Why do people say Chicago is segregated? (suburban, land)

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by oak317

I was living in Hyde Park at the time... I remember when the Point was closed off to everyone and security told me George Lucas was there - I didn't believe them!

You could have just Googled it. It was in the news:

George Lucas-Mellody Hobson Reception: A Galaxy of Stars Turns Out for Bash - Hyde Park - DNAinfo.com Chicago

George Lucas, Mellody Hobson donate large again - Chicago Tribune
Movie mogul Lucas donates $25 million to After School Matters - PhotoGallery - Chicago Sun-Times

Crain's Chicago Business : Subscription Center

Chicago would be a logical home for Mr. Lucas' art given that he lives here. He and his wife, Mellody Hobson, and their toddler daughter live in a condo on Michigan Avenue

George Lucas Considers Chicago for Art Museum - ArtfixDaily News Feed

"The city of Chicago has enthusiastically welcomed me and I consider Chicago to be my second home," Lucas said in a statement. "I look forward to working with community leaders to see if Chicago can become home to the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum."

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by chet everett

They have several homes.

Not unusual when you have a fortune.

True - he is worth over $7 Billion and she's worth millions upon millions herself.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by oak317

I'm proud of Chicago. George Lucas lives here. Bet he's not here over the winter, however.

Reminded him of Hoth -- Hoth - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by oak317

I'm proud of Chicago. George Lucas lives here. Bet he's not here over the winter, however.

I have a friend who spotted Lucas in January around Michigan and Pearson, so yeah...he was here in the winter somewhat. He has an infant daughter to take care of and Hobson runs a company here. They probably aren't doing a ton of juggling with the daughter for locations (I almost wrote "lucations" LOL). Also the donation to After School Matters happened in December and he was present for the event.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by Onni

""As a criminal defense and civil rights attorney who is from Chicago and practices law in Illinois, New York, and New Jersey, Chicago is unquestionaby the most racist urban center in the country - at least from a criminal justice perspective. Many police departments and prosecuting agencies have some level of corruption. New York has its fair share of bad apples. Newark is incredibly corrupt - but not altogether racist. The Chicago Police Department, on the other hand, is designed to criminalize people of color through whatever means necessary, oftentimes irrespective of truth and fairness. And the Cook Couty State's Attorneys office does not function as a check on the misuse of police power - indeed they condone, support, and encourage it. Just by way of example, not too long ago, prosecutors in Cook County had an open and notorious competition called "The Two-Ton Contest." Prosecutors competed to be the first to convict 4,000 pounds worth of defendants. Defendants were literally weighed after their trial was complete so that the prosecutors could get their points. Because so many defendants were people of color, this contest was frequently referred to (mostly by prosecutors) as "Ni***rs by the pound." While this type of -in-your-face racism might not be tolerated today in the office, a shocking number of those prosecutors who participated in this type of conduct in 80's and 90's now sit on the bench. It's a vicious cycle that continues today because there is no real interest by Chicagoans in changing it. One could argue that the criminal justice system as a whole is racist, but the Cook County criminal justice system is uniquely racist.""
Chicago is a racist ugly city.

This is such a sad post.

When listening to Blacks throughout the country identify major cities to not move to almost every time Boston and Chicago always comes up in conversation.

[oak317]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

This is such a sad post.

When listening to Blacks throughout the country identify major cities to not move to almost every time Boston and Chicago always comes up in conversation.

Hm that's interesting. I grew up in Massachusetts but haven't been back much, so I didn't know it has a problem with racism. I remember all the public schools I went to were pretty good about celebrating diversity and educating against racism. But I suppose Boston is different from its suburbs (well, nicer place like Newton at least).

The writer in this article talks about riots in the 70s due to busing to integrate schools. I went to elementary school in the 90s, when nationally ranked public schools were already integrated. I remember black kids from the inner city coming to school on the METCO program. While classrooms were very good about teaching diversity, the METCO kids formed their own cliques and had their own tables at the cafeteria.

Why is it that Hyde Park - Kenwood just seems to me a model of all that is good? Perhaps because Obama lived there. Perhaps because it's highly educated and integrated. I just wish we had more neighborhoods like that. Hyde Park - Kenwood really, really needs a subway line, because then they will get gentrified even more and the surrounding areas will become safer, like Bronzeville and Woodlawn.

[oak317]

Originally Posted by Onni

""As a criminal defense and civil rights attorney who is from Chicago and practices law in Illinois, New York, and New Jersey, Chicago is unquestionaby the most racist urban center in the country - at least from a criminal justice perspective. Many police departments and prosecuting agencies have some level of corruption. New York has its fair share of bad apples. Newark is incredibly corrupt - but not altogether racist. The Chicago Police Department, on the other hand, is designed to criminalize people of color through whatever means necessary, oftentimes irrespective of truth and fairness. And the Cook Couty State's Attorneys office does not function as a check on the misuse of police power - indeed they condone, support, and encourage it. Just by way of example, not too long ago, prosecutors in Cook County had an open and notorious competition called "The Two-Ton Contest." Prosecutors competed to be the first to convict 4,000 pounds worth of defendants. Defendants were literally weighed after their trial was complete so that the prosecutors could get their points. Because so many defendants were people of color, this contest was frequently referred to (mostly by prosecutors) as "Ni***rs by the pound." While this type of -in-your-face racism might not be tolerated today in the office, a shocking number of those prosecutors who participated in this type of conduct in 80's and 90's now sit on the bench. It's a vicious cycle that continues today because there is no real interest by Chicagoans in changing it. One could argue that the criminal justice system as a whole is racist, but the Cook County criminal justice system is uniquely racist.""
Chicago is a racist ugly city.

I experienced racial profiling firsthand. I went to a co-worker's party who was black, and I brought two friends from college with me. My coworker and his cousin offered to drive us back home. On our way back home, a cop car pulled us over because they saw two black men sitting in the front seat. They put us all in handcuffs against the side of the car. Little did they know they were handcuffing three UChicago students. When I protested at being handcuffed the cops started yelling at me and being really rough-spoken.

The next day we naturally complained at the local police station and we got a long lecture about how us UChicago kids were in a bubble and we had no idea what it was like for CPD cops out there whose wives don't know if they'll return home every night. I can totally understand how every young black man on the south side would be afraid of the racist CPD who will pull them over for no reason after dark... One of my black friends on the south side just acts as compliant and non-threatening as possible whenever the police pull him over. Actually I've been pulled over with him a couple of times too just because of his skin color.

Stop-and-frisk is one thing but pulling people over for no reason in the nighttime is another thing completely. There's something really scary about that dynamic, because it's just a young black man and the police in the middle of nowhere, no accountability for what awful things the cops might say to the black man, or whether they hit him, taunt him, say racial slurs, etc. I think that alone is a very good reason for black men on the south side to think Chicago is a racist city.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by oak317

Hm that's interesting. I grew up in Massachusetts but haven't been back much, so I didn't know it has a problem with racism. I remember all the public schools I went to were pretty good about celebrating diversity and educating against racism. But I suppose Boston is different from its suburbs (well, nicer place like Newton at least).

The writer in this article talks about riots in the 70s due to busing to integrate schools. I went to elementary school in the 90s, when nationally ranked public schools were already integrated. I remember black kids from the inner city coming to school on the METCO program. While classrooms were very good about teaching diversity, the METCO kids formed their own cliques and had their own tables at the cafeteria.

Why is it that Hyde Park - Kenwood just seems to me a model of all that is good? Perhaps because Obama lived there. Perhaps because it's highly educated and integrated. I just wish we had more neighborhoods like that. Hyde Park - Kenwood really, really needs a subway line, because then they will get gentrified even more and the surrounding areas will become safer, like Bronzeville and Woodlawn.

I personally don't have enough experience in Boston to confirm it being a racist city.

I can remember living in N. Carolina and hearing many Blacks give the same story of racism in Boston.

I've also heard much has improved since then.

[Tex?Il?]

Wow, I had no idea George Lucas lives in Chicago. And that he might even have his own museum in the future. OK, I'm proud to be from the Chicago area again. ha ha!

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by oak317

One of my black friends on the south side just acts as compliant and non-threatening as possible whenever the police pull him over.

I'm not downplaying the racism displayed by certain cops, but anyone who is pulled over by the cops will act this way if they are smart. I certainly act this way around cops, and particularly Chicago cops who may not have the same standards of behavior as a cop out in Naperville.

I recently had a friend who is a Jewish Physician in Edgewater get frisked at gunpoint while unloading groceries from his car in the alley behind his home. Apparently his car matched the description of someone who they were looking for. It can happen to anyone when the police are battling violent criminals.