Is LA really that bad

[SandyCo]

UB50, I agree with you. The problems Southern California faces are unique to this region because of the huge influx of people from many different foreign cultures. Yes, Hispanics make up the largest group, but you're right about the Iranians, Armenians, Asians, etc.

I have a friend who has been living here for over 25 years, but he isn't a citizen. He has his green card as a legal resident. He has fully assimilated into American culture even though he grew up in Bolivia. He was going to college to become an engineer there, and came to the U.S. for personal reasons. In fact, he was from the upper class there. Imagine his culture shock when he realized how Latinos are treated here! He struggled, he worked hard, he even lived in his car for a brief period, and he had to work very hard to learn English! He is now a CNC machinist, and is doing fine. Well, he's struggling like the rest of the rapidly diminishing middle class, but he has been at the same company for ten years.

What does he say about immigration? He says that immigration can be a good thing, but it has to be controlled. The problems we're facing now are because too many people have come here, and they're not assimilating. This leads to cultures clashing, etc. I just thought I'd throw his opinion in here, because he has such a unique perspective. He is as appalled as anyone else about the uneducated people populating L.A. and bringing their bad habits with them.

By the way, his daughters are American citizens. His youngest went into the military a couple of years ago at 18 years old, and she's doing great!

[TheRealAngelion]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

This is a bad place to live if you want to buy a house, give your children a decent education, and have a sense of real community with your neighbors.

If you are poor, working class or middle class with no upward mobility this is mostly true. However, if you are affluent or are young with good prospects for upward mobility, it can be a great place to live. The last neighborhood I lived in before moving to San Diego, I knew a good number of my neighbors. We entertained one another in our homes and went out together often. I lived in a high rise builing where running into your neighbors in the lobby, elevator, mail room, etc. was common, thus making it easy to get to know one another. Generally, the people who are productive, have good jobs, earn good money, and enjoy city life tend to enjoy what LA has to offer the most.

[Northside904]

Yes, L.A. is bad. You can't even wear red or blue without being mistaken for a gang member. Gangs have taken over the city, they even outnumber the police.

[Sorcerer68]

L.A. is all about location. My faves close in to L.A. are Pasadena (closer to Old Pas the better), Burbank and Toluca Lake. Los Feliz is nice. Hollywood Hills East are lovely and if you pick the right spot, you're close to everything. On the valley side, I like Studio City. I guess Burbank can be considered the valley by some. I like all the shops and cafes along Ventura Blvd from Studio City to Encino. South Redondo Beach is the cleanest, least congested L.A. beach city, bar none. It's expensive and far from the freeway though.

[Des_Demona]

...but Redondo is so FAR from LA! That would take FOREVER to commute out here.... traffic has changed a LOT in the last 2 years, hell even the last year. My best friend lives in South Redondo. I don't like Pasadena at all. I was there last weekend and it was just PACKED! I was so shocked. It took forever just to go a block. Then I got to old town Pasadena and it was just crazy. I felt overwhelmed there and I work in mid-wilshire LA! South Pasadena is still nice though. I took some pics. I'll have to post them later. I really feel the worst part of LA is all the traffic. I can't believe how incredible the increase has been in the past 2 years. The freeway out by my home in Simi on the 118 - the traffic has quadrupled since I first moved there. Last night it took me almost 2 hours to get home (this is 25 miles) because they had closed some random exit. I can't take the pressure of the traffic anymore. There's so much more filth here too then there used to be. I used to love LA and now I can't stand it. It's so sad.

[dusesean1986]

Originally Posted by NorthsideJacksonville

Yes, L.A. is bad. You can't even wear red or blue without being mistaken for a gang member. Gangs have taken over the city, they even outnumber the police.

Fortunately this is politically incorrect. You can wear red and blue without getting shot in 75% of the city itself. It doesn't matter if gangs outnumber police, as long as the police are in control of the area.