Boston crime thread - all posts go here. (Boston: Vietnamese, businesses)

[GeePee]

Boston miracle 2.0. Let's do it! or is that too controversial?

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Mayor Wu just looks too perfectly well groomed and hasn't lived enough to be be Boston's Mayor. She's not even 40, hell she's not even from Boston.

The majority of Boston isn't 40 or even from Massachusetts, let alone Boston.

You can be president of the US at 35. The last thing we need is people generations removed from the bulk of the lifeblood of the city making decisions for the city. Its not what the city wants.

Mayor Wu can't stop people from going out to $4 movie night, nor can she stop people from shooting each other in places where thousands of people have been and continue to be shot going back decades. Nor can she stop the opioid epidemic.

At best, she can not lie and say the shooting wasn't tied to the Carnival. But that wouldn't change anything really.

MrsB as a right-wing, 40+, white, native Mass resident you are in the clear minority in the City of Boston. Which is why your values aren't reflected in that city. Living in a suburb leaves you a lot more comfortable. But EOD Boston is so expensive and multi-pronged economically it can afford to take plenty risks and make plenty of accommodations for a wide range of people- and that will be the case indefinitely. This isn't some cone trick pony city that cant afford to make a mistake or two or three or four.

Mayor Wu will be re-elected easily and will have time to fine-tune her methods to achieve her vision but the first 5 years or so of her mayoralty will continue to be somewhat jarring and she'll have to fight until she establsheds herself as a force in her 2nd term.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by GeePee

Boston miracle 2.0. Let's do it! or is that too controversial?

That would require a certain respect or value for authority, church, elders, etc. that is sadly not present today.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

The majority of Boston isn't 40 or even from Massachusetts, let alone Boston.

You can be president of the US at 35. The last thing we need is people generations removed from the bulk of the lifeblood of the city making decisions for the city. Its not what the city wants.

Mayor Wu can't stop people from going out to $4 movie night, nor can she stop people from shooting each other in places where thousands of people have been and continue to be shot going back decades. Nor can she stop the opioid epidemic.

At best, she can not lie and say the shooting wasn't tied to the Carnival. But that wouldn't change anything really.

MrsB as a right-wing, 40+, white, native Mass resident you are in the clear minority in the City of Boston. Which is why your values aren't reflected in that city. Living in a suburb leaves you a lot more comfortable. But EOD Boston is so expensive and multi-pronged economically it can afford to take plenty risks and make plenty of accommodations for a wide range of people- and that will be the case indefinitely. This isn't some cone trick pony city that cant afford to make a mistake or two or three or four.

Mayor Wu will be re-elected easily and will have time to fine-tune her methods to achieve her vision but the first 5 years or so of her mayoralty will continue to be somewhat jarring and she'll have to fight until she establsheds herself as a force in her 2nd term.

This is not wrong either, it's also why we're screwed (or at least why the city will never achieve what it could be or even return to its better years). You have an electorate with zero perspective and who acts on emotions rather than common sense and pragmatism. I actually remember the crack epidemic and some of the uglier days of Boston. Wu wasn't here yet, nor were most of her voters if they were even born yet.

[msRB311]

It's not just her age *eyeroll* but that is a factor. If it were some 35 yr old chick who grew up in the projects of southie or Dorchester and was hardworking and understood the people of Boston I'd have more respect. Mayor Wu is basically a wealthy radical transplant here. Anyone voting Wu in is likely also some wealthy transplant or someone who just wants a woman or a minority in office.

I'm not right-wing either, but keep telling yourself that to make yourself feel better.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by massnative71

This is not wrong either, it's also why we're screwed (or at least why the city will never achieve what it could be or even return to its better years). You have an electorate with zero perspective and who acts on emotions rather than common sense and pragmatism. I actually remember the crack epidemic and some of the uglier days of Boston. Wu wasn't here yet, nor were most of her voters if they were even born yet.

One of the issues with the crack epidemic was said to be the over-policing and ignoring of the problem of gangs in Boston. It wasn't until the 1990s when the crack epidemic was already waning that places like Boston (and Hartford) even acknowledged a serious gang issue and created Gang Units.

Mistakes were made then and now people are trying to do the opposite for the opioid epidemic. (not locking users up, gang database exists).

There's no clear right or wrong answer. But yes. The average Bostonian is 32- born in 1991...

about a year after Boston's peak in homicides and as the crack epidemic was already beginning to wane. I'm not sure the city ever could handle the crack epidemic without the natural thinning out, cut and adultered cocaine, and community desolation that ultimately ended it. I don't think itwas great policing or the mayor. The Boston Miracle occurred during a time of national decline in crime. It helped certainly but the external and market factors like the removal of lead paint and roe v. wade probably had a much bigger impact.

I'd also say the increase in immigration in the 1980s and 1990s helped by stabilizing communities in decline with new homeowners and shopkeepers. This is most evident in Dorchester and Mattapan. But even more so in Lowell, MA.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by msRB311

It's not just her age *eyeroll* but that is a factor. If it were some 35 yr old chick who grew up in the projects of southie or Dorchester and was hardworking and understood the people of Boston I'd have more respect. Mayor Wu is basically a wealthy radical transplant here. Anyone voting Wu in is likely also some wealthy transplant or someone who just wants a woman or a minority in office.

I'm not right-wing either, but keep telling yourself that to make yourself feel better.

a 35-year-old (former) project inhabitant from the projects of Southie or Dorchester...but not Roxbury or Mattapan?

In theory you shouldve wanted someone like Kim Janey. She may not be from the projects but she was from the inner city, 6th generation Bostonian, hardworking, and Older! So plenty of "experience" But we know why you wouldn't want that...shes a black woman from Roxbury. Its the right wing in you.

I digress. Ultimately, Bostonians made it clear they preferred a transplant and someone highly educated- because thas ~55% of the city now.

[msRB311]

The immigrants who came to Boston in the 80's and 90's and helped Dorchester were mainly Asians.

I'm sorry but Mattapan does not have much going for itself.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

a 35-year-old (former) project inhabitant from the projects of Southie or Dorchester...but not Roxbury or Mattapan?

In theory you shouldve wanted someone like Kim Janey. She may not be from the projects but she was from the inner city, 6th generation Bostonian, hardworking, and Older! So plenty of "experience" But we know why you wouldn't want that...shes a black woman from Roxbury. Its the right wing in you.

I digress. Ultimately, Bostonians made it clear they preferred a transplant and someone highly educated- because thas ~55% of the city now.

The female black leaders that resonate with me are Monica Cannon-grant, Kendra Lara, and Julia Mejia. That went well. It seems like many of the female black leaders from Boston only seem to care about their own people...they are hateful towards the Irish Bostonians like myself so why would I want them in office ? i've yet to see a female black leader in the city who is inclusive to everyone.

Boston apprently did want Wu in office, but Boston has become a very different place in the past 10 years not necessarily for the better. Wu won but there's still plenty of people that didn't want her in office. As with any election, the majority who voted won.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

One of the issues with the crack epidemic was said to be the over-policing and ignoring of the problem of gangs in Boston. It wasn't until the 1990s when the crack epidemic was already waning that places like Boston (and Hartford) even acknowledged a serious gang issue and created Gang Units.

Mistakes were made then and now people are trying to do the opposite for the opioid epidemic. (not locking users up, gang database exists).

There's no clear right or wrong answer. But yes. The average Bostonian is 32- born in 1991...

about a year after Boston's peak in homicides and as the crack epidemic was already beginning to wane. I'm not sure the city ever could handle the crack epidemic without the natural thinning out, cut and adultered cocaine, and community desolation that ultimately ended it. I don't think itwas great policing or the mayor. The Boston Miracle occurred during a time of national decline in crime. It helped certainly but the external and market factors like the removal of lead paint and roe v. wade probably had a much bigger impact.

I'd also say the increase in immigration in the 1980s and 1990s helped by stabilizing communities in decline with new homeowners and shopkeepers. This is most evident in Dorchester and Mattapan. But even more so in Lowell, MA.

Point is that some kid who grew up in a wealthy Connecticut town or suburban Chicago isn't going to appreciate how bad Boston was in a not so distant past, the long hard work it took to create the wealthy urban playground they enjoy today, and how fast cities can fall without strong leadership that tackles real issues (see San Francisco). Plenty of cities did not enjoy the dramatic crime reduction we saw in the 90s.