How Baltimore Changed Me (crime, neighborhoods, school)

[baltplanner]

More than 50 years after the civil rights movement white’s in government offices in states like Maryland, New York, and Connecticut have provided every opportunity they can think off to make amends for the history of black slavery and oppression. Yet poor black people are still screwing up their lives and the lives of many others in our communities in numbers hugely disproportionate to any other demographic group. In short we've given them all the opportunities we could think of and they haven't done anything with it.

Generally these people lack the cognitive ability, technical training, drive, and role models to become successful members of our society. I've come to believe that their adjacency to the rest of the people in this country is a significant factor in overall quality of life.

As a white person I’m exhausted at watching them ineffectually struggle through life…… and I’m tired of apologizing for slavery. I don’t care that they're arrested and incarcerated disproportionately to the rest of us. All Americans are given the same set of laws. We all know the rules and we know that there are consequences for breaking those rules. Poor black people shouldn't be surprised or upset and that they are targeted by the police since rates of all major crimes are significantly higher in the neighborhoods they call home.

Growing up as a liberal in a democratic state I NEVER thought I’d say or even think these types of things- If I leave Baltimore I definitely won’t move to an area with a large black population. Their brand of social dysfunction is just sooooo much worse than what I’ve seen from any other group.

Baltimore has turned me into a cold person… its ended the “bleeding heart” phase of my life. It’s turned me into a racist… and although I'm deeply saddened by this I just can’t see things any other way.

[baltplanner]

Here are the most common attributes I see amongst the poor black people near where I work downtown.

-Poor grammer (almost universal... they seem to take pride in having their own way of speaking but don't understand that having proper grammar is important for communicating effectively... something most employers put a high value on.)

-Anger (they seem to get angry quickly over things that don't rightly warrant it. I'm constantly hearing people cursing at each other and making threats... it makes me very uncomfortable when i walk down streets with lots of poor people.)

-Hopelessness and depression (you can see it in their eyes and here it in their stories when you stand behind them in line at the store. Most of all I see it in the heroin junkies and the alcoholics with their cheap booze in black plastic bags.... moping around every part of the city depressing the rest of us just with their presence.)

-Disrespect (they constantly criticize just about everyone from their city leaders, to the police, to the people who wont give them jobs because there are better qualified candidates. They also litter constantly and shamelessly...a serious pet peeve of mine.)

-Low cognitive functioning (I work with several poor black Baltimoreans and its always a little annoying to me as I watch them struggle through basic problem solving tasks that most white 8th graders could easily accomplish.)

-Short term thinking (they seem to focus a lot on day to day issues/ survival and don't think about long term consequences or setting long term goals. They get pregnant when the can't even support themselves; they get into fights in public when they know their behavior is causing a scene and could get them arrested; they get involved in criminal activities to make money but they don't think about, or maybe just don't care, that those decisions are likely to end in violence or incarceration.)

I lived in veeerrry poor white neighborhood for a couple years when I was child. By the end of my time there I hated white trash because they had alot of the same characteristics I listed above. On the whole however I have to say that these socially dysfunctional characteristics are both far more common and more intense in poor black neighborhoods.

[picardlx]

God, are you still here?

[Patz0709]

Baltplanner, you are right to despair about the things you have seen, and your observations are true as well as troubling. I can tell you feel awful about a realization that you have come to based on your environment. I understand your logic too... while not politically correct, I cannot see how you or anyone else would come to the same conclusions. Another reason why this place sucks the souls from people.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by baltplanner

Here are the most common attributes I see amongst the poor black people near where I work downtown.

-Poor grammer (almost universal... they seem to take pride in having their own way of speaking but don't understand that having proper grammar is important for communicating effectively... something most employers put a high value on.)

-Anger (they seem to get angry quickly over things that don't rightly warrant it. I'm constantly hearing people cursing at each other and making threats... it makes me very uncomfortable when i walk down streets with lots of poor people.)

-Hopelessness and depression (you can see it in their eyes and here it in their stories when you stand behind them in line at the store. Most of all I see it in the heroin junkies and the alcoholics with their cheap booze in black plastic bags.... moping around every part of the city depressing the rest of us just with their presence.)

-Disrespect (they constantly criticize just about everyone from their city leaders, to the police, to the people who wont give them jobs because there are better qualified candidates. They also litter constantly and shamelessly...a serious pet peeve of mine.)

-Low cognitive functioning (I work with several poor black Baltimoreans and its always a little annoying to me as I watch them struggle through basic problem solving tasks that most white 8th graders could easily accomplish.)

-Short term thinking (they seem to focus a lot on day to day issues/ survival and don't think about long term consequences or setting long term goals. They get pregnant when the can't even support themselves; they get into fights in public when they know their behavior is causing a scene and could get them arrested; they get involved in criminal activities to make money but they don't think about, or maybe just don't care, that those decisions are likely to end in violence or incarceration.)

I lived in veeerrry poor white neighborhood for a couple years when I was child. By the end of my time there I hated white trash because they had alot of the same characteristics I listed above. On the whole however I have to say that these socially dysfunctional characteristics are both far more common and more intense in poor black neighborhoods.

Folks are in denial but White liberals are the biggest enablers of the Black poor. So you and your ilk only have yourselves to blame.

[ajacksb]

BaltPlanner - I had the same realizations about a year ago. I moved to the city 6 years ago a bleeding heart liberal. I left last year a cold hearted conservative. Private msg me if you want to talk about it.

[baltplanner]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

Folks are in denial but White liberals are the biggest enablers of the Black poor. So you and your ilk only have yourselves to blame.

You're right. The welfare state has only encouraged their self destructive behavior.

[OuttaTheLouBurbs]

Originally Posted by baltplanner

Baltimore has turned me into a cold person… its ended the “bleeding heart” phase of my life. It’s turned me into a racist… and although I'm deeply saddened by this I just can’t see things any other way.

No one ever gets "turned into" a racist by experience. You either become one due to your own pre-structured opinions and perspectives, or are taught to be one by influential figures (of course, for the latter you have to be either unwilling or unable to intellectually challenge racism for it to be "learned"). But you can't become a racist solely because of the actions of other people; racism is a perspective, and perspectives are formed by you and you only.

[kharing]

Wonder what your life would have been like if you grew up with the same "opportunities", baltplanner?

It's no secret that school systems in poor communities are substandard. It may be too late to fix all if these problems that are upsetting hipsters and boomers that want to live in cities instead of the suburbs.

Our country created this mess....I personally think that the crime and violence will increase. Especially since the economy hasn't recovered.

There has been an increase in young White professionals in my neighborhood....they are completely clueless. Jogging along oblivious to the true dangers in the city. It's going to take a lot of police officers to keep them safe once the weather starts to warm up.

Your rant is similar to one I just read from some privileged chick in Patterson Park the other day......

[kharing]

Here's the link to her rant......

https://medium.com/p/1873a505ce2a

Very similar.