What is going on with the south side? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: homes, living in)

[Boomchee]

Originally Posted by gg

Did someone die? I thought it was attempted murder, etc.

Yep, he's gone. Just found out Sunday night.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Boomchee

Makes no sense at all. The young man who died (took one to the chest) I knew personally as he frequented a bar I used to do security at. He was into what he was into but all things considered was fairly likable as he always spoke to me when I saw him out and about. I just saw him 2 weeks as we were at the laundromat on Warrington Ave. We spoke and joked for a few then he was on his way. Can't imagine what his older two brothers are going through as they were very close. Sad state of affairs.

i am so sorry about your friend's death. A few years back, a good friend's son was shot in front of the O in Oaklan, for a situation that was not even of his own doing - he was actually APOLOGIZING to someone for the actions of others.

did your friend KNOW the shooter? that i am not clear on.

when Channel 11 did the story last night, when the anchor woman was to segue to the on location reporter, she said rather stupidly, as if to ruminate hopefully, "he's never been in trouble before?"

then the reporter states the shooter had a current warrant for his arrest. I mean, why naturally assume anything about someone who shoots to harm another? because he was a minor, he must have been squeaky clean?


i

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by PreservationPioneer

I don't understand your post. First you are complaining that a place isn't a ghost town, then you are trashing another place for being one. I mean, it's Appalachia. We've been in population decline for 70 years. Those are your two options, trendy city neighborhood or Kentucky hellhole.

no, I am saying that this thread was started about the SS, and its NOT a ghost town. You cannot read the trib without seeing almost everyday about the 'wilding' in the streets of the SS. Those of us that haved been there recently, can verify it. since so many previous biz's are closed, and occupancy limits in the ones who aint, the masses are on the streets, crowding, drinking, drugs, noise, illegal parking, atvs and dirtbikes - you name the offense and they are doing it. the businesses do not want people being warned off and that is happening.


the reference to kittanning was just that, a fun fact. Heck, last season of mind hunter the fox chapel country club was used twice to stand in for a fancy place in VA and one in GA. I was there. ;-)

[PreservationPioneer]

I never said the South Side was a ghost town.. I was saying at least there is stuff going on there. Pittsburgh is sleepy outside of a couple key areas like SS. In a small rural town like Kittanning, watching tumble weeds blow by is the main attraction, and that's the charm of country towns. But it's nice to have city neighborhoods that are actually fun.

[Boomchee]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

i am so sorry about your friend's death. A few years back, a good friend's son was shot in front of the O in Oaklan, for a situation that was not even of his own doing - he was actually APOLOGIZING to someone for the actions of others.

did your friend KNOW the shooter? that i am not clear on.

when Channel 11 did the story last night, when the anchor woman was to segue to the on location reporter, she said rather stupidly, as if to ruminate hopefully, "he's never been in trouble before?"

then the reporter states the shooter had a current warrant for his arrest. I mean, why naturally assume anything about someone who shoots to harm another? because he was a minor, he must have been squeaky clean?


i

Thank you. Sorry about your friends son as well

I'm assuming here...but... Alot of people who are into that line of work don't hustle in their own neighborhood. For example someone who lives in Homewood might conduct business in let's say Duquesne. Reason being is that there's less competition for more sales (money). Where it gets tricky is dealers in those small towns (McKeesport, Braddock, Clairton) are highly territorial and take it personally. How dare think you're going to come here and do your thing and i'm not supposed to say anything because you're from the city. That's when there's blowback. I know he had a younger son as well. Could've been something to do with that (b.m. drama).

Side note...I have relatives in the Lower Mon Valley (Donora-Monessen). Occasionally when i'm out that way i'll stop and grab a few drinks. The looks I get from the locals will make you pause and wonder about why you're even there in the first place.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Boomchee

Thank you. Sorry about your friends son as well

I'm assuming here...but... Alot of people who are into that line of work don't hustle in their own neighborhood. For example someone who lives in Homewood might conduct business in let's say Duquesne. Reason being is that there's less competition for more sales (money). Where it gets tricky is dealers in those small towns (McKeesport, Braddock, Clairton) are highly territorial and take it personally. How dare think you're going to come here and do your thing and i'm not supposed to say anything because you're from the city. That's when there's blowback. I know he had a younger son as well. Could've been something to do with that (b.m. drama).

Side note...I have relatives in the Lower Mon Valley (Donora-Monessen). Occasionally when i'm out that way i'll stop and grab a few drinks. The looks I get from the locals will make you pause and wonder about why you're even there in the first place.

well, thanks for bringing to light the REAL cause of all this. no, not racism (not directly, but more on that in a second...) and all that 'blame others' stuff.

its drugs. plain and simple. it was the high demand for cocaine in the 1980s that made gangs viable, like small business units. i actually recall in the mid 1980s in Time magazine it was stated that the Los Angeles major gangs were looking to expand a network across the United States. at that time, it seemed preposterous....

the drug economy and its resulting violence destroyed (or, put proverbial nails into coffins) inner city neighborhoods. my neighborhood, though not the wild west, had a lot of drugs. white and blacks left, leaving the most economically vulnerable - almost all black pittsburghers. add to that increased violence, and you perpetuate negative stereotypes, which influence many people's choices on where to put down roots. and, you create not a stereotype but elements of a culture, that of which we have today where guns are everywhere, and are discharged at the whims of who possesses it, it seems.


The looks I get from the locals will make you pause and wonder about why you're even there in the first place

i dont get this statement. you mean you feel so welcome being there?

[Boomchee]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

well, thanks for bringing to light the REAL cause of all this. no, not racism (not directly, but more on that in a second...) and all that 'blame others' stuff.

its drugs. plain and simple. it was the high demand for cocaine in the 1980s that made gangs viable, like small business units. i actually recall in the mid 1980s in Time magazine it was stated that the Los Angeles major gangs were looking to expand a network across the United States. at that time, it seemed preposterous....

the drug economy and its resulting violence destroyed (or, put proverbial nails into coffins) inner city neighborhoods. my neighborhood, though not the wild west, had a lot of drugs. white and blacks left, leaving the most economically vulnerable - almost all black pittsburghers. add to that increased violence, and you perpetuate negative stereotypes, which influence many people's choices on where to put down roots. and, you create not a stereotype but elements of a culture, that of which we have today where guns are everywhere, and are discharged at the whims of who possesses it, it seems.


The looks I get from the locals will make you pause and wonder about why you're even there in the first place

i dont get this statement. you mean you feel so welcome being there?

The final statement was about those people in that particular area who know i'm not from there and wonder why are you there. Not in a direct threatening manner but more of you better watch yourself.

Definitely the drug trade and the money that comes with it controls the the people on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum (white and black).

Somewhat off-topic but i'll get a little personal. I'm 45 and from the originally the West Coast (Portland). My mother (white woman) moved here when I was younger as her and my and I use the term loosely "father" (black man) didn't quite work out. We ended up in the projects and needless to say that's where I found about the bs in society of itself. By the time I was about 6-7 my mother was suffering from from para-schizo and I was shipped off into the foster care system (jr jail).While doing my 10 yr stretch I found out more than I wanted to know at that time about life. First thing was people generally stick to their own kind. Nobody wants a half breed child. The positive thing I did learn though was that I was willing to do whatever it took to make it and that i'd have to work HARD for my respect. I didn't meet my father until I was 22. Btw he was a Police Officer that had a successful career and retired at 55 as a detective. Occasionally we'd speak and I asked why he never tried to get (bail) me out. His response was the system felt I was better off in there...What I remember most though is when we talked about his line of work and his response to the racial aspect of it all was...White people call the cops, Black people shoot each other

[Independentthinking83]

Originally Posted by PreservationPioneer

The South Side is still a desirable place. It is one of the few places in the city that isn't a ghost town at night. Pittsburgh is a very sleepy city, and some people do like a vibrant nightlife scene, and like to go out in places where there are lots of people out and about on the street.

I hear a lot of people on this board bitching about the South Side, one of the best neighborhoods in the city, full of shops and restaurants and the largest business district in the city. I don't see many people bitching about half the city that looks like a ghost town.

There are peaks and valleys in the life of cities and neighborhoods. Just because a neighborhood has a few issues doesn't mean it is going to look like Esplen tomorrow. A little bit of decline in an overly gentrified area may mean that the area becomes more affordable, for a while. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

As the OP I have stated many times the rest of the city needs help. It is indeed a ghost town. People did *****. The majority of people voted for somebody else other than the incumbent in the primary. People wanted somebody new other than mayor high tech east end running the show.

[Jbraybarten65]

Originally Posted by fat lou

If you really looked at the things I wrote on the politics forum, you would have seen that I usually ask people questions.

Yeah, real sincere.

Originally Posted by fat lou

Oh yeah, the hard-hitting "truth": carrying on about race, race, and more race, like it's the only thing that exists in the universe.

[Independentthinking83]

Residents voice concerns. Where is the mayor?

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/c...s/202107270166