to make it home from school safe, graduate, and get a decent job. I work with New Haven adolescents for a living and so do not simply view these trends from afar.

Of course the fashion trend itself looks ridiculous, but what popular style hasn't to the older masses who are one or two generations removed?