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PastorSinAlot · 01-16-2010, 07:43 PM

For $65, tourists get peek at Los Angeles gangland
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100116/.../us_gang_tours

LOS ANGELES ? Only miles from the scenic vistas and celebrity mansions that draw sightseers from around the globe ? but a world away from the glitz and glamour ? a bus tour is rolling through the dark side of the city's gang turf.

Passengers paying $65 a head Saturday signed waivers acknowledging they could be crime victims and put their fate in the hands of tattooed ex-gang members who say they have negotiated a cease-fire among rivals in the most violent gangland in America.

If that sounds daunting, consider the challenge facing organizers of LA Gang Tours: trying to build a thriving venture that provides a glimpse into gang life while also trying to convince people that gang-plagued communities are not as hopeless as movies depict.

"There's a fascination with gangs," said founder Alfred Lomas, a former member of the Florencia 13 gang. "We can either address the issue head-on, create awareness and discuss the positive things that go on in these communities, or we can try to sweep it under the carpet."

Several observers have questioned the premise behind the tours, and some city politicians have been more blunt.

01-16-2010, 07:43 PM
PastorSinAlot So Fucking Banned Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Compton Posts: 2,837	For $65, tourists get peek at Los Angeles gangland For $65, tourists get peek at Los Angeles gangland http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100116/.../us_gang_tours LOS ANGELES ? Only miles from the scenic vistas and celebrity mansions that draw sightseers from around the globe ? but a world away from the glitz and glamour ? a bus tour is rolling through the dark side of the city's gang turf. Passengers paying $65 a head Saturday signed waivers acknowledging they could be crime victims and put their fate in the hands of tattooed ex-gang members who say they have negotiated a cease-fire among rivals in the most violent gangland in America. If that sounds daunting, consider the challenge facing organizers of LA Gang Tours: trying to build a thriving venture that provides a glimpse into gang life while also trying to convince people that gang-plagued communities are not as hopeless as movies depict. "There's a fascination with gangs," said founder Alfred Lomas, a former member of the Florencia 13 gang. "We can either address the issue head-on, create awareness and discuss the positive things that go on in these communities, or we can try to sweep it under the carpet." Several observers have questioned the premise behind the tours, and some city politicians have been more blunt.