Bridge to the 21st Century -- or gangplank? Gangster Disciples and Other Gang Organizations by Gerald A. Carroll Gerald A. Carroll is a media ollowing are some frequently neighborhoods of California to professional with 23 years expe- asked questions about the fund the anticommunist rebels in rience as a reporter or editor for Gangster Disciples, a Chicago- Nicaragua in the 1980s. newspapers and magazines. He based organization with reported Mr. Carrolls description of is now an adjunct professor and ties in the Iowa City area. gang activity contrasts sharply program assistant at the Univer- As you read, note that drug with the violent, ignorant, vice-rid- sity of Iowa School of Journalism dealing has become the modern den image of drug dealers fos- and Mass Communication, and edi- equivalent of a paper route for tered by TV and the legal system. tor of Iowa Journalist magazine. kids wanting to make a buck in If Mr. Carrolls observations are Carroll spent nearly eleven the inner city. Moreover, note correct, dismissing the Gangster years (1979-90) at the San ran- the positive social structure and Disciples as nothing more than cisco Examiner, a Hearst-owned positive community contributions a gang of illiterate thugs is a dan- newspaper, where he learned in- provided by some drug gangs. By gerous underestimate the side information on so-called contributing to their community, GDs are a sophisticated eco- gangs while reporting in San sophisticated drug dealers are nomic and political entity that rancisco, the East Bay Area, and earning the respect and political wields considerable power in particularly central Oakland, support of their neighbors. Note ways more complex than merely where gang organizations flour- also that some gangs discourage waving guns, commands the re- ish. Carroll was also managing drug use among their members, spect of their community, and ap- editor at a newspaper in down- encourage and support straight parently engages in a very subtle state Illinois (Sterling-Rock alls) members of their inner city com- variety of political warfare against for two years, (1990-92) and his munity with services like day care the people of mainstream staff routinely covered gang-re- but at the same time seeks to America. lated activities. Through these sell their products outside their In the 1996 election, Repub- experiences, in which firsthand community, and apparently tar- licans made much of the recent information concerning gangs gets the middle- and upper- class rise in drug use by our nations was crucial to the safety of the whites. In this regard, the Gang- youth. Mr. Carrolls analysis of journalists covering the news, ster Disciples are promoting gangs and drug-dealing offers an Carroll realized that the available their drugs into alien communi- intriguing explanation for that information about gangs was ei- ties just like the CIA allegedly pro- rise. ther unavailable or inaccurate. moted crack into the inner city 18 AntiShyster Volume 10, No. 1 www.antishyster.com [email protected] 972-418-8993 Q: Just who are the Gang- in which to organize the far-flung average of 10 kilos (22 pounds) ster Disciples? arms of the organization. Assas- of cocaine a week with an esti- A: The Gangster Disciples sination is common among gang mated street value of $1 million were founded in the 1960s in hierarchies, so the safety of a in 1995-96.5 GD continuously Chicago under the name Black prison, with taxpayer-supported looks for smaller communities to Disciples by the late David shelter, food, armed guards and expand markets for its illegal Barksdale, known historically in other amenities, is by far a pre- products. Along with Iowa City, gang circles as King David. The ferred option. Most gangs are other medium-sized Midwest cit- groups name was later changed run from prisons. ies reporting GD activity include to Black Gangster Disciples, a Bloomington, Ill., Springfield, Mo., name still used by U.S. Attorney Q: How extensive is GD Muncie, Ind., Appleton, Wis., General Janet Reno1 to describe membership? Kentfield, Calif., and the Virginia the organization. More recently, A: The Drug Enforcement Ad- suburbs of Washington, D.C., in- the name was shortened to ministration (DEA) places GDs cluding alls Church, Virginia.6 Gangster Disciples, or simply as membership at roughly 30,000 GD. and rapidly growing. GD chapters Q: What is the basic leader- have been detected in 35 states.2 ship and financial structure of GD? Q: Who is the current rec- A: Hoover admits studying ognized leader of GD? Q: What are the business Al Capone and his Prohibition-era A: Larry Hoover, who runs activities of GD, and how exten- crime syndicate, and modeling his the syndicate from an Illinois sive are they? organization after the infamous prison, where he is serving a 150- A: According to the DEA, GD gangsters network.3 The Gang- to 200-year state prison sen- drug-marketing enterprises gen- ster Disciples are one if not the tence for a gang-related murder. erate over $100 million annually,2 largest and most successful Hoover is also being tried for nar- but indications are the operations gangs in the history of the United cotics conspiracy charges, but his are much larger in financial scope. States, says James Morgan, spe- Oct. 7, 1996, trial date was post- or example, 80 gang members cial DEA agent in Chicago. GD poned at least a year.2 Hoover in the Englewood section of members are incredibly well-dis- has been incarcerated on various south Chicago alone moved an ciplined and well-trained.3 Entry- charges since the 1970s, but has retained iron-fisted control of GD and its multimillion-dollar enter- Gun Owners of America prises. It had been hoped by fed- eral authorities that an additional GOA defends firearms ownership as a freedom issue using conviction on narcotics con- its members to put the heat on their Congressmen. spiracy charges would allow As the late Sen. Everett Dirksen used to say, Hoover to be transferred to a “When I feel the heat, I see the light.” higher-security federal prison, where his leadership role in GD Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) has called GOA might conceivably be reduced. “the only no-compromisePratt, Larry gun 101 lobby Paid in Washington.” However, assistant U.S. Attorney 1/3 10K Ron Safer stated that Hoovers Want to keep your rights from being legislated away by transfer to a federal jail would Congress? Join GOA today. lead to gang anarchy and even more violence in the streets.3 Q: Does imprisonment act as a deterrent to gang activity? A: No. Imprisonment of gang members leads to growth When you call as an AntiShyster reader to request membership of the problem. Actually, prisons information about GOA, you’ll receive a free 6-month trial are the nerve centers of major in- subscription to our newsletter, The Gun Owner. Call us ternational gangs and syndi- at 1-800-417-1486. Or write GOA at 8001 Forbes Place, Suite cates.4 Many gang leaders, like 102, Springfield, VA 22151. If you would like to receive GOA’s Hoover, actually prefer a prison email and/or fax bulletins be sure to ask for them too! as a headquarters because it ironically provides a safe haven AntiShyster Volume 10, No. 1 www.antishyster.com [email protected] 972-418-8993 19 munity circles. Gang networks IS THIS PARASITE regard themselves as families. Q: Why are these gangs so EATING YOU ALIVE? violent? Q: What are some of GDs A: Gangs such as GD seldom Toussaint, Karen 1/6 5K member rules, policies and com- engage in random violence. In 101PAID mand structures? almost every instance, the per- A: GD members are prohib- son who is attacked has pro- ited from using drugs, but en- voked gang members into doing couraged to market the sub- so by breaking rules, owing stances to anyone desiring them. money, disrespecting or dissing 85% of Americans Use tends to create business con- other gang members, or causing are infected with parasites! flicts of interest. Gambling on unnecessary turmoil within gang Who’s getting to your supplements credit, poor sportsmanship, ranks. GD members who begin first? The parasite or YOU? stealing and showing disrespect using drugs are often purged for other GD members is ex- from the organization and are Do you experience: allergies, joint pressly prohibited. Personal sometimes killed if they threaten pain, depression, constipation, health and hygiene are strongly to expose any illegal activity as a diarrhea, headaches, candida, encouraged, even required. result of their addictions. Most chronic fatigue, gas & bloating, loss of Dress codes are prevalent, mainly violence occurs when rival gangs appetite, skin problems, uncontrol- for identification purposes. Rule- battle over drug territory. Terri- lable weight, itchy ears, nose and anus, forgetfulness.. breakers are routinely beaten, tories are clearly marked with shot in the leg or abdomen or spray-painted gang insignias. A Learn to naturally rid yourself of otherwise kept in line by the se- rival gang will compete with an es- tapeworms, lice, hookworms, pin- vere top-down management sys- tablished gang if they also paint worms. flukes, giardia, roundworms. tem. GD members possess intri- their insignia on a particular build- Call Karen for a FREE audio today! cate command-and-control struc- ing or sign, or if they paint the (414) 251-3563 tures, similar to a military organi- rival gangs insignia upside-down. zation.3 Cellular phones, beepers GD and other gangs also have at level pay for shorties (teenaged and police radio scanners are key their disposal any weapon they lookouts) averages $25 an hour. components to GDs organiza- choose, whether or not it is le- Low-level dealers have well-de- tional structure.