Chicago Segregation Worries Mixed Race (Decatur: cars, racist, Irish)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by cxdurden

Chicago is KNOWN for being one of the most segregated and racist BIG cities in North America. I am not saying that we are still live in Daley Sr's 1968 Chicago, nor am I saying that Chicago is Jackson, Mississippi -- but let's cut the bull**** out and stop trying to live in some mythic fantasyland where now that Obama is President, a magical wand was waved and suddenly hundreds of years racial prejudice is gone.

But then again -- I don't want to make Chicago seem that bad. Chicago is probably one of the better cities for well off, educated professional Black professionals to live in.

You know what other major city is calculated to be just as, if not more, segregated than Chicago? New York City. By some calculations New York is more segregated than Chicago, yet it rarely gets criticized as such.

Pretty much any older northern city that experienced a large influx of black residents during the years of the Great Migration is residentially segregated. This can be measured via census data and the "segregation index". Racism cannot be measured though, and it's hard to objectively compare cities in this respect. To say that Chicago is somehow more racist than another city is a claim that cannot be backed up. Though I've definitely met some very racist people here--and nearly all of them were South Side and South Suburban whites. In the more educated and yuppified parts of the city, it isn't socially acceptable to show racism in any way shape or form.

[tb4000]

Hang out in the loop for about a day. Every other couple is interracial. You'll manage.

[otters21]

Oak Park is a viable option.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Though I've definitely met some very racist people here--and nearly all of them were South Side and South Suburban whites. In the more educated and yuppified parts of the city, it isn't socially acceptable to show racism in any way shape or form.

And yet those South Side and south suburban whites voted heavily for Obama. At least the ones I know and I know lots of them, my main social circle being South Side and south suburban trade unionists. In fact I don't know a single person who voted against Obama or who would admit it anyway. My information is anecdotal not statistical.

[skyeINIL]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

And yet those South Side and south suburban whites voted heavily for Obama. At least the ones I know and I know lots of them, my main social circle being South Side and south suburban trade unionists. In fact I don't know a single person who voted against Obama or who would admit it anyway. My information is anecdotal not statistical.

Didn't a lot of Bridgeport vote for Obama?

[snoylekim]

All the options mentioned here ( well , just about all) such as Hyde Park, Oak Park and Lincoln Park would be OK, but 350-400K for a SFD house won't be found in those areas ... unless there's some foreclosure and lots of sweat equity ( and in LP, a single family house with a lot for 350K will NOT be on the market very long ..) ..

[PokerPlayer1]

Originally Posted by cxdurden

In this day in age when Blacks and Hispanics make over half of the US prison population

I'm probably the largest critic of the US Justice system you will ever find, but this is one of the most BS lamentations one regularly hears. The reason blacks and Hispanics are disproportionately incarcerated is because they're disproportionately involved in certain criminal activities... and at this point, you point out socioeconomic reasons for this and we agree. Still, it doesn't negate the fact that a) they're more heavily involved in certain criminal activities thus resulting in a disproportionately high rate of incarceration and b) socioeconomics may explain certain root causes of certain things, but the the existence of socioeconomic explanations aren't an "excuse". Throwing race into the mix is counterproductive as hell. Instead, focus on the grotesque sentencing standards, the idiotic laws and the failings of the system that impact EVERYONE. That blacks are disproportionately involved has little to do with race and more to do with economics.

More hate crimes are committed against Blacks than other minority

Yeah, that's because the "hate crime" threshold has pretty much shown itself to exclude all other people. See recent debate on "goofy looking white boy".

institutional racism in the public educational system (as witnessed through the massive disparities in funding and investment)

Washington DC, the "blackest" school system in America, spends more per-capita on students than any other area and regularly has some of the lowest achievement. The reason black kids underachieve has virtually nothing to do with funding. That's one of the myths continually thrown out there by people who don't understand that correlation doesn't imply causation and until they get their heads out of their asses and start "blaming" the right things, the achievement gap will continue to exist. Ever see an 8 year old kid in India writing Java code? Wonder how much "funding" he receives at his school?

workplace discrimination

Ignoring the fact that there are institutional standards that mandate the hiring a % of certain ethnicities even if more qualified white applicants are available?

The programmed blather resulting from the tired old "blame circle of failure" is just so false it makes me want to puke. I agree that "racism exists" and there are certainly instances of it having an impact things, but generally speaking, the massive failings of the black community has more to do with their inability to get their own house in order than it does this widely accepted, guilt-ridden leftist imaginary imperative that white society is failing blacks by not giving them enough "assistance".

Jews never seemed to have this problem, and they've been crapped on longer and worse than any other ethnicity. Of course, they also have the highest average IQ of any ethnic group, so I'm sure that has a wee bit to do with it.

[RonnieJonez]

Originally Posted by cxdurden

Given that your handle is Irishtom, I am then going to assume you are non-Black. With that being said, even though you say racism still might exist, your argument is so blatantly simple and ignorant, that one might think that you are racist. In this day in age when Blacks and Hispanics make over half of the US prison population, more hate crimes are committed against Blacks than other minority, institutional racism in the public educational system (as witnessed through the massive disparities in funding and investment), workplace discrimination, etc - it makes me wonder white people like you are so quick to nullify the impact of racism and racial discrimination.

Chicago is KNOWN for being one of the most segregated and racist BIG cities in North America. I am not saying that we are still live in Daley Sr's 1968 Chicago, nor am I saying that Chicago is Jackson, Mississippi -- but let's cut the bull**** out and stop trying to live in some mythic fantasyland where now that Obama is President, a magical wand was waved and suddenly hundreds of years racial prejudice is gone.

But then again -- I don't want to make Chicago seem that bad. Chicago is probably one of the better cities for well off, educated professional Black professionals to live in.

That's very well put. I agree, there is this ideology among whites that by pushing "racism" aside, it automatically doesn't really exist anymore. The belief that if the KKK isn't in your hometown, you need to forget about racism because you're hanging onto the past is simply absurd. Or, the popular accusation of being a racist, for simply pointing it's still there, because you're then indirectly implying the majority of whites are racist.

Another thing you have to consider, Chicago is in the midwest which is a traditional racist stronghold, I'm not saying the coasts aren't racist, but I think the people are generally more open-minded in those areas and not as quick to be insulted when you point out racism is still alive and well. The midwest is probably one of the least resistant to change areas in the country after the deep south.

I think Obama's election has probably helped improve race relations in America, although it's going to be a very slow process.

[ajolotl]

There are about five interracial couples within a block of me in East Beverly. It is the biggest non-issue in the world.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

That's very well put. I agree, there is this ideology among whites that by pushing "racism" aside, it automatically doesn't really exist anymore.

When people are free to achieve whatever their talents and drive will allow them to then it doesn't matter if racism exists or not . Unless you're concerned about your feelings being hurt or looking for some issue to hang your hat on. Instead of dwelling on the injustices of the past I suggest such people put their nose to the grindstone.

Many Liberals are rapidly not giving a damn whether racism exists or not, that there are bigger fish to fry. I'm one of them.