Gentrification

It is summertime in Chicago and the natives are restless. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past say 2-3 years, Chicago has torn down many of its housing projects and calls itself gentrifying neighborhoods. When you get a chance, you should check this out http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/02/22/73-gentrification/. Let me explain to you what gentrification is. According to www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/flagwars/special_gentrification.html

Gentrification is a general term for the arrival of wealthier people in an existing urban district, a related increase in rents and property values, and changes in the district's character and culture. In layman terms: let's get rid of the poor and bring in the rich.

Well, since this gentrification has occurred, there has been an increasing number of shootings throughtout the city. We got a new police chief (Jody Weiss) who worked with the FBI before coming to Chicago. He made a number of changes within the police department and many people are trying to blame him and the changes for the increase in violence. Now, I am not an expert on violence, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Prior to Mr. Weiss coming to Chicago, a good number of drug dealers and gang members were confined to one general area. Most of them were living in the housing projects. When the violence occurred, it was in a specific area and sometimes it would be newsworthy, and sometimes it would not. Now, that the housing projects are gone, the rebel rousers are scattered about. This is making it difficult for people to know what is going on in various communities.

Also, where are the parents? I say this all the time because when things go wrong, we (Americans) like to find someone else to blame. Instead of finding out who the real culprit is, we shift the blame on someone else. It's easier to do so. There was an incident with a young child (about 8) who was shot sitting in the car with his parents. The intended target was the stepdad/dad/boyfriend (not sure what he was, but he was linked romantically to the mom). Mr. Weiss made a comment about the man being the intended target and if parents weren't involved in criminal activity, maybe this child wouldn't have gotten shot. People were outraged and wanted him to apologize. He didn't. I was cheering on the sidelines. I am glad someone is not afraid to say what is right. It's about time we stop pretending like all of these people shooting and getting shot are not in a gang. Let's wake up and smell the cocoa beans. If everyone is not in a gang and is a good kid, then there would be no violence.

It baffles me when people get on the news trying to blame others for what the good ol mayor did. Maybe if the city didn't call temselves "getting rid of the riff-raff" (which is also code for minorities), maybe some of these issues wouldn't be happening. I am witnessing what gentrification is doing to a neighborhood. I work in an area called Bronzeville. According to Wikipedia, The name itself was first used in 1930, by James J. Gentry, a local theatre editor for the Chicago Bee publication. It refers to the skin color of African-Americans, predominant in that area at that time. It is also more accurate, because the skin tone of African-Americans is more brown than black. It has become common usage throughout the decades. http://www.iit.edu/~bronzeville-stories/history.html Well, Bronzeville is now looking like Vanillaville. Many of the residents in this area will lose their homes they have lived in for years because the property taxes will skyrocket. What the hey, it's all in the name of making the city a better place. For whom?