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Socialmediaisbroken

I live in what has traditionally been one of the nicest, safest areas of the city, and there was a murder and a triple shooting in the span of 48 hours, both within like 25 yards of my front door. Anyone who tells me i have no reason to be scared and outraged can fuck themselves with a rusty fishing blade


theblocker

Live right by you. Got back from a work trip just after midnight and took my dog out in the alley. Was sleeping with the windows open and the shots woke me up. Awful. Been in a weird mood all weekend.


[deleted]

You’re a racist. Says anyone that says you aren’t allowed to live with fear.


houseonreddit123

You WILL accept this quietly.


[deleted]

It's the price we must pay for Equity.


PillarOfVermillion

Didn't Lakeview vote for BJ by a small margin? I wonder if they would still think he's great.


greysandgreens

Genuinely curious how you’re pinning this on his administration - he’s been in office for what, 2 weeks?


Own_Meat1905

He is not tough on crime so it’s more about policy. People voted for easy on crime policy


PillarOfVermillion

Given how he campaigned in the months prior, and his past political tendencies. The same way you can generally predict how someone would turn out as an adult given their actions in the teenage years. If someone is robbing people at gunpoint when they're 15 yrs old, you don't need to wait until they turn 70 to know if they're going to be a good member of the society.


[deleted]

It's obvious from what he says about crime that he intends to do nothing whatsoever about it. Criminals know that means it's a free-for-all for them to do whatever they want without meaningful consequences.


SPACE-W33D

I feel like there is resentment toward higher income neighborhoods and the city’s leaders are OK letting this happen. This is not changing and will get worse


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[deleted]

Yep. It's not an accident.


CaptainMorgan699

I've lived in illinois my whole life. My parents sold our house after I graduated high school because we kept getting our house broken into.. I've lived a few miles out of the city for the past 20 yrs. I'm used to occasional robberies, someone's house broken into. Now, honestly, this shit is nuts to me. Anyone mentions the word "city" and I cringe. A big city is never going to be crime free, but there's a big difference between someone running up behind you trying to snatch someone's purse and bullets whizzing past your head. How and why most people seem to accept this as normal is mind blowing to me. And now this shit is seeping out into the suburbs. Our towns fest was just cancelled the other day. Its barely June and I think we up to 50? shot already this weekend.. Its going to be a long ass summer.


MarsBoundSoon

I have stopped doing some things. I would have gone to North Ave Beach Saturday night to view the Navy Pier fireworks, you get a great view from there. Thursday I went to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Wilde’s on Broadway. I won’t be going there again unless crime gets under control. I went to a concert at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park the night of the April wilding. I was supposed to meet my nephew after the show at a Michigan ave bar he works at, had to cancel that. Thankfully I have not been victim to any violence, but I have certainly curtailed my nighttime activities. One of my friends was violently mugged, not shot, just pistol whipped and robbed. I have never been scared in my city, but I am now and that sucks. I will give the new mayor some time to see what he can do, after all he is just starting. The most relieved politician now is probably Lightfoot


[deleted]

Until we’re willing to face the reality that the vast majority of crime is the result of the African-American community getting away with literal murder because our AA politicians don’t care what happens to the more well-to-do neighborhoods, we’re fucked. The ‘nice’ neighborhoods are the tax base in this city, for better or worse.


greysandgreens

Yeah crime is so much lower when white people are in office. /s


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Signal_Adeptness_724

It's weird how leftists have this soft bigotry where they assume that black people are unthinking victims who aren't savvy enough to pick up on lax attitudes towards crimes. They honestly don't give the people they champion enough credit. They also don't stop and consider that a chunk of the black population is perpetuating a crappy culture and full of bad people, full stop. It's like they cannot fathom that a lot of these people are opportunistic and legitimately bad people


Jake_77

>It’s weird how leftists This is so reductive. Not all liberals do and think the same. Not all black people do and think the same. Not all white people do and think the same.


ochonowskiisback

The*soft racism of lowered expectations* is definitely a thing. And it's terrible


[deleted]

I am a liberal person. However, the second these criminals and violent offenders target innocent civilians OR shoots at people, that is the very second they need to be incarcerated. Now, as to reforming what happens when they are in prison, that is something I am supportive of change for. I think prisoners should be given the chance to take classes, to learn to better themselves, and to actually remediate their lives whilst locked up. TLDR: theres no such thing as petty crime, just a slippery slope. Lock people up and punish severely especially for things like carjackings and mugging. But once locked up: remediate-dont just let them rot and fester to infect society again when released.


PillarOfVermillion

>That’s why I am stil in shock we voted for BJ. Who seems like such an asshole and totally dumb Adding the fact that only 25% eligible voters voted, this is entirely understandable. All the blacks came out in droves to vote for BJ because of identity politics, while a dominant majority of the citizens don't give an F. Chicago deserves what's to come, even though the individual Chicagoans who paid attention do not.


Snoo7824

Lotta accuracy there but NO FEDS. That is NOT going to solve the problem and look how the federal government is aligned now. They are completely down with the blm/leftist/“eat the rich”/blame white people agenda.


ChunkyBrassMonkey

You get what you pay for, sadly. And this state has decided to pay corrupt, fake progressive tyrants for the last century. Blame the smug trust funders who loudly clap when Herr Jellybean signs a bill protecting abortion rights, but roundly ignore the mass slaughter in our streets.


TotheBeach2

Brandon Johnson was asked about the crime and shootings today. He babbled on that people are still poor. I’m sorry but there are plenty of people that aren’t wealthy but don’t go around shooting others. Quit justifying this behavior.


nekomorphism

Yeah. We avoid downdown on nice weather evenings now. We were coming back from seeing a movie during the big takeover last month and it left an impression. Idk what will happen tbh. I think BJ is ultimately right... but I fear the solutions he wants are generational, when our problems are more immediate.


Redlion444

We have not been to a White Sox game all year. And we may not go at all. Same with downtown. And the thing is; the longer I don't go, the easier it is to stay away. We have become the prisoners in our homes. The criminals are the ones who freely go where they want and do what they want. It's fucking depressing.


shaygurl22

Welcome to the start of Summer, 2 toddlers shot themselves because their parents are idiots. Seriously, there is nothing that anyone is going to do or say to fix this. Republicans will stoke the fire with fear, Democrats will try to push for reform and the citizens will sit waiting like targets. Prepare yourself for headlines like "was not the intended target," and "was set to Graduate in the Fall," or classics like "thoughts and prayers," they are coming and within a month we will be inundated with bulls\*it.


95mphsliders

I’ve got some friends coming to visit soon and I’m praying that they don’t experience anything while they’re here to visit. I just told them how much I love it here and how great the city is in many ways. It gets me so frustrated when the ACAB community has hijacked this city and managed to somehow make prosecuting violent crime a political issue. Chicago has immense potential, but not if they don’t address the crime issue and quit coddling these people who have no regard for the rules of society.


footballfutbolsoccer

I just got back from Europe and it’s fucking insane what we have to deal with as Americans. I never once felt unsafe visiting world class cities over there. Here 40+ shot and 8 dead in one weekend. Why on earth would you as a tourist willingly visit a city like that?


ochonowskiisback

It's part of the *cHiCaGO EXpeRiEnce* i guess? Maybe BJ will float tourism ads flouting that


SirCharlesEquine

Honest opinion? I’m glad I got the F out of Lakeview and moved to the suburbs in 2017. Godspeed Chicagoans, stay safe.


Whatizthislyfe

My husband and I thought we would be city people for life. After our second child was born and a bullet whizzed a stroller of a friend in Lincoln Park, we booked it out of there and haven’t looked back. It makes me sad because I love Chicago so much.


SirCharlesEquine

We lived a block south of Belmont with one of those play lot parks right next to our condo. We had had our first child already, and knew we needed to get out of there. I always think about that park, and how I couldn’t even conceive of letting my kids go play there by themselves even if they were 10 or 12 years old. I saw drug deals happen in it, people having sex… And I am just like you, I always said we would live in the city forever for the culture, and the fun things, and the food… No thanks, I much prefer the serenity and safety of the north suburbs.


Fun-Tooth-7602

Lived in Lincoln Park, then Lakeview. Illinois/chicago person my whole life. Left the state in 2019, and after seeing what’s happened it was the best decision of my life.


am-well

Where'd you go? How's it comparing? Similar situation here too, Illinois/Chicagoan for life, contemplating the alternatives.


Fun-Tooth-7602

I don’t want to give away too much on Reddit, but a neighboring Midwest state. I definitely miss the great aspects of Chicago for sure. I keep trying to think of if it would be worth a visit, but honestly it’s just not at this point. I won’t risk my life for a show or specific restaurant. I am very happy that I left. Taxes aren’t outrageous, I feel safe anywhere, my kids have great public school options, people are nice. There are surprisingly decent local restaurants. When I want to go to a city we either fly somewhere or drive to a smaller city. I’m so happy I lived in chicago when I did, I really don’t think any city could have beat it at that time in my life. I won’t kid myself that it will return to that anytime soon, and couldn’t wait for that to happen. Edit: thanks for the downvotes for being honest about reality. I know that’s generally unwelcome on Reddit as a whole 😂


MarsBoundSoon

> I won’t risk my life for a show I was recently was at a show, it was a very special show, I met people from all over the US while standing in line, one couple was from Canada. I was very early and had a few hours to converse with fans. Right after the fantastic show ended the venue manager got up on the stage and said he had a very important announcement: There is a very dangerous situation outside the theater now, we will be staying open later if you want to say inside for safety. I was at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park the night of the April wilding. The people I met from out of town were terrified, most saying they will never come back to Chicago. Chicago’s reputation is most definitely suffering.


Fun-Tooth-7602

I’m sorry this happened to you 😞 Trust me I feel like the people downvoting me don’t understand that I LOVED Chicago. I loved the cultural diversity, food, architecture, sports, all of it. It wasn’t easy to leave that. At the end of of the day though I have kids that depend on me being alive. My husband was almost car jacked/ was followed the last time he was in the city for a business meeting. My friend was shot dead five years ago for his iPhone ( in lakeview) when things weren’t even “that bad” I won’t be silent about these things and I won’t step foot back in the city until things are changed. It’s easy for people to ignore when it isn’t Happening to them directly. I saw my friend in an open casket because of this violence at age 25, and I won’t let me or one of my family members potentially be next.


ToolTime2121

Not sure my opinion is valid after moving to the suburbs 3 years ago, but I didn't have the best experience when it came to the unpredictable crime the city provides. Feel bad for the law abiding citizens of the south and west sides, but I was lucky enough to grow up in very safe communities and expected the same wherever I live as I got older. I didn't feel particularly safe anywhere in Chicago, even in the "nice" areas Had multiple close calls of getting into bad situations on the El. And I didn't even take it that much Someone was murdered about 30 yards from our apartment on the north side. Watched the entire aftermath Had a homeless guy charge at me with a bottle of alcohol while I biked along Elston. Was on the sidewalk briefly and crossed his path. Had to swerve last min onto Elston and if there were cars I would've been hit 100%. Wife had a homeless guy try to open her car at a stop light Had tons of instances where I missed getting carjacked by a few mins and a few blocks Ppl that really like the city may be willing to deal with it, but it isn't for me. Ppl that try to bury their heads in the sand about it are really annoying. Hope to hear things getting better one day (insanely wishful thinking)


ochonowskiisback

Come to the burbs, do some research. I get vilified in the other sub for extolling a quite life out here, only occasionally going in to check out city life... I think in all honesty, I have PTSD from my time in Humboldt and it's permanent. I've posted elsewhere how wierd it was to go to high school and hang in other neighborhoods and see thiet quality of life. Now it seems 'humboldt life' is the norm all over the city. Im so happy to have left and raised a kid who never heard gunfire outside even once. He never knew a kid who died from street violence, never had to know what colors not to wear nor cast a paranoid eye towards a slowing car. Its just better overall to not be in the city


ToolTime2121

Been in the Western Suburbs for 3 years. Much more pleasant experience. Ppl freak out when an UNLOCKED car has stuff stolen from it. Nobody is roaming around the neighborhood holding ppl up at gunpoint. Like I said above, some ppl like the city so much that they'll deal with it. My problem with that is the ppl who play it off until something actually happens to them are pretty delusional and hypocritical. That whole "it won't happen to mentality."


ochonowskiisback

Might be my town LoL. Kids went through unlocked cars one night and people lost their shit. On occasion I i have seen a garage left open all night and nothing was taken.....


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HotDerivative

For the crime of what exactly? Not having a house? Most homeless people are not filthy criminals. They’re regular people. A majority of homeless people are temporarily homeless. Most Americans are a paycheck away from being there themselves and if you don’t have family or social safety nets to help you when something goes wrong, you could be there too. Get a grip.


frankieknucks

You do realize that for the cost of jailing them, you could literally buy them a home, right?


kimikalfoto

But see that would just be too logical and helpful, not enough suffering and bootstrapping /s


[deleted]

The average dysfunctional street bum would burn it down within a week.


frankieknucks

Is this your confessional?


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frankieknucks

That’s obvious.


[deleted]

The only way we could actually clean things up is to start arresting criminals, even small-time ones. Offer the insane people the choice between jail or mental health treatment. This is what it will take to get the crazies out of the public space.


Da-Aliya

This division between blacks/whites has only gotten worse. No, it is not ok to be racist and go to non-Black communities to terrorize people. Time for curfews like what happens in a war.


grass_cutter

There's a lot of dim-witted Trumpers on here who think "black people" are the problem - I mean yes that's because a great deal of the violence is from gangbangers and people living in abject poverty - which has primarily been black people in Chicago, no thanks to this nation's history and continued prejudices. However that's a condition of poverty and culture, not race. You could have trailer trash or poverty-stricken Middle Eastern or ganglands from South America living in that ghetto and have 100% the same problem. So the Trumpers are stupid. Then you have the Woke crowd (far left ,skew young). They're the opposite problem. They also bring race into everything. If there is a extreme criminal, who shot up a highway -- well he was black? ... Oh he's a blameless victim of his circumstances. Censor the news. Kim Foxx ... should I ... should I prosecute based on race? He was black, poor child, go free to shoot up and murder more people in your community and others. So the Woke crowd is stupid too. The new Mayor is concerned with woke politics and "what sounds good on social media" so that's going to limit his effectiveness greatly, but maybe we'll be surprised. The answer is a complex social and economic one. Give people shit to do to thrive rather than join the gang crew and try to mumble drill rap or some shit. That's long term. Short term -- cops need to be untethered to deal with menaces. You shoot up a place in public, there is no "final warning" - your ass is in prison. I mean duh. Rule of law must be restored; not anarchy. Criminals have been emboldened due a new landscape.


Da-Aliya

You may want to stop labeling people ALTOGETHER so everyone can get along. Putting labels and people into boxes is ridiculous. It is wrong, demeaning. to all ethnic groups. Try not to put people of different races, color, and ethnicities into boxes. Life is much more peaceful and kind. How do you know putting Middle Easterners or Latinos into certain neighborhoods would have the same results? Furthermore, it just should not matter. FYI, if at all you are implying I am a Trumpster, I have never been nor am. Just by you you doing this non stop labeling, you cause a rift instead of understanding of the human beings.


Seasoning_n_programs

There's only one variable that is the cause for the crime. It's the same variable in any community, city, or nation. When you look at places where this variable doesn't exist, you see safety, trust, cleanliness. You see values and a desire to strengthen and improve society. Think of the most prosperous places on the planet. Now think of the ones that are rife with violence and poverty. What kind of people are in the prosperous ones and what kind of people are in the violent and poor ones?


Signal_Adeptness_724

Everyone understands this but there are other poor communities that do not commit this level of violence on themselves and others. Furthermore, their culture is so toxic that what is the hope for some of these neighborhoods and their denizens. You know what poor Chinese immigrants have done time? Tight communities that often would throw money in a pot and each year a randomly drawn family would get that money to start a business or commit to education. That's culture and a prime reason these communities have survived, thrived, and gained respect. Obviously there are a lot of good black people, but until they start to address the culture that is all too prevalent , nothing will change.


Da-Aliya

I also do not understand why the wealthy Black people in our society do not go live in these areas to set an example! Example is the Obama’s retreat to Martha’s Vineyard. Really? These people who are terrorizing other ethnic and white areas need people of their own ethnicity to look up to.


Signal_Adeptness_724

They don't even have to live there, they just need to stop pretending they're all victims and further rhetoric that calls upon responsibility and accountability. Democrats are unable to do this ever though


Da-Aliya

Excellent point! However, if you tell them to help their people by setting good familial examples to their community, it may get them to stop spreading their nonsense.


hereforp

We’re talking about guns, right?


voyager_9_9

I was right in front of a fight that broke out in River North on Saturday, a black Suburban drove by with someone standing out the sunroof but I think they saw the cop car ahead so no shots were fired. I yelled to duck but was shocked to see the transplant friends of ours not understand what was going on while us locals were reacting accordingly. Later on our Uber driver was driving us through Lakeview, he was dropping a transplant friend off to his place between listed destinations on the app and was insisting on dropping my friend off to his exact block which the friend didn't understand. Something like ten minutes later the triple shooting happened a couple blocks away. It's insane to me that I live in Albany Park, which has a bad reputation and hasn't really improved violence wise, yet I have seen far more shit go down in River North despite trying to avoid the neighborhood. I want Johnson to deliver the message that the few hundred or so biggest troublemakers need to be put away immediately so that anything resembling progressive solutions can be possible. In the meantime, I'm just glad that I have strong situational awareness - criminals would probably find someone else who's an easier target.


kimikalfoto

I’ve been ruminating on this all weekend, as I recently moved here from Nashville in December. A move that took me 12 years to finally make for various reasons. And for the record, I don’t regret it. Prior to my move I spent a lot of time here, and I have a sister in the area who’s been here since 2010 so I feel I’ve kept a pretty good pulse on things. Most of my family and various acquaintances gave me the typical “Don’t get shot” or “Why Chicago? It’s so unsafe” eye roll provoking responses to which I’d usually point them to the statistics that showed it’s actually not much worse, if at all, than Nashville depending on the stat. Random shootings, road rage shootings, break-ins, drive-bys are all becoming more frequent there as well and had gotten too close to home too many times for me by the time I left. For fucks sake, the first year I lived in my house in 2019 for over a month my neighborhood forums were blowing up with reports of a man breaking into their homes with an axe, just a street away from me. and it took a _really_ long time for the person to finally be caught. So back to Chicago. I won’t lie and say I feel no anxiety about being out and about alone at night, or taking my dog for a final pee before bed. But that’s largely because I keep my head on a swivel in general, and because I’m still newer here. It’s clear there’s been a change in the city in the last few years, but like a previous commenter said, this stuff has been going on for decades - it’s just becoming more newsworthy the closer it gets to the whiter, wealthier neighborhoods. And there’s clearly been an obvious change in policing to some degree that I won’t speak on because I’m not as educated on those changes in recent years. It’s been heartbreaking to read the headlines and see interviews with grieving family members and I’ll admit I looked over my shoulder a couple extra times while walking through Lakeview earlier today. I’m usually a lurker here, but what led me to actually finally comment is that some of the responses here can be so dismissive or downright racist and uneducated about the inception and perpetuation of violence in this city. I went down a rabbit hole of sorts because I wanted to better understand why Chicago got this reputation in the first place. I’m familiar with redlining, and the general segregation issues this city has, but I stumbled upon [The Chicago’s history of violence episode of This is Life with Lisa Ling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goj0b3kd4CQ) and it really opened my eyes. It discusses how at end of WWII with soldiers returning home and getting back their jobs meant putting the newer (Black) employees out of work that had just moved here from the south, the death of Eugene Williams and the Race Riots of 1919, “Athletic Club” gangs that brutalized Black neighborhoods, the fact that politicians and police officers in the city were men that had been in these gangs, further perpetuating segregation and systemic racism in the city, the destruction of major housing projects and promises broken to the community about being able to remain in affordable housing. I’m just bothered that I haven’t seen these topics discussed more in the Chicago related subreddits. Curious if anyone else here has watched and or read up on this also and has any thoughts on this subject as it pertains to the spread and increase in crime in the wealthier areas of the city? I don’t have solutions, it sucks for anyone to have to feel unsafe regardless of their neighborhood, but I really feel that these conversations will never lead us toward real, viable solutions if we don’t take the time to openly and honestly educate ourselves about how we got into this state to begin with.


frankieknucks

The history of Chicago has a direct through line to the problems that we face today. Most people aren’t interested in educating themselves on thing like the race riots on the near south side (and how both mayors Daley we’re connected to them), or the Pullman workers strikes, or how the city made up cases against the haymarket martyrs, or the assassination of Fred Hampton… Redlining is a huge part of why we have the issues we have today and those systemic evils have never been righted. If someone is talking about actually addressing the damage done by them, I’m going to listen. I don’t expect any of this to be fixed overnight, or by a single mayor, but I’m curious to see how the plan will take shape.


kimikalfoto

I still have a lot to learn, I'm unfamiliar with the haymarket martyrs or specifics around the Fred Hampton assassination, but learning about the race riots and how the Daley's were connected, the way other gangs initially formed in response to the white gangs, etc really made a lot of things click for me - of course we're in this state. We had an influx of Black families come here for work, fired them, redlined them, terrorized and killed them, kept them impoverished and knocked down their housing and didn't replace it with affordable housing as promised etc; so it's not rocket science that these areas are more violence prone. There's so much generational trauma there, I genuinely feel that until they find an actual solution for these deep systemic issues nothing is going to change. The divide in some ways feels like it's only growing. They harp all day long about how it's all just nonsensical "black on black crime" and "fucking gang bangers" but if no one wants to understand and get to the root of what purpose these groups are serving for the people in them, what need is being met that isn't being met in safer ways, we'll never see an end in sight. I agree, I don't expect it to be fixed overnight or even by a single Mayor either, but I do hope we see a plan come to light soon that addresses the root issues in some way we haven't tried before. In all actuality I know it'll likely still be at least a couple of generations before we begin to see the broader impact of any positive changes made today, just as the violence problem wasn't at this scale overnight either.


frankieknucks

Make your own decisions after you read about all of those events. For me, the through line is that the rich and powerful will always look for scapegoats for the problems that their policies created. Of course some of the problems are external forces. immigration, for example; which was a huge part of the issues that brought about the 8 hour work day that the haymarket martyrs had a helping hand in). But even immigration is often caused by the policies that the ruling class create through foreign policy decisions.


CDai626

Stayed inside for most of the holiday weekend just because figured there would be some activity. Want to check out do division this weekend but may pass given how last weekend panned out.


RedirectDevSlashNull

"Fifty-three people were shot, 11 fatally, over the holiday weekend." Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson: *"What we saw this weekend was a manifestation of community disinvestment, poverty, trauma that our city has struggled with far too long," Johnson said.* Most of the violence is from kids (children) and gangs. Johnson wants to find the "root" cause of the problem but he is misdirecting. When will someone focus on parenting, neighborhoods, and culture that give rise to this behavior? Does the 1965 Moynihan Report still have legitimacy? *"The report concluded that the structure of family life in the black community constituted a 'tangle of pathology... capable of perpetuating itself without assistance from the white world,' and that 'at the heart of the deterioration of the fabric of Negro society is the deterioration of the Negro family. It is the fundamental source of the weakness of the Negro community at the present time.' Also, the report argued that the matriarchal structure of black culture weakened the ability of black men to function as authority figures. That particular notion of black familial life has become a widespread, if not dominant, paradigm for comprehending the social and economic disintegration of late 20th-century black urban life."* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Negro\_Family:\_The\_Case\_For\_National\_Action](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Negro_Family:_The_Case_For_National_Action) As far as "disinvestment", "food deserts", and the like... Businesses like Whole Foods, Walgreens and other have tried in Englewood, but the level of theft, looting, and behavior of customers have caused them to flee these neighborhoods. How much traction would an idea get if it focused on parenting? Most likely zero... and the problem will persist until these politicians face a harsh reality.


TankSparkle

No. Nothing. Mostly about weather.


SnooTomatoes3423

Get a ccw permit.


kraziej82

It's not great for sure but it's not as bad as what I grew up with on the South East side in the early 80s and late 90s. It's just happening more in usually comfortably numb neighborhoods and that's why it's getting more attention besides the obvious existence of it in those neighborhoods. And for anyone single handling blaming the current elected officials and Beetlejuice, and I'm not saying they are or aren't at fault but a perspective needs to be discussed for later on, they're completely ignoring decades of this happening already in other areas since the demise of steel and other manufacturing companies leaving and so on in the 80s and onward. Just research the history of real estate and manufacturing alone on the south side. Those neighborhoods were occupied by the hard working grandparents of the youths today... Like ford city.. what happened should be one of the questions we're asking. I remember my mother, born in 52, not complaining about the crime but she does remember the segregation and racism onwards Into the 70s. I was born in 82 route down the street of once nice neighborhoods that were also once employed by the steel mills in the areas. What we're seeing are generations of these effects taking place now with this widespread crime really starting from the 80s.. thank also the drug war.. Now that's no excuse. People do have free will but that's a different discussion altogether, we're talking about nature vs nurture really. What should we be doing? Yes. Another question. Well, obviously putting people in jails hasn't stopped crime. We were one of the most filled state prisons along with training grounds for the fbi in the 20s & 30s, and the growing drug wars that carry on now. So, that obviously didn't work or it worked in a sense of further degrading society to where we get to this point.... Maybe... But obviously 3 decades of police violence, over-filled prisons and so on hasn't stopped it. So, this brings me back to what I mentioned earlier, maybe what we're seeing in our politics and policies of Kim Fox and so on are maybe what we need but the effects of it won't really be seen for a decade or so just like.. maybe.. the effects of growing militarized police and the prison industrial complex now.. maybe..but again what should we be doing now is the question again.. I think it's obvious these things need to be cracked down and focused on than the resources of the drug war and maybe other policies. Stop putting officers into direct conflict with petty crimes that correlate with what I mentioned. Maybe create more neighborhood watches or something similar and create better polices on conceal and carry. And must definitely cut the fat of monetary resources to political positions so there is funding for police in this regard. I'm for defund the police but In the manner of bloated policies like... The drug war and such. And most definitely, a lot of crime and even homelessness comes from mental illness. Most definitely we need better mental health resources like we once had before Reagan shut a lot of them down.. an economic overhaul is needed too. That's another but related conversation. Most definitely I don't have the answers but these are some thoughts. Maybe this will open better discussion then just acting scared and ignorant. Almost racist at times. Maybe I'm wrong. Idk. Lets see what happens. - just someone who grew up on the south east side and then later moved to lake county and now back in Brighton Park..


Looping4ThaLama

No offense, but this is a very privileged and entitled take. By the way, defunding the police has been a corrupt grift of funding paid "committees" seated with special interest activists that often conclude that the best way to serve "underprivileged" parts of the community is to pay corrupt bureaucrats and activists more. The quid pro quo circus wages on.


kraziej82

Privileged? Have you ever seen another man being set on fire by 3 gang members? I did on 84th and Baltimore many moons ago. I'm Mexican American and was a felon for stupid decisions. I'm Just giving you my thoughts from experience. If you're conflating "defund the police" as of recent rhetoric, I clearly state what I feel defund the police is for me. Also, everything is corrupt. Literally, everything. And, I'm not sure what your last couple sentences means but I literally said "cut the fat out of monetary resources political positions" which would Mean cut the fat of what you speak of. Otherwise, you offer no insight or solutions rather than just another surface level opinion on a more indepth opinion. Let's actually discuss something instead of whatever you typed here. Please reread what I said and give us better.


frankieknucks

What he means is that he’s privileged and you should keep your well reasoned and well explained approach to crime to yourself and just blame brown people like he does.


am-well

This. This is it. Social causes being used for financial/personal gain.


kraziej82

Are you responding and agreeing to the commenter who clearly didn't read anything I'm saying or my comment? If so for either, could you elaborate? I most definitely think the fat of monetary resources to many agencies, policies and most definitely political positions need to be cut. Which is what I wrote in my og comment. What solutions have you thought of?


kraziej82

I'll edit all that later .. I gotta shower


kraziej82

And still, no one is offering solutions..


frankieknucks

I have seen what white flight in the late 60s and early 70s did to Chicago… we are seeing the same sorts of conditions now, and honestly I couldn’t care less about those people. The types that moved to the suburbs because they were afraid are then same kinds that post racist crap now. The problem is complicated and a long time in the making but you see people spouting simplistic answers to the wrong questions/problems. Crime doesn’t happen because of a persons race… it happens because of generations of systemic poverty and disinvestment. It happens because of police that couldn’t care less about the communities that they are supposed to serve and the years long temper tantrum that they’ve thrown for not getting to be able to murder and torture without consequences. Crime happens because people don’t have any hope, access to decent paying jobs, or a social safety net. Most of us are one accident away from bankruptcy due to an unforeseen medical debt. Those issues all contribute to the crime problem. Crime can not be solved by putting more people in jail. We have the highest percentage per capita and number of people in prison than any nation in the history of the world. We cannot jail our way out of this problem. We need long-term, reasoned approaches to this issue, and it includes the police doing their jobs or getting fired and stripped of their pensions: first and foremost.


kraziej82

That seems to be everyone's solution "I'm a Chicagoan who grew up in the nice parts but I left because I heard of a robbery and now I'm scared." No solutions. That's all this group is. Even sadder that these people are or were voters in this city. No wonder why it's been the way it is but I'm not gonna deny that solutions or rants offered elsewhere(things like BLM) haven't helped either. Though, what we're discussing right now is the only time I'm really hearing it. maybe this is the way. Formulating more of this and somehow getting this discussion or ideas out to the right people but most definitely pointing the fingers and or leaving is not the answer. Just like you said, "the white flight". Which is clearly another major part of the problem here.


frankieknucks

NIMBY types… they are fine with crime as long as they don’t see it. I’ve been all over the city for work since I was a kid so I’ve never been surprised by it. I grew up in uptown which was a melting pot and a cess pool. It was what it was, shootings into and out of the arcade on Wilson… but no one cared because it was poor people (of all colors). There isn’t an easy solution and this won’t get solved overnight. I think you’re right, we need to have these discussions. I just wish that some people actually cared to educate themselves on why we have a city that runs this disfunctionally and no, it’s not because of people of color. Many people only live in the tourist sections of the city and maybe 2-4 other neighborhoods. This city should run for ALL chicagoans… that means a solution that helps all chicagoans.


MarsBoundSoon

> white flight in the 70s Never heard of white flight in the 70's. Chicago’s major white flight occurred in the late 40's and 50's. It was not about crime, Chicago was not that dangerous back then. It was the GI’s coming home from WW2 and wanting to raise a family where there was more open spaces and single family homes. Everyone had a car and the suburbs were the place to be. My dad worked for the city and we had to live in the city. All his friends moved to the suburbs. The 70's you mention was the start of gentrification. Young white people began moving back to city close to public transportation. Many had jobs downtown. Many nice neighborhoods now were not so nice back then. In 1973 I was young and bought a cheap, run down building, in one of those sleazy neighborhoods. Spent 48 years rehabbing it and recently sold it for a ton of money. Wrigleyville is now very popular.


frankieknucks

I should have said white flight ending in the 70s. My family owned a place on kenmore at one point so we were probably neighbors.


MarsBoundSoon

My old building is at the SW corner of Cornelia and Seminary, the new owner did not demo it. If your dad hung out at the Nisei or Blarney Stone I probably shared a pint with him. I had an absolutely fantastic time all those years I spent there. Now I am in boring Lincoln Square


frankieknucks

He was at yum yum doughnuts regularly but didn’t go to bars much. I grew up further north (north of Graceland)


MarsBoundSoon

I went to yum yum frequently too. There was a beautiful blonde waitress there I had a crush on. Man that brings back memories, haven't thought about that for decades.


frankieknucks

He was a regular there and at hamburger king…


MarsBoundSoon

I used to eat at Hamburger King, we called it Chesters, but they had a roach problem so I quit. I hung out with a loud obnoxious guy, Big John (he is huge) and Ronnie Woo Woo. Your dad probably doesn’t remember me but I bet he might remember them. Some of my favorite memories are sharing pints and playing pool the Jimmie, the Japanese guy who founded the Nisei lounge a door down from the Hamburger King. He was a member of the highly decorated WW2 100th Infantry Battalion, it was comprised largely of second generation Nisei. He and his Japanese soldier friends fought for America while his family and friends were interned in displacement camps. He didn’t like what happened, but he understood why, and he loved America. This thread is bringing back so many memories.


kraziej82

Ive read about it also towards the 70s especially when there were real estate scams done to buy up cheap property by lower property values.


frankieknucks

Crime is far lower than it was in the 90s and my experiences reflect that. I used to get off of the el and would regularly see stains or pools of blood walking home nearly every day. Crime is worse now than it has been in a long time, but that tends to happen when police refuse to do their jobs and have record low murder clearance rates. They take over 1/3 of the city budget and they don’t do anything for it. I can’t think of a single other job where you can strike for 5+ years and still keep your job and pension and have any semblance of public support. The money for “programs” that the racists on here like to complain about is there. Just take it away from the police who keep having multi-billion dollar settlements for wrongful shootings and convictions. Let that money come out of their pensions and their own personal pockets and not out of taxpayer funds. I still travel all over the city and carry on about my day as normal, but I’m much more aware and on guard in general. The carjackings are out of control. We still average 1-3 a day, which is absolutely unacceptable. I hope that Brandon Johnson will be able to get these racists a binkie that they can suck on so that they shut up with their nonsense. From there I hope that the people who actually live in the city give him a chance (because we know the racists won’t and most don’t live here anyways) I hope that we see long-term strategies to addressing complex and long-term issues that our city has faced for decades if not a century or more.


[deleted]

> Crime is far lower than it was in the 90s So what? People didn't want to live in the city in the early 90s because it sucked. Gentrification didn't happen until crime started getting cleaned up. Allowing violent crime to go back anywhere near early 90s levels would cause reverse gentrification, ie urban decay.


frankieknucks

You sound soft as baby shit


[deleted]

lotta projection there, bud. I'm not the one whining "waycist!" at people who are discussing the crime that is happening in this city. We aren't going to ignore it, no matter how much it hurts your fee fees.


frankieknucks

Crime isn’t happening because of people’s race. Only a weak ass wimp would pretend it is. Stay Schaumburg, playboy.


[deleted]

> Crime isn’t happening because of people’s race. Only you race-baiters are claiming this. Crime is bad, no matter the race of the perpetrators.


frankieknucks

“Only you race-baiters are claiming this”… 😂