The FBI's National Gang Threat Assessment update has been making the rounds today and one part of it has been particularly eye-catching: The inclusion of Juggalos, about which the FBI has this to say:
The Juggalos, a loosely-organized hybrid gang, are rapidly expanding into many US communities. Although recognized as a gang in only four states, many Juggalos subsets exhibit gang-like behavior and engage in criminal activity and violence. Law enforcement officials in at least 21 states have identified criminal Juggalo sub-sets, according to NGIC reporting
Let us join the chorus of voices wondering if this characterization is not just a little extreme and generalized. Like any group of people, some Juggalos are bad apples, most are generally good apples and some are really excellent apples, like the folks behind Denver-based charity Juggalos Making A Difference.
Colorado, you'll note, is not only the home of J.M.A.D. and its spectacular web site (especially pertinent here is the tab "We are not a gang"). It's also one of those 21 states expressly singled out by the FBI as a hotbed of Juggalo "gang" activity.
And J.M.A.D. is hardly an isolated outpouring of goodwill from Juggalo nation. How about last year's Holiday toy drive for "broke ass ninjas"? If this is what a gangs looks like, the future doesn't look so bleak after all.
