Jersey City,Elizabeth,Paterson,Linden,Irvington, and Union City. Are they really as bad as people say? (Newark: transfer, public school)

[Unknown Rican]

Newark is not bad now.
Irvington is worse.

[truecogni]

Originally Posted by imag

union city isnt as bad as newark or others but not really safe u can get robbed jumped stabbed and there are gangs there also and since its close to nyc it has some notorious nyc gangs in it

Who is getting stabbed and robbed in Union City. Make sure you get you facts right or even live in Union City before you speak so recklessly. UC is perfectly safe. The is always a large police presence and is safe at all times. Just like a city just be cautious of your surroundings. But UC is definitely moving in the right direction.

[kelsie]

I was born in Irvington a Century ago, my Polish grandparents owned several apt. buildings and homes. I can remember walking to school and walking to Church and all of the mom & pop stores. It was a beautiful little town. My parents and grandparents wanted to move to the suburbs in the 60's and we left Irvington to move on up to the other side of Essex County. I cried leaving our home and my friends. 8 yrs. ago my father was dying in Mountainside hospital and when we left the hospital I told my husband I wanted to go to see my childhood home in Irvington. All I can say is that I am glad we were not driving an expensive car. The beautiful neighborhood that I remembered as a child was no longer there, stopped at a light in front of a barred window home on Grove St. a chained Pit Bull and Doberman lunged at the car as teenagers without any depth in their sad eyes just sat there staring aimlessly at nothing. We pulled up to my childhood home and my husband said he would not let me out of the car. I looked at him and said that I had lived here what could happen, he replied that he did not want to find out. That was the second time I cried when I left Irvington.

[Unknown Rican]

Yeah.
It has changed, dangerous place now.

[contachster]

Originally Posted by kelsie

I was born in Irvington a Century ago, my Polish grandparents owned several apt. buildings and homes. I can remember walking to school and walking to Church and all of the mom & pop stores. It was a beautiful little town. My parents and grandparents wanted to move to the suburbs in the 60's and we left Irvington to move on up to the other side of Essex County. I cried leaving our home and my friends. 8 yrs. ago my father was dying in Mountainside hospital and when we left the hospital I told my husband I wanted to go to see my childhood home in Irvington. All I can say is that I am glad we were not driving an expensive car. The beautiful neighborhood that I remembered as a child was no longer there, stopped at a light in front of a barred window home on Grove St. a chained Pit Bull and Doberman lunged at the car as teenagers without any depth in their sad eyes just sat there staring aimlessly at nothing. We pulled up to my childhood home and my husband said he would not let me out of the car. I looked at him and said that I had lived here what could happen, he replied that he did not want to find out. That was the second time I cried when I left Irvington.

First of all, congratulations on being alive for 100 years (or did you mean to type "in the last century")....!!!???
Secondly, personally I could have done without the horrible attempt you made at being mellowdramatic with your last sentence. Anyway, I am a white Cuban-American born and raised in Newark's central ward. I moved to another neighborhood in the Ironbound 20 years ago and am still here. I went back to see my old house "up the hill" a few years back. There were some young black men sitting on the steps when I pulled up to the house. When I told them that I grew up in their home they smiled and introduced themselves to me. They showed me my old yard. It was now strewn with garbage and beer bottles. They invited me upstairs to have a look around. It was different than when I lived there but it brought back memories just being there. I said goodbye and thanked the young men for the tour.
Too bad that your husband is prejudiced. Urban dwelling African-Americans are not animals that will attack when you approach them KELSIE. If you and your husband got out of your car and talked to the people who now inhabit your home I'll bet you would have been met with a smile like I was. The blacks that I know who live in Newark are normal people just like you probably are. If your husband is black: shame on him. If he is not, he not only suffers from ethno-centrism, but perhaps could be a bigot. Not everyone who lives in that section of Irvington is a violent criminal who will attack you like a rabid animal if you approach them. I am sorry that your close-minded husband ruined your visit to your childhood home.

[elflord1973]

Originally Posted by truecogni

Who is getting stabbed and robbed in Union City. Make sure you get you facts right or even live in Union City before you speak so recklessly. UC is perfectly safe. The is always a large police presence and is safe at all times. Just like a city just be cautious of your surroundings. But UC is definitely moving in the right direction.

Crime rate isn't that high but there is some gang activity. Look up Latin Kings.

[*Capo*]

Originally Posted by contachster

They showed me my old yard. It was now strewn with garbage and beer bottles.

This is all that really needs to be said.

[contachster]

Originally Posted by *Capo*

This is all that really needs to be said.

True, but no one hurled any of those bottles at my head.

[Collegeguy12]

I wouldn't drive through Irvington if you paid me...but I do love Downtown JC...my best friend lives there so I'm there all the time. She lives in a gorgeous rowhouse that's worth about a million dollars...don't tell me all of JC is bad...that area is great.

I was driving through Union City and WNY today and felt perfectly safe, even when I parked my car and walked 2 blocks...I must say though traffic there is a biotch.

I do believe many people look at the minorities and just assume they are bad...when it comes to statistics though, I think I will def not go to Irvington...or Camden.

[Dorian]

Originally Posted by Collegeguy12

I wouldn't drive through Irvington if you paid me...but I do love Downtown JC...my best friend lives there so I'm there all the time. She lives in a gorgeous rowhouse that's worth about a million dollars...don't tell me all of JC is bad...that area is great.

I was driving through Union City and WNY today and felt perfectly safe, even when I parked my car and walked 2 blocks...I must say though traffic there is a biotch.

I do believe many people look at the minorities and just assume they are bad...when it comes to statistics though, I think I will def not go to Irvington...or Camden.

I'm not even from the area, I'm from Pittsburgh and when I was in WNY and UC I didn't feel in danger at all, but Greenville was a different story, lol.