The sad truth is that there have always been cities where you avoid even driving through certain neighborhoods if you value your life. When I went to graduate school in Milwaukee in the late 80’s I had to do that. I was worried about my car breaking down. 2 days a week I went from 8am to 10pm and even in summer with no A/c would keep my windows mostly up. People live in those neighborhoods and innocents get killed all the time. No clue how to fix it.
TT, we have areas like that. Not too long ago a mother and her daughter were driving home and shots rang out from a large group of young people gathered in a parking lot. Daughter was killed. Wrong place, wrong time. We do not go out at night and I know where not to drive. We have one street that should be renamed murder road.
Sweet, that’s sad that you cannot go out at night. I don’t want to deal with that in my old age. We have no racial issues here. If I lived in the Midwest I would be like my friends and live where it’s safe.
I'm hearing a lot of fear. Instead of avoidance I wonder what would happen if our society followed 1 John 4:18 "Perfect love casts out fear", if instead if being afraid of certain segments of our population we got to know them as human beings not menaces to society.
Ok jeppy, you first. Wade into North St. Louis at night for many nights. Let us know how that works for you.
Arent you the one who said you were afraid to hike trails during the day on weekends? Am I remembering that right?
Yes, you could be preyed on by a serial killer waiting in ambush in the woods. I feel safer around lots of people. I have not been to North St. Louis but East St. Louis looked rough to me when I was there years ago youngster in tow.Originally Posted by iris lilies
I suspect your odds of death are higher from auto accidents while driving to the trailhead....
I worked for a highway contractor. North St. Louis was the only place we were not required to work at night. I’m guessing the state people didn’t want to be out there either. Our crews still had a few stories to tell. Only one body was found when they showed up for work, still plenty of hookers and drug dealers around even during the day.
As bae points out, how safe we claim to feel and the actual risk we assume can be very different things.
We can deplore Florida beach goers or Lansing protestors as reckless Typhoid Marys, but remain silent about the Minnesota marchers and/or rioters.
Cops quelling riots is brutal escalation. In fact, we are invited to take seriously the idea we can dispense with the police entirely. Using federal troops like Los Angeles in 1992 or Little Rock in 1957 is considered a fascist coup, although the people being dispossessed might disagree. Look at the response to Tom Cotton’s recent NYT lapse into diversity of opinion on the topic, and the scramble to “further fact-check” it away.
It’s more about feelings and supporting narratives at this point. We’re getting the stories about shark attacks and not the bee stings.
The cases of murders on the Appalachian Trail go back to 1990 but I have never forgotten them. Are there greater risks in life than hiking? Undoubtedly, but I still don't like hiking alone. When I retire I'd like to get a dog again, as I will then have time for it and long walks with it.
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