Only In America

BAD BARBIES

NYC Female Street Gang

West Side Story...

In 1957, the original Broadway production of West Side Story took place which captured audiences with a realistic portrayal of New York City street gangs of the 50’s.  The story revolved around two gangs called “The Jets,” and “The Sharks.”  I remember being taken to that play by my mother when it went on tour to the National Theater in Washington, DC. a few years later. It has been a memory that I have never forgotten.

However, never more vividly have I relived this memory than this morning (Thursday – 1 day ago) when I heard on CBS This Morning that a female street gang had been busted in New York City.

On Wednesday (2 days ago), the WSJ reported the following story:

NEW YORK — Authorities have taken down a violent New York City street gang whose female factions went by names like "Bad Barbies" and "One Seven Hoes."

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Wednesday that at its height, the Trinitarios gang had up to 100 female members. He said one was a 24-year-old involved in the fatal stabbing of a Crips gang member and in the shooting of a robbery victim outside a Mexican restaurant.

An investigation of the gang has resulted in arrests of 119 people in the Bronx and Manhattan since 2009.

Kelly and U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara (buh-AHR'-uh) announced the latest arrests on Wednesday at a news conference.  Bharara said the gang would turn the streets in a "shooting gallery" if anyone infringed on its drug dealing or gun running.

—Copyright 2012 Associated Press

Yesterday from the Daily News, we learned:

The Feds busted 40 accused Bronx Trinitarios gang members — including the leader of the all-female "Bad Barbies" faction — charging them with a whopping nine murders and 24 attempted murders.

"We weren't surprised to learn that the Trinitarios were up to no good in the Bronx," NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said Wednesday. "But the Bad Barbies? Who knew? Maybe it's a sign of the times that gender is no bar when it comes to murder, robbery and other crimes."

Meanwhile, Brooklyn authorities smashed up a Bushwick gang Wednesday, collaring 41 alleged members on charges that include murder and attempted murder.

The True Bosses Only crew collected dues from members during weekly meetings that were used to pay bail and buy weapons and buy credit at the Rikers commissary, authorities said.  The Brooklyn bust came after a detective friended 24 of the alleged gangsters on Facebook, Kelly said. Some True Bosses Only members are as young as 12.

Girl Gansters of the 1800's

I have titled this piece Only in America because that was one of the lines from the lyrics of one of the songs in West Side Story, implying that almost anything and everything was possible in America.

Given our current mentality in this country, I also predict in the not too distant future that a reality TV show will be developed revolving around female street gangs in one of our larger cities, possibly Chicago since NYC is taking a lot of heat right now; or, maybe Los Angeles or Miami…

I would also suspect that one of these female gang member from either “Bad Barbies,” or “One Seven Hoes,” will be approached by a publishing company to write a book about their experiences…

And, if and when that happens, then no doubt, Hollywood will produce a full-length movie and if the right females are selected, the movie could possible win an Oscar…

Only in America…