When you're out of town and tell people you're from Chicago, what are their first comments of the Chi? (Aurora: crime rates, neighborhoods)

[eating while walking]

USA friends ask about crime, flash mobs, corrupt cops, high taxes, race riots and where to find the best Italian beef.

Overseas friends pretty much only ask about one thing: if I've ever seen Michael Jordan.

[Vlajos]

In the US, people usually say they love Chicago.

Abroad, people mention All Capone and the Bulls.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by jwaiter

Do you?

Oh of course...

[atler8]

From my personal observation it became more acceptable & popular to bash Chicago (for any & whatever reason!) once the city widely became associated with the candidacy & then the presidency of President Obama.
If you would, recall the conservative media glee, as especially seen on the Fox News Channel, back early in the president's first term when Chicago lost out in it's bid to host the Olympics. I was shocked & angered by the glee that the pundits offered over the "DEFEAT" of an American Obama-associated city, as the right wingers perceived the decision by the IOC. How patriotic of those "patriots" to be glad that an American city had not won!
Ever since then, there has been a continual refrain by the right wing to bash Chicago over any perceived wart on it's face. And, unfortunately I hear the same old tired refrains from the right wingers here in my Atlanta office.
Sadly I think that if the recent marathon bombing had instead occurred in Chicago, there might have been some glee &/or unsympathetic reactions exhibited in that segment of the media & that certain individuals might have tried to assign blame on Chicago.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by atler8

And, unfortunately I hear the same old tired refrains from the right wingers here in my Atlanta office.

Atlanta? What do you care what a bunch of Hillbillys think? They're probably the first generation in their family to not have hookworm and pellagra.

[atler8]

Unfortunately the folks I am referring to in my office that say these things are typical of many of us in greater Atlanta in that they are well-educated & originally from somewhere else. So, the hillbilly reference is uncalled for.
Specifically the people in my office that repeat the anti-Chicago-right wing-media-driven comments are originally from New York, Michigan as well as Georgia.
As for your references to hillbillys, hookworm & pellagra, you really shoul get out more & travel. This isn't 1972 anymore & Georgia is in no way as it was portrayed in "Deliverance".
Oh, and I care because I am midwestern born & bred & lived in DuPage County at one point in the 1970's.

[Alacran]

Cold
Shootings
Said streets must be dirty(Cus they think it's like NYC with trash in front)

[ChiNaan]

If they've been here (not counting layovers at O'Hare), it's nearly always something about how much they love the city.

If they're Americans who haven't been here, it's usually something about O'Hare, cold weather, homicides, political corruption, sports, or deep dish pizza.

Overseas, it's usually something about having a relative who lives or lived here or near here, and sometimes about how they've visited.

[Chicago60614]

Wow! I must run into a lot nicer crowd when I'm traveling around the country/europe and mention I'm from Chicago, because I almost never have someone start bashing the city right away and start talking about corruption, crime and taxes. You people must run into a lot of rude individuals!!

I can't imagine sitting down at a bar here in Chicago and having someone mention they're from Dallas, New York or San Fran and my instant reaction is to call their city dangerous, dirty or backwards. Who does that!?!? It's like walking into someone's house for the first time and telling them you hate their carpet and the walls look dirty.

[squirrels]

In the last two weeks I've had two different people ask me if I've eaten at Al's yet (I'm a vegetarian and so I haven't, but I thought it funny that this is the place that people seem to know).

Other than that, my family mostly thinks the entire city is a crime-ridden ghetto, and I can't convince them otherwise.