The Chicago Factor: Are Transplants from Chicago Ruining Our State? (Des Moines: low crime, houses)

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by jeffs

I was reading some of your other posts, and I agree with you on a lot of things, but you cant deny the truth of the matter. Would I mind getting educated, hard working black folks to move here, Hell No. I'd welcome them. Anyone who wants to work, and be a productive member of society, I'd love to have here. Unfortunately our welfare system is much more lenient, and easier to get than Illinois, so instead of getting middle class blacks as you were saying, we get people looking to juice the system. And to be fair I see people of every race here, that need to be cut off. Welfare was made to help people get on their feet, if they were laid off, just had a baby, single mothers going to school. It was not made to be on for generations. If you want to act like a victim, you will always be a victim.

My father will be working in Iowa soon. And he is African-American. Iowa has a low unemployment rate(lower than where I live, in Georgia). It also has a lower crime rate and overall, my father will do fine in Iowa. However, majority of middle class African-Americans are moving to Georgia,Texas, and North Carolina, not to Iowa for some reason. He is taking the job in Iowa because that is where he can get work. However, many persons who want work often don't look for it in Iowa. The question is "How to get MORE working and professional African-Americans to come to Iowa"? I use the term MORE, because African-Americans with jobs are moving to Iowa, but the ones moving to Iowa are very low in comparisons to those moving to the Atlanta, Charlotte, and Houston. Even the Twin Cities are seeing a sizeable migration of profession African-Americans to its cities.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by jeffs

Bull**** back at you. I live in Davenport, and we have TONS of transplants from Cabrini Green. The slum lord that owned them also owns properties in Eastern Iowa. When they tore them down, a lot of residents moved to his other buildings. We have low income and section 8 apartments popping up here in Davenport every month. If you don't believe me, I'd be happy to draw you a map, and you can come and see for yourself.

Maybe they just told you they were from Crabrini to sound badass and you're Iowa self believed them. lol.

The folks who lived in Cabrini are a small segment of Chicago's poor black population and an even smaller segment of Chicagoland's black population. There never were "tons" of people living in the roughest of the rough neighborhood in the first place. Only a small number of people lived in the roughest of the rough neighborhood.

80% of ex-project residents re-located elsewhere in the city of Chicago. Others relocated to the burbs. Even if 5% relocated to Iowa and 2% relocated to the Quad Cities, it would be a very very small number of people.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by urza216

Maybe they just told you they were from Crabrini to sound badass and you're Iowa self believed them. lol.

The folks who lived in Cabrini are a small segment of Chicago's poor black population and an even smaller segment of Chicagoland's black population. There never were "tons" of people living in the roughest of the rough neighborhood in the first place. Only a small number of people lived in the roughest of the rough neighborhood.

80% of ex-project residents re-located elsewhere in the city of Chicago. Others relocated to the burbs. Even if 5% relocated to Iowa and 2% relocated to the Quad Cities, it would be a very very small number of people.

Putting it in those terms, this would mean that there would be more African-Americans moving to Iowa for work and a higher quality of life than not. This changes many things. Thanks for the numbers.

Now this begs another question: Why are the bad elements within the African-American population getting the most attention? Actually, I think I know the answer to that, but it still leaves alot to wonder about.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Putting it in those terms, this would mean that there would be more African-Americans moving to Iowa for work and a higher quality of life than not. This changes many things. Thanks for the numbers.

Now this begs another question: Why are the bad elements within the African-American population getting the most attention? Actually, I think I know the answer to that, but it still leaves alot to wonder about.

Just to make myself perfectly clear, I read in the Chicago tribune that approximately 80% of ex-project residents re-located elsewhere in the city. The other numbers in my post were speculation not fact.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Putting it in those terms, this would mean that there would be more African-Americans moving to Iowa for work and a higher quality of life than not. This changes many things. Thanks for the numbers.

Now this begs another question: Why are the bad elements within the African-American population getting the most attention? Actually, I think I know the answer to that, but it still leaves alot to wonder about.

I don't think it's a racist thing at all. I have family in the area and they've specifically said there are a few families or groups that have moved in that are responsible for a BIG part of the trouble. It is worth noting that the QC crime rate has been falling in recent years but they've had some high-profile crimes.

It's just like anywhere....one gang shoots another in a bad part of time or domestic violence etc. does not get the public riled up as much as public shootouts, random shootings etc.

[Chicago60614]

I noticed Iowa City's census numbers are out, and the areas black population grew by 100%, with the hispanic population growing by over 120% and the Asian population growing by 50%. Kinda goes along with the theme of this thread - although of course it doesn't say where people are from. I know from talking with teachers in Iowa City though, they remark how almost all the new students who are coming in from out of town all seem to be from Chicago. Not all from the projects of course! - but Chicago. My mom has taught there for 33 years, and she was saying the big thing is she'll get a new student in class, and then 6 months later she'll see that students relatives and other people they know from Chicago join them in Iowa City. One of those things where someone gets their foot in the door, notices an area has good schools and services, and is cheap - and others will follow after the word is out and there's a "base camp" set up.

The Iowa City area now sits at about 20,000 minorities. Interesting stats.

I see for the state as a whole, the minority populations are up by a ton, to over 300,000.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

My father will be working in Iowa soon. And he is African-American. Iowa has a low unemployment rate(lower than where I live, in Georgia). It also has a lower crime rate and overall, my father will do fine in Iowa. However, majority of middle class African-Americans are moving to Georgia,Texas, and North Carolina, not to Iowa for some reason. He is taking the job in Iowa because that is where he can get work. However, many persons who want work often don't look for it in Iowa. The question is "How to get MORE working and professional African-Americans to come to Iowa"? I use the term MORE, because African-Americans with jobs are moving to Iowa, but the ones moving to Iowa are very low in comparisons to those moving to the Atlanta, Charlotte, and Houston. Even the Twin Cities are seeing a sizeable migration of profession African-Americans to its cities.

Well, minorities are generally more urban in terms of population distribution and most people from urban areas look at Iowa like it would be a horrible existance in hicksville. The other places you mentioned are decent sized urban areas.

So basically, I think all else being equal a typical person that grew up in a more urban setting would not be interested in say...Des Moines Iowa and would rather move to an Atlanta, Houston etc.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

Well, minorities are generally more urban in terms of population distribution and most people from urban areas look at Iowa like it would be a horrible existance in hicksville. The other places you mentioned are decent sized urban areas.

So basically, I think all else being equal a typical person that grew up in a more urban setting would not be interested in say...Des Moines Iowa and would rather move to an Atlanta, Houston etc.

Maybe so. People who are accustomed to city living want to live in the city. All things considered, the same argument should be applied to African-Americans who have lived in rural areas. Given Mississippi's unemployment rate, one might find it a good idea to move to Iowa for work. In fact, during the Great Migration, there were quite a few African-Americans who moved to Iowa, especially to Waterloo.

On the other hand, you have some people, like my father, who needed a job, and went wherever the jobs where. For my father, he found an engineering job in Iowa and took it. Decent pay, decent work. The unemployment rate in Georgia at this rate is deplorable. Iowa, on the other hand, had an opportunity for my father and he took it. Now he is employed again.

I also have another argument. Orlando metro is about the same size as Des Moines metropolitan area. More African-Americans are moving to Orlando.

[green_mariner]

^I am guessing there is no answer for my last argument.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

^I am guessing there is no answer for my last argument.

I think you need to go back and explain to him that Mississippi is 40% black and mostly rural. And that there are actually a lot of black people in the rural south so his argument completely falls apart.