coward

most violent criminals are, by definition, cowards. murderers, rapists, robbers... their criminal behaviours tend to highlight their inherently cowardly tendencies. these craven and mean-spirited blights on humanity invariably seek out the most vulnerable and defenceless members of society - the young, the aged, the infirmed - in order to carry out their ignoble pursuits. and in terms of sheer gutlessness, no discussion of violent criminals would be complete without a nod to the unequivocally spineless and weak-kneed members of local street gangs. most street gangs tend to trade in two violent crimes in particular: staged muggings and drive-by shootings. in the former, potential victims are inevitably chosen on the basis of their supposed inability to fight back. accordingly, street robberies almost always involve multiple gang members preying on a single, defenceless victim. often the innocent party is left bloodied and bruised as a result of this confrontation. in the latter example, victims (frequently members of rival street gangs) are typically caught off-guard and unarmed by longtime foes who might fire off several rounds in the general direction of their intended target before scattering like subway mice. somewhat ironically, membership in street gangs is often held up as a sign of maturity and manhood and even machismo. and yet, when one takes a few moments to examine the conventional modus operandi of these brazen street punks, one can see that these wretched and despicable hoodlums are hardly the embodiment of valiance or boldness. quite the contrary, in fact, as the daily transgressions of the prototypical gang member tend to suggest that those who perform these heinous misdeeds are in serious need of a gut check and a head shake.

p.s. and in terms of reassuring words, i suppose the only solace i can offer is the following: there are more of us than them