On Aug. 9, ten members of the notorious Crips gang piled into three cars and arrived at the home of an equally nefarious gang called the Bloods. Six individuals proceeded to leave the car, with hoods covering their heads and handkerchiefs covering their faces. Within a matter of seconds, they began to shoot at the entrance of the house. Three people received medical attention for various gunshot wounds. While many may assume these gang-related events happened in crime-plagued projects and ghettos sprinkled across major cities, these events transpired in suburban Wisconsin.

According to Madison police, the Crips and Bloods gangs have had members living in Madison for almost ten years. Ten years! Madison — consistently ranked as one of the nation's safest cities — has two of the most ruthlessly violent street gangs embedded in its neighborhoods. The question remains: How did they get here?

According to police reports, those gang members who have been charged are white, African American, Hispanic and Asian. Though the Crips were originally created and intended for African Americans only, they have allowed other minorities to join in cities that lack a multiracial presence.

Madison's small minority population certainly helped in creating a sizable Crips contingency. According to a former member of the Madison Crips, "Most people here can't tell the difference [among races]," he said. "We're all minorities to them. So by us coming together, it was a way of giving us more power."

This statement is sad, alarming, and yet, extremely insightful. If Madison's minority groups feel so alienated from their peers that they feel the need to band together and become members of a vicious gang, something is extremely wrong in the Madison community.

Appealing to feelings of insecurity, naivety and loneliness that are typical amongst adolescents, gangs like the Crips and Bloods offer kids something that their parents are unable to provide them with. Members are united through camaraderie, support and security. Sadly, these associations and friendships often lead to senseless acts of brutal violence, where people die and teenagers are often incarcerated for life because of youthful stupidity.

Eleven of those who face charges stemming from the incident either attended or graduated from Madison East High School. East has significant minority representation in its classrooms and a number of violent gangs other than the Bloods and Crips roaming its hallways, according to police. One defendant, Andrew Pirsch, 16, and son of a University of Wisconsin medical professor, continues to go to class after making bail.

We can learn a number of lessons from this tragic and startling event. First, we have to come to the realization that there are a number of violent gang members in the community. Ignorance cannot be bliss in this situation. The idea that these groups only terrorize inhabitants of large urban areas is totally false. Someone who lives next door to you could be involved in a gang or violent organization.

Secondly, teachers, school administrators and parents have to become more involved in children's lives. If a teacher suspects a student of being a member of the Crips or Bloods, they should talk to that student and ask them what is going in their lives. They must be persistent and vigilant.

Parents have to become more active in their children's lives. Talk to them about the dangers of being in a gang. Provide them with a sense of support, security and friendship. Take a vested interest in their maturation process.

Lastly, and more importantly, the Madison community must provide its minority students with more outlets, and work to abolish racial and cultural barriers. After-school activities, athletic teams and other organizations need to be created to foster a sense of equality and not alienation. While this may prove to be an extremely hard task, it is certainly worth it. A greater influx of violent and senseless gang activity will only work to destroy children's lives before they even really begin.

Josh Moskowitz ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in political science and journalism.