Bastards of the Party
Raised in the Athens Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, Cle Bone Sloan was four years old when his father died, and 12 when he became a member of the Bloods. Now an inactive member of the notorious gang, Sloan looks back at the history of black gangs in his city and makes a powerful call for change in modern gang culture with his insightful documentary, Bastards of the Party.
Bastards of the Party draws its title from this passage in City of Quartz: The Crips and the Bloods are the bastard offspring of the political parties of the ’60s. Most of the gangs were born out of the demise of those parties. Out of the ashes of the Black Panther Party came the Crips and the Bloods and the other gangs.
Bastards of the Party traces the timeline from that great migration to the rise and demise of both the Black Panther Party and the US Organization in the mid- 1960s, to the formation of what is currently the culture of gangs in Los Angeles and around the world.
The documentary also chronicles the role of the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI in the evolution of gang culture. During his tenure from 1950 to 1966, Chief Robert Parker bolstered the ranks of the LAPD with white recruits from the south, who brought their racist attitudes with them. Parker’s racist sympathies laid the groundwork for the volatile relationship between the black community and the LAPD that persists today.
but... i've lived in many different countries growing up and it's still my favorite country in the world. I really hope it takes the right direction and forges a path of enlightenment, from top to bottom. For everybody's sake.
Allie- the course you are taking sounds interesting... i've never heard of the term/theory "internal colony" but what you explained sounds about right.
It's interesting to see the trials and tribulations that reporter Gary Webb went through when he exposed the CIA and upper echelons of the US Gov's involvement in importing cocaine into the US, South Central Los Angeles, specifically. And then within a short amount of time, all of a sudden SC LA gangs were running around with military grade weaponry...and it took a non-local reporter to break the lid on the story? Setting the fourth estate aside, how is it no local authorities asked any questions as to how that sort of thing could happen all of a sudden, in a community that they policed and were familiar with? Not to mention the fabrication of crack cocaine (i always wondered what neighborhood drug dealer would know to concoct a product that's many times stronger, quicker and easier to break down and flip than regular cocaine, which was not the drug of choice at the time), another scourge on the inner city, more insidious than a gun because it gave the police and the government (when the story got big enough) an opportunity to create a narrative that not only were the denizens of these communities at war with eachother but they were also the very willing authors of their own demise. Culturally speaking, America has a schizophrenic, victorian knee-jerk reaction to drugs, while somehow being quite tolerant of violence in comparison.
Swabgob,
that is lazy thinking, apart from being ignorant and short-sighted.
white communities didn't simply thrive at every turn in american history. irish, italian, jewish communities went through their own eras of hyper violent behavior brought on by poverty, a lack of resources and apathy from the american government as to the problems they faced (until their problems effected the rest of the white community, like you pointed out with blacks effecting whites). Violence is not black phenomena in the U.S. It is U.S. phenomena, that usually effects the stratum of people below the poverty line.
It's worth watching, but not nearly as interesting as I hoped it would be from the promos and reviews. I'm surprised so many accept it's highly speculative, largely unverified explanation of the rise of LA's black gang culture. Despite promises to reveal something new and interesting about the origins of black gangs like the Bloods and the Crips, we get yet another dubious account of how it all began with good intentions of fighting racism. Yeah, right.
The dumbest and most simplistic theory set forth in the documentary is the notion that the 70s era 'blaxploitation films' were somehow integral to the shift from black political organizations like the panthers (the panthers were an unusual group; some would argue that they were in many ways just another gang anyway) to non-political gangs like the Bloods and Crips. They obviously are unaware that the blaxploitation genre began with Melvin Van Peebles film "Sweet Sweetback's Badass Song" which was in part insoired by, heavily promoted by, and dedicated to the panthers. Panther leader Huey Newton thought these sort of films expressed the ethos of the panthers.
So yeah, like most documentaries, it's got a lot of stuff in it that sounds plausible when you're watching it but when you think about it later you realize it really isn't very plausible or evidenced.
i disagree on your logic
Unfortunately, the film never suggests that blaxploitation films caused the change, but that it reflected the change. That is a major difference that you seemed to have missed. The point is that in the 1970's, after the civil rights era begins to wind down and during the start of post-industrial America, the black power movement turns on itself and capitalism succeeds in convincing the black community to come back into the fold and do as they are told by corporate America.
No offense, but you seem to have missed my point. The blaxploitation film genre began with a film funded by, promoted by, and dedicated to the panthers (Melvin Van Peebles' "Sweet Sweetback's Badass Song"). All subsequent blaxploitation films sought to emulate that film. So to say it reflected a degradation of civil rights era black power ethos doesn't make sense. Quite the contrary, the blaxploitation genre was very much a reflection of black power sensibilities.
In any event I never accused the film of claiming blaxploitation films caused the shift from black power politics to gangs, I said it claims it was somehow integral to this change, and it definitely does. It suggests it was a contributing factor. But if they did mean to suggest the films were a reflection of this change, they're wrong. Those films were if anything a reflection of the black power movement.
i a'm tabu's only son.
This is a power history of gang development and gang continuance, living in an Eastern city when the Bloods and Crips migrated to my city in the early to mid 90's, I remember the younger dudes making choices of if they should join or not- I chose not to join. Reason I state this is because it seemed they were shooting and killing each other based on something that came from a whole other world. This is what need to be witnessed-the history of why original "gangs" were formed.
He is the gangster called Bone in Training Day. Check it out on IMDB if you dont believe me. I knew I saw him some place before.
RJ crack is mentioned
I am pretty sure crack had a major effect on all this too, which is not mentioned.
Outstanding job! I remember so many of these events that took place, such as the Westwood incident, I grew up in Mar Vista and Westwood Village was the destination of choice during 7-12 grade, I clearly remember the King incident and how the cat was out of the bag. Thank you for posting I will surely share with others.
Yes this was a well done documentary it showed where the problems of black ppl really began.When the crips and bloods began to unite after the Rodney King trial all of a sudden here came the FBI.
I looked at these comments before watching this doc to see if there were warnings about a heavy rap content and some indication of how much the phrase "know-what-I'm-sayin'" is used. For those who can't bear one more second of goofball rap and find it difficult to take someone seriously if they use that gawd awful phrase, I can tell you that there is no rap in this doc and a limited use of the stupid phrase. This is an excellent doc that clearly outlines the crimes of the FBI towards the black political process and the crimes of the wildly corrupt & racist LAPD. The gang situation is a direct result of the actions of these policing bodies and the privatized penal system is the vehicle for a new round of slavery in the US. Well worth watching.
I see many of you have noticed the comment from the closet racist Swab. No one has commented on the post from O.G., basically condemning this "gangsta" for being "emotional." Every human being must come to a point in life where they look back on what they've done so far...and either feel proud or ashamed. Cle was only 34 at the time this was filmed, and was already having nightmares about the people who've died from gang violence. How is that Hollywood propaganda? PTSD -- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Had he been an Iraqi/Afghanistan/Vietnam/Korean War vet talking about nightmares of dead bodies, would you have dared call him less of a soldier? Realizing you've taken life over a cause that doesn't make sense...is a pretty traumatizing realization for anyone with a soul. But I guess O.G. is soulless. Or in denial. Which makes me wonder...why is anybody watching this documentary who has already positioned themselves to be against whatever it has to say before it even begins? A positive movement will not touch everybody, especially when certain people have too much to lose from the change. Thank you to all of the commentators who support the positive change this documentary is trying to encourage.
...is that Charlie Murphy?
This is such a good documentary. I am taking a class on the sociology of theories of race right now and we learned about this theory in sociology of blacks being an "internal colony" of the US and everything in this movie really supported the idea.
Basically it's an argument that white people have a history of keeping blacks and other people of color segregated from white society but exploit them and use them for any economic gains possible, but justify it by claiming to be better than them and placing the blame on them for their conditions even though white people created their conditions.
It was really interesting to see in this movie how the FBI f--ked with everything blacks were trying to do, and you can see how the government just uses them to make money by introducing cocaine to the unemployed black communities because they had taken the factoris (like GM motors) out of the community to put on the border of Mexico where they could get even chaper labor because of NAFTA.
White people and capitalism make the US and a lot of the rest of the world pretty f--ked up.. and anybody that doesn't believe that is just living in an ignorant little bubble.. or they are either white or heading a big corporation & exploiting other people.
But if any of you are looking for another good documentary on the Crips and the Bloods.. Check out Made In America.. it was made after this one and it's also pretty good!
Tell me as a person whos studying the sociology of theories of race I wonder if you realise just how racist your comment is about white people??. I do not live in a bubble, I have lived all over the world, I am not the CEO of anything, Im not exploiting anybody, I am a Caucasian from Europe and I live in Cambodia. I have lived in North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and all over Asia. Where have you ever been??. Think before you open your mouth.
Damn, he does look like Kobe, s@#$, I didn't even notice it lol.
Really great doc! I hope that guy "Bone" can have a positive impact the gang members.
@lolberg -
I almost got mad when I read your post originally. But now that I keep reading it over and over - you are funny to me! Thanks for the comedic relief....
Hilarious - Kobe Bryant, LOL!
@lolberg07/14/2010
"I cant believe Kobe Bryant had so many problems in his early years. Its great he took the time out from basketball to star in this doco."
HaHaHaHa... That was to funny....
Swabgob, I have no idea what you are talking about with the Blame Whitey. Are you in denial of police brutality or cointelpro operations? I thought the film was insightful- thanks to Sloan for writing this doc.
if this documentary and others like it were shown in public schools as often as "gone with the wind", our world would become a better place pretty quickly.
I cant believe Kobe Bryant had so many problems in his early years. Its great he took the time out from basketball to star in this doco.
wow..very insightfull documentary.
this sort of documentary should be seen much more often over here in europe to help understand the gang violence in the state's. respect to that fella!
forgive and forget and the way to fix any problem is to look at yourself first and fix the fualt that you see. that how you will stop gang violence. and i hope they should made gang activities just a part of their young life(teens,early 20s) not their whole life.
i cant believe how many times they utter the word racist.. black man have already become president, legendary sports icon of almost all sports, and become one of the musics greatest icon.. you can no longer utter the word racist cause you already climb all the mountain only latin and asian can shout that word.
Every race on the planet are capable of being racists, this is not just for one race to take as its own. I have heard blacks, asians ,mexicans say terrible things about other races.
I think this documentry should be update so that see how things are progressing today, if any of young men have open their eyes to what they are doing to each other. If they are coming around, and reconizing what they are doing to each other as a whole, as human beings, as true brothers (not bruthas)under the Son, the Son of the most HIGH. So why don't we take this documentry to another level and stop the violenc. PEACE.
Swabgab, I can clearly see you wearing long white robes with a mask hiding that part of your body which pretends to be a head!
First of all bloods & crippin played out in the 90's, so any late comers claimin sets from movies or from scary g's on the run, needs a examination from the chin up. its hollywood programing, the emotional side of a Gangsta and gangstas with gangsta emotions aint gangsta. the 90's promoted gangs, now they promoting homosexuality ,weak minded followers.... B-WARE!!!
"whereas in the white community they tried to preserve and instill safe and non-threatening in values which in turn created a safe and thriving society."
Yeah. Unless you were say, a woman, African, Asian, Mexican, Native American, biracial, Italian immigrants, Irish immigrants and/or a mix of any immigrant that did not include a Christian White man of English Decent.
Last I checked the Native American's didn't die in droves because of the violence of Black men. Nor was Mexican land annexed using violence of the Black men. Last I checked the women who where burned alive in Salem weren't tried nor convicted by Black men. Black men didn't legalize Government approved slavery. Black men did not cause such civil unrest as to turn American against American during the Civil war. Last I perused the history books Black men did not drop the bomb in Hiroshima or Nagasaki vaporizing hundreds of thousands instantly. Black men did not ruin the United States economy by defrauding investors. Black men did not start an illegal war in Iraq. Black men were not in trouble for torture and domestic spying programs and Black men, last I looked, weren't giving out bonuses with taxpayer money.
Don't pull your soft racism here. This site, sorry to say, has people who actually know their history and don't take kindly to idiotic rhetoric that would only confuse and persuade a 10 year old, and even that's iffy.Children usually have more sense than to believe bullshit like that.
All that you say was true in the past however slavery is practiced in Africa today and the entire continent of Africa is a mess 100%, success is the best revenge.
is it me, or does it end slightly abruptly???
grate docu tho, grate upload, thanks :)
I was very impressed with what this man had to say. Although I am not a black youth dealing with gangs in my home, I can't help but wonder how hard it would be to separate yourself from the world you are thrust into like he has.
I am not a "bleeding heart liberal" or "anti police" left winger - quite the contrary.
However it is a FACT that police corruption in the 60's and earlier certainly helped escalate gang problems.
If this man can work to create peace and step away from the violence of gangs he has had a lifetime of exposure to... How come so many of us can't be a little less angry about something so trivial as race? Yes Swabgob... I am referring to you.
WHITE PPL LOVE TO JOKE HOW A BLACK RAN DOW THE STREET WITH THERE TV BUT THEY STOLE THIS COUNTRY RAN IT INTO THE GROUND DEPLETED THE RESOURCES GAVE ALL THE NATIVE AMERICANS AND MEXICAN AND AFRICANS THA THEY STOLE FORM THERE MOTHERLAND THERE NASTY ASS DIEASES AND CALLED IT ALL MANIFEST DESTINY TALK about how bad drugs but they the main ones using it to fund there campign and sum even companies have u work for dirt nothing a steal it all away like enron wow forgot about all tha Swabgob
Man, take this movie, make about 10,000 dvd's and just hand them out all over the city and other cities and just let the true divine nature in All men manifest throughout our world. It will be a better place. Unfortunatly I don't live in that place anymore. But this movie has truth. And it's the truth that makes men free.
He is not saying "blame whitey" he's just showing how the gangs started. Which were set up to protect against the white gangs. To Swabgob I hope you are not saying that white people, are some kind of angels because a lot of the worlds problems were started by "White Society". "White Society" brought The guns, violence, wars and racism to world. The condition the black community is in right now does go back to the slavery days which were started by who "White Society". Now with that being said black people do need to move forward and progress which we have been slowly but surely. But do not act like white people played no part of the destruction of the black community and are the most civilized non violent human beings that ever existed which is far from true.
Slavery in America was practiced by the British who in turn learned it from the Arabs, muslims, and today slavery is still practiced among Arabs and Africans. -- The British at first bought the African slaves from the Africans, so do you blame the junkie or the dealer. get over it, no country in the whole wide world has a good history and THE most racist people on the planet are not Caucasian but Japanese and Chinese, but then you have never been there or around any other race as all your friends are black...
Looky here, fellas. As a white woman, I've about had enough of this common male violence. crap. I deal with your low-grade fever of sexism everyday, all women do. You talk about race this, racism that. As Yoko finally got through to John....woman is nigger of the world. Black dudes giving white women those ignorant hate stares, makes me see black robes and black pointed hats. It's all the same patriarchal dogpile and you know it! I love to see men together sexually...it's a real turn-on just to see dudes get along. Very refreshing. Asian dudes are no different. They get their jollies from pissing white women off because we don't even see them, they are ignored. So, I can understand them being jackasses. They barely have a penis. Hispanic men, no different. they have their sexual axe to grind. I dig men but I don't put up with their nonsense any more than I would a misbehaving child. From the Central Park jogger to the Jeffrey Dahmers, you're all misbehaving children. Seriously..
This documentary is another example of the "blame whitey" mentality of the negroe community. The violence of black gangs formed in their own communities with nobody to blame but themselves. They chose to assert their social status within their community by means of violence, whereas in the white community they tried to preserve and instill safe and non-threatening in values which in turn created a safe and thriving society. The only reasons blacks are treated with such racism is that negroes do in fact bring their communities violent ways into the white society, causing whites to resort to violent retaliation due to the fact that pure verbal sense and reasoning which most blacks unfortunately havent learnt, does not work.
I do not mean to exclude blacks, however i am forced to because of their unwillingness to better themselves into civil human beings, just because they feel it is their racial duty to be violent and obnoxios.
I wonder if this guy is in Haiti right now, helping to stack the bodies in the road to impede the rescue workers?
Where would this country be without the ignorant old racist like Hoover and Parker?
This is great doc. Really made me see the whole picture of gangs and how this could be changed. Once again the govt has there hands in it and keeping it flowing.