Living in a Bad Neighborhood
It is perhaps the most widely seen negative stereotype of America - African Americans live in bad neighborhoods. In this film, that stereotype is seen once again, with all of the add-ons that come along with it - gangs, drug addiction, etc. It is important to know that many predominantly African American areas are filled with caring people, and this type of scenario only happens in the worst of situations. Of the three main characters, all of whom are African American, one is a member of a gang, and is consistently high. Living in a bad neighborhood encourages youngsters to do many bad things, and it is important to understand that, with the right help, those bad things can be overcome. In the movie, much death occurs, but the hearts of the people involved were significantly changed when the death was seen with their own eyes.
Gangs
Perhaps the easiest way to get into trouble is joining a gang - practically everything is wrong with them, and they do everything wrong. Even if you were not the one at fault, if you wear a gang insignia, you will likely get blamed. So, why would one want to join such a "great" little club? Gangs show power and give positive benefits to those who join. Members often overlook negative outcomes, opting instead for the instant-gratification of joining and looking "cool".
Peer Pressure
Why would someone choose to do something that they know is wrong? Why hurt yourself? Why hurt others? This has been a boiling hot topic for centuries, but it all comes down to one simple thing - peer pressure. It's easy to say - "don't give in", but it isn't that easy to execute. In the mind of the doer, others are constantly looking at you, pushing you to do bad things. In the movie, this is exactly what Doughboy does - giving in to peer pressure, he joins a gang, gets addicted to drugs, and his best friend gets killed. So much for "fitting-in".
