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No contest, but it is more about the state in which each city exists. Mass is a socialist, anti (legal) gun hell hole. Pennsylvania is a SHALL ISSUE state, and I can carry my concealed firearm, legally in Philadelphia with my PA LTCF. I won't live anywhere that disarms me.
It's ironic too because Smith & Wesson is based out of Mass and the Springfield Armory armed the American military for almost 200 years. Both Colt and Winchester were in Connecticut.
Last edited by Mr. Joshua; 08-08-2017 at 04:19 PM..
No contest, but it is more about the state in which each city exists. Mass is a socialist, anti (legal) gun hell hole. Pennsylvania is a SHALL ISSUE state, and I can carry my concealed firearm, legally in Philadelphia with my PA LTCF. I won't live anywhere that disarms me.
I totally respect the right to own firearms. But still se no reason to DOG ON whole States and cities over politics and gun laws.
Do you really see Boston and state of Mass. as a write-off the US map over politics zone by its restrictive gun laws. Given its respect to its US history preserved for this nation. Sometimes we get too extreme and become even more radical then those we accuse.
I changed the questions to statements, since I believe l know what you would say by past post on cities and politics. I'm certainly not going to diss the whole city of Boston over politics or gun laws.... but surely understand why it's not for you.
I still believe in - "United we stand and if divided we shall fail and fall".
One difference between Philly and Boston that I haven't seen mentioned is the people, especially from the perspective of race relations. With a much higher ratio of African Americans to Euro Americans, race relations in Philadelphia seem more even and integrated, with many interracial couples and families seen on its streets. Such mixed families are pretty common in Philadelphia, but can still seem novel in Boston, even in 2017. Though both cities still have exclusively black and white neighborhoods, the diversity one encounters in both downtowns are very different, with Philadelphia feeling and looking more diverse at all socio-economic levels. It is interesting also that Boston has never had a mayor of color, whereas Philly has had at least 2, the most recent of whom, Mayor Nutter, achieved approval ratings above 60% at different times during his tenure. So if you're uncomfortable in a downtown that can feel almost all white, go for Philadelphia.
Boston does generally feel more organized, upscale and polished, with fewer and less aggressive homeless people. But it has also been my experience that Philadelphians are more willing to help a stranger in the street, whether giving money, asking for directions, holding a door open, giving up a seat on the bus, etc. Boston can feel like it operates on a 'don't bother me and I won't bother you' ethos, whereas Philadelphians seem more willing to engage each other in their day to day encounters, for better or for worse.
Finally, this might just be my experience, but I never heard white people use the N word in Philadelphia, whereas on several occasions the word has been used by whites within my earshot at bars I've visited in Boston.
Even downtown Boston is segregated. Downtown Crossing and Chinatown are highly diverse. All other parts of downtown are almost all white. But part of that is that Boston neighborhoods were built and meant to be self contained self functioning towns, and each have their own like central business district. There's less need to go downtown for poor people (its too expensive to buy anything) other than to transfer by train. Some poorer Boston neighborhoods seems to have more addicts/mentally unstable people (by trains stations, in parks, collecting cans in a shopping cart, hanging around rundown housing) than Philadelphia which can feel more just.... ghetto (blight, fights, litter, more dirtbikes, gunfire).
Fine... everybody in Philly is good and everybody in Boston is a racist. As a Bostonian when I see somebody walking behind me into a building I don't just not hold the door, I close it behind me.
I also feel the need the great comedian Bill Burr from his stand up. "real racism is quiet, people look around. Then its followed by f'ed up conversation."
I'm black and heard a white guy say the N word yesterday in Malden. Granted he seems kind of addicted/drunk/crazy but yea..youll come across it more in Boston. Because more of the blacks are west indian and the word carries less weight with them.
People do need to remember the size difference between the two. You can fit Boston in one of three slices of Philadelphia. The downtown areas and immediate residential areas compare very well. They're virtually identical IMO with a size edge to Philadelphia, but both of which have both cities most desirable areas. Philadelphia has a larger percentage of blight, which is the biggest difference between them. Boston limits it's blight, gentrified earlier and is also much smaller. I've always thought that Somerville, Cambridge and Brookline should just be annexed nowadays. It's easier to sort out.
I'm sure everyone can agree that racism is a nation-wide issue that shouldn't reflect on just Boston, but you also can't deny Boston's racist history either. I do think Philadelphia is much better integrated between white and black people. I've seen more integration on the streets in Philly than in Boston. Doesn't mean they're both not segregated, but I do give Philly an edge when it comes racial integration. As much as their worlds can be different between a white guy and a black guy, Philly is the kind of place where their worlds meet at the pub bitching about the Eagles.
I totally respect the right to own firearms. But still se no reason to DOG ON whole States and cities over politics and gun laws.
Do you really see Boston and state of Mass. as a write-off the US map over politics zone by its restrictive gun laws. Given its respect to its US history preserved for this nation. Sometimes we get too extreme and become even more radical then those we accuse.
Yes. For me it is a barometer for other things as well. States with un Constitutional gun laws usually have lots of regulation, a nanny state mentality, and high taxes. There is a direct correlation.
Massachusetts gun laws aren't unconstitutional though the "right to bear firearms and/or maintain a militia" is a disputed and unresolved portion of constitutional law and constitutional law as a whole is somewhat subjective based on how the constitution and the amendments are read. Also the tax burden in Massachusetts is actually close to the average of all states not above average. Regulations are not always bad and to suggest that by saying lots of regulation= bad is not a fair assessment of what the regulations are, how they are enforced, and what the effects of the regulations are.
People do need to remember the size difference between the two. You can fit Boston in one of three slices of Philadelphia. The downtown areas and immediate residential areas compare very well. They're virtually identical IMO with a size edge to Philadelphia, but both of which have both cities most desirable areas. Philadelphia has a larger percentage of blight, which is the biggest difference between them. Boston limits it's blight, gentrified earlier and is also much smaller. I've always thought that Somerville, Cambridge and Brookline should just be annexed nowadays. It's easier to sort out.
I'm sure everyone can agree that racism is a nation-wide issue that shouldn't reflect on just Boston, but you also can't deny Boston's racist history either. I do think Philadelphia is much better integrated between white and black people. I've seen more integration on the streets in Philly than in Boston. Doesn't mean they're both not segregated, but I do give Philly an edge when it comes racial integration. As much as their worlds can be different between a white guy and a black guy, Philly is the kind of place where their worlds meet at the pub bitching about the Eagles.
+1; but the bolded will never happen due to anti-annexation blue laws in each of the new england states constitution. they actually used to be part of boston but have seceded; conversely, northeast philadelphia used to be part of bucks county until philadelphia annexed it.
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