Charlotte: NC's ugly stepchild (Raleigh, Fayetteville: crimes, credit, neighborhood)

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

I don't see what the big deal is about Pat calling out a race. It's fact?? Why cover that up?
Because blacks were not the only race out there causing trouble that night. Again, I was there.

I also don't believe Charlotte is getting the bad end of the stick. You have light rail, Wachovia (wells), Bank of America, Nascar, New Wachovia and Bank of america towers going up. Ritz Carlton, Epicentre, The Vue, new museums, NFL Football...etc
Out of all the things you just named, light rail is the ONLY project funded by the state. Only 25% of it is state funded at that. That 25% is NOTHING to compare to the hundreds of millions Charlotte gets short changed every year in highway dollars.

I could go on and on and on.
So can I!!! What's your point?

Keep expanding on that light rail. You guys are in great shape and will be even better!
We know!!! Thank you!!!

Raleigh can't even get the outer outer loop finished!
Raleigh doesn't need one. Charlotte does!!!

We are adding tolls to pay for the rest.
Save your money by building roads that Raleigh needs (ie a freeway from downtown to North Raleigh. Capital Blvd is a joke!!!)

So Raleigh is doing no better.
I see 6 to 8 lanes of pavement on I-440. I-77 in Charlotte should have twice as many lanes.

Also...you talk about downeast projects. One of the biggest arguments is the Fayettville loop. Fay-nam is getting 66 million, Charlotte a Billion, Raleigh 750 Million roughly. That sums it up. My source is news 14 carolina.
If Raleigh is getting 750 million, then Charlotte should get 1.5 billion (Charlotte is nearly double Raleigh's population). Being that "Fay-nam" is now 200,000 strong (more than half of Raleigh's population), "Fay-nam" should get almost 400 million. Looks like Raleigh is getting the biggest slice per person. I am not surprised.

You see I was agreeing with you until you said Charlotte should get twice as much money. That is wrong! Why should another area get twice as much money when it doesn't produce twice as much traffic? I hope you know, Raleigh is getting short changed as well. Both areas in general are almost the same size. It sickens me hearing some of the ignorance in this thread. Raleigh has some of the most underfunded roads in the country. I actually envy the fact Charlotte has much better roads than we do. Do you actually think Raleigh's dismal highway budget is a cake walk? Our roads are congested, crumbling, poorly built, and lack lighting! Heck I wish 440 was at least as good as I77. I440 is a hodgepodge of dated and clogged ramp exits, inconsistent lanes, and no lighting! It even has potholes. Potholes on a freaking freeway! I40 between Durham and Raleigh is the most heavily traveled road in the Triangle. However it's a crumbling mess. There needs to be at least 12 lanes, concrete road barriers, lighting, and a absorbent road surface. None of what it currently has. There's almost 300,000 cars a day traveling that road, and we should get a cut? We barely have a budget to begin with.

Bottom line is, both Charlotte and Raleigh are getting screwed! I applaud the fact Charlotte leaders are stepping up to the plate and demanding a freeze on Federal funds until our leadership is investigated. I was ticked off when I learned Fayetteville was getting even more funding for that deserted road north of town. Both of NC's top cities are lacking in the infrastructure department and they decide to fund a two bit dump? Screw that. I think NC is competing with Illinois in the corruption department....

Some of you act as if it's the Raleigh city counsel that's making the states laws. Most of these crackpot, tobacco chewing, good ol boy politicians (THAT AREN'T FROM RALEIGH) could care less about this city.... They only come here, work, then leave... Most even despise Raleigh, and Charlotte too for that matter.

Neither of these cities get's love here. If you guys secede to SC, then we're seceding to VA.

[anifani821]

Why does it always have to come down to a discussion about race? I mean . . . really? I agree w/ McCrory and will find his statement later. He was not just referring to "events" - he was referring to what we all know full well is going on in this city - these home invasions and retail shootings are mostly being perpetrated by young black males under 25, w/ an astounding number of offenders being 21 y/o and younger. Anyone who wants to argue w/ the facts is either in a state of denial or has not taken time out to check out the facts.

Does that mean that it is wrong to state the facts? Black communities are suffering b/c of these out of control young thugs. Not just white neighborhoods!!!! Everyone is suffering b/c of kids w/ a gangsta mentality. Yes, there are whites who commit crimes, but LOOK AT THE RAP SHEETS AND MUG SHOTS. Until we all face that and get real about it . . . nothing will change. It is unfair to the black community b/c these young thugs are creating fear. Plain and simple. It shouldn't be that way but they are NOT Goodwill Ambassadors for either their community or the city on a whole.

To crucify Mayor Pat b/c he spoke the truth is absolute crap. He simply said what the rest of us are thinking. If the black community doesn't want to discuss these issues and be straightforward about it, instead of blame shifting and trying to change the topic to one of racism instead of WHY these kids are being raised to be THUGS . . . then that shows they are clinging to the politics of grievance and making EXCUSES instead of DOING SOMETHING to address the problems.

I have plenty more to say on this subject but don't have time to write it all out at this moment. But let me say . . . crime is not exclusive to one race, or even two races - and no one is saying that just b/c you are black, you are a criminal. Any kid can be a thug, regardless of race. But the fact still remains . . . more black kids than white kids IN THIS CITY are wielding guns, jacking cars, intimidating store owners, and breaking into homes. The truth is just the truth!!!!!!

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by clavoski

It is a pity that Mccrory wears his swaztika so high on the sleeve, he is well known in Charlotte and had that going, but then he opened his mouth....

This was an unnecessary comment and an unfair statement that should have been removed the moment it was posted. It's since then laid the first set of rails in order to derail this thread.

[LLN]

A quote from this thread:

"He would have called them "troubled youth". I know this may sound petty (which it is) but Charlotte has a growing population of blacks that are very sensitive to certain words and usage of words."

You guys take this way too seriously.

But I got to tell you, calling street thugs "troubled youth" would be a self serving whitewash which results in not much getting better in the past n years.

As to the sensitivities of certain groups or any group for that matter, they need to deal with the source of the words. I can assure you if crime went to zero there would not be an issue with "words."

You see, words are not the problem, it is actions. Think about it.

Please note, my post, less the quote, is ethnicity free. Have a very Merry Christmas.

lln

[urbancharlotte]

Here is why I don't think Pat should have made those comments. Such comments tends to divide the community into white/black which it did. The average black in Charlotte hates McCrory and it is from his big mouth. I am ALWAYS the first to admit that the AA community has its problems. I just find it funny when our mayor is saying it on WBTV and then all of sudden the AA community wants him out of office.

As a mayor, he had no business making such a comment in public period. Making that comment does not make him a racist, but if he watched his mouth better he would have been governor. Eastern NC is full of rural blacks. How do you think they felt when they found out our white male mayor made negative public statements about Charlotte's AA youth? McCrory has also had problems with Charlotte's gay/lesbian community early in his career as well as Charlotte's latin American community for making comments about illegel immigration. In all honesty, there is only one race in Charlotte McCrory has NEVER picked on. That is the race most responsible for Charlotte's rapist, pedifiles, and high profile prostitution rings. I will not name that race because I am not of that race. I'll let my wife name that race later being that she is of that race.

My point is that ALL races in Charlotte tend to have their own type of crime. McCrory was very blunt when he spoke about minorities, but he never cited race when it was his own race commiting the crime which is just the facts. I am not making excuses for the AA community, but McCrory's mouth is what did him in. When a black presidential candidate endorsed Perdue in uptown Charlotte, Pat lost his own county LOL!!! It is what it is. Keep in mind, I voted for Pat. If I had been Pat's campaign advidsor, he would have known to shut the (you know what) up!!!! He would have won too!!!

[urbancharlotte]

You guys take this way too seriously.
Are you talking about Charlotte as whole or just Charlotte's AA community LOL!!! I am black and words don't hurt me at all. I voted for Pat. I am just trying to open some folks eyes about the consequences of a white mayor with a big mouth. He didn't win the state election because of his mouth.

But I got to tell you, calling street thugs "troubled youth" would be a self serving whitewash which results in not much getting better in the past n years.
If they were your kids or grand kids, you would call them troubled youth.

As to the sensitivities of certain groups or any group for that matter, they need to deal with the source of the words.
They did!!! Pat lost to Perdue in his OWN city LOL!!!

I can assure you if crime went to zero there would not be an issue with "words."
I can assure you, if the AA community was not the poorest race and most jailed race in America, there would not be an issue with "crime".

You see, words are not the problem, it is actions. Think about it.
...........Thought about it. You are correct!!! Pat's actions were wrong. So were his words LOL!!!

Please note, my post, less the quote, is ethnicity free. Have a very Merry Christmas.
You could have cited race if you wanted to. I am not a sensitive black male. I have a bi-racial child, a white wife, white in-laws, and I grew up in a predominately white catholic school system. At the same time, I grew up in one of Charlotte's hardest (most dangerous) ALL BLACK housing projects. I agree with EVERYTHING Pat has said. I just don't think it was smart of him to say those things. Many blacks in Charlotte do not have the diverse back ground that I had. As a result, a white mayor making certain comments will tick them off. Plain and simple. Pat should have and he would have been elected for governor. Perdue HAS NEVER made a statement about race. Even Pat's statements offended Obama. That is why Obama endorsed Perdue in Pat's city. Those are the facts!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

[businessperson]

Originally Posted by stmaarten

Interesting.
I've also heard Raleigh called a few rotten names by Charlotte and Greensboro residents. (Can't recall what the names were, unfortunately.)

I've also heard Fayetteville referred to as "Fayette-Nam".

Can't all you North Carolinians just get along?

Funny, most New Jerseyans pretty much agree (across the board, all counties and cities) that NJ is a terribly corrupt state. Not sure anyone is doing anything about it, though. (And the corruption doesn't change or end, no matter which party is "in charge".)

Just an aside. I know there is a general feeling that the influx of Northerners changed this state from Red to Blue, but I can assure you that most of my friends "up North" are deep red Republicans....just sayin...

Excuse me..."All YOU North Carolinians??" Where do YOU live?

[SunnyKayak]

Are you ashamed of who you are?
Why do you keep abbreviating whoever you are
AA is nationally known as Alcoholic Anonymous . You are not doing any good if you are trying to prove a point by using abbreviations for a good group you are trying to make a point for. What if you was alcoholic would that make it AAA ? now Im confuse if you are with a car care group.
If you want to prove how the groups you mention below stand within Charlotte just say so, dont live in the shadows.

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

Here is why I don't think Pat should have made those comments. Such comments tends to divide the community into white/black which it did. The average black in Charlotte hates McCrory and it is from his big mouth. I am ALWAYS the first to admit that the AA community has its problems. I just find it funny when our mayor is saying it on WBTV and then all of sudden the AA community wants him out of office.

As a mayor, he had no business making such a comment in public period. Making that comment does not make him a racist, but if he watched his mouth better he would have been governor. Eastern NC is full of rural blacks. How do you think they felt when they found out our white male mayor made negative public statements about Charlotte's AA youth? McCrory has also had problems with Charlotte's gay/lesbian community early in his career as well as Charlotte's latin American community for making comments about illegel immigration. In all honesty, there is only one race in Charlotte McCrory has NEVER picked on. That is the race most responsible for Charlotte's rapist, pedifiles, and high profile prostitution rings. I will not name that race because I am not of that race. I'll let my wife name that race later being that she is of that race.

My point is that ALL races in Charlotte tend to have their own type of crime. McCrory was very blunt when he spoke about minorities, but he never cited race when it was his own race commiting the crime which is just the facts. I am not making excuses for the AA community, but McCrory's mouth is what did him in. When a black presidential candidate endorsed Perdue in uptown Charlotte, Pat lost his own county LOL!!! It is what it is. Keep in mind, I voted for Pat. If I had been Pat's campaign advidsor, he would have known to shut the (you know what) up!!!! He would have won too!!!

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

If Charlotte seceded from NC, NC would go broke!!! And I am sorry, but Asheville has almost as many freeways as Charlotte and is barely larger than Gastonia!!! No city in NC as small as Asheville has quite the freeway network that Asheville enjoys. NONE!!! Monroe, Concord, Gastonia, Lake Norman, and several other towns surrounding Charlotte should have freeways like Asheville being that they are similar in size huh? And the US 321 mountain blasting road project near Blowing Rock is a "high priority" road project that is draining this state's money big time. I guess that area is not west of Hickory? I am sure the 4 lane highway to Blowing Rock will be used by more North Carolinians than I-485 around Charlotte LOL!!!

Sounds like campaign speech of your mayor in his run for governor.

[PeytonC]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Why does it always have to come down to a discussion about race? I mean . . . really? I agree w/ McCrory and will find his statement later. He was not just referring to "events" - he was referring to what we all know full well is going on in this city - these home invasions and retail shootings are mostly being perpetrated by young black males under 25, w/ an astounding number of offenders being 21 y/o and younger. Anyone who wants to argue w/ the facts is either in a state of denial or has not taken time out to check out the facts.

Does that mean that it is wrong to state the facts? Black communities are suffering b/c of these out of control young thugs. Not just white neighborhoods!!!! Everyone is suffering b/c of kids w/ a gangsta mentality. Yes, there are whites who commit crimes, but LOOK AT THE RAP SHEETS AND MUG SHOTS. Until we all face that and get real about it . . . nothing will change. It is unfair to the black community b/c these young thugs are creating fear. Plain and simple. It shouldn't be that way but they are NOT Goodwill Ambassadors for either their community or the city on a whole.

To crucify Mayor Pat b/c he spoke the truth is absolute crap. He simply said what the rest of us are thinking. If the black community doesn't want to discuss these issues and be straightforward about it, instead of blame shifting and trying to change the topic to one of racism instead of WHY these kids are being raised to be THUGS . . . then that shows they are clinging to the politics of grievance and making EXCUSES instead of DOING SOMETHING to address the problems.

I have plenty more to say on this subject but don't have time to write it all out at this moment. But let me say . . . crime is not exclusive to one race, or even two races - and no one is saying that just b/c you are black, you are a criminal. Any kid can be a thug, regardless of race. But the fact still remains . . . more black kids than white kids IN THIS CITY are wielding guns, jacking cars, intimidating store owners, and breaking into homes. The truth is just the truth!!!!!!

Wow where have I been in this thread? Ani, I would rep you but I can't yet, so THANK YOU for speaking the truth. I could go forever on this topic, as I have already deleted 2 paragraphs because I realized I was veering way off topic.