Cambodia gang tattoos
March 5, 2007
VIA Jinja: Stuart Isett documents in photographs Khmerican culture from the hood. As Isset explains:
From the early to mid 1990s I photographed the subculture of Cambodian street gangs in the United States. Having lived under the Khmer Rouge, most came to the US scarred by their early experiences and soon fell into gang life in the US, as their families moved into some of the country’s most violent cities. They came as political refugees to the US and unlike their younger siblings, born in the US, never became citizens.
10 years later, 2006, and nearly 200 of Cambodian men now find themselves living in Cambodia after being deported from the US. Mostly gang members, they served time in jail in the USA only to find themselves punished again on their release. Now, they are serving a life sentence of the strangest sort, shipped to a country they do not know and have no families, thanks to toughening immigration policies post 9/11.
Pictures from the early years as well as the Cambodian-based stuff in 2006 are both available on Isett’s flickr pages.
March 7, 2007 at 4:57 am
[...] Original post by DAS [...]
March 20, 2007 at 6:01 am
its tough eh?
maybe the USA has enough of its own criminals
does it really need to import them too ?
April 14, 2007 at 1:58 pm
It’s hard enough keeping America “safer” than the home countries of any refugee. As political refugees, they especially should have known that their shady underground and criminal subculture would be unacceptable here. This is America; that’s Cambodia.
May 11, 2007 at 8:07 am
“maybe the USA has enough of its own criminals
does it really need to import them too ?”
These kids came as children, so I’m not sure they were criminals at age 4 or 5. However, living in America certainly turned them into criminals so why should we be exporting our social problems to Cambodia? Didn’t we do enough to that country already?
“their shady underground and criminal subculture would be unacceptable here”
You think they learned this behaviour in Cambodia (most, by the way, were born in Thai refugee camps)? Or in the United States, one of the most violent developed nations in the world?
May 18, 2007 at 10:57 am
I admire and respect these young khmer men
not that they have robbed and stole and fought and killed its like living in the jungle you gotta do wat ya gotta do ,your born into it and ya surroundings affect you What would you do?????
June 29, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Well terry that’s a bunch of B.S. I’ve been living in Cambodia for a couple years. There are people here in Cambodia who lived through the Khmer rouge and 30 years of war and they don’t act like thugs, a large percentage of them act like respectable human beings.
Sorry but that “livin in the jungle” B.S. just doesn’t fly. All the Khmerican gangsters have done is picked up negative African American culture because they all moved to Long Beach.
BTW most Cambodians in Cambodia are embarrassed that they got sent back to Cambodia. They complain that they speak Khmer improperly like thugs, they don’t dress like Cambodians and don’t know how to speak to people properly.
July 15, 2007 at 1:21 am
ay John
you dont know shit about our history. when you went to cambodia did you see people with lost legs and lost arms? did you even bother to give them 1 doller american money for charity, or maybe 5 cent?
you know how the khmer people live in long beach, you gotta proceed or bleed.
you white americans killled innocent Iraqi and american indians and took black people as slaves, just imagine if american indians had the power and took you back britian or be treated as slaves and live a poor life. you feel pretty up set your self. we want to live the american dream but its hard for us out here.
prison is fair punishment but sending them far away from there family’z and a oppotunity is sad. im not racis or anything but i see white poeple seem to have there way for most thing.
July 25, 2007 at 11:26 pm
that’s right mang… all ya white folks talking like ya know about us Khmers but ya don’t know shit so juss shut the fucc up and stay away from our country you racist bastards, shit and yea i maybe a crip but i maintain my violent wayz and i have lived through the khmer rouge my days as a kid were outnumbered by having to work in the rice fields and what not…. KHMER PRIDE TIL I DIE bring down whitey
September 22, 2007 at 12:05 am
A little factual research into the issue of will show that the Cambodian refugees being deported came here as very young children, some with no knowledge of the Khmer language.
These folks’ criminal activities emerged from a situation essentially created by US society and by its government.
The US is dealing with the problems it created for itself by exporting it to Cambodia, a country the US itself bombed to pieces, which helped the Khmer Rouge come to power. After the KR was deposed from power, the US continued to support the genocidal regime with money and military assistance.
They came here as refugees of genocide from an essentially agrarian society, and once arrived, the US government made very little effort to help their families adjust and acquire the language, skills and other knowledge necessary to survive in the inner city of a developed country. Facing poverty, surrounded by gangs and racism, struggling with PTSD, with little supervision from parents having to work long hours outside of the home, some Cambodian youth turned to crime.
The thing is that under the current immigration law, you can be deported for a misdemeanor or a suspended sentence. So while some are being deported for major federal felonies, some are being deported for a DUI offense, for shoplifting $15 of goods, urinating in public, and so forth. You can also be deported for a crime committed 30 years ago, even though you served your sentence and have not committed a crime since, even if you have become a productive member of society.
While individuals should take personal responsibility for their crimes, that argument can only go so far when the society that supposedly “saved” them from genocide has completely failed them. They should not be punished twice for a crime committed in this context.
September 24, 2007 at 10:37 pm
So you white people are talking about crimes?? yeah thats right, you killled innocent Iraqi and Native American Indians and took black people as slaves. And now you blame the khmers in the US for having a shady underground and criminal subculture??!! Those khmers who live overseas, had already gone through enough suffering and pain, they are not criminals, they’re just trying to keep their culture alive. So
Go to hell ur racist white mother fuc…..Khmer Pride!!
October 11, 2007 at 5:25 am
u white mudah fucKer should stop talkin shit b4 TRG smash dat white face of yours
October 16, 2007 at 4:21 pm
dam im tired of u white bitches talkin shit about us khmer people man if i see u white bitches talkin shit on da street or on my block u going to taste my glock 45 imma put 16 shot in your chest!
October 31, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Fuck all haters. I don’t give a fuck what y’all say. Y’all talk a lot of shit, but why don’t you look at your own history, bitches. Y’all can suck my brown dick!
November 3, 2007 at 4:57 am
think about my asian people we are not united. if the white government were to deport blacks to africa der would be a public outcry. why well first of all they are the one that brought them here. ok so how did we get here in the first place? because they blew up our homelands and the people here in america knew it was genocide and da government was pressured to bring us here. so in perspective they caused this. The government the ones we dont see on the streets.We asians population compare to other ethnic or nationallity is very low here in America. The government know that we southeast asians are not educated and not very interested in politics but united we need to confront the white house about this issue because as i see it they just want to send us back because they know we wont do anything about it. they studied us for how long now? research our culture our ways and know that it is in us to know accept these so called offenders but these criminals are our people we need to represent them. VIOLENT IS NOT THE ANSWER!!!!
November 20, 2007 at 6:26 am
In any culture humans respond to stress in different ways. Each person in the WORLD has their own way. I like to read each statement made its very interesting how different peoples views are. Maybe people should speak how they feel and reflect why do they feel this way. I think that it is ignorant to say america has enough problems have them people go back and do it over there. That is a bull shit statement if someone comes to this country to live they are part of this country. what ever place they might have moved to america from, does not matter they are people living here. Although it is ignorant to say ill soot you with my nine down with whitey. that also is bullshit. someone who is racist and makes you feel victimized is just an closed minded prick that needs to be educated. Maybe some stories of the khmer rouge survivors should be told thats more impressive than fuck you statements. living those experiences are very powerfull. Oh and by the way VERY few americans want to be in iraq, most of them dont even know why they are there. Our president made that descion but it is not a descion of americans. In fact most americans will tell you that war is bull shit
January 30, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Rebecca… i feel you sis, there no need to shoot anyone in the head or gun any person down and i dont mean that all americans killed iraqi’z its just the president giving them orders.i would have a slight sence of the souldiers feeling. im a kid from the refugee camp aswell and my mom told me pretty fucked up story how she had to dogde bullets just to survive and get into the boader and giving away her most valuble property’s just for me and her to eat,and btw im not an american khmer im from australia but i feel for my Khmer in the states, cause down under is pretty similer they see us khmer are the lowest asians on earth we get picked on alot but we still fight for a our people and fight to live our culture…..[This is for all my KMAIS...Gorn Angkor Gevet]
February 1, 2008 at 10:33 am
most devils dont have famm dat r khmai, so they dont kno bout wat our mothers , fathers an grandparents went thru. kummn through camps n thailand, haveing children in foreign land an fuckn scared! I bang my niggas, hard .PERIOD!!! I kno khami niggas from different hoods, an sets, all accross the u.s, an khmai people need 2 stay here and not go back 2dat 3rd world. I wouldn’t want dat 4 any 1, give’M DEAQTH, b4 dishonor. RED COBRA BLOOD GANG O.G. SAW N.E. PORTLND 4600 BLOCK
March 3, 2008 at 11:14 am
Stupid Asian idiots influenced by blacks. “nigga”, you’re not black, look in the mirror realize what and who you are and why your parents brought you to America. For a better life. So go ahead toting your gun around saying nigga and thinking your cool, claiming a block or hood that in reality somebody else owns. You think your cool but the fact is you look like a moron. Why don’t you contribute to this country and be a good citizen than a punk thug that increases the crime rate.
March 4, 2008 at 6:53 am
Yes, I totally agree with S500. There are always bad lemons within every race and nationality, just like cars, products, etc. However, I hope he/she didn’t mean all asians. I have many Asian friends from all over SouthEast Asia that immigrated to the U.S. during the “70’s war era” that didn’t join a gang because they were “lost” & “afraid”. I just read an article the other day about a Laotion guy that was born in a Thai refugee camp, he’s now 29 and a self made millionaire. He didn’t sell dope, rob or kill. He worked his butt off, studied hard and said no to gangs. He also mentioned how gangs have tried to initiate him, peer pressured him but was strong about it and was even shot at and jumped by some local gangs growing up. Bottom line is that it made him stronger and even more determined. Props to him for sure…get out and stay out of the slum, if you know how bad it is and don’t want to live like that then step up to the plate and swing away rather than hoping to get 4 balls and walked to base!
April 25, 2008 at 12:30 am
I came to this country in the mid 80’s and currently living in the bay area. When we started we had ZERO and on welfare. Currently we are doing very well for a family who has only been here for less then 30 years. I attended college and graduated with a Bachelor and an MBA with little help. But when I was growing up attending middle and high school I was living in an apartment with gang members in front of my apartment all the time. All of my childhood friend join gangs and either killed or in jail except for me. Growing up in a new place means a new opportunity and you have to take advantage of it, but many of the Khmer I know took the wrong path. Many was smart but very lazy, this laziness is one of the cause that makes gangs thrive in the Khmer communities. Also education is also another factor that leads to gangs. Many of my friends don’t try to work hard but seems to take the easy way out my just living with the parents and leeching off them. I truly wish we were different where we work hard to make it in life besides just sitting at home gambling and collecting welfare. This is the issue and the Khmer communities need to discuss this within themselves before you go out there trashing other people regardless of color. Joining gangs don’t solve your issue growing up and making a different in the Khmer communities does.
May 9, 2008 at 10:32 am
Thank you for sharing…We got a lot to learn about each other. I know from friends and studying that gangs are a form of family and that makes it easy for anyone to join a gang when you are looking for protection and someone that seems to care. When you don;t have hope — all there is –is survival and that is a scary and desperate place to live.
June 13, 2008 at 3:12 pm
well as a native american growing up in the 70’s where violence was basically self defense for one’s survival- i can understand the “new” gangs -as natives we have many things about this country that are going against us- for example we are not considered a minority but a political entity meaning the rights that protect many americans including whites, blacks, asians and any other race basically do not apply to us.. but it is stupid that people white or not can state that we (usa) imported crimminals from cambodia- these were children that escaped a very tramatic event and subsquently forced to live in refugee camps in thailand and eventually told to live in the worst cities and hoods that white people are scared to go.. also the white army of usa never won in a face to face battle against the various indian nations but rather won due to the white people’s disease and various acts of cowardly genocide (killing old people, women and children) they did this cause they could not win against the natives– consider it plan b- but much of today’s military strategy is derived from native american strategy… my wife is cambodian and my son is half- but as a native he has a lot more to worry about in his future life than some gangs that push small stuff or pretend to be black which in turn are just pretending to be white (nigger is a white term for stupid- it’s meant to suppress a race of people who are anything but) my son will as i am -be fighting for his independence, his freedom to exist- my son will be fighting to know that his people died and suffered but remained strong and can look ANYBODY in the eye and know who belongs and who does not…. so that said –fight on my fellow khmer warriors u know if u don’t take a stand the goverment will keep shoving u down and out…
August 1, 2008 at 1:50 am
as americans for us to call other countries savages is saying alot especially considering that we like to polerize our brutality in movies with awards and millions of dollars. america is the number 2 poluters in the world just behind china and we have the most criminals in jail in the world .we also have the second most exicution of our own just behind china. we celebrate our happiness with alchohol and drug .we promote drugs as being cool and popular. we also have the most gangs on the planet and starting to spread into other countries. so we as americans should shut the fuck up before we call anybody a savage. because cambodians would have no reason to come to america if you wouldnt have bombed us for no reason and lost the war. now you got iraq that your bombing for no reason and am losing to. dont worry in didnt forget afganistan that it was our original target that we were after in the first place .or iran that were after in the future. But a war will never be won again if war is all that americans can see
September 8, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Im Cambodian, I live in America, I did not join a gang and neither did any of my siblings. My parent’s worked their asses off to provide a good life for us, why would I disrespect them and my family name by joining a stupid ass gang who only promotes stupidity and violence. They had the opportunity and they wrecked it by their gang violence, these gangs will continue to make the streets that khmer people live in violent by using force and intimidation. These gang members are the ones who create this as one peron wrote it “jungle” atmosphere. Are you stupid or what…jungle atmosphere…hahah… I know of those who live in Long Beach who grew up in those same violent neighborhoods and stayed away from the gangs that thrive there. They are educated and proud to be Khmers without the stupid language of “fuck” this and that, with jeans below their ass cracks. People need to take responsibilty for themselves instead of blaming it on the American Society that created these deviants. It is not the American society it’s that persons own weakness of character that could not prevent them from saying no to a life that breeds anger and violence. Not everyone that grew up in this society all became gangs…my friends and I were examples. So take responsibilty for urselves before blaming it on others!
October 9, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Wow, I can see we got some nasty gangsters on this blog. Foul mouthed an full of hate and disrespect. I’m not impressed. Don’t bother replying. I won’t be back to this thread look. It’s a waste of time time argue sensibly with haters like this. And I’ll be sure to watch for you guys with the violent habits. Fools.