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Yeah, that changes the fact that Chicago's crime rate was worse before how exactly?
I never said that there still wasn't work to be done, but the fact of the matter still remains that you're still more likely to get murdered in Philadelphia or Atlanta in 2014 than you are in Chicago.
While Chicago's crime rates haven't gone down to NYC's level, you all do realize that crime in the city has been going down, don't you?
Honestly, some of you in this thread are talking like people are constantly getting shanked and shot in downtown day in and day out, and that crime has been going up, instead of down, for years. That view frankly isn't accurate at all. Sorry.
Yes, but while the crime shouldn't be exaggerated, it also shouldn't be understated. It's true that people here don't talk about the gun violence in the city, the school-age children who were shot. I think there ought to be more of a dialogue about this issue. People should become more involved, whether it means pressuring the politicians to make a difference or becoming involved directly.
I will admit I've never been to Chicago, I do want to visit one day, and I'm very ignorant when it comes to my opinion. Outside of the Magnificent Mile and the Loop I think Chicago is nothing more than a bunch of little Chief Keefs running around.
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"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
I lived in Chicago for a short period of time and know the city well. Half of my extended family lives out there, mostly in the city. The older ones, as is typical, have moved to the outer suburbs to raise families. The violence problem there is terrible and is getting worse. It in some parts truly is a war zone. Some people laugh at the nickname it has been given of Chiraq. While completely fitting in many ways, I do not find humor in it.
The bloodshed really paints a picture of racism in modern America. New York should pay attention to the issues that allowed Chicago's murder rate to skyrocket. Really it is because of the same types of issues that ultimately ruined Detroit. I am not trying to stir the pot, but it is fact that the attitude in both of these cities is that the black and brown populations were invisible. As long as their communities 'self-contained' the crime there was a blind eye turned on them by the national media. As mentioned in another poster's video, only when Sandy Hook occurred did people start paying attention to these kinds of tragedies.
It is impossible to contain problems like that. And also immoral. The attitude for generations was that the South Side of Chicago was dangerous but the North Side was fine. And for the most part, it was. But now that the economy has gone south in recent years there is no safe place to hide. I lived in the Gold Coast, which is one of the most affluent parts of Chicago, on the Near North Side. Next to Lake Shore Drive. Next to the Magnificient Mile. I woke up every morning to the radio signals on the spire of the John Hancock building outside my window. It was not safe there.
On Chicago and Dearborn one afternoon I witnessed two black men engaged in a knife fight. On Valentine's Day, 2012, I saw a man attempt suicide in front of the Red Line train at the Clark/Division stop. I watched a SWAT team come to a neighboring building of mine not long after when a man tried to jump off the top of it. I watched a strung-out junkie on one of the trains verbally and physically intimidate a family with two small children present. I was harrassed by gang members numerous times and threatened, especially when I'd go under the tunnel on Lake Shore Drive up to Oak Street Beach, simply trying to enjoy a morning jog. I had to call the police three times in one week for homeless and drunken men using my apartment building's atrium as a place to get warm. Also for them dumpster diving, trying to get their hands on God-knows-what. I had experienced some issues in NYC but NEVER like that. It literally made me scared to throw anything in the dumpster, for fear I'd hit a body.
In New York, the problems with violence are not anywhere on the same level. The city has a stronger economy and stronger social safety nets. It is sad because it's gone so far out of control in Chi-Town. They can no longer hide from the national media. And they have been losing educated grads, tourism dollars, and reputation as a result. I hope that it gets better soon, and my heart weeps (sincerely) for the children there who are in harm's way through no fault of their own. My own personal view is that it is a cold and corrupt dump for unintelligent people, masked by pretty architecture and expert marketing. I only go back to visit family. Why they stay there is beyond me.
This account is way overblown and does not resemble reality. Yes, there is an issue with crime, but it is located intensely in pockets on the West Side, and larger pockets on the South Side. This does not excuse the violence, but at least gives you context.
If you were to visit the Loop or Near North area, I would venture you have less chance of being a victim of a crime than if you were in Midtown or Downtown, or at least a wash. The extended North side is almost generally safe. Chicago has a worse gang problem than NYC, it is true, but you're post is meandering into the realm of infammatory speak.
nothing about Chicago appeals to me. the constant wind alone would drive me insane.
Constant wind? Where do you come up with this stuff? Funny, America's Cup just passed over Chicago because Lake Michigan did not have enough nor reliable wind patterns.
You don't like cold? OK, I kinda get it (but Chicago is not *that* much colder than NY).
Constant wind? Where do you come up with this stuff? Funny, America's Cup just passed over Chicago because Lake Michigan did not have enough nor reliable wind patterns.
You don't like cold? OK, I kinda get it (but Chicago is not *that* much colder than NY).
LOL. I know, some people take "Windy City" a bit too literally!
Never been but I want to go. My perception from media and talking to people is,
-Interesting cultural mix of Euro, North East USA, and Midwest USA
-Crime, gangs galore, Yikes!
-There seem to be big racial and class divides, the whole north and south chicago thing
-Public Transportation seems pretty good
-Nice Skyline
-I've always heard O'Hare is a nightmare
-People seem more laid back, and fun than in New York
-Sucky weather, seems like a worse version of NYC weather
-Big drinking/bar culture
-Big sports town with good fans, loyal to teams that have been perennial losers (pretty much all their teams have had extensive periods of sucking at some point but the fans always seem to be very loyal)
-I don't know about that Pizza
- The hot dog looks yummy and frankly better than ours, although I would classify it more as a sandwich
Last edited by NooYowkur81; 07-10-2014 at 02:15 PM..
Never been but I want to go. My perception from media is,
-Interesting cultural mix of Euro, North East USA, and Midwest USA
-Crime, gangs galore, Yikes!
-There seem to be big racial and class divides, the whole north and south chicago thing.
-Public Transportation seems pretty good
-Nice Skyline
-People seem more laid back, and fun than in New York
-Sucky weather, seems like a worse version of NYC weather
-Big drinking culture
-Big sports town with good fans, loyal to teams that have been perennial losers (pretty much all their teams have had extensive periods of sucking at some point but the fans always seem to be very loyal)
-I don't know about that Pizza
- The hot dog looks yummy and frankly better than ours, although I would classify it more as a sandwich
Good post! As a former Chicagoan now living in NYC, I agree with most of what you said.
I don't even know what to say about the gangs. Yikes indeed! When I first moved to NYC in the early 80's, our crime rate was higher than Chicago's. That has sure changed over the years. I know we have gangs in NYC but nowhere near the level that they exist in Chicago which is probably related to the racial and class divides to which you refer. In Chicago, you've basically got half the city which is a war zone.
Public transportation is good. I think it runs all night like in NYC, but I'm not 100% sure. It's probably the best in any large city aside from NYC.
Chicago has awesome architecture and I agree that the people are more laid back and fun. Here in NYC, it's all "What do you do?" You don't get that in Chicago. People are less pretentious.
You hit the nail on the head about the weather. It's like NYC on a really bad day! We do get most of our weather from Chicago (the Midwest) but we don't usually get the extremes that they do.
Yes, there is a big drinking culture. It used to be bigger, though. When I lived there in the 1970's-early 80's, there were a ton of neighborhood taverns which were fun, unpretentious places to hang out. I've heard that most of them are gone now, a casualty of gentrification.
Yes, good sports fans. Gotta love the Bleacher Bums!
I like Chicago pizza, but I guess I am biased. Absolutely love (and miss) Chicago-style hot dogs. The closest I've found here is the Shack-cago dog at Shake Shack.
I would not say Chicago is any cheaper than NYC. It's sales tax is 10.25%. Everything is expensive there.
For whatever it's worth the sales tax rate is 9.25%, not 10.25%. What's expensive? I found it cheaper than NYC for most things, obviously housing.
People get caught up on the "windy city", but it's not because of wind, although it does blow around the downtown buildings a lot during winter. New York City is actually more windy than Chicago on average.
I'm surprised the crime thing is so hyped up. There are terrible neighborhoods, but a majority of the city is perfectly fine/average. Things happen, but rarely, and to the degree they would happen in most decent areas of cities around the country. NYC is on the far end of the SAFE side in almost all areas, so most any city would compare poorly (not just Chicago). The downtown area and the areas to the north are some of the nicest neighorhoods in the city and safe for any visitors, residents or tourists. The last homicide downtown was about 3 years ago, an area that sees around a million people during the day. For River North they've had one last year, Lincoln Park saw one in the past 3 years and it's been over two years for Lakeview.
I've been car free on transit, working downtown, hitting up bars until 5am dozens of times over the years and living in middle class areas around the north and northwest sides for 13 years. I've never known anyone who's been robbed, never known anyone with a break-in except one friend's car and I've never seen anything other than maybe a drunken fight on the street, two guys yelling on the train, etc.
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