Racist Undertones (Chicago, Naperville, Cicero: fit in, apartment, crime rate)

[blitzen001]

Hello there.
I havent been on these forums long as i live in the UK and looking to move out to Chicago in the next 3 moths....

HOWEVER

Something is concerning me.
I see alot of racially leaning arguments around these boards. Is this very prolific in the States or is it just the Chicago area.

I am a white european, and although i dont want to live in an area with massive balck, hispanic, (particularly)eastern european populations, i have seen things here that even if there is a tiny amount if this, people are dead against it.

This post isnt intentionally to 'ruffle' anyones feathers or offend anyone but i would like to know what things are like there before i move my family out there.

(Western Springs is the likeliest place atm....but thats not what my post is about )

[NYrules]

Chicago and it's metro area is and always has been known to be one of the MOST segregated cities in the United States where on one side of a street or within a block or two its all white and the other its all black. It's getting better some lately as home prices in decent all white neighborhoods are absolutley crazy now costing around $300K for an average no frills house forcing whites to reconsider their notion to only move in an area that is all white, and in many cases from my own experiences through friends, move into areas that are mixed, get a great house, and find out the neighborhood is not bad and they actually like it and make some great new friends. Sadly though white flight and racism still do exist here very much in certain areas... (Archer Heights... Turning all Latino, South Holland... slowly turning all black, Sauk Village.... slowly turning all black., Bridgeview... Rapidly turning into little Iran and Palestine, Hammond, IN... turning from all black and Latino back to a mix of white, black, and Latino as much gentrification is going on there thanks to the casino and the tax dollars that has brought into the city, etc). Hope this all doesnt burst your bubble.

[welder]

You just said yourself that "u don't want to live in an area with MASSIVE amounts of black, hispanic, (particulary) eastern europeans". You yourself are a RACIST. U might not realize it, but u are. That was a RACIST comment. Personlly, I could care less about your comment. But others will think differently. Everbody has a little RACIST in them. Whether they will admit it or not, it exist in EVERYONE. The Northside of chicago is a pretty diverse area throughout. Southside and far westside aint.

[chitowngal]

Chicago always has been segregated. However, when you reach soe of the higher end neighborhoods you are actually starting to see a little bit of a mix. But on the low end you can forget it. It is typically seperated by race in that ecomic sector.

But just because they dont all live together I wont neccessarily call it straight out racist. Except in Cicero. But I have been gon for almost 6 years to Texas so it may have changed out there.

[At1WithNature]

People tend to look at crime and education statistics and base their opinion off of that. if one deems that racist then that is on that person because race is in the mind of the racist while stats are just stats!

[blitzen001]

Originally Posted by welder

You just said yourself that "u don't want to live in an area with MASSIVE amounts of black, hispanic, (particulary) eastern europeans". You yourself are a RACIST. U might not realize it, but u are. That was a RACIST comment. Personlly, I could care less about your comment. But others will think differently. Everbody has a little RACIST in them. Whether they will admit it or not, it exist in EVERYONE. The Northside of chicago is a pretty diverse area throughout. Southside and far westside aint.

It wasnt a racist comment (or wasnt meant that way). It was a comment to suggest that it will be hard enough for me and my family to fit in as it is.
If i moved to a hugely diverse part of town then it would be even more difficult....with me?

The part about Eastern Europeans (Polish/Russia/Latvian etc) is from experience here in the UK.
I live in a village about 2 miles from quite a large urban population. The crime rate went through the roof once the EU opened its borders and people from these parts moved in. Im not saying that the crime rate is down to them completely. The statistics do however saying something differrent and clearly speak for themsleves.

If i am moving 4000 miles, i don't really want to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire.

[At1WithNature]

don't worry blitzen, you were just being honest. if others interpret that one way or another, that's their conclusion and not yours.

bottomline is chicago has horrible crime rates (even the suburbs) and with crime comes bitterness, racial undertones, and anger. these all lead to nothing but evil/negative things. that's why it seems like chicago is so segregated because the crime rate is through the roof! and people just naturally feel safer around their own kind.

if the chicago area didn't have so many crime ridden communities, the segregation wouldn't be such a big deal.

just realize that the chicago area is no walk in the park unless you are rich and can avoid the perils of society by using the almighty dollar.

the big difference from the UK and chicago is the criminals have guns here...machine guns (AK-47's) too.

[cubssoxfan]

Blitzen,
Unfortunately, Chicago does have some prejudism. I see it more on the south side although it is present in other areas as well. The good news is, if you can afford Western Springs, Hinsdale or La Grange, the income required to live in these areas seems to diminish the prejudism. It is due to a higher education level and higher income level. If someone of a different color or background buys the 500,000 house next to you, they will most likely keep it in nice shape. When you discuss lower income areas where $500 a month rents an apartment, it is much more varied. There are areas where some diversity exists without the prejudism.

[Steve-o]

I dont think your post is racist whatsoever. If your post is racist, then all the blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Jews, Poles, etc, are racist as well for wanting to live by their own kind.

And there are TONS of safe places in Chicagoland, dont let these posts freak you out.

[At1WithNature]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I dont think your post is racist whatsoever. If your post is racist, then all the blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Jews, Poles, etc, are racist as well for wanting to live by their own kind.

And there are TONS of safe places in Chicagoland, dont let the above post freak you out.

this is true, there are many wonderful suburbs in the chicago area...too many to count but if you don't have the money can you really move to Orland Park or Naperville? That's the whole point.