This is my friend's story. Her name is Jamie Barquest and she and I and her mother have reviewed this material before making it public. Jamie is 20 years old and her nickname is J.K.
Q: Are juggalos only family networks, or are they also a gang?
A: I have a street family downtown, but family is different than a juggalo. You can be part of a juggalo family. You can be family but not be part of a juggalo. It all depends on the respect you have toward people. Once you give enough respect you start to call them your brother or your sister, moms or dads. Sometimes people just keep their family, family. Not everyone downtown is a juggalo. In order to be one you have to pretty much have to get approval of it. You can't start your own juggalo; you have to have been in one for almost a year, sometimes even longer. Then you can get permission to start one on your own. I had permission.
Some people will consider it a gang in some ways. Juggalos claim territory. Down town is a wide open. You don't want to claim a wide area like that, so we share it with two other gangs. I don't even want to mention their names because I don't want any trouble between juggalos and them. With those who are gangs, they have respect for us and we have respect for them. I don't know everything about juggalos and how they are or are not like a gang. In the area by 20th between D and Center St., there lives a juggalette who knows more and has had multiple families and has been through that for about two years now. There is one juggalo family whose territory runs from Portland Rd. to Lancaster Ave. where it crosses Ward at the Arco station. That's Jesse's juggalo. Justin's juggalo has all of Keizer.
Q: How do they defend their territory? Are they challenged to defend it?
A: I don't think so. People don't care if you're in the territory unless you try and fight them. You're more and welcome to walk on their territory.
Q: Is the juggalo family there to support you?
A: My street dad, Animal, is the head of the juggalos in all of Salem. He watched my ex-boyfriend very closely. They all chased him away when he put his hand on me. Your family always has your back. You're not supposed to kick anyone out of the family unless everyone votes. But, I was kicked out of a family without a vote. Elmo decided I was out because I am all about myself, she said. I said that's not true. I share my money to get other people things that they need, when it comes to drinks or food, I will give it if I have it....
Q: How old were you when you started becoming aware of the Juggalos in downtown?
A: I heard... bits and pieces at the age of 12 or 13. It never came across my mind to join up with one till after I left my mom's house and she completely disowned me. I was 19. When I was 17 or 18 I really knew a lot about them, but now that I've been a part of the juggalos for almost two years, I have more knowledge.
Q: How do you get out of the family?
A: You can leave a family at any time. Not all juggalos are gang informed. One of them made it into a gang. His name was Jay. Animal and Farah ran him out of town. He is not allowed to wear the hatchet anymore. He was trying to take over Salem and leave no place for anyone else which is not right, and claim Animal's family. He's pretty much done for here. The way I was brought into this, is not a gang. Jesse knows more about whether it is a gang, he wanted me to join. He was going to join Jay's crew. But Jay told him that in order to join he had to be shot in the head with a bee bee gun six times. But Jesse said no, and he walked away. That's when Jay started to lose his influence. No Sex Affender can wear any hatchet gear. Animal put that out as a rule. You can't be a juggalo and have hurt someone in any way. They'll fight I won't deny that, they'll fight over the right reasons though.
Q: Has it been just like a family to you? Did Animal give you drama when you came in?
A: Animal has not given drama he and the rest opened up their arms when I joined. They've offered me drinks and food when I needed it. They'll help as much as they can. They help you with pretty much anything, warm places to sleep, anything. Yes Animal lives at the mission and yes Animal has been to jail; he is on probation. Just because they have been to jail that doesn't mean everybody who has been to jail has started a juggalo family, or is a bad person. But I don't wanna go down there anymore. Farah won't come downtown at all, either. Why - pointless. I would rather die before something bad happens again. It ain't worth it again. "A Place Called Hope" is where I will go, or at the Mission. I don't want to hang out with a lot of people anymore. My ex-boyfriend has tuned a lot of my friends against me. He could still be in Jesse's crew (juggalo). (It's more professional saying juggalo family than "crew.") I still have family down there. Two street moms, now I have three. Lots of street brothers. They became my family before I became a juggalette. Other than that why should I go down there? They don't really care about me. They are not calling or texting to show me they really care.
Q: Tell me about the teenagers who hang out down there and join juggalos.
A: Most teenagers have parents who are drug addicts or alcoholics or don't care what they do or do not do. Like my friend Anna was told by her mom, "I don't care what time you come home tonight just make sure if you have sex you use a condom." In some ways I look at that and try to understand what kind of mother wants her daughter to go out there and have sex, at such a young age. But then you have other parents. Parents that kick their teens out and tell them to live on the streets to survive on their own. Same thing, why would a parent want to do that? Sometimes parents drive around looking for their kid at night. All these kids are growing up to do whatever they know to do that takes away their anger and aggression and depression and anxiety. Yes they do multiple drugs, some of them are always on something when I see them. They always are high I never see them sober. I stand by my friends' sides. I know how it feels. I'm not saying I'm the perfect person and not tried anything because I have. I've gone from smoking pot to sniffing spray paint, doing ecstasy and smoking meth once. One of my close friends I had in my past, Jules, told me, "why put something in your body to take away the pain. It ain't worth it, those problems are still going to be there the next day." I've learned that; it took me three years. I feel sorry for everybody that I see and that I get to know who are homeless or trapped in a gang or have parents who want nothing to do with them. The reason why I joined to become a juggalette is to be more than just a family. It's because of all the outcasts that my heart is moved. There are some people who have no family, they don't even talk to their regular family. I want to be there to welcome them with open arms.
Q: And are there homeless people downtown in juggalos?
A: Some of the people down there are also homeless. Outsiders look at the homeless that they aren't as good as they seem and that they don't need any help. They don't realize that a lot of them that I know are always there. Last week one of them made a necklace for me. There's a lot of people out there who actually care and would do anything. Literally give me the jacket off their back when they barely knew me just because I was cold. One let me use his duffle bag as a pillow and watch my stuff for me so I could nap. I can have anything that I need as long as someone has the money or food stamps to get it. But that doesn't mean I can take it for granted. "Hey can you get me this can you get me that" - it doesn't work that way. I try to do what I think is right, and lately trying to keep to myself and not do much outside of the house.
Epilogue
At the time I had interviewed Jamie for this post she had made several statements about how disillusioned she was about juggalos and going downtown again. She had made a resolution to me and to herself to be done with much of those relationships. She told me it was change in her life that she had somehow misplaced her hatchet necklace and couldn't wear it anymore. She was keeping to her room and reading novels as a demonstration that she was finally making some choices for her own welfare as distinct from the community downtown.
However, three days later we hung out. She was wearing a bright purple and black hatchet shirt, and had a new boyfriend, and had been downtown earlier in the day.
Her mother is disappointed to learn about this. We both feel that Jamie underrecognizes her family and upbringing that has been faithfully given to her all her life. Therefore the conversation between daughter and mother continues, and they bless me because they are both friends and a part of my life and I theirs.
Thinking Strategically
The first and last thought I have for Jamie is to see her leave the juggalos in order to find Christ in a deeper way. But I am learning lately, this is a fallacy. I used to want to help Christ followers find fresh relationships within the church walls and I was quite fine with the thought of replacing their old friends with friends at church. But like the teacher in this video below, I realize how much a mistake it is to think that way.
I believe we need to stop pulling people out of their contexts. Rather I desire to see them remain in it, and teach them how to be disciples whereever they happen to find their community. "I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15). In the next post I hope to continue discussion on strategies for bringing Christ to juggalos, and hope that readers will join in.
This video is alright but if you might watch from minute 11:45 till the end (about 3-4 minutes from that starting point), this is what is so helpful. Patterson gets offstage and gives a visual demonstration from members of the audience.
Q: Are juggalos only family networks, or are they also a gang?
A: I have a street family downtown, but family is different than a juggalo. You can be part of a juggalo family. You can be family but not be part of a juggalo. It all depends on the respect you have toward people. Once you give enough respect you start to call them your brother or your sister, moms or dads. Sometimes people just keep their family, family. Not everyone downtown is a juggalo. In order to be one you have to pretty much have to get approval of it. You can't start your own juggalo; you have to have been in one for almost a year, sometimes even longer. Then you can get permission to start one on your own. I had permission.
Some people will consider it a gang in some ways. Juggalos claim territory. Down town is a wide open. You don't want to claim a wide area like that, so we share it with two other gangs. I don't even want to mention their names because I don't want any trouble between juggalos and them. With those who are gangs, they have respect for us and we have respect for them. I don't know everything about juggalos and how they are or are not like a gang. In the area by 20th between D and Center St., there lives a juggalette who knows more and has had multiple families and has been through that for about two years now. There is one juggalo family whose territory runs from Portland Rd. to Lancaster Ave. where it crosses Ward at the Arco station. That's Jesse's juggalo. Justin's juggalo has all of Keizer.
Q: How do they defend their territory? Are they challenged to defend it?
A: I don't think so. People don't care if you're in the territory unless you try and fight them. You're more and welcome to walk on their territory.
Q: Is the juggalo family there to support you?
A: My street dad, Animal, is the head of the juggalos in all of Salem. He watched my ex-boyfriend very closely. They all chased him away when he put his hand on me. Your family always has your back. You're not supposed to kick anyone out of the family unless everyone votes. But, I was kicked out of a family without a vote. Elmo decided I was out because I am all about myself, she said. I said that's not true. I share my money to get other people things that they need, when it comes to drinks or food, I will give it if I have it....
Q: How old were you when you started becoming aware of the Juggalos in downtown?
A: I heard... bits and pieces at the age of 12 or 13. It never came across my mind to join up with one till after I left my mom's house and she completely disowned me. I was 19. When I was 17 or 18 I really knew a lot about them, but now that I've been a part of the juggalos for almost two years, I have more knowledge.
Q: How do you get out of the family?
A: You can leave a family at any time. Not all juggalos are gang informed. One of them made it into a gang. His name was Jay. Animal and Farah ran him out of town. He is not allowed to wear the hatchet anymore. He was trying to take over Salem and leave no place for anyone else which is not right, and claim Animal's family. He's pretty much done for here. The way I was brought into this, is not a gang. Jesse knows more about whether it is a gang, he wanted me to join. He was going to join Jay's crew. But Jay told him that in order to join he had to be shot in the head with a bee bee gun six times. But Jesse said no, and he walked away. That's when Jay started to lose his influence. No Sex Affender can wear any hatchet gear. Animal put that out as a rule. You can't be a juggalo and have hurt someone in any way. They'll fight I won't deny that, they'll fight over the right reasons though.
Q: Has it been just like a family to you? Did Animal give you drama when you came in?
A: Animal has not given drama he and the rest opened up their arms when I joined. They've offered me drinks and food when I needed it. They'll help as much as they can. They help you with pretty much anything, warm places to sleep, anything. Yes Animal lives at the mission and yes Animal has been to jail; he is on probation. Just because they have been to jail that doesn't mean everybody who has been to jail has started a juggalo family, or is a bad person. But I don't wanna go down there anymore. Farah won't come downtown at all, either. Why - pointless. I would rather die before something bad happens again. It ain't worth it again. "A Place Called Hope" is where I will go, or at the Mission. I don't want to hang out with a lot of people anymore. My ex-boyfriend has tuned a lot of my friends against me. He could still be in Jesse's crew (juggalo). (It's more professional saying juggalo family than "crew.") I still have family down there. Two street moms, now I have three. Lots of street brothers. They became my family before I became a juggalette. Other than that why should I go down there? They don't really care about me. They are not calling or texting to show me they really care.
Q: Tell me about the teenagers who hang out down there and join juggalos.
A: Most teenagers have parents who are drug addicts or alcoholics or don't care what they do or do not do. Like my friend Anna was told by her mom, "I don't care what time you come home tonight just make sure if you have sex you use a condom." In some ways I look at that and try to understand what kind of mother wants her daughter to go out there and have sex, at such a young age. But then you have other parents. Parents that kick their teens out and tell them to live on the streets to survive on their own. Same thing, why would a parent want to do that? Sometimes parents drive around looking for their kid at night. All these kids are growing up to do whatever they know to do that takes away their anger and aggression and depression and anxiety. Yes they do multiple drugs, some of them are always on something when I see them. They always are high I never see them sober. I stand by my friends' sides. I know how it feels. I'm not saying I'm the perfect person and not tried anything because I have. I've gone from smoking pot to sniffing spray paint, doing ecstasy and smoking meth once. One of my close friends I had in my past, Jules, told me, "why put something in your body to take away the pain. It ain't worth it, those problems are still going to be there the next day." I've learned that; it took me three years. I feel sorry for everybody that I see and that I get to know who are homeless or trapped in a gang or have parents who want nothing to do with them. The reason why I joined to become a juggalette is to be more than just a family. It's because of all the outcasts that my heart is moved. There are some people who have no family, they don't even talk to their regular family. I want to be there to welcome them with open arms.
Q: And are there homeless people downtown in juggalos?
A: Some of the people down there are also homeless. Outsiders look at the homeless that they aren't as good as they seem and that they don't need any help. They don't realize that a lot of them that I know are always there. Last week one of them made a necklace for me. There's a lot of people out there who actually care and would do anything. Literally give me the jacket off their back when they barely knew me just because I was cold. One let me use his duffle bag as a pillow and watch my stuff for me so I could nap. I can have anything that I need as long as someone has the money or food stamps to get it. But that doesn't mean I can take it for granted. "Hey can you get me this can you get me that" - it doesn't work that way. I try to do what I think is right, and lately trying to keep to myself and not do much outside of the house.
Epilogue
At the time I had interviewed Jamie for this post she had made several statements about how disillusioned she was about juggalos and going downtown again. She had made a resolution to me and to herself to be done with much of those relationships. She told me it was change in her life that she had somehow misplaced her hatchet necklace and couldn't wear it anymore. She was keeping to her room and reading novels as a demonstration that she was finally making some choices for her own welfare as distinct from the community downtown.
However, three days later we hung out. She was wearing a bright purple and black hatchet shirt, and had a new boyfriend, and had been downtown earlier in the day.
Her mother is disappointed to learn about this. We both feel that Jamie underrecognizes her family and upbringing that has been faithfully given to her all her life. Therefore the conversation between daughter and mother continues, and they bless me because they are both friends and a part of my life and I theirs.
Thinking Strategically
The first and last thought I have for Jamie is to see her leave the juggalos in order to find Christ in a deeper way. But I am learning lately, this is a fallacy. I used to want to help Christ followers find fresh relationships within the church walls and I was quite fine with the thought of replacing their old friends with friends at church. But like the teacher in this video below, I realize how much a mistake it is to think that way.
I believe we need to stop pulling people out of their contexts. Rather I desire to see them remain in it, and teach them how to be disciples whereever they happen to find their community. "I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15). In the next post I hope to continue discussion on strategies for bringing Christ to juggalos, and hope that readers will join in.
This video is alright but if you might watch from minute 11:45 till the end (about 3-4 minutes from that starting point), this is what is so helpful. Patterson gets offstage and gives a visual demonstration from members of the audience.
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