Does Being Black in Chicago Automically Equal a Rough Life? (Lincoln: to live, moving)

[Zoness]

Well, this thread escalated quickly...

So then on a related topic; how do you combat racism like in Chicago? I mean, really...not half-assed "why can't we call get along?" attitudes. What would make a real substantiated difference? I'm not expecting a clear cut answer, its a pretty abstract problem.

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by Chicagoist123

Disparity in incomes by race is not just a Chicago issue, that is almost anywhere in the U.S., nice try.

I agree there are more cities that have equality, but in Chicago I don't think the segregation is so much about race anymore but more so than class. 40 years ago yes I think you could say it was about race.

Let me ask you this question to prove my point. Lets say there is a wealthy family living in Lincoln Park. The house next door is for sale. Who would they rather have live next door to them: a) A professional black family of upper middle class or B) white family that are redneck hillbillies (think Justified style) and absolutely poverty stricken living on welfare?

I am pretty sure it would A. Again not so much about being black, more so if your social class and behavior.

"Again not so much about being black, more so if your social class and behavior."

This is hitting nail on the head. Yes, you're going to have some people concerned about race because the simple fact is, a lot (not all) people like to live near, socialize with, befriend people who look/act/socially economically like them.
That said, if a black professional family moved into a Lincoln Park hood, there wouldn't be any problems. If a black family with 6 kids, no father, running around acting crazy, section 8 vouchers moved onto a nice street in LP, then people are going to take issue. I think you'd find the same think if it were a muslim family that was very obvious with their religion.

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by Chicagoist123

As for your comparison it doesn't prove that someone is racist. They would pick the white family probably, but that doesn't mean they are racist. It's a preference. If someone asked me would you rather have a Puerto Rican professional family live next door as opposed to a white professional family, I would pick the Puerto Rican family. Why? Because I just have more in common with them, but that doesn't mean I am racist or I have something against white people. Racism is when you are preventing a black family moving in next door or being unfriendly to them because they are black. Or you behave and treat them differently because they are black. I think in your example you are confusing preference and racism. Just because you prefer to live next door to someone similar to you does not make you a racist.

Just for the record I'm not white. I'm Puerto Rican, while not black, I definitely see things from a Latino male perspective.

Well said!
Preference and racism are two very different things. It's like little kids wanting to play with other kids that look like them. It's also why good looking people tend to marry good looking people.

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by Zoness

Well, this thread escalated quickly...

So then on a related topic; how do you combat racism like in Chicago? I mean, really...not half-assed "why can't we call get along?" attitudes. What would make a real substantiated difference? I'm not expecting a clear cut answer, its a pretty abstract problem.

I have an idea. How about you force every black family making $150K+ to live in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Vil, Linc Sqaure. All other black families have to stay on the south/west sides.
There, would that make Chicago a better place?

I think a lot of the 'racism' comes from what white people see on the news or read in the paper about the black community. It's not that they don't like black people...it's that they don't like ghetto black people.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by lenniel

I have an idea. How about you force every black family making $150K+ to live in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Vil, Linc Sqaure. All other black families have to stay on the south/west sides.
There, would that make Chicago a better place?

I think a lot of the 'racism' comes from what white people see on the news or read in the paper about the black community. It's not that they don't like black people...it's that they don't like ghetto black people.

I think you also hit the nail on the head. It's really people don't like ghetto black people, or ghetto Latinos, or ghetto Asians or ghetto whites. Most, almost all, of these "ghetto" people in the city are of the lower class. And unfortunately most of the ghetto people in the city tend to be black. So really it's not an issue of race, but class.

In the past it was about race, and didnt matter whether you were "ghetto" or not. But it's not like that anymore. People don't care about your race, but they do care about your behavior and social class.

I don't want to live anywhere near ghetto Puerto Ricans, but that doesn't make me racist because its only those poor Puerto Ricans I rather not live around. If they were professional middle class and upper class Puerto Ricanswould love to live next to them. That doesn't make me racist but more classist.

[Lorielicious]

Oh great. More sheltered white people coming together to agree that racism isn't a thing. It's just, like, class you guys! Bonus points for lenniel piping in to say "It's not racism. We just don't like people who don't look like us!"

Also, super bonus points for this:

If a black family with 6 kids, no father, running around acting crazy, section 8 vouchers moved onto a nice street in LP, then people are going to take issue. I think you'd find the same think if it were a muslim family that was very obvious with their religion.

LOL. No Muslims! I mean, you can be Muslim, but you should be covert about it.

[Chicago South Sider]

The fact that there are so many threads about race in this forum speaks volumes about race relations in this fine city. Being black in Chicago doesn't mean that you will have a rough life. It does mean that you will be putting up with a certain amount of crap, no matter how much money you make. I guess that's true everywhere but Chicago is probably worse than most places.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by Lorielicious

Oh great. More sheltered white people coming together to agree that racism isn't a thing. It's just, like, class you guys! Bonus points for lenniel piping in to say "It's not racism. We just don't like people who don't look like us!"

Also, super bonus points for this:
LOL. No Muslims! I mean, you can be Muslim, but you should be covert about it.

No one is saying racism still doesn't exist, we are just saying that its more about class than race in present time. Do you know what racism means? Preference does not mean racism. If that's the case then Blacks in Chicago are the most racist, because they only prefer to be with their kind out of all groups.

I don't believe that's true, but it seems like in your opinion, whites living with other whites is a problem and racist but blacks who do the same its ok then. Give me a break. Talk about victimizing.

My sister has a preference for dating black guys, does that mean she is racist to Latinos or whites? No.

I have a preference to hangout around professional Latinos. Does that make me racist? No. Because i also enjoy hanging out with whites, blacks asians, etc. actually i really dont care the color of someones skin just that we share a lot in common. it just so happens that latino professionals and myself have a lot in common for obvious reasons. One thing is preference and another thing is racism.

[Chicago South Sider]

Originally Posted by Chicagoist123

No one is saying racism still doesn't exist, we are just saying that its more about class than race in present time.

It's still more about race than class in Chicago. I must say that Chicagoans are some of the most simple-minded people in the country.

[JBVirtuoso]

Mark me down as a sheltered white person who would love to see Chicago leave its tense racial issues behind. Racism is definitely still a problem in Chicago, and even the most oblivious of us can see it every day. Not only is it especially problematic for blacks in the city who don't get the respect they deserve, but racism is a negative for everyone. This is an FWP for me for sure, but I'd rather not get dirty looks for riding the Cottage Grove bus or hear people whispering about me at the 47th Street red line stop. I think racism has a lot to do with the concentration of poverty that plagues the city and causes so many problems, from crime to education to employment.

I agree with mjtinmemphis' assertion that this has something to do with the provincial neighborhood mentality that's also rampant in Chicago. In many of the country's older cities, people have this "You don't belong in my neighborhood" attitude, regardless of class or race. This is especially an issue in places like New York or Boston, where everyone moving in is labeled either as a "transplant from fly-over country driving up our rent," or "immigrants who are stealing our jobs and tax dollars." This only serves to exaggerate the racial boundaries that have existed for decades. These boundaries might be starting to come down, but it's happening way too slowly. It's a shame.