What's up with people in Chicago (Lincoln: lease, club, shop)

[tb4000]

Places only get gentrified when white people move in, basically. You can have the wealthiest black people ever move into some of the impoverished spots, but it will still be seen as a "black neighborhood" and not worth the time to improve.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by MaryMary2012

Ok, but why are they expecting predominately white neighborhoods to welcome them with open arms? As I previously mentioned, people are going to be more careful and cautious around those who share the same color as persons prominently featured in the crime section of most of the major news reports.

Surely, if they are truly middle class, they have options. They CHOSE to live on the Northside, therefore they should learn to accept all that accompanies that particular decision. Crying and complaining won't change things. It's just odd to me, because if these guys truly want to feel welcome, they will create their own safe spaces amongst like-minded individuals who share their mindset. Why won't they band together and create their own business ventures on the South and/or West Side and encourage their middle class black male friends to do the same. If black men created safe spots with amenities, black college educated people (from all over the country) would surely flock to those areas. Harlem is a case in point.

Although the area is heavily gentrified now, there's still a sizable number of black upper class residents who have always owned beautiful well-kept brownstones throughout the neighborhood. Thanks to the gentrification, these blacks are now multi-millionaires. Many were smart enough to also purchase store fronts, therefore, they still own a sizable number of bakeries, nightclubs and restaurants in the area.

Long before the investments rolled in, black entrepreneurs pooled their money together because they saw the need for services within their own community, therefore THEY invested in it. They didn't wait for whites to do so, nor did they complain about not being accepted by the whites on the lower East and West sides of Manhattan.

Blacks on Strivers row, were just too busy creating the type of environment that suited their own needs. They didn't let the junkies, criminals or the project buildings deter their actions.

This is what people are complaining about. Why can't middle class Whites and Blacks live together. It seems backwards to me that people think we cant live together and create vibrant communities.

I was talking with an acquaintance this morning about an incident where I was called the n-word walking home from the el stop. He made it sound like it was no big deal because it happened in his neighborhood as well near Midway. Another person chimed in who was white thought it was disgusting because lake view is suppose to be this tolerant neighborhood that liberal and accepting of everyone. Another black male gave me a situation in his racially mixed area of suburban Westchester where he has had racial issues come up.

On the other hand I've met Black middle class who where in their late 20's and early 30's who insist on living in Chatham where they don't have to live around white people. I've also witnessed whites being harassed ol the blue line at Kenzie because they where White. It just isn't a normal healthy mindset to be racist.

I don't see anything good out of segregation.

[LakeShoreSoxGo]

Originally Posted by tb4000

Places only get gentrified when white people move in, basically. You can have the wealthiest black people ever move into some of the impoverished spots, but it will still be seen as a "black neighborhood" and not worth the time to improve.

Well the folks in Obama's neighborhood don't seem to mind the wealthy blacks there.

[It'sAutomatic]

Some people are jerks. I think it's racist to think that everyone of another race is racist based on a few incidents.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

This is what people are complaining about. Why can't middle class Whites and Blacks live together. It seems backwards to me that people think we cant live together and create vibrant communities.

I was talking with an acquaintance this morning about an incident where I was called the n-word walking home from the el stop. He made it sound like it was no big deal because it happened in his neighborhood as well near Midway. Another person chimed in who was white thought it was disgusting because lake view is suppose to be this tolerant neighborhood that liberal and accepting of everyone. Another black male gave me a situation in his racially mixed area of suburban Westchester where he has had racial issues come up.

On the other hand I've met Black middle class who where in their late 20's and early 30's who insist on living in Chatham where they don't have to live around white people. I've also witnessed whites being harassed ol the blue line at Kenzie because they where White. It just isn't a normal healthy mindset to be racist.

I don't see anything good out of segregation.

I don't know how I never see this stuff happening, it's amazing. Even my apartment complex in the Gold Coast, I have a number of black neighbors, as well as middle eastern, east asian, and hispanic. Nobody seems to care. I myself am not 100% while, and can be mistaken for a TON of different races (I've had people come up speaking spanish, arabic, portuguese, turkish, etc to me), but have had the fortune of never having this happen to me. It's unfortunate though someone called you that. I don't know how that would ever be okay to call someone that. To be honest, and while this might be weird, I kind of view a lot of neighborhoods, the further you go out of the city, as more intolerant of things in general.

I don't know why people make such a big deal about race. Okay some cultures are different, but that's what makes the world fun. Learning different cultures, and learning new stuff that you aren't even used to. I don't get why people are so ridiculous and have to be like that. There's a lot to be learned by immersing yourself in some other cultures sometimes.

[LakeShoreSoxGo]

I have no threshhold. When I first moved to my apartment everyone was Mexi, they raised the rent and now it's white people who can't afford homes and have small kids. What ever.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I don't know how I never see this stuff happening, it's amazing. Even my apartment complex in the Gold Coast, I have a number of black neighbors, as well as middle eastern, east asian, and hispanic. Nobody seems to care. I myself am not 100% while, and can be mistaken for a TON of different races (I've had people come up speaking spanish, arabic, portuguese, turkish, etc to me), but have had the fortune of never having this happen to me. It's unfortunate though someone called you that. I don't know how that would ever be okay to call someone that. To be honest, and while this might be weird, I kind of view a lot of neighborhoods, the further you go out of the city, as more intolerant of things in general.

I don't know why people make such a big deal about race. Okay some cultures are different, but that's what makes the world fun. Learning different cultures, and learning new stuff that you aren't even used to. I don't get why people are so ridiculous and have to be like that. There's a lot to be learned by immersing yourself in some other cultures sometimes.

Given what I've heard from friends who live on the Gold Coast, you won't.

You couldn't tell me for the first three years that there was a racial problem in Chicago like I've experienced in lake view. It depends on the neighborhood. I couldn't imagine the same thing happening in south loop, hydepark, oak park or some of the areas surrounding downtown. It's like a totally different city a million miles apart.

[MaryMary2012]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

Given what I've heard from friends who live on the Gold Coast, you won't.

You couldn't tell me for the first three years that there was a racial problem in Chicago like I've experienced in lake view. It depends on the neighborhood. I couldn't imagine the same thing happening in south loop, hydepark, oak park or some of the areas surrounding downtown. It's like a totally different city a million miles apart.

I simply do not understand why you would want to reside or shop around those, who do not wish to have you in their neighborhoods/communities. Why not just avoid LP/Lakeview altogether?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

Given what I've heard from friends who live on the Gold Coast, you won't.

You couldn't tell me for the first three years that there was a racial problem in Chicago like I've experienced in lake view. It depends on the neighborhood. I couldn't imagine the same thing happening in south loop, hydepark, oak park or some of the areas surrounding downtown. It's like a totally different city a million miles apart.

I'm just saying somehow nothing ever happened to *me* and I am not white either. I"m not doubting it happened to you. I think it's unfortunate people have to be like that to begin with. I don't understand why anybody has to be racist. it's so idiotic.

And about my building in the GC, again..many of my neighbors are not White. There are a number of them, but I'd say there's a nice mix and nobody seems to give a crap what anybody is unless they want to know more about something cultural they don't already know.

[MaryMary2012]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I'm just saying somehow nothing ever happened to *me* and I am not white. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I'm just saying somehow I have not seen a racist thing happen here nor to me. What I am saying is, I don't understand why anybody has to be racist. it's so idiotic.

The reality is, much of the racial tension throughout the country tends to be between whites and blacks, and not really other non black persons...