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It's sad to think in the year 2010 people relate race/ethnicty of a community as a bad or good community. Color has nothing to do with crime in a community. Crime is everwhere and it is committed by all walks of life. Poverty plays a big part in crime and it affects all people. So if the companies in Pittsburgh and surrounding neighborhoods provided equality for all then maybe we would not see as much crime among ALL races in this area. Oh and by the way, I live on a street that is predominantly African American and their houses and lawns are well manicured.
Excellent comment and I agree. Whereabouts do you live?
There is plenty of equality, it's often the attitude and work ethic, along with a strong culture of anti-authoritarianism that negates the efforts of companies and corporations that are making efforts to hire minorities. Pittsburgh is attempting to re-vitalize and is pushing out the section 8 housing and ghetto neighborhoods. East Liberty is looking better and better, and with the new Children's Hospital there, it will certainly make a come back. Unfortunately the thugs are being pushed east thru Homewood and towards Penn Hills, Verona, and Monroeville.
There needs to be a serious conversations about "minorties" and crime. Poverty is not an excuse to committ crimes. Schools are making serious efforts to help educate kids, but "minorities" continue to underperform. Strange, another minority group, asians who have been in Oakland for over hundred years do very well. The only way out of poverty is thru education, not football, rapping, or playing basketball. For goodness sake, we have some of the best universities, colleges, and schools in the world along with a one of the largest employers on the east coast. Go to school, work, and you will do fine.
There is plenty of equality, it's often the attitude and work ethic, along with a strong culture of anti-authoritarianism that negates the efforts of companies and corporations that are making efforts to hire minorities. Pittsburgh is attempting to re-vitalize and is pushing out the section 8 housing and ghetto neighborhoods. East Liberty is looking better and better, and with the new Children's Hospital there, it will certainly make a come back. Unfortunately the thugs are being pushed east thru Homewood and towards Penn Hills, Verona, and Monroeville.
There needs to be a serious conversations about "minorties" and crime. Poverty is not an excuse to committ crimes. Schools are making serious efforts to help educate kids, but "minorities" continue to underperform. Strange, another minority group, asians who have been in Oakland for over hundred years do very well. The only way out of poverty is thru education, not football, rapping, or playing basketball. For goodness sake, we have some of the best universities, colleges, and schools in the world along with a one of the largest employers on the east coast. Go to school, work, and you will do fine.
If you're not black, how do you know there's "plenty of equality"? How do you know that all black people in Pittsburgh have a bad "attitude and work ethic"? Pittsburgh has never been known as a city where black people, even educated, articulate, non-threatening blacks could excel. What has changed from a black person's perspective? Do you have a clue? Quite easy to tell black people to just "go to school", "work", and "you'll do just fine." Really? It's that simple? I don't think so.
Frankly, it appears like the plight of many black people in Pittsburgh is the result of GENERATIONS of discrimination and bigotry. This appears to have left black people with few choices, all of them on the bottom. Asians fare better absolutely. Kudos to them for their values and unity and respect among their people. But they certainly don't come close to suffering the effects of the intense level of bigotry, discrimination, hatred, and denied opportunities that black people have endured for centuries. Centuries of second-class citizenship, subjugation, disdain, and rejection are bound to cause some black people to feel rage, self-hate, dispair, to lack motivation, or to feel hopeless, frustrated, ashamed, and distracted. When the "serious conversation" you suggest addresses these issues, as well as removing the "unearned privilege" that many non-black people have enjoyed, maybe some progress will be made. Until then, the inequities continue to exist to the detriment of black people, along with all the negatives that brings.
Pittsburgh certainly not a pioneer in devising solutions to this problem.
There is plenty of equality, it's often the attitude and work ethic, along with a strong culture of anti-authoritarianism that negates the efforts of companies and corporations that are making efforts to hire minorities. Pittsburgh is attempting to re-vitalize and is pushing out the section 8 housing and ghetto neighborhoods. East Liberty is looking better and better, and with the new Children's Hospital there, it will certainly make a come back. Unfortunately the thugs are being pushed east thru Homewood and towards Penn Hills, Verona, and Monroeville.
There needs to be a serious conversations about "minorties" and crime. Poverty is not an excuse to committ crimes. Schools are making serious efforts to help educate kids, but "minorities" continue to underperform. Strange, another minority group, asians who have been in Oakland for over hundred years do very well. The only way out of poverty is thru education, not football, rapping, or playing basketball. For goodness sake, we have some of the best universities, colleges, and schools in the world along with a one of the largest employers on the east coast. Go to school, work, and you will do fine.
First off, let me note that I'm not a Pittsburgh resident, though it's one of my favorite cities bar none...also note that I'm black, and as such, I'd like to address some of the points you made...
1) If you have something to say about black folk, then please, don't use the usual PC-style code words (in this case, "minorities" in quotation marks, and the ever-popular 'thugs')...most of us can read between the lines, and already know who and what you're talking about
2) Another popular tactic seems to be engaging in old, worn-out stereotypes...y'know, the 'poverty-stricken blacks are scary and commit lotsa crimes...gosh, aren't they SCARY?' stuff...and the 'you never see Asians doing that stuff---they're GOOD minorities'...I think if you stopped paying attention to the Nightly News, the Post-Gazette, and out-and-out rumors, and actually (GASP!) tried to interact with black folks, instead of hiding in your living room and peering cautiously from behind your curtains, you would be surprised, no, make that utterly amazed, at what you might learn...which leads me to---
3) Every black person who has achieved even a modicum of success in this world is NOT a rapper, athlete, singer, movie actor, etc...they're out there every day, actually taking advantage of those 'fine universities, colleges, and schools' you spoke of, and are employed at that largest East Coast employer you spoke of...but you and a lot of others with your particular mindset wouldn't know that, because you're fed a steady diet of BS and stereotypes by (wait for it) the Nightly News and the Post-Gazette, and what you take away from that is that all blacks are either mean-mugging, gun-toting, criminal minded, inner city thugs, or rappers, or overpaid athletes, when the reality is, a LOT of them are just like you, and crave the same things you do---good schools, nice neighborhoods, and a good quality of life...we don't all live in ghettoes, or crawl from under rocks in the nearest forest...
To sum up, what, you may ask, does this have to do with Penn Hills, this thread, and Pittsburgh in general? Well, all I've tried to accomplish here is to get you to step out of your comfort zone, take off your blinders, and realize that that black family in Penn Hills, as i stated above, wants the same things you do...believing in stereotypes cuts you off from a universe of possibilities, and besides, it's 'so 5 minutes ago'
I know I'll get in trouble for saying this, but all this talk of race is exactly what causes racism. The entitlement mentality that some people have is pretty ridiculous. It's race-baiting and I'm not going to bite. You want real equality and true acceptance? Stop talking about your race like it even matters anymore. I don't care what race my friends are -- I call it like I see it.
The very fact that the whining and complaing still exists on these forums shows that racism is alive and well, unfortunately. I'm a Christian and I try to love all people regardless of what they look like. I really don't care if an area is largely black, asian or hispanic. I make a sound judgment based on my observations of safety, community feel and general well-being.
Oh, and I live in Penn Hills -- closer towards Verona on Shannon Road. I feel very safe where I live, but the closer you get to Frankstown road and that area, it's pretty bad. Black and white people alike causing trouble with vandalism, loitering, robberies and such. The school district is pretty much the worst in the county (ranked 96th out of 102, I think).
So, I'm moving out of here as soon as we find I house, probably to the South Hills. Prices are so low because everyone is doing the same thing.
If you're not black, how do you know there's "plenty of equality"? How do you know that all black people in Pittsburgh have a bad "attitude and work ethic"? Pittsburgh has never been known as a city where black people, even educated, articulate, non-threatening blacks could excel. What has changed from a black person's perspective? Do you have a clue? Quite easy to tell black people to just "go to school", "work", and "you'll do just fine." Really? It's that simple? I don't think so.
Frankly, it appears like the plight of many black people in Pittsburgh is the result of GENERATIONS of discrimination and bigotry. This appears to have left black people with few choices, all of them on the bottom. Asians fare better absolutely. Kudos to them for their values and unity and respect among their people. But they certainly don't come close to suffering the effects of the intense level of bigotry, discrimination, hatred, and denied opportunities that black people have endured for centuries. Centuries of second-class citizenship, subjugation, disdain, and rejection are bound to cause some black people to feel rage, self-hate, dispair, to lack motivation, or to feel hopeless, frustrated, ashamed, and distracted. When the "serious conversation" you suggest addresses these issues, as well as removing the "unearned privilege" that many non-black people have enjoyed, maybe some progress will be made. Until then, the inequities continue to exist to the detriment of black people, along with all the negatives that brings.
Pittsburgh certainly not a pioneer in devising solutions to this problem.
I know I'll get in trouble for saying this, but all this talk of race is exactly what causes racism. The entitlement mentality that some people have is pretty ridiculous. It's race-baiting and I'm not going to bite. You want real equality and true acceptance? Stop talking about your race like it even matters anymore. I don't care what race my friends are -- I call it like I see it.
The very fact that the whining and complaing still exists on these forums shows that racism is alive and well, unfortunately. I'm a Christian and I try to love all people regardless of what they look like. I really don't care if an area is largely black, asian or hispanic. I make a sound judgment based on my observations of safety, community feel and general well-being.
Oh, and I live in Penn Hills -- closer towards Verona on Shannon Road. I feel very safe where I live, but the closer you get to Frankstown road and that area, it's pretty bad. Black and white people alike causing trouble with vandalism, loitering, robberies and such. The school district is pretty much the worst in the county (ranked 96th out of 102, I think).
So, I'm moving out of here as soon as we find I house, probably to the South Hills. Prices are so low because everyone is doing the same thing.
Good post.
Race baiting trolls should go get on Rev. Al's or Rev. Jackson's crack team of activists and complain in front of the cameras. Leave the rest of us Pittsburghers here to get along; black, white, latino, whoever.
Pointing out there is a serious problem with blacks in Pittsburgh, if not in many other cities, is not racism. It's been done, and YES, I get my information from school officials around Pittsburgh, and from the students themselves. Sorry, you dont know, and I dont care to disclose my occupation for the various reasons seen here, the reactionary responses.
That argument, "you dont know what it's like to be black", does not wash anymore. The fact is there has been plenty done. In fact some of the most racist kids in the school districts now are black kids themselves. It's not publicized because of the irony, but sit down some times and talk to some other minority children at Schenley, Allderdice, or Peabody. There are Asian, Iraqi, and yes white kids who are repeatedly targetted because of their ethnicity. Most white kids are absolutely afraid of, and fearful of, the black kids in their schools because of the entitlement and arrogance.
Why dont you talk with some whites and see how they feel? The black kids I've talk to have no knowledge of what you are talking about because that is not their experience. Neither do the white kids, but they are sure of what they see. It's the anti-social behavior that perpetuates the negative view of black, and so if you want to change that view then change your behavior.
There is a real discipline problem within the Pittsburgh Public Schools, with black kids predominately filling emotional suppport classrooms, detention, and in-school suspension rooms. Ask any teacher. Almost all of the Shuman detention center is filled with blacks, being feed by predominately black schools, and Penn Hills is slowly gaining more recognition there. I actually talked to one student, a white girl, who refused to date a black boy. She was quickly labeled a "racist", singled out and teased to the point she had to leave the school. You dont read about this in the news. And, no she was not a racist is was a choice she made based on character.
The trend, at least to my knowledge, is that every town that has seen an influx of blacks immediately sees a increase in crime and a failing school district. I've heard what a wonderful place Wilkinsburg was, along with McKeesport and Clairton. It appears the cultural values and ideals that blacks carry with them is not healthy.
I actually spoke with friend, actually a black friend, who still is a friend and sincerely honest. He spoke about the feeling that education is a white value, that blacks see being smart or academic minded as not being cool. Sounds simplistic, but blacks seem to shun education, and as I mentioned the only way out of poverty is thru education. One thing is for sure, they dont feel the same about football or sports in general. (Blacks are over represented in the NFL and NBA.)
It's not a matter of us, we, or them reorganizing or providing this or that, but blacks need to focus themselves on what matters. Not every black child is going to be a "baller or caller", but they can be a school teacher, engineer, or accountant. Or, whatevery they want. I do know for a fact, and you may not believe this, many companies are seeking black employees, but at the college level. But, when you look at the statistics, most blacks are not completing high school, dropping out, or totatlly focused on sports.
I want to help, but helping involves having an honest conversation. Not hiding behind ghosts of the past. I have not talked with a black kid who has honestly said his teacher is a racist. I have talked with many black kids, and other kids also, who are not completing homework, showing up late for class, skipping class, not really giving a darn about their schooling. And, just as equally important I have talked with many of the parents of those children who share the same values, and so feed these anti-educational behaviors. It feels strong to say this, and perhaps you will be offended, but the chains of the black person are being held in your own hands, and you have all the keys.
Last edited by Pitts10yrs; 04-06-2010 at 07:45 PM..
Race baiting trolls should go get on Rev. Al's or Rev. Jackson's crack team of activists and complain in front of the cameras. Leave the rest of us Pittsburghers here to get along; black, white, latino, whoever.
First off, I commend the young man whose post you responded to...he certainly won't get in any 'trouble' with me, because he spoke his mind and expressed his opinion, and I will never hassle anyone here about that...
Now, however, I'm gonna slightly contradict what I just said, and address your points...people here who want to discuss race, be they white or black or whatever ethnicity, are not always trolls...the OP, to me, had a legitimate concern, and others in this thread tried to address that concern, whether I totally agreed with their stances or not---that's what this forum is all about: people with various views and opinions coming together to express themselves...are we all gonna hold hands and sing 'Kum-Ba-Ya' every day? No...and that's one of the main reasons I enjoy City Data...
And by the way---the Reverends Jackson and Sharpton cannot, will not, and most importantly DO NOT speak for every black person in Pittsburgh proper, or the rest of America for that matter...just because they want to play Chicken Little and always say the sky is falling doesn't mean that I'm gonna invest in a survival bunker---I'm a grown, intelligent man who'll make up my OWN mind about issues in the black community,thank you very much...if I have a problem about something that's said or done, then I'll speak on it myself---I don't need Al and Jesse holding my hand and telling me what to say or think
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