Degree of danger facing a white visitor to the Southside and Westside? (Greenwood: neighborhood, buy)

[LeotheOrangeCat]

Originally Posted by reppin_the_847

At least the legendary Sudhir could potentially pass for a brother that happens to have good hair. A typical Aussie might have a bit more difficulty pulling off what someone of south Indian descent can pull off.

And after the first day Sudhir was clicked up with the leader of the local Gangster Disciples - so no one would touch him. On the other hand, on the first day, the gang detained him and discussed killing him.

The OP's experience could be really great but it could also turn out badly.

[urza216]

An eccentric white guy (read: crazy ass whiteboy) or someone affiliated with rival gangs or the police? Who do you think is MUCH more likely to get shot in the hood?

Come on, now..

If you ever get scared, just start muttering to yourself and strutting around like you're strung out on three different drugs.. LOL, that's my advice and I'm sticking to it.

Take notes from this guy. People in the hood walk to the other side of the street when he's coming through!!

[Teckeeee]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

Just bring this "mate" with you and you should be fine

Is That a Knife - YouTube

I was thinking more like this guy


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unkIV...9E65B5687CF22C

[LeotheOrangeCat]

Originally Posted by Just1Fan

I wonder how many white visitors were victims of violent crimes on the south side of Chicago last year... or any year. It's like all they do, on the south side, is prey on people who they don't even know.

Oh look, there's a face that's not from around here. Lets go attack that white person so the police can shut down the entire neighborhood.

Back in '95 my future ex-wife exited the Dan Ryan and went to a nearby gas station to ask for directions. It was a Friday night and some people were hanging out at the station. Before she made it to the building she was confronted by a guy with a knife, roughed up and relieved of her engagement ring. I think that was her only trip to the South Side. The party that fared the worst in encounter was the insurance company that had just insured her personal property, including the ring.

[urza216]

In all seriousness, just walk like you're on a mission. You know, the cliché advice. Know where you're going, walk quickly and confidently, etc. Look like you belong and have legit business there. This shouldn't be too hard because.. umm.. you do have legit business there.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by LeotheOrangeCat

Back in '95 my future ex-wife exited the Dan Ryan and went to a nearby gas station to ask for directions. It was a Friday night and some people were hanging out at the station. Before she made it to the building she was confronted by a guy with a knife, roughed up and relieved of her engagement ring. I think that was her only trip to the South Side. The party that fared the worst in encounter was the insurance company that had just insured her personal property, including the ring.

I've been a white guy in the hood at a gas station giving people directions... Nice fear-mongering.

It's a shame that management at that gas station allows people to "hang around". Perhaps it would've been a good idea to go to a different gas station.

Using this incident to spread fear about the entire south side is more than just a little unfair.

[Lizita]

Originally Posted by michaelwest

I will be arriving in Chicago this July for a five month stay. I am a white male researcher with the gang prevention unit at the University of Sydney in Australia. As part of my research I plan to extensively visit the Southside and Westside whilst in Chicago, primarily focusing my studies on West Garfield Park and Austin in the west and the Englewood, West Englewood, Gage Park region in the south. I am well aware that there is a very high level of gang violence in these areas.

What risk though will I actually face while visiting these neighbourhoods?

I've spent time in similar problematic neighbourhoods in LA (South central, compton, watts, etc), which despite their reputation are obviously still normal suburbs where people carry out their day to day lives, albeit in the presence of higher than average levels of crime.

I will spend the initial weeks getting the lay of the land by driving through the region (day and night), but then hope to spend time walking around during the day later on. Is there a considerable risk of being mugged in the daytime? As a white person am I likely to be heckled? How (to the best of your knowledge) would people hanging around in the street react if I approached them in a friendly manner? Will my Australian accent have any positive/negative effect?

Cheers,
Mike

I'm white and for a few months a lived right by Garfield Park on the West Side with a friend. The only problem I ever had was with the police who kept stopping me, assuming that I was there buying drugs. I was never mugged or saw anyone else being mugged, nor was I heckled except for once at a bus stop when a guy called me "white *****". There is a lot of crime, yes, but it's also a neighborhood where a lot of families live so unless you're a gang banger or drug dealer yourself you are not likely to see any violence. The closest thing to crime you are likely to see is drug dealers standing in groups on corners waiting for customer, calling out "rocks or blows" when you walk buy (this means "would you like to buy crack or heroin"). The appropriate response to decline the offer, I learned, is "I'm straight".
Although few white people live in these neighorhoods there are white people in the area during the day. You should be fine, especially on the main drags. Just stay out of the projects. They are not friendly places. I would also stay away after dark.

I think you'd do just fine approaching people on the corners in a friendly manner and I do believe your Australian accent would be a help. All people love to talk about themselves. Nobody is going to attack you for approaching them. In my experience most people on the West Side are pretty friendly.

[jonnynonos]

There is a big difference between "the hood" when used to describe, say, Mt. Greenwood, and walking around at night in Englewood or Austin.

I doubt many people really can say what's likely to happen to a khaki-clad white college professor just walking around the worst parts of Englewood at all hours as I would seriously guess that it has never before been attempted.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by Lizita

I'm white and for a few months a lived right by Garfield Park on the West Side with a friend. The only problem I ever had was with the police who kept stopping me, assuming that I was there buying drugs. I was never mugged or saw anyone else being mugged, nor was I heckled except for once at a bus stop when a guy called me "white *****". There is a lot of crime, yes, but it's also a neighborhood where a lot of families live so unless you're a gang banger or drug dealer yourself you are not likely to see any violence. The closest thing to crime you are likely to see is drug dealers standing in groups on corners waiting for customer, calling out "rocks or blows" when you walk buy (this means "would you like to buy crack or heroin"). The appropriate response to decline the offer, I learned, is "I'm straight".
Although few white people live in these neighorhoods there are white people in the area during the day. You should be fine, especially on the main drags. Just stay out of the projects. They are not friendly places. I would also stay away after dark.

I think you'd do just fine approaching people on the corners in a friendly manner and I do believe your Australian accent would be a help. All people love to talk about themselves. Nobody is going to attack you for approaching them. In my experience most people on the West Side are pretty friendly.

Even if you only lived there for a few months, you should've went to the DMV and updated your address. The cops then run your plates and see where you live before pulling you over...

[Lizita]

I think most people are basing their advice on assumptions and rumors. I've heard a lot about how white people can't walk around in the hood and how there is so much violence all over the place but oddly enough I've never seen it and I spent a lot of time there since my best friend used to live on Lake and Kedzie.