Difference between revisions of "Albuquerque, the Hidden Cultures"
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With a population of almost five hundred and fifty thousand people, Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico. The city holds such interests as the University of New Mexico, the Sandia Mountains, the Petroglyph National Monument and the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute. Between the parks, the Pueblo Revival architecture and the significant artistic pursuits, Albuquerque has a lot to offer.<br><br> | With a population of almost five hundred and fifty thousand people, Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico. The city holds such interests as the University of New Mexico, the Sandia Mountains, the Petroglyph National Monument and the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute. Between the parks, the Pueblo Revival architecture and the significant artistic pursuits, Albuquerque has a lot to offer.<br><br> | ||
So it can come to a surprise to many than beneath the surface lurks a hidden depth to the city. The Southeast Heights, a fairly large portion of the city, is ruled by gangs and criminals. Police fear to go into the neighbourhood as just stepping past the border of San Mateo Boulevard is enough to take their lives into their hands. But how did this area of the city, known as the Warzone, come to be? One reporter decided to find out, and write about her discoveries in the underbelly of Albuquerque. | So it can come to a surprise to many than beneath the surface lurks a hidden depth to the city. The Southeast Heights, a fairly large portion of the city, is ruled by gangs and criminals. Police fear to go into the neighbourhood as just stepping past the border of San Mateo Boulevard is enough to take their lives into their hands. But how did this area of the city, known as the Warzone, come to be? One reporter decided to find out, and write about her discoveries in the underbelly of Albuquerque. | ||
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| + | ==The History of the Warzone== | ||
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| + | The war zone, it has been referred to by some. A physically land-locked walking community, the area is framed by Lomas and Central and Louisiana and Wyoming. One of Albuquerque's first post World War II neighborhoods, it is home to much of the City's immigrant population and largest Native American community. The low socioeconomic neighborhood is scene to high crime, gangs, and rampant drug activity. It is also where young families with children are trying to live, work, learn, and get established in America. [http://apsfacilities.org/facilities/whats_happening/fac_innov/fac_hps/lmecc.php] | ||
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| + | In this chapter, Sitala examines a brief history of Albuquerque and the Warzone in particular, focusing on how it came to be the dangerous place it is today. | ||
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| + | ==The Bikers of New Mexico== | ||
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| + | Some outlaw motorcycle clubs can be distinguished by a 1% patch worn on the colors. This is claimed to be a reference to a comment made by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in which they stated that 99% of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens, implying that the last one percent were outlaws. The comment, supposedly a response to the Hollister riot in 1947, is denied by the AMA—who claim to have no record of such a statement to the press, and that the story is a misquotation. As a result, some outlaw motorcycle clubs used it to unite or express themselves and are commonly referred to as "one percenters". [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlaw_motorcycle_club] | ||
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| + | There are a disproportionate amount of these one percenters in Albuquerque - if the statistic is true, then most of those 1% must be in the Warzone. However, these clubs still have their own laws, their own structures and are far from the disorganised, purely violent rabble imaging that might be conjured up by the uneducated. | ||
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| + | This chapter contains an explanation of the motorcycle clubs, with how they organise their hierarchy. It also contains some of her own experiences in being protected by one club, that she doesn't name, and how their violence is centred around rival gangs rather than random, innocent people. | ||
Revision as of 08:24, 10 October 2011
Sitala is writing a book about the darker side of Albuquerque. She's enlisted the help of a motorcycle gang for protection and will be spending time talking to the people on the other side of the law, or who are part of not exactly illegal but darker activities (e.g. prostitution). I'm intending to post excerpts from it, as well as detail what sections are in the book so that people can RP having read it, if/when she gets it published.
Introduction
With a population of almost five hundred and fifty thousand people, Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico. The city holds such interests as the University of New Mexico, the Sandia Mountains, the Petroglyph National Monument and the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute. Between the parks, the Pueblo Revival architecture and the significant artistic pursuits, Albuquerque has a lot to offer.
So it can come to a surprise to many than beneath the surface lurks a hidden depth to the city. The Southeast Heights, a fairly large portion of the city, is ruled by gangs and criminals. Police fear to go into the neighbourhood as just stepping past the border of San Mateo Boulevard is enough to take their lives into their hands. But how did this area of the city, known as the Warzone, come to be? One reporter decided to find out, and write about her discoveries in the underbelly of Albuquerque.
The History of the Warzone
The war zone, it has been referred to by some. A physically land-locked walking community, the area is framed by Lomas and Central and Louisiana and Wyoming. One of Albuquerque's first post World War II neighborhoods, it is home to much of the City's immigrant population and largest Native American community. The low socioeconomic neighborhood is scene to high crime, gangs, and rampant drug activity. It is also where young families with children are trying to live, work, learn, and get established in America. [1]
In this chapter, Sitala examines a brief history of Albuquerque and the Warzone in particular, focusing on how it came to be the dangerous place it is today.
The Bikers of New Mexico
Some outlaw motorcycle clubs can be distinguished by a 1% patch worn on the colors. This is claimed to be a reference to a comment made by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in which they stated that 99% of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens, implying that the last one percent were outlaws. The comment, supposedly a response to the Hollister riot in 1947, is denied by the AMA—who claim to have no record of such a statement to the press, and that the story is a misquotation. As a result, some outlaw motorcycle clubs used it to unite or express themselves and are commonly referred to as "one percenters". [2]
There are a disproportionate amount of these one percenters in Albuquerque - if the statistic is true, then most of those 1% must be in the Warzone. However, these clubs still have their own laws, their own structures and are far from the disorganised, purely violent rabble imaging that might be conjured up by the uneducated.
This chapter contains an explanation of the motorcycle clubs, with how they organise their hierarchy. It also contains some of her own experiences in being protected by one club, that she doesn't name, and how their violence is centred around rival gangs rather than random, innocent people.