Why do people overreact about Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan (Boston: 2014, buy)

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by pennyone

So, you don't think it is philosophically contradictory to racially profile on a daily basis as an urbanite, and then complain and protest when others racially profile?

Of course it is. But not everyone racially profiles everyday working and living in an urban environment.

That is something bigots tell themselves to feel better about themselves, and to disregard the protests they see regarding racial discrimination.

"Oh, we all do it, lets not kid ourselves... just some of us admit it."

Nope

[pennyone]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Of course it is. But not everyone racially profiles everyday working and living in an urban environment.

That is something bigots tell themselves to feel better about themselves, and to disregard the protests they see regarding racial discrimination.

"Oh, we all do it, lets not kid ourselves... just some of us admit it."

Nope

Let me tell you, as a woman, I would be foolish not to racially profile when I walk anywhere in an urban, or even in some suburban environment. But how is that any different than store owners racially profiling the incoming customers, especially in high crime areas? They also do it for their own safety and the safety and viability of their businesses. Isn't the goal for both instances "survival"? I do not see a qualitative or a philosophical difference in these two. Tough to admit it, but it's true.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by pennyone

Let me tell you, as a woman, I would be foolish not to racially profile when I walk anywhere in an urban, or even in some suburban environment. But how is that any different than store owners racially profiling the incoming customers, especially in high crime areas? They also do it for their own safety and the safety and viability of their businesses. Isn't the goal for both instances "survival"? I do not see a qualitative or a philosophical difference in these two. Tough to admit it, but it's true.

It is your truth, that is.

[Cliff Clavin]

Criminals only come in one color. Everyone knows this.

[MassNative2891]

Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin

Criminals only come in one color. Everyone knows this.

Precisely. There is no way a young lady could get mugged by a white man at night in Boston.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by pennyone

What's interesting is that there are two narratives out there. One, you need to rant against racial profiling because....it's racist. Two, when you live in the city, you need your "street smarts", which essentially means avoiding people and situations that get you in trouble...and the first way to do that is racial profiling and then respond accordingly (like walking on the other side of the street). What's ridiculous is that the same people protesting against racism are also the same urban pioneers who have no problems racially profiling to survive in their urban paradise. Such hypocrisy.

The thing is i don't racially profile. I look for sketchy people..lurkers...people with hands in Their pockets...people watching me...people signaling at other people around me...people moving in groups....people moving shiftily...people trying to approach me slowly or slyly...people hanging in dark areas..

It may be because I'm black but I'm just not scared of black people.


And MassNative. Last summer I was at the gad station with my girlfriend pupmping gas at the Mobil across from the Walgreen on the corner of Norfolk and morton. Literally 5-6 police cars.SUVS flashing.police out guns drawn on a car in the middle of the intersection. Must have been about 330 pm on a Tuesday. New York never scares me because all of the cops and video cameras....and I just know the crime stats are safe. I think its the archicteture that may seem daunting In other east coast cities.

Also I know for a fact the lucerne street dogs Norfolk kings still have members (I recently saw a guy online identify himself as a street dog in a comment section of an article..). Then there's the youth gang..the mildred ave boys (they don't really have a name per se and its weird Cruz they're beaded around the rec center which is supposed to stop gang formation) and a new youth gang called 'the new movement.' whom are based essentially across the street from the street dogs.

Also when I had 3 friends from Chicago visit they thought Boston looked very rough in the hoods. It really depends on what you're raised around. As a mass native you're used to Boston's look. My 3 Chicago friends thought the houses were cramped ugly..looked ickety..and we had no lawns..they also noted a good amount of trash..poor looking people and poor roads...and tout his what they saw as a lack of anything to do any there summary was "yell don't have sh*t." they felt chicago half a lot more obvious agng members outside and corner types but it didn't look as shabby. So in some respect they felt safe but still prefered Chicago.

[Mr. Joshua]

Originally Posted by Space_League

because someplaces have to be "the worst" and the low crime rates in the rest of the metro area create an anchoring bias for what locals think is a bad area.

that being said there is still worse crime in dorchester than any place in toronto or possibly anywhere in ontario but still there are whole cities with higher crime rates than the worst blocks in dot... all perspective

To date there have been 13 murders in Toronto and 10 in Boston.

[miu]

I was in Dorchester yesterday afternoon and witnessed black kids roaming in packs on the public roads on their ATV's and dirt bikes. One young man was wearing white skull makeup on his face, another had tied a red bandanna across his face Western bank robber style. What gives with this sort of nonsense?

Anyway, I wouldn't want to live in any area with roving packs of young men on quads and motor bikes without license plates sharing the roads with cars.

>> I just found a thread on another message board that this has been happening for at least the last year. It's really hard for the police to catch these kids because they can go off road quickly and escape any following police cars.

[timberline742]

Damn kids out enjoying the weather having fun!

Where are the police?!!

[Cliff Clavin]

Originally Posted by miu

I was in Dorchester yesterday afternoon and witnessed black kids roaming in packs on the public roads on their ATV's and dirt bikes. One young man was wearing white skull makeup on his face, another had tied a red bandanna across his face Western bank robber style. What gives with this sort of nonsense?

It's FUN!

We rode ATV's as teens all the time in Saugus, albeit mostly off road.

I'd get a quad now, but I'm sure my uptight condo board would have something to say about that.