Written from the perspective of a wrongfully incarcerated young man of color in a California prison, this essay argues that the U.S. response to 9/11 parallels the ways local police forces have responded to inner city gang warfare, by acting out of vengeance and anger rather than critically examining the causes of the problem. Moreover, just as the “war on gangs” in California has led to more crime, more violence, and more imprisoned young men—hence creating precisely the context for the alienation that fuels gangs and gang violence—so the U.S. war on terrorism has triggered an international wave of anger and has increased the violence directed toward the U.S.
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