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I wish downstate cared about Chicago and would pass tougher crime laws in general for the state. All the criminals end up back on the street quickly when they are arrested for violent crime, and everyone (former police chief McCarthy included) said that it's because of Illinois lenient sentencing. New York and California have a 3 strikes policy which has definitely helped stave off crime in NYC and LA (which have lower violent crime COMBINED than Chicago). It's not a magic bullet, but tougher sentencing would help with lowing the ridiculous amounts of crime in Chicago. That is set at the state level.
But most of the state legislators are from Chicagoland...
As a transplant to Chicago from the sunbelt? I've noticed your post have often more and more negative on Chicago and Illinois.
Have you considered returning to the sunbelt? Seems getting more pessimistic maybe doubt your original decision maybe? Just I noticed this change. Of course much might be political? But much more negative in post.
What are you even talking about? I didn't say anything negative about Chicago or Illinois in my post. I was simply stating the facts.
And for the record, I'm not from the sunbelt. I've lived in Chicago longer than I lived in Texas (which was less than a year). There's a reason why I'm here and not still in Texas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Berteau
Great. Well use that logic when comparing the bad things like killings, crime, etc. Someone was just complaining about the Chicago crime, and now your admitting how much better the schools are in Chicagoland. People never mention population when discussing Chicago crime, and they leave out Chicagoland as a whole.
The crime in Chicago is embarrassing, but the city isn't even on the top 10 list because of the large population here. The raw numbers are awful, but don't forget that the city is the 3rd largest in the country.
And yes, schools in the Chicago suburbs are the best in the state. Some are the best in the country.
I’ve been defending Chicago. You need take the time to read these threads closer before quoting people. You just wasted a lot of your own ink on this rant.
sorry. sometimes you can't figure out the players without a scorecard.....which is no excuse, I realize, since I have that scorecard.
Berteau, you have spent so much ink here lambasting and berating and degrading Chicago that it is more than obvious that (1) you are obsessed with the city, (2) are jealous of it, and (3) actually are aware of how great it is.
As to your concern about Chicago's crime rate, does the concern come from:
• the suffering experienced by those in the small no. of neighborhoods where the vast majority takes place, places of people of color, marginalized people who are left out of society (it's not really a Chicago thing; it's more of an American thing. Same for violence/guns: all the US has a serious gun and murder problem)
-or-
• the optics of crime rate, the effect it has on PR and perception
???
So, your concerns, Berteau: are they more based on compassion or on reputation??
I doubt that you have the ability to grasp the irony of it all: that successful Chicago, the one of downtown, the one of the surrounding areas....yes, both south and west....being drawn in to the core, the one of the North Side, the one of the lakefront.....
yes, that successful Chicago: it operates in virtually isolation from where the crime takes place; in other words: in a different world. Or planet.
the irony? It's the emerald city Chicago's total unaffectedness, the fact that it is doing very well on its own, thank you very much, that social justice is no priority and making a buck is, well, that's a good part of why the ghettoes on the city's south and west sides and the violence that occurs there stems for the people in emerald city Chicago being able to enjoy the good life and giving them the luxury of forgetting those "other" people are there due to all that unaffectedness I mentioned.
Those areas of the inner city, those areas of people of color: they're bleeding population now. In large chunks. Chicago, like NY and SF and Boston, is becoming more wealthy, more white while others are being squeezed out. And Mayor Rahm is perfectly happy to see them go. In fact, it is virtually policy to him. So in the end, we very well may get that "low murder rate" you obsess over......but we get it for all the wrong reasons: we see people as "problems" and solve those problems by shipping them away.
If it makes you feel any better, once Chicago is surpassed in population by Dallas, Houston and Atlanta you won't hear as much about the murders. You'll probably be dead by then but the point still stands. Ironically, all of those cities with have large black populations that will be doing well when compared to Chicago. Another city that is doing quite well despite having a huge black population is New York.
I wish downstate cared about Chicago and would pass tougher crime laws in general for the state. All the criminals end up back on the street quickly when they are arrested for violent crime, and everyone (former police chief McCarthy included) said that it's because of Illinois lenient sentencing. New York and California have a 3 strikes policy which has definitely helped stave off crime in NYC and LA (which have lower violent crime COMBINED than Chicago). It's not a magic bullet, but tougher sentencing would help with lowing the ridiculous amounts of crime in Chicago. That is set at the state level.
This is utter crap.
The Chicago crime issues are nearly 100% a result of lenient prosecutions, lenient charging, and lenient sentencing from politically connected and corrupt judges.
Between Kim Foxx dropping charges, Sheriff Dart releasing inmates, and Chicago Judges sentencing violent criminals with probation, you have the perfect recipe for failure. But the reason it will never change is a simple one. Race. If Chicago got "tough" on crime, they'd be locking up a ton of minorities and that's not good for the votes.
If this thread was in my state forum..... there are aspects of living life's not caring if Philly and Pittsburgh were in the state, or near NYC's reach. Philly locals seem to claim THEY feel disconnected from the state in neglecting them. But it does have Pittsburgh and other middle metros to share with too. Most follow these cities sports teams. But NOT the TOTAL disdain, disrespect and loathing ..... that most downstate posters seem to represent in southern/downstate Illinois toward Chicago.
There clearly is a reason it won that thread on the geographic region (metro area) feels most out of place in the general US forum ....
Probably few in the southern 1/3 of Illinois? Even follow and remain fans of Chicago sports teams? Not going by most post anyway. I think middle Illinois may still though. You might even have more in Indiana and Iowa who even are?
There is a thread -- How would the US change if Houston metro just disappeared. What if it was Chicagoland? But ..... what if it was --"If Illinois had Chicagoland ..... disappear? I'd say it would be a Nebraska. Seems some would say better off in Illinois..... '
Maybe some would say -- Yeah, let's give northeastern Illinois .... back to Wisconsin? Take southwest Wisconsin? Nothing to gain there. But clearly many would say a --- Heck Yeah.
Why I interjected early Illinois history that was ALWAYS this disconnect and much politically. With the fact that far northern Illinois ..... was originally in Wisconsin's territory. Also how this far northern Illinois section .... actually even voted to succeed from Illinois as it did even then not feel connected. It just had no power to happen.
I still say that .... it all just proves that this far northern Illinois part of Wisconsin's territory once. Should have remained as its original boundary. When statehood came for Illinois before Wisconsin. Loss of this actually then delayed Wisconsin's statehood.
So nothing new under the sun in the state history from its origins. Chicago continues to gain little respect as the Nations third city and by its core ..... number two. From its southern half.
If this thread was in my state forum..... there are aspects of living life's not caring if Philly and Pittsburgh were in the state, or near NYC's reach. Philly locals seem to claim THEY feel disconnected from the state in neglecting them. But it does have Pittsburgh and other middle metros to share with too. Most follow these cities sports teams. But NOT the TOTAL disdain, disrespect and loathing ..... that most downstate posters seem to represent in southern/downstate Illinois toward Chicago.
1) I think you're projecting way too much of your school-boy crush on Chicago into a disconnect that you don't really understand.
2) If you don't think there's a strong disconnect/disrespect/dislike between rural and urban PA, I'd suggest you spend some time in the "Penssyltucky" part of the state.
1) I think you're projecting way too much of your school-boy crush on Chicago into a disconnect that you don't really understand.
2) If you don't think there's a strong disconnect/disrespect/dislike between rural and urban PA, I'd suggest you spend some time in the "Penssyltucky" part of the state.
Well I guess this was suppose to be a shot at me..... bang pun intended. I was already a adult when I lived in Chicago also FYI. I did become endeared to the city and call it my second hometown. Favorite big city .... especially today.
In PA actually live by the anthracite hard coal region of eastern PA (western PA has the bituminous soft coal) as my hometown is in it. So definitely in your use of the pennsyltucky ..... comment. I'm actually closer to NYC then Philly in distance too.
From link:
- Pennsyltucky describes those parts of Pennsylvania beyond the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia and, sometimes, Pittsburgh. Words like rural, agricultural, deindustrialized, and even Appalachian describe the region briefly.
- In a broad sense, urban areas typically vote Democratic and less urban areas vote Republican.
- in 1986, political strategist James Carville described Pennsylvania as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama in the middle.
The last sentence in the link ....hits on a term thrown out there by those wanting to lessen the region....
- but mostly it’s small town redneck farmsville like.
Do I think areas have rednecks here .... of course there are. But with all the big city poorer folk relocation being pushed out of NYC boroughs and Philly even. Most are far from refined (will leave it there) and of all ethnic groups. They do not come for work, but cheap housing and good schools. Gotta live somewhere....
These old small cities depressed from past glory days. Have VERY Cheap old-stock row-housing. I was razed among them. But Philly is the row-housing capital of the Nation. Too as probably the Mid-Atlantic region PA is the chief state in it.
Philly is 60% rows and not counting double-homes. If not for its highly suburban-like far north side ... would be much higher. Virtually all are brick. Most in southeastern PA old smaller cities rows are too. Other areas mimic more NYC rows of woodframe varieties not brick. Especially the old mining regions.
So in housing more similarities to its major cites. Chicago has more housing more unique to it. The Chicago-style bungalow and greystones as examples.
Politically, Philadelphians even use such Pennsyltucky comments for Pittsburgh ... to placing it even in the Midwest. But the BIGGEST DIVIDE is (you read it in the Philly forum a lot to) how Harrisburg (the PA state capital) ignores the city in favor of this other region of the state and Philly has FAR LESS POWER in the state legislator.... UNLIKE CHICAGO. Philadelphians felt much funding was slowed or stopped in the past in cuts that Philly felt were too far cuts .... toward them. Only lately did some like for its transit upgrades as a example .... did they again start getting more again.
Seems from Southern Illinois riff? They feel FAR too much goes to Chicagoland and Chicago has all the legislature power even if it is more the opposite .... unlike Philly.
You use of this term "Pennsyltucky" to throw at me..... changes NOTHING the past history of far northern Illinois and its southern part and Chicago seen as holding the legislature power in Springfield and to blame for issues. Most in PA and especially Philly. Blame Harrisburg the capital and powers of all the states districts.
So is Southern Illinois a Illintucky? Not in Appalachian regions. But much more red yes. But Not like PA in having more power in its legislature then its major city in the north as Pennsyltucky in PA generally has more in PA. Certainly did not make it richer. But overall still more of the powers then its two biggest cites .... because of other metros with more share in this.... so labled Pennsyltucky region you brought in.
Changes nothing for this north/south Illinois .... far more disconnect IMO and by post not giving much respect to Chicago from the south. Worst Philly gets is "Filthadelphia" not nice and not new.... but i'd say far less used today. Sadly though, Philly still has no city street-sweeper fleet for over a decade now. Certainly doesn't help. Its Center City does have private street-sweeping companies pay for. But not the rest of the city as the only major city without it.
Last edited by DavePa; 08-21-2018 at 06:33 PM..
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Not going by most post anyway. I think middle Illinois may still though. You might even have more in Indiana and Iowa who even are? 
Seems some would say better off in Illinois..... 
'
I was already a adult when I lived in Chicago also FYI. I did become endeared to the city and call it my second hometown. Favorite big city .... especially today.
But the BIGGEST DIVIDE is (you read it in the Philly forum a lot to) how Harrisburg (the PA state capital) ignores the city in favor of this other region of the state and Philly has FAR LESS POWER in the state legislator.... UNLIKE CHICAGO. Philadelphians felt much funding was slowed or stopped in the past in cuts that Philly felt were too far cuts .... toward them. Only lately did some like for its transit upgrades as a example .... did they again start getting more again. 
