where the rich live in Philly? (Philadelphia, Chester: attorney, dorm, transfer)

[sbhubbell]

I think the media is partially to blame for this "paranoia" suburban people have. The nightly news in Philadelphia is entirely focused on violent crime, sensationalizing it to the max, more than they did in the past. It's not that crime has increased nearly as much as the news coverage of it has.

I had my wallet stolen in the middle of John Wanamakers downtown one Christmas while I was shopping. I was ten! It didn't cause me to be any more scared of the city, I LOVE the city, it just caused me to be more alert, assertive, and careful. I learned how to drive around downtown as soon as I got my license, so all my private school main line buddies always made me drive everywhere. They'd pile into my mom's minivan so we could head to South Street for some cheesesteaks and shopping or to Penn's Landing for a concert or to the Fels planatarium for a show. I miss it.

It was a bit eye-opening for me last year when I drove my husband's family downtown so they could visit University of the Sciences and Temple as prospective students. They're from Jersey Shore, PA...the town...a hick town outside of Williamsport. I kept telling them how cool it would be to go to college in Philly, and they could take the train out to visit us on weekends. They were nervous in freakin' University city! And when I made a turn down a back street to head home away from Temple that kinda sealed the deal...no way were they going to school in the city. The racist comments coming from my nieces boyfriend made me want to stop the car and kick him out. The girls both ended up attending Penn State, and they still go home ever weekend. Seriously missing out.

I will say part of why I didn't go to Penn was hearing about the crime on the news. That and I wanted to get further from my parents

[orrmobl]

LOL we had friends from Penn State who grew up on the WV border...to them anywhere that had a black person living there meant dangerous city! They came to visit and thought Secane, Delco was dangerous! This was 16 years ago when that area was lily white...

[solibs]

Originally Posted by orrmobl

I agree with a lot of what you say solibs. But the Inquirer writer who got shot at a Wawa in Germantown, the poor Dunkin' Donuts manager in the subway, the woman gunned down walking from the bus to her hospital job by the same looney that shot a father outside a subway entrance, and I just read about a kid from MN who moved here as a teaching fellow and worked at Starbucks...he was shot in the neck as walked home from work at 1AM, his pockets were gone through, it is thought he was shot for his iPod.

Right, but you're blurring those all together like they all happened last month. They happened over a 5 year period. I rarely watch the evening news but when something sensational like that happens it stays in the news cycle for so long it's hard to miss. So i don't keep tabs on the murders in the suburbs but I know that type of randomness happens just as often there.

BTW - the inquirer writer was shot in Chestnut Hill. Not in Germantown. He was shot while struggling with the guy who was trying to rob him.

The poor "dunkin donuts" manager was actually a Starbucks manager and, as detestable as I think it was, and as responsible as they were for his death - the guy had a heart attack. No 40 year old man dies from 15 seconds of punches thrown by three 14 year old boys.

The kid from MN that worked at the South St. Starbucks is the only one of these that I feel was truly predatory (psycho guy aside). Everyone I talk to that lives in Bella Vista, Queen Village and Passyunk Square seems to think the same thing . . . that he had been followed more than once and that he did everything that the Temple safety guide tells students not to do. He always left work at the same time. He always walked and he always did it alone. He always took the same route and he was always listening to his ipod. Completely unaware that anyone was following him.

And I'd much rather be in a suburban mall parking lot than a dark city street - criminals hunt in their backyards and suburban parking lots are not exactly an easy place to commit a crime and then get away...

See, there you go, "criminals hunting" and a profound misunderstanding of criminality.

1. thinking that career criminals don't have cars.
2. thinking that it's easier to disappear in a place with lots of potential eyewitnesses as opposed to a place with few or none.
3. thinking that career criminals commit crimes where people will recognize them

[solibs]

I've had more bicycles stolen while I was in high school in the suburbs than I have in 9 years of riding around the city. There are just as many thieves but I'm more careful about locking up here.

When I was still living back home I took a quick ride down to the beach to check the waves. Had my board in the car and everything. This is in Deal, NJ, there's no boardwalk or anything so you drive right up to the beach and there's a small bluff so you don't have to cross a dune. It was 100 yards from my car to where I could see the waves. In the 2 minutes it took me to walk there, assess the surf, and turn back back towards my car (the time I had my back turned) someone had stolen my wetsuit.

Originally Posted by sbhubbell

It was a bit eye-opening for me last year when I drove my husband's family downtown so they could visit University of the Sciences and Temple as prospective students. They're from Jersey Shore, PA...the town...a hick town outside of Williamsport. I kept telling them how cool it would be to go to college in Philly, and they could take the train out to visit us on weekends. They were nervous in freakin' University city! And when I made a turn down a back street to head home away from Temple that kinda sealed the deal...no way were they going to school in the city. The racist comments coming from my nieces boyfriend made me want to stop the car and kick him out. The girls both ended up attending Penn State, and they still go home ever weekend. Seriously missing out.

So why were they scared of University City, honestly? Because there were black people walking around? I wouldn't blame my cousins for being scared of the neighborhood around Temple but U. City?

I have relatives like that, they think that one of them, at any moment is going to think "oh, hey, there's a white person" and then start attacking. It's hilarious to watch the fear on their faces in certain situations. I've had frank discussions with them about it and they won't come out and say it in those words because they know how ridiculous it sounds but deep down that's the bast of their fear. It's this crazy, post-60s paranoia that's been passed down through a slew of movies starting with Taxi Driver and going through Falling Down, Escape from LA, Training Day, etc. and other avenues of pop culture.
But what's even more disturbing is some of my cousins are in their late teens, early 20's and weren't around in the 60s and haven't seen any of those movies. It's just really that pervasive.

[JHG722]

Originally Posted by solibs

that he had been followed more than once and that he did everything that the Temple safety guide tells students not to do.

Hahahahhahahahaha Did you go to Temple? I'm seriously dying lol

[solibs]

Originally Posted by JHG722

Hahahahhahahahaha Did you go to Temple? I'm seriously dying lol

I went to Rutgers-Camden.

[JHG722]

Originally Posted by solibs

I went to Rutgers-Camden.

How do you know about the safety tips lady?

[sbhubbell]

I don't think we actually saw any black people...really anybody at all that I remember, walking around U of the Sciences. It was just the style of the neighborhood, old rowhomes...beautiful ones I might add! They just aren't used to that and where they're from any rowhomes are homes to the very poor...often projects.

At Temple of course there were plenty of AA's walking around and down the back street we came up upon some on a corner chatting with a car that was kinda blocking our way. I was patient, I knew he would move...they didn't LOOK like drug dealers although I'm sure they could've been...but my nieces boyfriend seriously thought they were automatically gonna turn on us. He would've been happy if I had gunned it through every stop sign. I wish I could get her to dump his redneck ass.

[JHG722]

The only drug deals I know/have seen involve white Temple students :P

[solibs]

Originally Posted by JHG722

How do you know about the safety tips lady?

I don't know about any safety lady but I take a night class at the Center City campus . . . working on another degree.