gang beatings

After reading the story Male Gender and Rituals of Resistence in the Palestinian Intifada, I realized the similarity of the prison beatings in the story to street gangs in America. I couldn;t begin to tell you where the concept of suffering leads to respect came from, but it is sure a practice many gangs use today. Initiation into a gang involves hardship and trust. You have rights of passage laid before you before acceptance by the group is granted. You have to prove your loyalty by putting up with brutal beatings by the entire gang. Its almost as if there is a belief when you are broken down through a hardship (in this case, brutal beatings) you develop a sense of security with the people that just inflicted pain. In any respect, this ac t of "bonding" and initiation needs to be stopped. there is nothing respectful about having yourself severely harmed.