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My husband is a Chicago native. We visit there monthly, sometimes more. He grew up on the southside as well and never had any issues with violence in his personal life - never been shot at, never been stuck up, never had an issue with any gangs.
I do think that the violence in Chicago is hyped up by media. Chicago is nothing compared to it used to be back in the 1970s and 1980s in particular. One of my husband's family member was murdered in the 1970s, as was the father and uncle of a good friend of mine who is also from Chicago. Crime is way down today versus that era.
Also for the person who said they need to "bulldoze the projects" I worked in housing for many years and know people who worked for/with CHA. They have bulldozed a majority of the notorious family housing projects and/or redeveloped them. Many in the city feel this spurred the crime that is occurring today because instead of it being confined to project housing developments, those people were spread all over the city, including in formerly working-middle class predominantly black neighborhoods on the south side as those neighborhoods have seen an increase in crime.
Though statistical evidence doesn't back that assumption, many people I personally know in Chicago do think that this happening sparked more crime.
IMO the crime increase this past year is directly related to the state of Illinois, Cook County, and the City of Chicago decreasing funding for violent prevention programs like Cease Fire that was featured in the documentary "The Interrupters." The neighborhoods that saw increases in homicides in 2016 were neighborhoods that this organization was working in to combat violence and de-escalate conflicts that may lead to violence. Once they were defunded, then removed, crime increased in those neighborhoods.
Good post and good information.
It got me to try to find a reputable source for crime in Chicago.
I would think there are good spots and bad spots there.
Where I live crime this year has gone up over 50% and I notice the safety issue becoming a problem.
This might be one?
Minneapolis City Council Passes $15 Minimum Wage Ordinance 11-1 | KSTP.com
CHICAGO— Mired in a level of violence not seen in nearly two decades, the nation’s third largest city recorded its 701st murder on Thursday, reaching a stunning milestone before year's end.
Chicago has seen the number of killings increase by about 58% since last year, according to police department data. The city is on pace to record the most murders in a year since 1997, when the police department reported 761 killings. Chicago Police have also reported more than 3,300 shooting incidents in 2016, an increase of about 49% compared to the same time last year.
Good post. There is no doubt that the violence in Chicago is mostly political over-hype, born from the fact that President Obama calls Chicago home and Rahm Emanuel is the mayor. Chicago doesn't even rank in the top 100 most dangerous cities in America.
But that won't stop posters like the OP from making these politically motivated threads.
The unfortunate truth is that large urban centers like Chicago have a long history of minority oppression and it continues to this day where as long as it's black kids shooting each other off in the hood then it's not worth devoting a lot of resources to the issue.
Now sure, from time to time the politicians have to go to a march or give some empty speech blaming guns but then it's back to business as usual.
But for the most part they have a big fat Democratic pass on these types of issues. Hell, they even tried to cover up the killing of Laquan McDonald...got caught...got off scott free.
So yeah, the republicans point to Chicago out of politics but the darker truth is that democrats turn a blind eye to what the city does....out of politics as well.
Hell, I remember Al Sharpton coming to Chicago about 15 years ago talking about this stuff. He met with the mayor and then disappeared like a fart in the wind. Then he started getting invites to be on talk shows, speak at the DNC etc. He got his pay-off.
Good post and good information.
It got me to try to find a reputable source for crime in Chicago.
I would think there are good spots and bad spots there.
Where I live crime this year has gone up over 50% and I notice the safety issue becoming a problem.
This might be one?
Minneapolis City Council Passes $15 Minimum Wage Ordinance 11-1 | KSTP.com
CHICAGO— Mired in a level of violence not seen in nearly two decades, the nation’s third largest city recorded its 701st murder on Thursday, reaching a stunning milestone before year's end.
Chicago has seen the number of killings increase by about 58% since last year, according to police department data. The city is on pace to record the most murders in a year since 1997, when the police department reported 761 killings. Chicago Police have also reported more than 3,300 shooting incidents in 2016, an increase of about 49% compared to the same time last year.
The best way to understand Chicago's violence is to pull up a map of the city showing the neighborhoods.
Lincoln Park has 1 murder a year and about 100k residents.
Austin has maybe 30-40 a year and about 100k residents.
They're a few miles apart, same gun laws etc etc etc.
One has a murder rate like Tokyo, the other like Tiajuana.
Not many of you lefties will say this is good, because Trump is implementing this.
You won't be able to rise above your personal slam agenda with President Trump.
And will not be able to get out of your own space and be an unbias person for the Country to unite!
Um. What "righty" would support federal intervention in a local problem? That's a traditionally "lefty" solution if there ever was one. The constitution leaves this to the states.
I have many friends and family still in Chicago. None of them feel any more or less safe than people living in any other big city. Don't let the right wing anti-Chicago hype fool you. It's only a very small part of Chicago that is experiencing this kind of gun violence, and it is all gang related. I go into Chicago on a regular basis and am never afraid for my life. Most of the city is still a nice place to live.
I think I read that 90% of the shootings are in two neighborhoods.
Kansas City is the same way. Most of the crime is in one area.
Crime statistics can be misleading. I live in a town of 8,000. Our town is listed as 3rd most dangerous in our state. We have had one murder in our whole county in the last seven years. But we have a lot of petty theft related to the meth epidemic.
Um. What "righty" would support federal intervention in a local problem? That's a traditionally "lefty" solution if there ever was one. The constitution leaves this to the states.
The state of Illinois is not handling it well. It appears so.
Not many of you lefties will say this is good, because Trump is implementing this.
You won't be able to rise above your personal slam agenda with President Trump.
And will not be able to get out of your own space and be an unbias person for the Country to unite!
So now you believe in big government solutions?
What happened the last time the federal government tried to go to war against crime in Chicago?
Sounds great but I don't think 20 Feds are going to make much of a difference.
The FBI has had an operation in Chicago for over 100 years. Why didn't Fox News mention this in the OP's link.
While 20 more agents can't hurt, like you, I question if it will make a difference. So many of these shootings area result of perusal differences, played out on social media by community terrorists thugs.
Violent crimes, especially homicides, last peaked in Chicaho and throughout the US in the late 80's- mid 90's and then suddenly fell off. It did not matter what strategy, if any, was employed. There is no consensus , why violent crime substantially declined. My personal favorite attributed it to an increase of Transendental Meditation practitioners throughout the country.
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