English family moving to GR (Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids: house, neighbourhoods, pros and cons)

[GMonkey]

Originally Posted by magellan

Uhhh, you won't see anything like that in Ada or Cascade drlol. In fact, that kind of stuff doesn't even happen in the city of Grand Rapids very often (or it's mainly contained to a few precincts).

What is happening in the UK that it is becoming like that?

One theory is that the UK has very strict gun laws. It is very difficult for law-abiding citizens to own guns to protect themselves and their families. I think that fewer home invasions would occur if hoodlums knew that there was a distinct possibility of a heavily armed mom & dad waiting for them on the other side of the door!

[magellan]

Originally Posted by GMonkey

One theory is that the UK has very strict gun laws. It is very difficult for law-abiding citizens to own guns to protect themselves and their families. I think that fewer home invasions would occur if hoodlums knew that there was a distinct possibility of a heavily armed mom & dad waiting for them on the other side of the door!

I think it's more than that. I find it hard to believe there are gangs of thugs roving the hills of Cascade just wishing they could break into a house, but not because there's a chance there's a handgun owner in it.

[GMonkey]

Originally Posted by magellan

I think it's more than that. I find it hard to believe there are gangs of thugs roving the hills of Cascade just wishing they could break into a house, but not because there's a chance there's a handgun owner in it.

Right. What I mentioned is one aspect. The UK also has very high taxes, expensive cost of living in general, especially compared to W. MI, even Cascade. When people are crunched...they get desperate.

[drlol]

I think what is happening in the UK is complex. There is a distinct lack of moral compass amongst the young. A lot of single parent families who take no responsibility for their children and they have no discipline whatsoever. The state especially now under the Labour(socialist government) want to take over social responsibility away from parents. It has been disastrous. So much that there is now an underclass of British people who rely on the state to feed, clothe and house them and are unwilling to work. They lack aspiration. Feral youths roam the streets taking drugs/alcohol in some areas and if you challenge them, you risk being stabbed. They have absolutely no respect for authority. Life sentence here is about 15 years and you are out in 7. The police have become a police service not a police force. They have been taught counselling skills and poilteness. They are rarely seen except after the incident. The robbery I mention in our street. The police didn't arrive until after the event, even though a daughter called them while it was in progress and then only 2 cars arrived with 3 police. They do a risk assessment before they attend. Its gone mad here.

[allbusiness]

Welcome to our future if big government and liberal thinking continues to take over....

[GMonkey]

Originally Posted by allbusiness

Welcome to our future if big government and liberal thinking continues to take over....

There are lots of places in the US that have serious crime issues. Philadelphia? Detroit? It's not big government and liberalism there, it's economic issues, lack of police presence, and god knows what else.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by allbusiness

Welcome to our future if big government and liberal thinking continues to take over....

Continues to take over? I think many people would argue the country is pretty much under the thumb of the neo-conservatives in power right now. Foreign policy, a mortgage and credit industry allowed to abuse and almost destroy the system, roll backs of the EPA, no energy policy?

Probably getting off topic..

[Ann_Arbor]

Welcome to West Michigan, Grand Rapids has some great, urban neighborhoods, a collection of Frank Lloyd Wright homes and a new, world-class art museum- GRAM: About GRAM.

[drlol]

Thank you for the posts. we have bought the house and moved in. What a contrast to the UK where it has been raining all summer, literally every day. The neighbours are really nice, everyone is very positive, schools are great and we love it so far.

[cjhsa]

We have great dentists here.