Is the Southside really that bad? (Chicago, Washington: crime rate, loans, how much)

[ajolotl]

Another interesting fact is that the article is so uniformly and vehemently condemned as whitewashed bs in the 250 or so comments that sprung up after it was published. I have no basis to speculated one way or the other on the accuracy of the depiction in the article, but I read through all of the comments and was shocked by how negative the reaction was from former residents, and how little credibility they lent the author. I will say that I did find it odd that the bus had a police escort.

[Humboldt1]

Maybe the article is true and reflects what those people experienced. That is certainly the kind of crap social liberals would like to believe. If it is true this is an isolated incident that the author had to look long and hard to find. It sounds by the responses received from other former residents that the author may have only spoke with people who met their agenda of "can't we all just get along.".

My evicted residents also did not like section 8 renters though it may have been out of jealousy as they perceived them as doing a better job of working they system than they were.

[MannheimMadman]

That's pretty sad when trash isn't even fond of other trash.

[EventHorizon]

I went back to visit my dad's neighborhood in Elgin only to discover that the main sign facing the street at the elementary school he attended was made out in Spanish. There was not even an English translation for "Summer classes begin June 22nd." That said a thing or two about the direction of the neighborhood.

[ParkerP]

Originally Posted by Manigault

[There certainly are drive-bys in the country. I'm a hunter and sometimes I'm frightened to go in some areas because the meth cookers are very protective of their turf.

But, to bring it back to Chicago, you folks need to get off race. There are more poor white folks in this nation than poor black folks.]

Specifically on white flight, this is all highly coincidental. Did any of y'all see the Trib today? They had a reunion of some folks who fled when the neighborhood around 98th and Jeffrey got too black (that's also where Richard Speck did his thing!). And when they went back, guess what they found? The neighborhood was pretty much the same, with folks a lot like themselves living in the homes and on the streets abandoned by them. Myself, I can remember the large billboards put up by realtors in white areas of the south side which read "Thinking of Selling Your Home?". It got pretty graphic.

Its a shame the white folks just didn't stay put.

Check it out!:

A return flight long overdue -- chicagotribune.com

This is a nice article. What's hilarious are the comments afterwards. How did Obama get dragged into this?, LOL

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by ParkerP

This is a nice article. What's hilarious are the comments afterwards. How did Obama get dragged into this?, LOL

The comments in the Chicago Tribune forums almost always reflect a knee-jerk "paleo-conservative" (for lack of a better term) point-of-view.

[MannheimMadman]

I just had a chance to read a good chunk of the comments and...

Is it just me, or are some of the posters blowing things WAY out of proportion? Hispanics throwing bricks through windows to get them to leave, blacks beating up whites..etc.

That one guy was pretty upset with the way Garfield Ridge is supposedly turning out. I've been going out that way for the last month or so to see this neighborhood and Clearing, and it seems that most of the houses, lawns and garages are in pretty fantastic shape, even if "it's 50%" hispanic.

Also, is there any merit to "Mexicans coming in and forcing Whites out"? Sounds like a whole new wave of white flight to me.

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

Another interesting fact is that the article is so uniformly and vehemently condemned as whitewashed bs in the 250 or so comments that sprung up after it was published. I have no basis to speculated one way or the other on the accuracy of the depiction in the article, but I read through all of the comments and was shocked by how negative the reaction was from former residents, and how little credibility they lent the author. I will say that I did find it odd that the bus had a police escort.

Hey, I saw that you live in East Beverly- do you mind if I PM you some questions about it?

[Humboldt1]

Manheim,

There are different levels of trash. Some "bad" are worse than others.

My former renters were bad in that they did not pay bills and were generally dishonest but they did have jobs (mostly with the state). They were gangbangers or bigtime drug dealers (one guy sold weed).

Had they been worse trash I would be dead or drowning in debt from court costs of them suing me.

[ajolotl]

no problem. ajolotl at gmail dot com