New Lenox - Why we love it! (Chicago, Mokena: home, school districts)

[ITChick]

Originally Posted by vester72

You hear about crime, schools, whatever causing the whites to leave, but we all know the real reason. Heck, most of the schools in the South Burbs were never that good to begin with so it's not like the racial shift has caused some crazy drop off in test scores.

I don't think that is a very fair assumption and sounds a bit reverse racist to me. I grew up with parents who chose to live in several different mixed neighborhoods but were each time forced to move due to crime issues, not because of who was moving in. When the crime level goes up, and people hear their neighbor being attacked, or read about a crime that happened a few doors down, they get afraid for their family's safety and start to look for other places to live. Not every white person in Illinois jumps up and moves just because someone of a different color moved in their building or next door.

[NYrules]

I am not saying african americans are bad when speaking in terms of crime in an area depending on racial makeup, because I know many african americans who are great people in places I have worked and it looks like we may have an african american president next, but I heard a rather startling statistic this morning on B96 on my way into work. Do you know that for the age bracket of 18-35 year old men, 1 in 106 white males in this country are in prison, while of the same age bracket among black males the ratio is 1 in 9!!!! HOLY CRAP! I couldn't believe that, but that is quite a jump in people acting in a criminal manner, meaning there is a definite corrilation among black men and more crime. The djs even said that! I was shocked that they even said such a thing on the radio because it is going to offend people, but you know what... TOO BAD! Stop breaking the law already! What a concept. Heck Barack even said something last week pretty much meaning the same thing and that statement was geared towards african americans, and for God's sakes stop feeding them Popeyes Chicken already. LOL! (sources: WBBM FM 96.3 and Chicago Sun Times)

[LisaLisa]

New Lenox is Diverse because Joliet is next door? what kind of diversity statement is that? It's not. It all about "Pride".. It's diverse during "Proud american days", when the town tolerates people from outside of it's own town taking over the streets for a week.
sorry... not much on diversity.

[HighPlainsDrifter73]

Originally Posted by NYrules

I am not saying african americans are bad when speaking in terms of crime in an area depending on racial makeup, because I know many african americans who are great people in places I have worked and it looks like we may have an african american president next, but I heard a rather startling statistic this morning on B96 on my way into work. Do you know that for the age bracket of 18-35 year old men, 1 in 106 white males in this country are in prison, while of the same age bracket among black males the ratio is 1 in 9!!!! HOLY CRAP! I couldn't believe that, but that is quite a jump in people acting in a criminal manner, meaning there is a definite corrilation among black men and more crime. The djs even said that! I was shocked that they even said such a thing on the radio because it is going to offend people, but you know what... TOO BAD! Stop breaking the law already! What a concept. Heck Barack even said something last week pretty much meaning the same thing and that statement was geared towards african americans, and for God's sakes stop feeding them Popeyes Chicken already. LOL! (sources: WBBM FM 96.3 and Chicago Sun Times)

Why should they be afraid to say it on the radio? If those are the hard numbers and they were arrived at in an unbiased manner, I see no problem in reporting it. It's not the reporting of the numbers that's the problem, it's certain peoples reaction to them.

[vester72]

Originally Posted by HighPlainsDrifter73

Why should they be afraid to say it on the radio? If those are the hard numbers and they were arrived at in an unbiased manner, I see no problem in reporting it. It's not the reporting of the numbers that's the problem, it's certain peoples reaction to them.

Those numbers are accurate - they were published in the Washington Post.

Wanna know why "white flight" happens?

All you need to do is look at those numbers - they are not biased, slanted, just factual. I'll admit it - I was shocked to hear it - those numbers are insane and sad.

Kind of contradicts my earlier post, but I hadn't heard those numbers until today - crazy. Don't let Bill Cosby hear these numbers - he's already pissed enough.

The funny part is, even some blacks are part of the "white flight" - friends of mine grew up in South Holland (they are white), they didn't consider moving until two of their black neighbors moved out and told them to move too because all the "ghetto" folks were moving in (their neighbors words, not theirs or mine). I have no clue if South Holland is nice now or not, but that is their story from about 15 years ago. Obviously there were many other factors, but that was kind of their "tipping point".

[vester72]

Originally Posted by ITChick

I don't think that is a very fair assumption and sounds a bit reverse racist to me. I grew up with parents who chose to live in several different mixed neighborhoods but were each time forced to move due to crime issues, not because of who was moving in. When the crime level goes up, and people hear their neighbor being attacked, or read about a crime that happened a few doors down, they get afraid for their family's safety and start to look for other places to live. Not every white person in Illinois jumps up and moves just because someone of a different color moved in their building or next door.

I'm a white guy, can I be a reverse racist? Regardless, why are black reverse-racists and whites racist? Why isn't everyone just racist? Are Asians or Latinos reverse-racist too, or just black people? All of that confuses me.

Sorry if I sounded that way, was not meant to be reverse-racist. I am a lifelong South Sider and most of the kids I grew up with didn't go on to be doctors, lawyers or even go to college. I loved them all and loved my childhood, but they weren't a bunch of bookworms.

The majority of the South Side (as it was) was primarily blue-collar kids that went to trade school instead of college. Things have changed a LOT, but on the whole the public school the test scores (outside of H-F), were never as high as a lot of the other suburban schools - North, NW, West and SW.

If I had the energy I would quantify that statement, maybe in a later post. . .

[jmelv]

The New Lenox, Mokena, Frankfort, Illinois area is really experiencing a boon in construction of new businesses.

It is a nice place to live, away from the hussle & bustle of the city.

Definately some great issues you all bring up, but it's nothing that can't be worked through together.

Have any of you all seen the new local business directory? I came across this site and it's seems pretty informative.

Local resource guide and business directory for New Lenox, Illinois - Main Menu - ShopLincolnWay

Just my 2 - cents!

Jmelv

[At1WithNature]

Originally Posted by nanannie

not very diverse.

thus the low crime rates, great schools, award winning parks, and high education levels of its' citizens.

the new lenox, frankfort, mokena area is seeing too many cook county types move to the area. it's nice that so many people want to abandon their communities and invade these "used to be" sleeping suburbs but for the long time residents all of the cook county transplants are causing more problems (crime rates steadily increasing with the population, increased traffic, worse road conditions, etc.)

if you like new lenox now, you should have seen it 15 years ago!

[giarenee411]

Originally Posted by At1WithNature

thus the low crime rates, great schools, award winning parks, and high education levels of its' citizens.

the new lenox, frankfort, mokena area is seeing too many cook county types move to the area. it's nice that so many people want to abandon their communities and invade these "used to be" sleeping suburbs but for the long time residents all of the cook county transplants are causing more problems (crime rates steadily increasing with the population, increased traffic, worse road conditions, etc.)

if you like new lenox now, you should have seen it 15 years ago!

I grew up in New Lenox, graduated from L-Way. And you're right 15+ years ago it was a sleepy suburb "perfect" for raising a family. I hold the fondest of memories of every nook and cranny of that town.
I live in the south now (moved away 13 yrs. ago) and only get back to NL every two or three years. I was through there a year ago and I barely recognized it, once in a while I drove past something I recognized, but for the most part it has totally changed. Ah progress... ya can't stop it, but I can keep my sweet memories of a sweet little town forever!

[At1WithNature]

Originally Posted by giarenee411

I grew up in New Lenox, graduated from L-Way. And you're right 15+ years ago it was a sleepy suburb "perfect" for raising a family. I hold the fondest of memories of every nook and cranny of that town.
I live in the south now (moved away 13 yrs. ago) and only get back to NL every two or three years. I was through there a year ago and I barely recognized it, once in a while I drove past something I recognized, but for the most part it has totally changed. Ah progress... ya can't stop it, but I can keep my sweet memories of a sweet little town forever!

yup, there certainly isn't a Berry's Bargain World anymore! In fact, there is now a Lowe's there LOL.