Top 5 Worst Neighborhoods in Chicago (Oak Park, Brookfield: apartments, high crime, house)

[Avengerfire]

I never was interested in this thread too much to begin with. This stuff has been hashed,rehashed, and turned into corned beef hash like 50 times.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Manigault

Well, I disagree. You dehumanize folks when you make blanket statements about whole groups, even if you think the statements are favorable.

You never watched "All in the Family"? Norman Lear's dialogue included: "Saying Jews make good husbands is also biased, in its own way."

Plus positive statements can have negative inferences. So people don't always appreciate those who make them.

Dehumanize. That's a handy catch word. Dehumanize is when you compare people to beasts, like during WWII when the Japanese compared us to dogs and we compared them to monkeys. Maybe I'm DEPERSONALIZING people but I'm not dehumanizing them.

I didn't watch All in The Family. It was bigotry against working class people although I understand it was popular with "social" liberals, you know, people who think it's OK for Gays to marry but not OK for them to join a labor union. I'm not too keen on prejudice against working people though I understand it's popular with the bourgeois and is one of the ways they build up their own sense of moral superiority.

But perhaps you're right, maybe I'm wrong to admire the Mexicans.

[Humboldt1]

I warned you. There are some great poor people in Chicago and many live in areas that need some serious help. Unfortunately, as has happened in the schools the best and brightest will generally flee and leave those left behind to fend for themselves. Perhaps the solution is for those people not to leave in the first place and stick around to mentor youth and lead the neighborhood in the right direction. With the exception of a few noble souls this is not happening.

[Tuffs83]

Hey, people make assumptions based off of crime statistics. Also, they do base their opinions on drive by views and what they can see from the expressway. This, however is not extremeley accurate, but accurate enough. If you happen to live in these areas and disagree with what people are saying, then you are either on a good block or you are lucky. Either way, remember that random crime happens to a small population of people. Very few people can say they've been robbed, mugged or even bothered, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist in a particular neighborhood more frequently that another. You just may not be that stat.

[Humboldt1]

I have been robbed, mugged (at gunpoint and beaten), and bothered. I know what I am talking about. Right or wrong, with the exception of one young hispanic man who harassed me about being in the area while I was wearing my suit, all of those who have robbed, mugged and bothered me have been black. This was both in St. Louis and Chicago.

Okay, I am done with my rant. Please don't move this thread to the political forum as you have done in the past everytime I am honest about my experiences in the inner city.

[aragx6]

The thing is Humboldt it's not even that this has gotten political; it's more that it's gotten completely off topic. Which is really pretty funny given that you were the one that started this thread.

[MkeOrd]

This whole process has ruined our cities and made our suburbs wastelands of isolation.

High school kids in the burbs are making fools of themselves or worse (school shootings, myspace scandals, orgies, piercings and worse), and inner city kids are treated like criminals (sure some are in gangs and crime is an issue), but this is true even if they are just getting a gourmet German chocolate bar at the Aldi (by the way they are darned good).

In 1945 the cities of Europe were bombed out and places like Englewood were still pretty nice. In 1990 our cities were all bombed out but we knocked them over with cranes and the war torn cities of Europe had rebuilt themselves with great transit systems, and awesome downtowns by 1990. They have a sense of community. We do not. Would you rather be paid in USD or Euros?

Those churches in Englewood were built 100 years ago by the grandparents of European immigrants who would be ashamed to see what has happened just because people would not or could not live together. Go drive around Englewood and check out some of the great old buildings and stop at 620 W. 63rd street ALDI for a candy bar (I think this is where the "Devil in the White City" guy lived).

Be nice, provide useful advice. :-)

[Manigault]

I've been beaten, robbed and threatened by white youths, never by black ones. But I don't jump to conclusions.

Move this thread or lock it!

[Humboldt1]

I will DM you regarding your last post as I don't want to get anymore political.

[memo92]

1.englewood
2.Pilsen
3.Little village
4.Back of the yards
5.Garfield park