Chronicle Features, San Francisco
RELEASE DATE: On or After June 30 , 1995
LATINO SPECTRUM by Roberto Rodriguez & Patrisia Gonzales
Psychology for the Streets
by Patrisia Gonzales & Roberto Rodriguez

Chicago author Luis Rodriguez ("Always Running: Gang Days in L.A.") is note
for saying that when a youngster points a gun at someone, he is pointing it
at himself.

The minute a homeboy picks up a gun and is willing to use it, he is
exhibiting not simply homicidal, but suicidal, behavior.  A drive-by shooting
can result in a homicide but it can also result in a retaliatory death, death
in a stand-off with the police, or at minimum, long-term incarceration.
Either way, argues Rodriguez, whoever pulls the trigger is fully conscious
of the consequences.

Psychologists, sociologists and law enforcement officials have for years
studied the pathology of inner city violence, particularly the extremely high
rate of violence among African American and Latino youth.  One psychologist
Elena Parra, clinical director of the Pinal Council in Eloy, Ariz., has long
worked with California and Arizona gangs.  Says Parra, an essential part of
reducing that violence is creating what she calls "a psychology of
liberation."

According to Parra, society doesn't understand that in Chicano/Latino and
African American culture, "suicide is not acceptable, thus, many gang members
have a death wish--they put themselves in danger."

Speaking at the recent national gang peace summit in El Paso, Texas, Parra
said that most inner city gang youth have lived  psychologically tortured
lives and that modern Western psychology is essentially incapable of
understanding their needs.

"Society tends to blame our families for everything; it tends to say our
families are unhealthy," she says. "What we need is a psychology of
liberation that allows us to attack the racism that teaches us hopelessness
and that there is something wrong with our culture and our faith."

Because, she points out, "in a society that is sick, even if we have health
families, individuals will still be unhealthy."

The ultimate solution, therefore, is to cure society.

Salvadoran theologian Martin Baro originated the concept of a psychology of
liberation in the 1970s.  Baro--who was one of seven Jesuits killed by the
Salvadoran military in 1989--created the concept to address the sufferings,
conflicts and desires of the masses in Latin America.  Similar to liberation
theology, which originated in the 1960s in Latin America, liberation
psychology is aimed particularly at those in society who are the poorest, the
most exploited and the most vulnerable.

Liberation theology proclaims that religion should not be content with simple
saving souls and focused only on the hereafter, but should address society'
current problems.

The psychology of liberation seeks to treat not only the individual, but the
collective psyche of communities and society.  It consists of liberating the
discipline of psychology from its own confines, and creating a psychology
applicable to the poor and disenfranchised.  This new process can be helpful
in understanding gang members, says Parra.  It can also help gang members
free themselves from the life in which they are trapped.

Society doesn't understand that gang members are generally victims of a
number of abuses--of neglect, physical or sexual abuse, poverty and
deprivation.  Instead of recognizing this, our institutions generally treated
them as culprits--as monsters not worthy of being salvaged.

The solution is to empower youth.  Yet the institution that could accomplish
this--the educational system--is failing miserably.  In the case of Latinos
in school, "It starts with the destruction of self-esteem," says Parra, where
Jose becomes "Joe" and Guillermo becomes "William."  School can only be the
solution if it reinforces the student's culture and roots, and stresses a
positive identity, says Parra.

If gang members learn their history, take pride in their culture and learn
value themselves, they, on their own, will eventually walk away from gangs.
 This won't happen if you tell them to walk away, but if you give them
respect, says Parra.  This doesn't mean we should ignore their crimes or
their destructive behavior, but we should value them as people worthy of
being rescued and redeemed.

Through her work, Parra has helped many youth walk away from gangs.  Member
take part in spiritual ceremonies, praying with the help of culturally
reinforcing symbols, such as candles and the statues of the Virgin of
Guadalupe, to liberate themselves--willingly--from gang membership.

(Copyright Chronicle Features, 1995)
>
>Rodriguez & Gonzales can be reached at (915) 593-2387 or XROBERTO@AOL.COM
>