will my flags come down?-humboldt pk invasion (Chicago, Metropolis: unemployment, income)

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by city414

sometimes gentrification is good, why cant and wont the current puerto ricans gentrificate their neighborhoods of gangs and what not.

also as someone said you cant get mad because humboldt park was not always puerto rican

It was also not always the sinkhole of poverty it is today. It's getting better, again, only as more white people move in.

[city414]

Originally Posted by Banx

I'm part white and part mexican, it's nothing racial. I've cleared this up in like 2 or 3 of my posts, and I know plenty of white people from Chicago who say the same thing about hipsters. Plus I've already been repped two times, people obviously agree.

SO YOUr a nationality mix with a racial group whats the national origin of the white part?

[city414]

Originally Posted by coldwine

It was also not always the sinkhole of poverty it is today. It's getting better, again, only as more white people move in.

i dont know, people, individuals vary, but these people who are coming in want it cleaner? and or safer or just plain care about the appearance of the neighborhood.

maybe they also have the money to fix things up? also that whole statement you said she be a flag with people. a neighborhood shouldnt improve when whites(feel in national origin) come in, it should improve regardless. and people should want it to improve but there are many who dont care

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by city414

i dont know, people, individuals vary, but these people who are coming in want it cleaner? and or safer or just plain care about the appearance of the neighborhood.

maybe they also have the money to fix things up? also that whole statement you said she be a flag with people. a neighborhood shouldnt improve when whites(feel in national origin) come in, it should improve regardless. and people should want it to improve but there are many who dont care

Very true. It's just this bizarre poverty cycle, I think. And a lot of it has to do with some serious cultural programming.

If you did a "then and today" comparison, dirt poor Eastern European immigrants who barely spoke English had higher civic standards and improved themselves generation to generation, far more so than the predominantly poor African American and Puerto Rican enclaves of the Southside and elsewhere in Chicago.

Most if not all of it probably has to do with welfare slavery, which makes people both comfortable on and enslaved to welfare from generation to generation. It was interesting to read the articles concerning specific families when the old housing projects were being torn down. So many of those families, a significant majority, had been living that way for countless years. It's horrifying to think anyone is either trapped like that or specifically chooses it, but the result is the failure to improve from the inside a community.

Either which way, I just want to know why such huge numbers of poor people fail to improve themselves. And I don't say that to indicate any sort of scolding, I just don't understand how the next generation doesn't get better than the previous. Especially when the standards are as low as they are; if you're a poor minority from New Orleans, "doing better than my parents" could mean "living in a house with working plumbing and real walls".

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by coldwine

Very true. It's just this bizarre poverty cycle, I think. And a lot of it has to do with some serious cultural programming.

If you did a "then and today" comparison, dirt poor Eastern European immigrants who barely spoke English had higher civic standards and improved themselves generation to generation, far more so than the predominantly poor African American and Puerto Rican enclaves of the Southside and elsewhere in Chicago.

Most if not all of it probably has to do with welfare slavery, which makes people both comfortable on and enslaved to welfare from generation to generation. It was interesting to read the articles concerning specific families when the old housing projects were being torn down. So many of those families, a significant majority, had been living that way for countless years. It's horrifying to think anyone is either trapped like that or specifically chooses it, but the result is the failure to improve from the inside a community.

The fact is, a lot of African-Americans have improved themselves. They tend to get the hell out of the 'hood once they are able to.

Furthermore, climbing those first rungs on the prosperity ladder is a lot more difficult now that most factory jobs have disappeared. Back then, you didn't have to speak English or have a decent education. You could get a good job in manufacturing, buy a house, and support your family on one income. Today, without a college degree, that's virtually impossible.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by city414

how can whites be compared to puerto ricans? apples and oranges, race and nationality. lets just say americans and puerto ricans

there are whites in puerto rico as any other latin american country

Um, you do realize that Puerto Ricans are Americans, right?

Puerto Rico is not a "Latin American country". It's a territory of the United States of America.

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Um, you do realize that Puerto Ricans are Americans, right?

Puerto Rico is not a "Latin American country". It's a territory of the United States of America.

Chiquita Banana has lied to me.

[Banx]

Originally Posted by Octogirl23

When Hispanics and other minorities moved into neighborhoods that were predominately White back in the 60's, 70's & 80's it wasn't to the detriment of Whites that could no longer afford to live in the neighborhood. I went to school in Wicker Park, and grew up in what is now referred to as "River North". I went to Lane Tech, before my mom decided to move to rural Ohio. I've also lived in New York. I have an appreciation for all cultures (I'm Black, but have mixed ancestry). That being said, it is SAD that Chicago, a town formerly known for the character of its neighborhoods is being overrun with outsiders (typically from other Midwestern states). As someone who now is part of corporate America, and has a comfortable income, I work with a lot of them. They look out for each other when it comes to job opportunities in Chicago (mainly downtown). They do not embrace the culture of the city. They look down upon it. And although Chicago may not be as diverse as NYC, it's really sad how these people are shocked to see a Black, Hispanic or other minority walk and chew gum at the same time - Let alone be articulate. Just because you grew up on a farm, yet claim to be from Columbus, OH and have to mention every sushi place at which you've dined (not noteworthy here in Chicago), don't let your ignorance of other cultures show. Those of us who grew up here and have educated ourselves long for the diversity that made the city cool. I'm thinking about moving back to NYC, or even London at this point!

Everything said here is 100% true. You all here talk of diversity as if white people weren't in Chicago before these outsiders moved in. Well they were, and they got along with the other minorities fine and back then it was truly diverse. Now that all these outsiders from various suburbs of wherever are moving in to "cultural" neighborhoods, these areas are becoming a majority white and pretty soon when all ethnic neighborhoods become all white, this city will become all white, hence NO DIVERSITY, DUH! And exactly as stated above, these outsiders should adjust to the cities cultures, not the other way around. And not only do they not adjust to it, they look down on it.

While were at it, why don't we just take away everything else from Chicago that makes it unique? Let's tear down the Sears Tower and John Hancock, let's get rid of Weiner Circle and Harold's Chicken, let's close down all the stores on Michigan ave., let's get rid of the L, let's tear down Wrigley Field, any building built before 1951 gets replaced by a modern condo, let's gentrify Chinatown and Bronzeville and any other ethnic area cause they're too "dirty" and "crime ridden" by everybody's standard and your sure to get killed the second you step in, let's close down Millenium Park, any tall building/skyscraper can get replaced with a strip mall, etc. I mean, the oportunities and boundaries are endless! why stop? Soon enough, we can make this city look like the suburbs of Milwaukee! Who's with me?!

[eevee]

okay, so I'm confused w/ what's the difference between "hipsters" and "yuppies". I feel like I know the difference, but they seem to be getting lumped into the same mold in this thread. I've always assumed that "hipsters" were more into culture and unique stores than yuppies. I live in Pilsen now, and it's in no obvious immediate danger of becoming an urban mall full of bland stores like Gap and Starbucks. there's PLENTY of unique stuff in Pilsen, even in the "gentrified" area of Humboldt Park (last I check, there weren't any chain stores overtaking that area)

and no offense, but why is everyone always blaming the "outsider"? why can't the PRs in Humboldt Park do their part to keep the culture in the area? why can't they fix up the area themselves w/o having to rely on outside forces? if they can't afford prices as an area gentrifies, well, that's on them. it's not like an area gentrifies in a week. they had time to buy some solid property in the area and make the money to afford to continue to live in that area. seems like if people in the community wants to keep their culture, they should do something about it instead of whining and complaining when "outsiders" come into the area and start doing things the current residents should have done a while ago. the "outsiders" you keep complaining about, whether they be white, black, Latino, yuppies, hipsters, whatever, are usually the driving force in the revitalization of an area (has ANY improvised area seen a major turn around w/o an influx of "outsiders"? seriously, I'm curious)

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Kentuckians.

Yeah, but I was born and raised in CHICAGO and lived there until I was 57 years old. How about you?