What will happen to the south and west sides (Chicago: sales, apartment)

[Master Jay]

decisive, I'd like to self disclose something on this forum: growing up, I myself was part of the problem. I was a street hoodlum from say, 1986 to 1993. But even the group I ran with had certain codes: Never attack the elderly, never attack a "rival" if he's walking down the street alone with his girlfriend...We felt we weren't "bad/tough" if we were targeting obvious easy targets, and hence it would make you look weaker to do so! And reputation is everything. Wow, I could tell some stories!... In any event, I grew up to work in social services to use my experiences to do my part to give back to society, and try to reach out to youth that lived a similar lifestyle...As a martial arts teacher, I preach values and rules to my students. That's why I propose to use martial arts to help curb violence. You use the martial component that is viewed positively, to actually instill the ART! Sincerely, Master Jay in Milwaukee

[Va83]

I'm no historian but minority men started being arrested at an alarming rate or losing jobs or being hooked on drugs etc is the start of women receiving "rewards" for having children. The men of that time were useless to their families for 1 reason or another leaving women to find a way by themselves which leads to generations of misguided communities.

[Master Jay]

As a Hispanic/Latino, who unfortunately made some poor decisions as a youth that included running the streets and also almost being killed at age 19 for a ridiculous reason, I made further choices and changes in my life that included earning a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology- Counseling and enrolling in martial arts, by the age of 23. Now I have 24 years working in social work, and a 7th degree black belt. Nobody GAVE me anything! I had to choose to work for it. Now I work in the community. As a member of a "minority" group, I suppose I could have blamed a white establishment, asked for handouts, or did drugs like those around me. But you know what, I CHOSE to make better choices! NOBODY is a victim. Life is about choices. There are consequences for all our actions. If anyone believes me to speak out of turn, please feel free to respond. Chicago: north, south, west. It's all about choices! People can be born with many positive strokes, negative strokes, etc. But in the end, we make our OWN choices and set our own destinies. Sincerely, Master Jay in Milwaukee.

[Va83]

I completely agree with you. But the two can exist together. I'm not saying anyone is a victim. I'm saying a generation of men (minorities as you were speaking about earlier) made some bad decisions. With free will being what it is it is easier to go with the crowd especially when you can't see any bad coming from such decisions.
Anyway when you're pregnant with no man in the 1960s-1990s many women had to do both work and be 2 parents due to the men making bad decisions. If your father isnt around and your mom has 2-3 jobs it's easier to make bad choices.
Their are people from outstanding backgrounds who blew their entire lives away on bad choices and their are foster kids from extreme conditions who become CEOs. They are both extremely rare cases because most people are a product of the environment they are in. If you have a degree in social work this is social studies 101 right?

[Master Jay]

Va83, I certainly agree with your comments! Thank you for sharing. Sincerely, Master Jay in Milwaukee

[ipkl07]

Rust belt cities will continue on the path of decay and population decline as property taxes go up, along with cost of living, as more move for the sun belt with better cost of living and lower property taxes.

[beaniemac]

Originally Posted by BRU67

They were a mixed race couple, one homeowner was white the other was African-American. And yes, Black people and other minorities can have money too, correct, though there's the inescapable fact that virtually all of the City's impoverished neighborhoods are largely comprised of 90% + of one demographic.

my community is considered low income cuz on the eastern part of the neighborhood, you have lots of low income folks. but my immediate vicinity (referring to 4 blocks in every direction) are all single family homes with either retirees, teachers and city workers predominantly occupying those homes.

my one neighbor on one side is a single young dude who works for the city making good money. my other neighbor is a retiree who's been in the neighborhood at least 30 years.

the thing I like about where I live is affordable housing where u can get a rehabbed home with a garage and plenty of parking. I'm within walking distance of the red line, and there's a walmart, food 4 less, movie theatre, home depot, lowe's, aldi and jewel all within .5 drive.

the neighborhood being 97% black doesn't bother me at all.

[KoNgFooCj]

10 years from now the south side will be experiencing gentrification all the way down to 70th street and any ghetto in the west side will be limited to a few blocks. Gang violence will be pushed south of Auburn Gresham.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Va83

I'm no historian but minority men started being arrested at an alarming rate or losing jobs or being hooked on drugs etc is the start of women receiving "rewards" for having children. The men of that time were useless to their families for 1 reason or another leaving women to find a way by themselves which leads to generations of misguided communities.

Gee, and I wonder what the main source of those problems. You think that systemic racism might be the biggest reason? Would all those black males be in prison if it weren't the exact place our society wanted them to be. For example, drugs: why is it that far greater percentage of black men go to prison on such charges than white men for doing the exact same crime. The men of that time weren't "useless" because useless is something you make yourself. Perhaps so many were "useless" because they couldn't get a good education (at inner city schools that do not provide it). Or maybe they were limited by transportation....not having a car and being in parts of the city where public transportation is little and far between.

Yes, black women quite often did "find their way" and I suspect that some of those natural maternal instincts kick in. Our genders may be and are "equal", but they are different.

Well, you've offered us "generations of misguided communities." What about "generations of lack of intergenerational wealth. Black families have far less of it than white families do. How can they pass on what they never got or got to build on. How about that 40 acres and the damned mule? Might their fortunes been better if they owned such real estate or, I don't know, breed mules?

Va83, I'm not trying to be critical of you here. It's just I am at an ef-fing state of anger and disgust, perhaps one mass shooting can't get me riled up but two can.

I'm a white guy, loaded with and benefiting from the white privilege granted to me which I never asked for. But damn...it sure has made my life easier.

And as white guy, I'll throw in the following. If the mod's want to cut it, let them: if America today breaks down in basically some four groups: white, black, hispanic, and Asian (none exist, of course, they are all merely constructs), then I would be lying if I didn't say that only one of the four is bats**t dysfunctional......and that is the one that is shaking in its collective boots in thought of what is expected to be their fall from majority to plurality in two decades. Maybe that's why we're all so worked up in defending our southern border....but not the northern one. All I can say is: it's about time.

I may be white, but I have no "whiteness", no such identity. I'd happily shed that label and if the census coming up allows, I'd be happy to just check "other". Hell, I'm all for a mass shedding of "whiteness". Call it a new race: "former whites", "reformed whites", "rainbow whites", whatever.....because in all honesty, if we allow secession from whiteness, than the remaining still-embracing-whiteness folks will be i the minority already.

I can't help it. And I wouldn't even try. I am so sick of, so embarrassed by this racist monstrosity of a nation I'd be perfectly happy if Colin Kapernack got me some 100 knees...so I could put each on the ground.

I barley touched the surface on "white privilege", "intergenerational wealth", the toxicity of slavery that keeps us branding (although in thought rather than burning iron) a people "inferior" and obviously could have gone on for pages and pages.

I apologize to you again, Va83, for you did nothing wrong and you don't deserve bashing. And I hope you can understand that when I see the words "leads to generations of misguided communities" here in the very misguidedly led America of Donald J. Trump, I see red (yes: that red).

And for the record: can you think of any black man anywhere who is as "useless" as Mitch McConnell?

[BRU67]

What neighborhood do you live in? A great way to atone for all that white guilt might be an apartment in a North Lawndale or an Austin. Monitor the police. Open a business there. Sell the neighbourhood.