Why I'm Leaving Baltimore (violent crime, movies, live in)

[Jermaine88]

Originally Posted by james777

People have been leaving Baltimore City since 1960, when it began its population downfall. Are you saying that more people are leaving now that have been leaving? I thought that wonderful mayor was going to turn things around and increase the population of the city.

Originally Posted by BaltItaly

Wonderful mayor? No

Population increase? Yes--despite the mayor

The population lost is so bad, she trying to attract illegal aliens to the city to increase the population.

In Baltimore, Illegal Immigrants Welcomed with Open Arms

Struggling with A Population Decline, Baltimore Pins Its Hopes On Immigrants | Fox News Latino

[BaltItaly]

Originally Posted by Jermaine88

The population lost is so bad, she trying to attract illegal aliens to the city to increase the population.

In Baltimore, Illegal Immigrants Welcomed with Open Arms

Struggling with A Population Decline, Baltimore Pins Its Hopes On Immigrants | Fox News Latino

This link from the census bureau indicates a slight increase from 2010-2012.


Baltimore city QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

[Hamish Forbes]

Originally Posted by Jermaine88

The population lost is so bad, she trying to attract illegal aliens to the city to increase the population.

In Baltimore, Illegal Immigrants Welcomed with Open Arms

Struggling with A Population Decline, Baltimore Pins Its Hopes On Immigrants | Fox News Latino

Sort of like the old days? -- "Heaven, Hell, and Baltimore"

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by Jermaine88

The population lost is so bad, she trying to attract illegal aliens to the city to increase the population.

In Baltimore, Illegal Immigrants Welcomed with Open Arms

Struggling with A Population Decline, Baltimore Pins Its Hopes On Immigrants | Fox News Latino

I may get flammed for this.. but here it goes...


I think the Mayor may have been on to something (as opposed to ON SOMETHING..*puff puff pass*) She just needed to think it through a little more and develop a program encourages individuals who are in this Country illegally AND are interested in becoming Citizens and living in Baltimore to come to Baltimore..That said.. why not work with the Feds to encourage those individuals who want to become citizens to do it "legally" and as part of that process they can end up with the American Dream.. a home... maybe one of the vacants to values or one of the hundred blighted structures that dot the City. Call in potential partners.. CASA of Maryland, Habitat for Humanity, Office of Employment so that once these individuals become Citizens..they can be channeled through the existing support networks in a coordinated manner with each doing what they would have normally done anyway and at the end of the process hopefully the individual will have a basic knowlege/skill (to function in the USA), a job, and in conjunction with Habitat (via sweat equity) a home AFTER they have become a Citizen..

By having the total package that can be promoted/shared with those of questionable status along with all the stakeholders on board from the Feds on down..... it would be more palatable to atleast consider..but it has to be tied to pathway to citizenship as opposed to "yall come on down". We would get new, hopefully industrious residents.. who fix up and occupy a once vacant rowhome and slowly rebuild solid neighborhoods (just like the irish, polish, italians immigrants did).. I think the areas north of Patterson Park are perfect because they are already adjacent to neighborhoods like Highlandtown where many illegals may already reside and have extended families and economic/social networks though potentially in overcrowded conditions.. Ellwood Park, McElderberry Park, Baltimore-Linwood... could all be a pilot...This could be a win win for all....

[Infinite_heights77]

Wow! Sorry that you had those experiences. If I was Mayor of Baltimore, things would be drastically different.



quote=TheCollegeD;33642511]This post is everything, i was naive as hell when moving to baltimore...went to UMBC hated it due to how ignorant, rude, superficial and stuck up everyone was and got crappy grades as a result of being isolated for the most part, i lucked out and got a job at hopkins and moved to the city thinking i had really doen something because i'm from the eastern shore and always wanted to live in a city but i soon relaized baltimore wasn't(and continues to be) nothing special. people love to bash the eastern shore as being country and podunk but i've encountered more racism here than ever on the eastern shore. i'm done school in a year and i can't WAIT to get out.[/quote]

[dcmetrobaseball]

This post is incredibly racist. These problems occur no matter the race of the people we are talking about. It is ridiculous to believe that one race causes all these problems. It is both blacks and whites that are turning the city to garbage.

[Infinite_heights77]

Racist?! With all due respect, you don't even know the comprehension of that word. True racism, albeit white supremacy has power constructs and platforms in places to retard human development and advancement based on biased skin differences. One race?! Since modern scientist have made claims that there is no such thing as race, and we are bio-genetically the same species in and out, where is the argument? Race doesn't exist...but "racism, white supremacy, and white privilege does." Blacks in Baltimore are given the illusion that they have some some political power in Baltimore, but that is an illusion. Black folks had more political power coming out of the Reconstruction era after 1865.

Originally Posted by dcmetrobaseball

This post is incredibly racist. These problems occur no matter the race of the people we are talking about. It is ridiculous to believe that one race causes all these problems. It is both blacks and whites that are turning the city to garbage.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by dcmetrobaseball

This post is incredibly racist. These problems occur no matter the race of the people we are talking about. It is ridiculous to believe that one race causes all these problems. It is both blacks and whites that are turning the city to garbage.

It's the reality if it makes you feel better it's the culture that is the problem. It's just that the adherents of the culture are mostly Black.

[Infinite_heights77]

"5. rude groups of young blacks at various sit-down restaurants who are loud, profane, and generally obnoxious, and when asked to tone it down, cause an even larger scene by accusing the management of racism;"


*HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Originally Posted by sibelian

My demographics: in my 50s, well-educated, partnered, well-traveled, with a very good job in a recession-proof slice of an almost-recession-proof industry. I've lived for at least 3 years in each of the following cities: Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, New Orleans (pre-Katrina), Pittsburgh, and Seattle (with shorter stints in Anchorage, St Paul, and Canton OH). I've now been in Baltimore for five years. I am leaving this summer ... to where is undecided, and it doesn't matter right now, as I (thankfully) can work anywhere, and work well. But leaving I am, and I'll be slamming the door on the way out.

First, let me recite what I like about Baltimore: the "high" culture is quite good, with an amazing amount of classical music performances, art (the two largest museums are free at all times), live theater, and film choices. If one is unsatisfied with the offerings, DC is just down the road at an average travel time of 45-50 minutes. Philadelphia is only 90 minutes, and it's never taken me longer than 3 hours to drive to New York City. The restaurants are good, some amazingly so, with good diversity; the crab is delicious. The climate is mild, in that winter hasn't been bad (the current one excluded !), and summer has never been sweltering longer than a day here and there. It only costs $1.60 to get to BWI airport on the light-rail, and with Southwest as the largest carrier, it is easy to get away cheaply. Ah .... and that's about it for what I like.

I think the thing I detest most is the undercurrent of racial tension and animosity, flowing almost always (from my perspective) from black to white (DISCLOSURE: I am white, my partner is black). This city is 68% black ... and to a degree greater than any place I've lived (even New Orleans), I find my black city-mates to be dour, surly, unhelpful, disrespectful, distrustful, loud, obnoxious, piggish, threatening, pestering, and plain low-class. And yes, I can think of multiple conduct examples for each of those adjectives. Here are a few:

1. having to bolt from this past summer's July 4th fireworks at the harbor, because a few homeboys saw fit to discharge their handguns, which set off a stampede that almost crushed a number of people;
2. having to listen to brain-numbing, bass-thumping car stereos blaring with rap music cruising through my neighborhood at 2 am, every weekend;
3. black girls fighting in the middle of a downtown intersection while the cops did nothing (more on the Baltimore police later);
4. general surliness from black employees of stores, fast-food restaurants, and other establishments on a daily and consistent basis, despite one's attempts to be as friendly as possible (watch out for the girl in the fish department at Whole Foods);
5. rude groups of young blacks at various sit-down restaurants who are loud, profane, and generally obnoxious, and when asked to tone it down, cause an even larger scene by accusing the management of racism;
6. regular stories in the local news about crimes by young blacks on the transit system, as well as my own personal experiences on the subway and light-rail, having to endure intolerable behavior by black youth and wondering why there are never any transit police when you need them. ADVICE: don't use mass transit in Baltimore.

My interactions over the course of five years have been consistently negative, consistently even in terms of geographical locations throughout the city, and consistently depressing when given thought afterwards. A telling sign: I am always filled with dread upon flying back to Baltimore from another city ... wishing that I was able to stay where I had just left. NOTE: none of the foregoing applies to the people I work with; my workplace is quite diverse, and I will miss my colleagues. But the people I work with are on a higher plane in terms of education and class, and the people I encounter outside work are, generally, on a much lower plane. That sums it up: this is a low-class city, a dooky hole of racism, and while I wish it were otherwise, I can't wish away the facts of my experience.

Now that I've ensured a slew of flaming hate in response, let me list some of the other things I hate about this place:
1. terrible streets and roads. Try driving up Calvert street or down St Paul street; avoiding the pot holes is like playing a video game.
2. red-light cameras. The city is installing more and more of them. Don't even try to make a right on red without making a complete stop.
3. Corruption. Our mayor just resigned after being convicted of theft. The cops are laughable ... never there when you need them, and always around if you're 5 miles over the speed limit.
4. Taxes. You'll pay a 3.05% Baltimore city income tax, on top of Maryland's 4.75% state income tax.
5. Garbage pick-up is once a week. And when you're walking downtown, see how many rats you can spot. I drove over one last summer as I was pulling into my apartment building's parking garage.
6. Think you're going to bicycle in this city?!? Think again. This city is the least bike-friendly of any place I've lived. There are no dedicated bike lanes, and if the pick-up trucks don't get you, the pitted streets will. At least our world-famous Shock Trauma Center will take good care of you.
7. The parks. Yes, we have them. And yes, in good weather, they are overrun with minority youth who will make you feel exceedingly out of place and uncomfortable.
8. Utility bills. Say hello to BG&E, and get used to electric bills that, in summer at least, will rival your car payment.

I think that's enough. It's enough for me. As much as I like my current job, and I really do like it, I'm saying goodbye in just a few months (I'm actually counting the days, and yes, my partner is going with me). If you're considering a move to Baltimore, well .... good luck. You'll need it.

[bus man]

Originally Posted by Infinite_heights77

"5. rude groups of young blacks at various sit-down restaurants who are loud, profane, and generally obnoxious, and when asked to tone it down, cause an even larger scene by accusing the management of racism;"


*HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Not seeing what's so funny here, so please help me out:

1. it's funny that young black people behave obnoxiously in restaurants.

2. it's funny that the OP thinks that young black people behave obnoxiously in restaurants.

3. it's funny that the obnoxious young black people in restaurants accuse the management of racism.

Something else entirely?