Please Tell Me Why?

Question

When i am on the south side of chicago(predominantly black) in some neighborhoods they are very dirty and trashy. When i go to the north side neighborhoods(predominantly white) they streets and homes are always looking very clean. Why cant black people keep there property and the neighborhoods they live in looking decent. I am black also and i come from a diversed neighborhood where everything is great.

Answer 1

You totally contradicted yourself. You said that you "come from a diversed neighborhood where everything is great". This means that everything is "great" regardless of the fact that you "come from" a neighborhood in which there are various groups of people. Obviously, assuming that what you say is true, ALL people in your neighborhood are equally "clean" and "decent".

But I'm going to give you the benefit of a doubt and "read into" your question a little and ask you this: Did you mean that segregation is the problem? That "too many" of one particular group in an area causes problems? If so, you shouldn't have directed your question in this manner (towards black people). But, if such is the case, you still shouldn't make assumptions. If you think that too many of one group in a given area can cause problems, I can understand why you would think such a thing. Many people (not all, but many) tend to, I guess you could say, become so accustomed to their "own" when only exposed to their "own" that they reject anyone who isn't their "own" and will behave in all manners to "keep out" those who are not their "own". But you must understand that such is not always the case. As I said, not everyone does this. I see such things in my area all the time with the "black apartment complexes" and the "white trailer parks". But try to understand the same thing as I- that such things are not an indication of what ALL people of any group do or how they live. Stereotypes are a direct extension of racism.

Answer 2

If your neighborhood was diverse, and everything was great, then that means that some black people do keep their property looking decent, doesn't it? Perhaps there is another reason for what you see in those neighborhoods besides people who just don't care about their own environment. I love Chicago, and I've noticed that every neighborhood that isn't predominantly white suffers the same conditions. In fact, in every city, that seems to be the case.

One theory is that the largest proportion of city funds for street cleaning, improvements, and resources are spent in rich white neighborhoods first, then working class white neighborhoods, then integrated neighborhoods, and then, last, minority neighborhoods. I know that when a street light goes out in a white neighborhood, it gets fixed quickly, but when a light goes out in a black neighborhood, it may never get fixed at all. Police patrol and protect white neighborhoods first and most as well, so crime and neglect are able to flourish in minority neighborhoods. Also, predominantly black neighborhoods often have a large proportion of low-income families who move often, which means that the properties are not inhabited by people who take the time to make the house personal, planting flowers and cultivating nice yards, or keeping the trash picked up. Lousy landlords also contribute to the deterioration because they don't invest the money in the property, thinking that the tenants are going to trash the place, so they aren't going to spend very much money cleaning the place up after someone moves out. The next person moving in can't afford a nicer place, and they don't have the money to make the one they live in any nicer. It's a downward spiral.

I've lived in predominantly black neighborhoods where I saw this all the time. I also didn't have the money for a nice place, and moved into a house that was practically falling down, but there was nothing I could do. I kept it clean, but there were holes in the walls, windows were cracked, and nothing worked right. The landlord didn't care, and I couldn't move. My neighbors were drug dealers. They would get high and throw trash all over the place, and get violent if I asked them not to throw beer cans and bottles in my yard. (They were white.) After a while, I just gave up, and my yard looked as bad as everyone elses. I realized that some of them just gave up, too.

Answer 3

I have lived in a variety of different neighborhoods from predominantly black to predominately white and have found that the black neighborhoods don't receive nearly as much attention from the city (street sweepers, trash removal, police and paramedic response, etc.) as the white neighborhoods.
I can't specifically tell you why this is however.

Answer 4

Move to the north side my brotha.
We're all waitin' for you!

If you can't afford it, just know that many of us have been in your shoes.

Blacks had NOTHING to do with it. Sometimes people live where they have to, when they are overwhelmed and all the "services" that are offered as hope and help have been tapped out to others.
(Sadly, others that abuse the system.)

This can cause some to turn to other measures to just get by doing things they wouldn't normally do, like rob, hook, do dugs, etc..thus leaving their homes and family as a last resort- just to get by.

In addition, you can go anywhere and find people who just weren't taught to live up to their ability. Do not down them, they just haven't learned or experienced what you have yet.

Could you volunteer in their area?

Good luck.

Answer 5

Perhaps it more economic than cultural...

Answer 6

Cause our corrupt government doesn't want to take care of them.

Answer 7

y not?