The Big Cat Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Passed through the South side of Chicago tonight and have been through there many times. Things there will only change when the people of the South side decide to change it. That begins with every small decision they make throughout each and every day, including the decision to LEAVE. If you truly want your kids to succeed, you start with keeping the family together, making sure they do their best in school, teaching them good values and preparing them to succeed on their own. Many of the people in that area don't do these basic things. The formula for successs is not that tough to figure out. Being a victim of society doesn't usually yield much happiness and a sot economy generaly squeezes out the weak first and foremost. Just like mother nature. Entitlements don't solve the problem. And just an aside (to illustrate the magnitude of what we're talking about), in Chicago, the South Side is the North Side compared to the West Side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Just because you passed through Hyde Park doesn't mean you've been through the South Side, bud. You seem like an okay fella, but the solutions you've outlined here (move, or make the most out of your situation and/or education) might honestly be some of the most ignorant things you could say about the plight of those living in rough urban areas. And no, I'm not advocating handouts. Then what are you advocating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Then what are you advocating? Prayer, lots and lots of prayer. But seriously, the answer to that question requires a degree and a full time job. More when I get back later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Next Up: The Big Cat tells tales of his life in the 'hood on the South Side! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Then what are you advocating? He has no idea. This started with a defense of Michelle Obama being ashamed of America and now he's in a swamp up to his chin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepthefaith Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 And just an aside (to illustrate the magnitude of what we're talking about), in Chicago, the South Side is the North Side compared to the West Side. I'm familiar with the areas. My points are these. Having kids and not living with them is a choice. Committing a crime is a choice. Using drugs is a choice. Not doing your homework for school is a choice. Droppong out of school is a choice. Being a single parent and not being home with your kids is a choice. Joining a gang is a choice, Being careless with your property is a choice. Being dishonest is a choice. Living in an area riddled with crime is a choice. People make many small decisions each day that affect their destination in life. Many make bad decsions hour by hour, day by day and year by year. You reap what you sow. Yes, many are born into more difficult circumstances. There is a way out if you want that, but you have to want it and work hard at it. Cabrini Green is getting cleaned up. Many of the former residents were moved to public housing in other areas like Bloomington and Peoria and others. Many have since been arrested in their new surroundings due once again to making bad decisions. This has been reported. My neighbor's daughter attending ISU was raped last year by one of these people. Again, bad decision. Location had nothing to do with it. Obama's right about one thing. Education and jobs are essential to reversing the trend. I believe he and Congress would find broad taxpayer support for plans the truly address these issues but these plans have to be well designed and include big skin in the game by the individuals who stand to benefit. I can't believe more wasn't made of Pelosi wanting and defending including birth control in the Stimulus program. It was removed because it was heavily ridiculed. What surprised me was that nobody spoke of the arrogance of this. She's basically saying we can't let "certain people" continue to have babies. A huge slap in the face to many that the Democratic party would consider to be their own constituency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWVaBeach Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Speaking of the south-side do any of you remember the Langfield Projects in Buffalo? That's where I grew up as a kid and I turned out ok. BTW it's not always a choice sometimes it's a matter of circumstance. Lastly I CANNOT stand the Obamas! That is all. It's scary here in PPP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 And just an aside (to illustrate the magnitude of what we're talking about), in Chicago, the South Side is the North Side compared to the West Side. The 90's are going to make the 60's look like the 50's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Then what are you advocating? Hope and I can tell you, hope is not a good strategy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hope and Change. Don't forget the Change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 He has no idea. This started with a defense of Michelle Obama being ashamed of America and now he's in a swamp up to his chin. Of course I have no idea! And while ktf's take on "choices" isn't completely off, the kids born into these situations don't choose their station, so any kind of rebuilding effort begins with them and their parents. There's a program in Brooklyn right now with this type of focus, but it'll be another 15-20 years before the benefits come to fruition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Those who hold themselves accountable for their own actions have a leg up on life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I'm familiar with the areas. My points are these. Having kids and not living with them is a choice. Committing a crime is a choice. Using drugs is a choice. Not doing your homework for school is a choice. Droppong out of school is a choice. Being a single parent and not being home with your kids is a choice. Joining a gang is a choice, Being careless with your property is a choice. Being dishonest is a choice. Living in an area riddled with crime is a choice. People make many small decisions each day that affect their destination in life. Many make bad decsions hour by hour, day by day and year by year. You reap what you sow. Yes, many are born into more difficult circumstances. There is a way out if you want that, but you have to want it and work hard at it. Cabrini Green is getting cleaned up. Many of the former residents were moved to public housing in other areas like Bloomington and Peoria and others. Many have since been arrested in their new surroundings due once again to making bad decisions. This has been reported. My neighbor's daughter attending ISU was raped last year by one of these people. Again, bad decision. Location had nothing to do with it. Obama's right about one thing. Education and jobs are essential to reversing the trend. I believe he and Congress would find broad taxpayer support for plans the truly address these issues but these plans have to be well designed and include big skin in the game by the individuals who stand to benefit. I can't believe more wasn't made of Pelosi wanting and defending including birth control in the Stimulus program. It was removed because it was heavily ridiculed. What surprised me was that nobody spoke of the arrogance of this. She's basically saying we can't let "certain people" continue to have babies. A huge slap in the face to many that the Democratic party would consider to be their own constituency. Who sowed what? (red above) Hey keepthefaith, what is your take on "white flight" and "white privilege?" "Furthermore, the historical processes of suburbanization and urban decentralization are instances of white privilege contributing to contemporary environmental racism." MO has every right to be pissed at her country seeing how she was raised right in the middle of it. This area was a flashpoint with all the blockbusting and other practices that were going on. With the unprecedented influx of blacks and poor whites into the nation's cities during the war, 'educated' middle-class and middle working-class whites considered these locales far preferable to the inner-cities, most of which were already approaching the century-old mark and whose infrastructures were already in serious decline. Suburban expansion was reserved for middle-class and working-class white people, facilitated by their increased wages incurred by the war effort and by subsequent federally-guaranteed mortgages (VA, FHA, HOLC) available only to whites to buy new houses. Blacks and other minorities were relegated to a state of permanent rentership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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