The Chicago Factor: Are Transplants from Chicago Ruining Our State? (Des Moines: section 8, 2009)

[SharpHawkeye]

There's a very interesting column by the Des Moines Register's Marc Hansen today. I'll spare you political correctness and be very blunt with its topic: are urban black transplants to our state bringing inner-city problems with them?

The column is a pretty quick read and a good, quick intro to this sensitive issue. I thought I would share it with you guys to get your thoughts and reaction.

Marc Hansen Thugs from Chicago in Iowa? Fact or fiction? Des Moines Register 7/16/2009

The Chicago talk started up again on the Fourth of July. That's when two Des Moines women died after being run over by an SUV in a brawl near 21st Street and Forest Avenue.

The suspect, who was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, was from the Windy City.

If you listened to the buzz surrounding the tragedy, you might have heard something like this: "All those bad people moving into Des Moines, most of them black, lugging those big-city problems with them. What do you expect?"

Anyone who was listening would have heard the same kind of banter in Ames two years ago, in Iowa City during the past school year and in Dubuque last week.

Is the Chicago (or Detroit or Kansas City or East St. Louis or Milwaukee) factor the story within the story? Some, like Polk County Sheriff Bill McCarthy, say yes. Others, like Des Moines Police Chief Judy Bradshaw, say not so much.

[RonnieJonez]

Considering Des Moines wants to be a big city, it will do anything for population growth, but complain at the same time (that's just the nature of Iowa...too much rain/too little rain). Maybe they can put their growth in a brochure and brag to Omaha they gained an x number per capita more residents. I mean, Des Moines is so big city they will critique your art for free downtown tonight, and these people consider themselves above Picasso, lol.

What about the white supremacist-looking groups that are all over downtown at night, yes even the supremely awesome, newly renovated Court Ave district?

Most of them are from around here.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by SharpHawkeye

There's a very interesting column by the Des Moines Register's Marc Hansen today. I'll spare you political correctness and be very blunt with its topic: are urban black transplants to our state bringing inner-city problems with them?

The column is a pretty quick read and a good, quick intro to this sensitive issue. I thought I would share it with you guys to get your thoughts and reaction.

Marc Hansen Thugs from Chicago in Iowa? Fact or fiction? Des Moines Register 7/16/2009

This same conversation has been going on here in the Twin Cities for the past 15 years. I do believe there is truth to it. When we were christened "Murderapolis" in 1995 by the NY Times, it was this group that was largely responsible for it. However, these people gotta live someplace, and this is America, people are free to move where they want. We need to get upstream on this problem and stop the proliferation of the urban underclass. I know education and jobs are big factors, but nor sure how to change their values so they'd want these things in the first place. Whoever cracks this one will be worthy of a Nobel prize.

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

I mean, Des Moines is so big city they will critique your art for free downtown tonight, and these people consider themselves above Picasso, lol.

Oh yeah, I got that Myspace bulletin too.

What about the white supremacist-looking groups that are all over downtown at night, yes even the supremely awesome, newly renovated Court Ave district?

Most of them are from around here.

Who are you talking about? Funny, I've never heard/seen anything that would even make me give the slightest of thought that "white supremacist" gruops all over Court Avenue.

[El Rhino]

I live by a lot of section 8 housing. I couldn't tell you if they came from Chicago but it doesn't matter. The culture and attitudes that tend to surround public housing are the problem, not the actual origin. About a block down from me there's a strip of section 8 duplexes. They're all ran down, there's trash all over the street, kid's toys in the sidewalks and strewn all over the yard, broken glass on the sidewalk and in the street and the cops are down there fairly often. I feel sorry for the handful of people who own homes on that block and have to directly put up with all of that. These people don't share the same values as the rest of us. Wherever they come from, it's brought me nothing but crime, pollution and atrocious public behavior. Go back from wince thou came.

[Tylerrul02]

Originally Posted by El Rhino

I live by a lot of section 8 housing. I couldn't tell you if they came from Chicago but it doesn't matter. The culture and attitudes that tend to surround public housing are the problem, not the actual origin. About a block down from me there's a strip of section 8 duplexes. They're all ran down, there's trash all over the street, kid's toys in the sidewalks and strewn all over the yard, broken glass on the sidewalk and in the street and the cops are down there fairly often. I feel sorry for the handful of people who own homes on that block and have to directly put up with all of that. These people don't share the same values as the rest of us. Wherever they come from, it's brought me nothing but crime, pollution and atrocious public behavior. Go back from wince thou came.

Funny because the exact same things is happening here in Lafayette/W. Lafayette, IN it's crazy. The natives tell me that crime here in the LAF area is much worse than it was say 30 years ago. It also seems as if in the country view estates area that shootings and major drug bust are happening monthly. The problem is even becoming serious in some of the local high school. It's just crazy. And also we're only and area of like 160,000 so it's a major problem to us lol.

[RonnieJonez]

Originally Posted by El Rhino

Oh yeah, I got that Myspace bulletin too.



Who are you talking about? Funny, I've never heard/seen anything that would even make me give the slightest of thought that "white supremacist" gruops all over Court Avenue.

Look at all the Affliction/I watch UFC so I'm tougher-than-you types out there w/ their Chuck Liddell mohawk that have literally taken over. They might not be reading the Turner Diaries, but you couldn't distinguish them from the average white supremacist group.

It's just not nearly as impressive as the local media would want you to think it is. If you read DMJuice or Cityview, they'd want you to think you were in Bal Harbour or Rodeo Drive, lol. Yes, there's activity there now, yet it doesn't seem to exude any class at all. It's a free UFC circuit every weekend, not to mention you have an extremely high number of white trash now, there are some professional people sprinkled in of course (to be fair), but they are nowhere near the majority.

Everytime I've brought someone to visit and showed them they've almost instantly commented on the volatility and the police force (I tell them it's needed). Part of the problem is, too many overzealous guys and not enough girls in my opinion, as lots of girls in Iowa seem to marry kind of young and a large percentage of the guys are straight-up goofballs still carrying their "huhuhu" farmer laugh.

Court Ave might be a good place to go if you're trying to end up in Court. In all honesty, I don't think it's helped the image of Des Moines much.

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

Look at all the Affliction/I watch UFC so I'm tougher-than-you types out there w/ their Chuck Liddell mohawk that have literally taken over. They might not be reading the Turner Diaries, but you couldn't distinguish them from the average white supremacist group.
.

Oh yeah, they're definitely there. Whenever I go down there (which is rare since I don't drink and don't care to be around drunks often) I'm usually a little on edge just because of the high number of those types out and about. There's always some knucklehead out there looking to get into it.

The white supremacist thing is completely off base though, not sure where you're getting that. I didn't know white supremacists run around in Affliction shirts, popped collars, white hats, sandals, striped polos, khaki shorts, etc.

[RonnieJonez]

Some of them are very white supremacist looking..like I said, that doesn't mean they're students of David Duke. Someone from a larger city could easily get the impression Des Moines is a white supremacist stronghold.

The polo/khaki crowd is usually not as troublesome, although they can be as well. For whatever reason, it feels more like a college bar atmosphere opposed to high class/big city, except the people are usually beyond college age.

[zz4guy]

Many south siders migrate to Quad Cities and Cedar Rapids when the goberment housing runs out. They bring all their baggage with them and we end up with policeman getting beat within an inch of their life.

This is nothing new though. I guess the eastern Iowa ghettos are getting full and they're migrating to Des Moines lol!