Drove through the west side ghetto of Chicago over the weekend - observations

Question: is the police presence welcomed by the law-abiding locals?

There seem to be two schools of thought. One is that the police may scare away the bad guys. The other is the perception by the black community that police are WORSE than the bad guys (or ARE the bad guys).

I feel like the second is unrealistic and media-driven, but that is pure speculation from 1,000 miles away...

Happy Dieting!

War on Ramadan wrote:

Question: is the police presence welcomed by the law-abiding locals?

There seem to be two schools of thought. One is that the police may scare away the bad guys. The other is the perception by the black community that police are WORSE than the bad guys (or ARE the bad guys).

I feel like the second is unrealistic and media-driven, but that is pure speculation from 1,000 miles away...

Happy Dieting!

Great question - I think the answer is somewhere in the middle, but most law-abiding citizens in these areas (of which there are surprsingly many) prefer the police presence.

Thanks for the on-the-ground description.

Seriously, I couldn't imagine living in a place like that. I suppose if that's how you grew up, you're just "used to it?"

They have "Malcolm X College" on that stretch of road with Free GED classes so it does have that going for it.

It couldn't have been that bad if you were able to drive through safely.

different perspective wrote:

They have "Malcolm X College" on that stretch of road with Free GED classes so it does have that going for it.

Nah, Malcom X College is further east in a compartively tranquil area that has been significantly improved.

Coach wrote:

It couldn't have been that bad if you were able to drive through safely.

Gee, maybe the 40+ cop cars on the beat acted as a deterrent. You think?

Trust me - it has been very, very bad this year. But on the west side the violence is 90% drug / money related, and people don't mess with people not in "the game." There are lots of white people that buy drugs in that area then roll out. It's not in the thug's best interest to mess with their client base.

Also, Madison is a major arterial street, very wide with tons of people and cars. Driving down one of the side streets = death sentence.

War on Ramadan wrote:

Question: is the police presence welcomed by the law-abiding locals?

There seem to be two schools of thought. One is that the police may scare away the bad guys. The other is the perception by the black community that police are WORSE than the bad guys (or ARE the bad guys).

I feel like the second is unrealistic and media-driven, but that is pure speculation from 1,000 miles away...

Happy Dieting!

I'm not sure why you think the second is unrealistic and media driven:

NotEvenOnce wrote:

Coach wrote:

It couldn't have been that bad if you were able to drive through safely.

Gee, maybe the 40+ cop cars on the beat acted as a deterrent. You think?

Trust me - it has been very, very bad this year. But on the west side the violence is 90% drug / money related, and people don't mess with people not in "the game." There are lots of white people that buy drugs in that area then roll out. It's not in the thug's best interest to mess with their client base.

Also, Madison is a major arterial street, very wide with tons of people and cars. Driving down one of the side streets = death sentence.

They should reroute the Chicago Marathon through there. Slow pokes will pick up their pace.

I'm sure it was bad. But there are ghettos in the US that I wouldn't drive through.

asdfsd wrote:

Thanks for the on-the-ground description.

Seriously, I couldn't imagine living in a place like that. I suppose if that's how you grew up, you're just "used to it?"

Sweet home, Chicago. Cubs win series and city sets new murder record of 800.

Chicago is a FAILED STATE

Mayor, CIty Hall, Police, should be disbanded, every employee fired and banned from Chicago for life.

how much does this all cost?

these are some of the most expensive people in our society. the burden is unreal.

paying for: housing, food, water, electricity, effectively block-by-block policing... *and they're the victims...?*

how ya taxes doin?

I just 'drove' through that strip on Google Maps...always amazing to me what places called "america's worst slum' look like...in short, they look pretty much like middle class neighborhoods, with a few more empty lots and crappier retail.

it' basic america. I didn't see any boarded up buildings, rubble fields, fallin down structures, abandoned blocks...

I even drove up some side streets. They were usually leafy and green and decently tended to.

I understand the murder problem, but American urban poverty just isn't all that bad.

I suspect 90% of the murdered people are gang members....sad, but not tragic like an innocent losing her life.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

War on Ramadan wrote:

Question: is the police presence welcomed by the law-abiding locals?

There seem to be two schools of thought. One is that the police may scare away the bad guys. The other is the perception by the black community that police are WORSE than the bad guys (or ARE the bad guys).

I feel like the second is unrealistic and media-driven, but that is pure speculation from 1,000 miles away...

Happy Dieting!

I'm not sure why you think the second is unrealistic and media driven:

https://theintercept.com/2016/10/06/how-the-chicago-police-department-covered-up-for-a-gang-of-criminal-cops/

I am not claiming that the police have never done anything wrong, lol. What I am wondering (not claiming) is how much of the negative PERCEPTION of the police by blacks is driven by the media.

Are you claiming that the locals would prefer a gang presence over a police presence? Serious question.

War on Ramadan wrote:

Mr. Obvious wrote:

I'm not sure why you think the second is unrealistic and media driven:

https://theintercept.com/2016/10/06/how-the-chicago-police-department-covered-up-for-a-gang-of-criminal-cops/

I am not claiming that the police have never done anything wrong, lol. What I am wondering (not claiming) is how much of the negative PERCEPTION of the police by blacks is driven by the media.

Are you claiming that the locals would prefer a gang presence over a police presence? Serious question.

I don't know personally what locals would prefer.

Based on the reporting, I would guess they wouldn't see much difference between the two.

Failed State wrote:

Chicago is a FAILED STATE

Mayor, CIty Hall, Police, should be disbanded, every employee fired and banned from Chicago for life.

Is the mayor a republican or democrat? I'm honestly asking.

War on Ramadan wrote:

Mr. Obvious wrote:

I'm not sure why you think the second is unrealistic and media driven:

https://theintercept.com/2016/10/06/how-the-chicago-police-department-covered-up-for-a-gang-of-criminal-cops/

I am not claiming that the police have never done anything wrong, lol. What I am wondering (not claiming) is how much of the negative PERCEPTION of the police by blacks is driven by the media.

Are you claiming that the locals would prefer a gang presence over a police presence? Serious question.

the trick here is how bad humiliation is. Feeling occupied by armed outsiders is humiliating. Humiliation is a great driver of human activity. Terrorism, trump voters, Brexiteers, southerners who fly the battle flag....they are being driven by humiliation.

so on the surface it may make no sense for non-criminals to resent a police presence...it still grates on them terribly. Not a simple question you are asking.

different perspective wrote:

They have "Malcolm X College" on that stretch of road with Free GED classes so it does have that going for it.

Malcolm X College is right across from the United Center, which is a much improved area, and they just rebuilt it so it's a very nice campus. And besides, what's the issue with GED classes? Most community colleges offer them and kids from all over the city go to school there.