Chicago "wildings" - not just in Southside?? (Wilmette: home, transfer to)

[Drover]

When a poster references not one but two overtly racist blog sites, is it then safe to assume said poster is a troll?

A link to DSLC can't be far behind.

[thirtysomethingtransplant]

Originally Posted by Drover

When a poster references not one but two overtly racist blog sites, is it then safe to assume said poster is a troll?

A link to DSLC can't be far behind.

I don't know much about the crime site that posted the videos, but I believe whomever posted it has a right to describe the perpetrators of a crime by their physical appearance so that they may be identified and apprehended. If 3 Asian grandmas robbed a bank, it would be foolish to search for anything other than elderly Asian grandmas. Slimeballs come in all shapes and sizes, and I think most people have the sense to recognize that. It's a shame when people play the race card.

[SmartGXL]

I have posted frequently about this issue over the past year and a half; you can look at my posting history to see what I had experienced on this issue during that time.

I was a 14 year resident of Chicago, spending most of that time living in East/Central Lakeview, as well as a few years spent over in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. I moved to the area, from ohio, in 1998, and witnessed a lot of changes to the lakeview area. It had already mostly gentrified when I got there, but during the 2000's, I saw it become an even more amazing neighborhood, and got to live there during the era when a lot of people started wanting to move to the city and live in urban, walkable environments. I watched the neighborhood become this amazing place, attracting really great people, of all races.

Lakeview was (and mostly still is) an awesome neighborhood to live in. Same thing with Gold Coast and most parts of downtown. But as someone who loved living in Chicago, and who loves urban living, walkability, and nightlife, there have been some problems.

Yes, it is true, that most of those years, the area was VERY SAFE and there were rarely any major negatives to living there. Yes, there are bums/panhandlers, and yes there is the occasional crazy person who takes the Broadway bus down from Uptown, and stands on the street corner talking to himself. I dont have a problem with those people; they have always been there and most likely always will; I have no problem with that aspect of Lakeview. And yes, in any city, anywhere, you habve to have some degree of awareness and street smarts and to always watch out for muggers, etc.

At the end of 2008 I moved over to Wicker Park. Then in 2011 I decided I wanted to move back to Lakeview. I moved into an apartment at Belmont and Sheffield, and as soon as I moved in, I noticed something had changed in the area. Every night, there were large packs of black "youth", who would walk up and down Belmont and up and down Halsted. I have NO PROBLEMS with people of other race or color. But, for some reason, these large groups of kids that were now "hanging around" the area, had a hostile presence, a mean, confrontational attitude, and seemed like there were looking to fight or looking for trouble. They would block the sidewalks (a misdemeanor), act roudy/loud (misdemeanor), fight with each other (reckless behaviour, a misdemeanor), bully/intimidate people on the sidewalk (misdemeanor), on and on, every obnoxious rude behaviour you could think of, these kids were enagaging in it. It was NIGHTLY. The groups are also known for stabbing each other (has happened on many occasions, too many to count, there is even a video on youtube), but are also known for robbing innocent people walking by, both men and women (check the police records from when people call the cops from being mugged, its all on the internet). They particularly like to steal people's iphones, then jump on the Red Line and head back to their neighborhood. There is simply not enough police anymore to stop these idiots from basically terrorizing the area. The area that seems plagued with these problems is the part of the Belmont Corridor, from Sheffield down to Halsted, and then from there, up Halsted all the way to at Grace Street. Drive thru there at night, around 11pm, and you will see them; they hang out in packs of 5 to 20 and they like to block the sidewalk and menace people. How do I know this is all real? Because I lived right in the middle of it all for 1 year.

Also, three guys in my building (all of whom were gay) were beaten up by these groups of kids.

As the summer of 2011 went on, the violence got worse. Beatings, muggings, drug dealing; mean people, who dont live in the neighborhood, roaming the streets of Lakeview, looking for trouble.

When school went back into session in the fall of 2011, things quieted down a little bit, but there were still problems at night. You would still see the packs of kids, roaming up and down Belmont, roaming up and down Halsted. Some nights were better than others. Weekends were still bad. Like the other poster mentioned, I have seen kids jump on other people's cars, sit on the hoods, DANCE on the hoods (!!!) etc. the amount of riff-raff walking the streets in the Belmont/Halsted area now, is just insane. You dont even want to go there at night anymore, its awful.

During that time, Gold Coast also had similar issues; wildings taking place at night, etc. during Memorial Day weekend, the police had to shut down North Avenue beach, because large packs of gang bangers had taken over the beach and the bike path, and were fighting with each other....beating up innocent bicyclists, etc. After that weekend was when it seemed like everything went down the tubes for Lakeview and Gold Coast.

This past spring, I decided I had had enough, and took a job transfer to Dallas. So I am no longer living in Chicago. But I keep tabs on what has been going on there, and everything seems like it is WORSE than last year. Beatings, muggings, apartment break ins, you name it, lakeview/Gold Coast has been plagued with these problems. One of the worst areas right now, is the area right off the Chicago Ave El Stop. Almost every night, DOZENS of kids would come pouring out of the El stop. They like to hang out around the msdonalds there, and they sort of "own" the sidewalk there...same element as I described above...pushing, shoving, forcing pedestrians off the sidewalk into traffic, etc.
Yes, it is true, that the media is being asked by the Mayor's office, to not cover the crimes, or to downplay them. The media did, however, cover the WRIGLEYVILLE THROAT SLASHING. Oh yeah, the other posters on this site dont want me to bring that up, but YEAH...an individual brought a machete to lakeview one night, and decided to slash the throat of a yuppie out walking his dog....just like Jason from Friday the 13th!! He lived, but now has a scar on his throat! Dont believe me? Here is the link to the news report: Wrigleyville Man's Throat Slashed in Random Attack | NBC Chicago

[Drover]

Originally Posted by thirtysomethingtransplant

I don't know much about the crime site that posted the videos, but I believe whomever posted it has a right to describe the perpetrators of a crime by their physical appearance so that they may be identified and apprehended. If 3 Asian grandmas robbed a bank, it would be foolish to search for anything other than elderly Asian grandmas. Slimeballs come in all shapes and sizes, and I think most people have the sense to recognize that. It's a shame when people play the race card.

It's time to go troll some other forum. I think your welcome here is about worn out.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by thirtysomethingtransplant

VIDEO: Black mob disrupts North Avenue Beach - Chicago News Report | Chicago News Blogs | Chicago Crime | News Blotter

Wow. I never go to North avenue beach. Too many people with to many problems.

Lets see a posting of White mobs on St. Patrick day in Wrigleyville.

Scarry!

[ChiNaan]

..

[Lorielicious]

"O hai everyone. I'm thinking of moving to Chicago, but I hear there are a lot of black people who attack whites. Is this true? Should I move despite the constant threat of negro violence? I'd appreciate your feedback. Oh, here go some links from racist websites about the bad things the bad coloreds have done. Discuss."

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by thirtysomethingtransplant

I don't know much about the crime site that posted the videos, but I believe whomever posted it has a right to describe the perpetrators of a crime by their physical appearance so that they may be identified and apprehended. If 3 Asian grandmas robbed a bank, it would be foolish to search for anything other than elderly Asian grandmas. Slimeballs come in all shapes and sizes, and I think most people have the sense to recognize that. It's a shame when people play the race card.

Oops, I spoke too soon in defending you. Now I agree that you're a troll. Bye bye.

Originally Posted by Lorielicious

"O hai everyone. I'm thinking of moving to Chicago, but I hear there are a lot of black people who attack whites. Is this true? Should I move despite the constant threat of negro violence? I'd appreciate your feedback. Oh, here go some links from racist websites about the bad things the bad coloreds have done. Discuss."

Yep, that about sums it up.

[marothisu]

Relax. It's a city. Things happen from time to time and yes, every once in awhile downtown someone gets mugged, and sometimes some people up to no good happen to go to the beach and get into trouble. How is that different from almost any other big city? Please listen to the people who live here and are out every single day. I hate seeing crime, but I hardly ever see any crime in these neighborhoods. I've seen more crimes being committed in suburbs before than in these places.

I have nothing to gain by telling you so and so neighborhood is safe and you don't have much to worry about. It's an internet forum for god's sake and I'm not giving any advice on particular buildings to live in. If you can't handle the fact that things happen every once in awhile in areas, then you should reconsider city life.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by SmartGXL

This past spring, I decided I had had enough, and took a job transfer to Dallas. So I am no longer living in Chicago.

Hi smartgxl,

Too bad you didn't think of other great neighborhoods like Hydepark or Southloop. The drug, prostitution and huge bar culture has taken it toll on Lakeview. The problem is far greater than Black youth.

Good luck in your new city.