Obama's Chi-Town: People Afraid To Come Out Of Their Homes

[Buckbo]

There (http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/People_Afraid_To_Come_Out_Of_Their_Homes) have been 165 shootings so far this year, almost as many in all of last year. Murders are up, too. There have been nine so far this year compared to six in all of 2008. That has community leaders like Ray and the Rev. Herbert Brooks concerned. The two men remember the gang wars of the 1980s and they don't want to see a return to the bad old days.

The liberal politicians have done such a great job in Chicago will they continue that job with the rest of the nation?

[justaguy]

i have everyone in my community on alert....if anyone comes in that evenly remotely resembles someone that might come from chicago..taze first and interrogate after!

i AM sure it is a conspiracy to take chicago violence and spread it to rural nebraska... i will email glenn beck!

[justaguy]

I think Chicago's "best and brightest" have now gone to either Washington or jail. Who is left to mind the store?

i don't know..and i honestly dont have a solution. i thing a multifaceted approach works best..involving the police, schools, churches, neighborhood groups...trying to get more and more people to feel like they "own" their city...or even just their neighborhood.

but..i guess i had to laugh at the op title ie "obama's chicago".

btw have u seen the series "brick city"? i think its on sundance and is shown free on my cable system. its about newark and what they are doing to combat the same type of violence. and they seem to be succeeding..

[justaguy]

I am not familiar with that program, but if they have a solution, they might want to share it with Chicago. They could use it imo.

i agree! if u are interested, here is a link to the site and has some clips. and oh..actor forrest whitaker is the producer.

http://www.sundancechannel.com/brick-city/

have a good afternoon, raptor

[watcher2005]

I like Chicago, it's one of my favorite big cities. Don't like the politics of late, though.

[theal3]

I like Chicago, it's one of my favorite big cities. Don't like the politics of late, though.

Well Chicago is where I was born and raised: and the southside has always had crime. Chicago is HUGE. but like many urban areas where mfg. was moved to southern states, or there was white flight in the the 60s, the fabric and infrastructer broke down, and then the tax base left, and the schools suffered etc. It's going on big time in Detroit with the high unemployment.....

That said: Chicago has fantastic parts, too, like NY: museums, theaters, restaurants, beautiful architecture: rich culture.... and many, many safe and wonderful neighborhoods; diverse and multicultural, and gorgeous churches and Cathederals...... I have many, many relatives and friends who live there, and they are not afraid to come out of their homes: but there are "bad neighborhoods." But not the entire city.

But hey, some just want to "feature" the negatives, which exist in just about every city and hamlet in America.

There are place in the town I live in right now, that I consider "unsafe." And only 16,000 people live here. The right and wrong side of the tracks is everywhere.....in America....

[justaguy]

Well Chicago is where I was born and raised: and the southside has always had crime. Chicago is HUGE. but like many urban areas where mfg. was moved to southern states, or there was white flight in the the 60s, the fabric and infrastructer broke down, and then the tax base left, and the schools suffered etc. It's going on big time in Detroit with the high unemployment.....

That said: Chicago has fantastic parts, too, like NY: museums, theaters, restaurants, beautiful architecture: rich culture.... and many, many safe and wonderful neighborhoods; diverse and multicultural, and gorgeous churches and Cathederals...... I have many, many relatives and friends who live there, and they are not afraid to come out of their homes: but there are "bad neighborhoods." But not the entire city.

But hey, some just want to "feature" the negatives, which exist in just about every city and hamlet in America.

There are place in the town I live in right now, that I consider "unsafe." And only 16,000 people live here. The right and wrong side of the tracks is everywhere.....in America.... yes..livin in omaha...visited many times. many great things to do. btw..check out my link in my above post...i think it is a series you would be interested in..just because they are dealing with alot of what the problems are IN the bad neighborhoods...and because it is simply a well-done series.

[theal3]

yes..livin in omaha...visited many times. many great things to do. btw..check out my link in my above post...i think it is a series you would be interested in..just because they are dealing with alot of what the problems are IN the bad neighborhoods...and because it is simply a well-done series.

I'll check it out, thx. When I grew up in Chicago in the 50s and 60s it still had a huge manufacturing base and black and whites were hired and worked together, but of course lived in their respective neighborhoods or areas......but even in HS in '58, I recall a discussion on red-lining and a debate and took the side of it being wrong..... not a good side to be on at that time in my all white HSchool. But it opened my eyes to what was taking place, as MLK was visiting in those days with peaceful marches housing and what was going on...as whites were moving to suburbs, and real estate wouldn't sell to blacks who were moving into middle class ranks. ... it was the old "there goes the neighborhood" prejudice. But growing up there and going to all the wonderful museums, and cubs or white sox games, and amusement parks, and zoos, and theaters, and riding public transportation, being around people: black, white, asian, whatever, was "normal." Just people, familes or folks living their American life and in all kids of jobs. Believe me there were "poor white" areas, too.

But what really did more to hurt some areas, was the factories moving south and loss of jobs over the years..... just seems to me, and I see it in the Portland area here in Oregon; there's a trend to reclaim some of these neglected urban areas. May take another generation. IMHO

[RedSocksFan]

The liberal politicians have done such a great job in Chicago will they continue that job with the rest of the nation?

Exactly. Chicago isn't just a place, it's a state of mind for many politicians. Politicians can be scarier than gangs and do far more damage.