Englewood violence limits summer for children

Children jump rope outside the home of Alice and Willie Morris, who are caring for four neighborhood kids.

[Debbie]

My Mother and Father were both born and raised in Englewood. Myself and all my siblings were born and raised in Englewood. The change came in 1967-68 during the riots. The neighborhood went from bad to worse so we moved. It was good for 50-years then the demographics changed for the worse. People can only blame themselves for circumstances that are in their control. Parents weren't there for the children the way my parents and then-neighbors were.

Wake up people, only you can effect change that needs to happen if you are to save YOUR children!

[Concerned]

Snake Pliskin wrote:

Without even reading this article I have an accurate opinion. Start with the parenting.
I lost track years ago of the calls from guardians (mostly grandparents) about them no longer able to control the 13 y/o...14 y/o....15 y/o and for the police to come get them.
Sorry.
Its not the police's job to take up where lazy and uncaring parents leave off, at least until Jr or Jr'ette gets locked up. Having kids then leaving them to run rampant because you are too busy on a pipe or counting ceiling tiles making more kids is the primary problem in these areas.
Are kids of every race a pain in the ****? Of course. But statistics show a solid family structure works to keep kids in line. A structureless mess of chaos gets the results you see here. The materialistic gangster lifestyle is trenched so deep I do not see any recovery anytime soon, so don't expect these headlines to go away until some serious soul searching is done and those who have 3 to 5 kids 9 months apart STOP.
Call it what you will, but it is what it is. The PC BS has ruined any chance of anyone stepping up to the plate and say it like it is, sans Bill Cosby, who I think should be president.
And the last point, accountability. How many shootings where its black on black crime and the entire neighborhood is mum. No sharpton, no jackson, no one speaks out. But Lord help the police when they shoot some future doctor or firefighter running with a gun, then its ON YO WORD!
Please, get real.

Please stop talking down to black people.

[Matt]

Its easy to make judgments from your Ivory towers based upon an outside-looking-in position, but until you live this reality, there's little need for negative, myopic comments.

[Keep It Real]

ROLE MODEL wrote:

And just yesterday a 12 yr old was shot in one of these savage neighborhoods. Of course he was on the street corner AFTER MIDNIGHT with his 17 yr old brother.

Still better than snitchin'

[Paul]

Keep It Real wrote:

<quoted text>
Still better than snitchin'

Lok at where it got this person?

You my friend are a real simpleton!

[throwing stones]

It is truly sad to read some of these idiotic posts. Yes there are bad parents in that area of Chicago, but what about the suburbs where the 50 year old pedophiles are and the financial thieves are? Or the construction company owner who has the illegal affirmative action contract? It is easy to make comments if you have never lived in those areas. There are good people there who are unable to get out.

[Ax OR Ask]

This community is going to have and continue to have its problems and there isn't anything that is going to change unless they are willing to change themselves.

You have the baby mommas who at 20 have a two kids already. By the time their babies are 10, they mommas are 30, and still want to be partying and at the bar and club scene on more than just an occasional time. That leaves their 10 year old alone or to fend for himself while she is out partying it up. Yes, I know some will counter, where is the daddy? When daddy isn't around, that doesn't excuse the mother from taking care of her children. She chose to put her children in that situation by having children, each from a different daddy.

This is the community that is offended if anything is done to try to correct it by members of the same community. Remember last Summer? Jesse L. Jackson was caught on tape stating that he wanted to cut off the testicles of Barack Obama for "talking down" to black people? How can this community be helped, if it is considered insulting to talk about issues of morality?

What about Dr. Bill Cosby? Dr. Cosby is considered an "oreo" or "uncle tom" by many in the black community for his views on the problems in the black community and how he thinks he should be corrected. Again, if this is considered insulting, there isn't anything anybody can do to help these people.

As long as this community see successful people as an oreo or uncle tom for being successful, and don't forget that many started out in not the best of circumstances, then there is nothing that anybody can do. Speaking proper English and receiving and education counter the 'hood culture.

Look at post #14 by Matt, just goes to prove my point. "Its easy to make judgments from your Ivory towers based upon an outside-looking-in position, but until you live this reality, there's little need for negative, myopic comments."

[John]

First off I'd like to say this is a brilliant article. It provides insight that we almost never see. All we ever hear from some of these neighborhoods are stories of shootings and violence but an article like this shows the reality of living in an area like Englewood and how most of the people there are good, decent people that just want to raise their children in a safe enviornment.

As for the people who continually criticize blacks living in these areas, GET OVER YOURSELF. When is the last time you were actually in Englewood? Have you seen these neighborhoods? There are no opportunities whatsoever for people to better themselves. The schools are terrible, there are no healthy grocery stores or even bookstores. There is nothing. These places are terrorized by our draconian drug laws which empower violent street gangs to continue selling drugs on the black market. If drugs were legalized and regulated, street gangs would cease to exist. People wouldnt need to fight over territory because the stuff would be available at Walgreens. People can already buy drugs, so why not legalize them and take away all the power and money that gangs have?

[franklin]

throwing stones wrote:

It is truly sad to read some of these idiotic posts. Yes there are bad parents in that area of Chicago, but what about the suburbs where the 50 year old pedophiles are and the financial thieves are? Or the construction company owner who has the illegal affirmative action contract? It is easy to make comments if you have never lived in those areas. There are good people there who are unable to get out.

Yea, the suburbs are the real problem area. Sure there are some bad people out there, but that percentage will happen anywhere. The percentage of crime in the englewood area is way above the national average and thats the point of the article. The fact that its a predominately black area is irrelevant. What you have is a large group of uneducated people killing each other at a record pace. In chicago, they're black and elsewhere in the country, they're white or mexican.

[Obamaniqua]

John wrote:

First off I'd like to say this is a brilliant article. It provides insight that we almost never see. All we ever hear from some of these neighborhoods are stories of shootings and violence but an article like this shows the reality of living in an area like Englewood and how most of the people there are good, decent people that just want to raise their children in a safe enviornment.
As for the people who continually criticize blacks living in these areas, GET OVER YOURSELF. When is the last time you were actually in Englewood? Have you seen these neighborhoods? There are no opportunities whatsoever for people to better themselves. The schools are terrible, there are no healthy grocery stores or even bookstores. There is nothing. These places are terrorized by our draconian drug laws which empower violent street gangs to continue selling drugs on the black market. If drugs were legalized and regulated, street gangs would cease to exist. People wouldnt need to fight over territory because the stuff would be available at Walgreens. People can already buy drugs, so why not legalize them and take away all the power and money that gangs have?

Cuckoo.

No matter how poor people are, that is no excuse for bad morals, ethics and values. A poor person can still have those characters and pass them on to their children regardless are poor or rich one is. Morals, ethics and values runs counter to the hip-hop culture.

A culture has been created in that community of dependency. Before, government assistance used to be to give people a leg up in time of need. That has been turned into dependency, because people are staying on government dependency for lifetimes, many have generations of families living in public housing, and now some with the Section 8 vouchers. I can understand that the current situation is tough for everybody out there right now. But it hasn't always been that way, and these people never left the government programs. They find a way to manipulate it. They know the more kids, the more money they receive in the form of monthly aid. Have a kid or two diagnosed with a, for example, mental issue, and receive even more. Some parents even pushing for testing and hoping the result shows that so that they can collect more.

And if the neighborhood doesn't give the opportunity to better oneself, Chicago has one of the best public transportation systems available, even with all the negative press, Chicago's system isn't bad. People from other areas leave their neighborhoods every day to go to work and school. Yes, it may be an inconvenience, but that is what people do to better themselves, they don't won't for a politician to promise jobs in the neighborhood, all while sitting at home or hanging out on the sidewalks collecting from the government in all forms.

As far as drugs, that is just another excuse. With a good upbringing, one would know better to not engage that illegal behavior.

As far as better schools, it starts with the parents. Parents must teach their kids that they must respect their teachers and to pay attention. How are teachers supposed to teach if they have to deal with behavior problems and a culture that doesn't respect education? Why don't the parents show up for parent teacher conferences? Why don't parents take an interest in their childrens education?

It all comes down to RESPECT. There is no respect for life, family, education, authority or even for themselves as an individual person. That is something that no government program or Jesse L. Jackson can give them, that is something they are brought up with.

[Oscar]

What Nonsense. These Dangerous Ghetto's are the product of irresponsible people who do not resist the Gangs or The Drug Dealers. They look the other way, so the cancer grows. Many people in these neighborhoods know the criminals. It's their own sons, or relatives sons, or cousins. The rule of the Ghetto, is Don't Snitch. They all abide by that. So, let's stop pretending that there is NOTHING these helpless victims can do to improve their own situation. One of their sons gets shot, they start right in about how he was a good person, who wanted to make something of himself. He was a creep gangbanger that was shot for being a gangbanger, regardless of what shrieking, mourning momma, says. She knows her kid runs with gangs, he has money and a car and a gun, and no job. She KNOWS. But will turn a blind eye, hoping her little boy will eventually make enough illegal money, to eventually afford to start out ligit. The mothers are the enablers, and live in denial. Many are on Public Assistance, and know their sons will not get Public Assistance, so they look the other way for the Criminal Behavior. Forget pity for these people, they are beyond hope as long as they embrace the Ghetto Mentality. Underperforming Schools make all of their children Honor Students to raise their self esteem, but it won't stop the Ghetto Influence of Materialistic Values. So, most of the children will only follow in their siblings/peers footsteps. It's all they know. "Instant Cash". These people place personal value on personal wealth. At 14, steal a car....Instant Cash. Rob a Convenience Store......Instant Cash. Break into someones home.....Instant Cash. Sell Drugs....Instant cash. The system encourages them to continue, until they become independent. The system is soft on junior criminals. Many have long Criminal Histories, and work their way up to unflinching Murder. Junior Criminals should be tried as adults, and punished as adults. Welfare moms and their kids should be tested for drug use. Tax Payers have a right to protect themselves from this human garbage.

[Honor Student]

Oscar wrote:

What Nonsense. These Dangerous Ghetto's are the product of irresponsible people who do not resist the Gangs or The Drug Dealers. They look the other way, so the cancer grows. Many people in these neighborhoods know the criminals. It's their own sons, or relatives sons, or cousins. The rule of the Ghetto, is Don't Snitch. They all abide by that. So, let's stop pretending that there is NOTHING these helpless victims can do to improve their own situation. One of their sons gets shot, they start right in about how he was a good person, who wanted to make something of himself. He was a creep gangbanger that was shot for being a gangbanger, regardless of what shrieking, mourning momma, says. She knows her kid runs with gangs, he has money and a car and a gun, and no job. She KNOWS. But will turn a blind eye, hoping her little boy will eventually make enough illegal money, to eventually afford to start out ligit. The mothers are the enablers, and live in denial. Many are on Public Assistance, and know their sons will not get Public Assistance, so they look the other way for the Criminal Behavior. Forget pity for these people, they are beyond hope as long as they embrace the Ghetto Mentality. Underperforming Schools make all of their children Honor Students to raise their self esteem, but it won't stop the Ghetto Influence of Materialistic Values. So, most of the children will only follow in their siblings/peers footsteps. It's all they know. "Instant Cash". These people place personal value on personal wealth. At 14, steal a car....Instant Cash. Rob a Convenience Store......Instant Cash. Break into someones home.....Instant Cash. Sell Drugs....Instant cash. The system encourages them to continue, until they become independent. The system is soft on junior criminals. Many have long Criminal Histories, and work their way up to unflinching Murder. Junior Criminals should be tried as adults, and punished as adults. Welfare moms and their kids should be tested for drug use. Tax Payers have a right to protect themselves from this human garbage.

You will be called hater (not a real word but overly used like the race card when you speak truth). The little girl who is an honor student is "fittin to go"? What? As long as ghettoized blacks cling to a sub class existence and refuse to look up out and over the rut, their lot will not improve. I've been watching for 50 yrs and have not seen appreciable change. The only shred of hope I see is when the race manipulators pass on (Jackson Sharpton et al.) hopefully a new breed of leadership will show the way. I thought a black president would be an impetus but that's losing its luster as the brainless violence bubbles up in another long hot Chicago summer.

[John]

I see way too many generalizations about "those" people on this board. I'm so sick of sheltered whites trying to force their so called "values" on a group of people that have been neglected by society and the United States government for well over 200 years.
It's not as if black people are pre-disposed to gang life and violence. They are obviously a product of their surroundings. When your neighborhood is stricken by poverty it is only natural to seek a quick fix. Life is so much harder for Englewood residents than other people in the city. Most residents arew good honest people that are trying to survive in thgis war zone. Drugs are not an excuse, they are the sole reason this violence continues. It's very easy to just tell some kid not to sell drugs from your computer, but when you live in an area where there are no jobs and everyone around you is selling to make some money, it is a little harder to resist than you might think. Not everyone was raised in bland suburbia where the life is sucked out of you at age 8 and your conditioned to believe that your way of life is best.
And to Obamaniqua, poverty is a valid reason to check morals at the door as a means of survival. You have no idea what life is like in these neighborhoods. I would LOVE to see you move to Englewood and try to make an honest living.

[Think]

Obamaniqua wrote:

<quoted text>
As far as better schools, it starts with the parents. Parents must teach their kids that they must respect their teachers and to pay attention. How are teachers supposed to teach if they have to deal with behavior problems and a culture that doesn't respect education? Why don't the parents show up for parent teacher conferences? Why don't parents take an interest in their childrens education?

Where have you been? Honestly, parents? I suggest you read Kozol's Savage Inequalities. It's not only the parents, it's the work ethic of teachers. Half of these children go into these schools with no permanent teacher, better yet no teacher, no role model. Unfortunately, many of these parents do not work flexible schedules, are not stay-at-home parents able to make conferences. At the same time dedicated teachers produce dedicated students. However, you should know by now that dedicated teachers are quite hard to come by in low income neighborhoods. So to clarify, if teachers and administrators had the empathy and motivation to work as hard in these areas as they do in some of the best schools in the suburbs, we would have better schools. Parents cannot be 100% responsible for bettering the schools; it's an unattainable dream for schools in low-income areas.

[scooby]

John wrote:

It's very easy to just tell some kid not to sell drugs from your computer, but when you live in an area where there are no jobs and everyone around you is selling to make some money, it is a little harder to resist than you might think.

Huh?? theres no jobs in their neighborhood?? Hey Einstein heres a little flash for you, most people dont work in the neighborhoods where they live. Its the reason theres a morning and evening rush hour on the expressways and public transportation. You know, people are actually leaving their homes to TRAVEL to their places of employment.So stop using the " there neighborhood offers no employment" excuse for the way they live. Get them off their lazy behinds and tell them to LOOK for jobs in other areas like most people find work. Or should jobs be hand delivered to their doors so they have to make zero effort, which is the reason they are in the situation they're in already.

[Snake Pliskin]

Ok first off, I know first hand what its like to be in these neighborhoods. I worked public housing for 6 years from the early 90's to 99.

I know first hand what its like to see a steamy diaper flying out a 8th story window. I've see kids have a non stop diet of chips and pop, discarding the wrappers to the ground next to an empty garbage can.

I know how much money "Money G" spent on his rims for the hoopdie while Jr sits on a 10 year old roach infested couch watching a 60" flatscreen while baby momma is 19 months behind on $45.00 a month rent.

I've seen 3 day gun battles over "I dunno, we juss be fighten, dems mah cuzins"

I've seen first hand a mother mad as can be that her 14 y/o is out at 2 am, with a warrant....and what is she mad about? The police scuffing his $175.00 shoes when he tried to run.

Hand me what you want about not knowing this or not understanding that about these areas, but until YOU spend 1 minute of time trying to apply civilized law, social order and common decency in them and the schools, your comments hold as much weight as a cork.

[scooby]

John wrote:

I see way too many generalizations about "those" people on this board. I'm so sick of sheltered whites trying to force their so called "values" on a group of people that have been neglected by society and the United States government for well over 200 years.

You mean the values that make 95% of white neighborhoods safe to live in?? where shootings aren't a daily occurence?? where people cooperate with the police, look after their homes,take care of and raise their children, hold themselves and offspring accountable?? make sure they go to school and do their homework and are respectful to the teachers?? God forbid us " sheltered " whites try to impose those values on the black community, then we might expect them to actually act like human beings and not savages.

[ROLE MODEL]

throwing stones wrote:

It is truly sad to read some of these idiotic posts. Yes there are bad parents in that area of Chicago, but what about the suburbs where the 50 year old pedophiles are and the financial thieves are? Or the construction company owner who has the illegal affirmative action contract? It is easy to make comments if you have never lived in those areas. There are good people there who are unable to get out.

Blame gamer and deflector. Every urban black neighborhood has the same high violence, low daddys' and poor education. Every city in America with a high black population is a crime infested, extremely corrupt, ghetto. Those aren't racists comments. Those are facts.

And when you say "you don't know man, you ain't living there". Well guess what? People have lived in those neighborhoods for decades. And they were not always this way. What changed? The neighborhood? No. The people? Yes.

And when those people move to other neighborhoods guess what happens. Those neighborhoods become mini pockets of the urban thuggery and savagry. Hoffman Estates as an example.

[ROLE MODEL]

Ax OR Ask wrote:

This community is going to have and continue to have its problems and there isn't anything that is going to change unless they are willing to change themselves.
You have the baby mommas who at 20 have a two kids already. By the time their babies are 10, they mommas are 30, and still want to be partying and at the bar and club scene on more than just an occasional time. That leaves their 10 year old alone or to fend for himself while she is out partying it up. Yes, I know some will counter, where is the daddy? When daddy isn't around, that doesn't excuse the mother from taking care of her children. She chose to put her children in that situation by having children, each from a different daddy.
This is the community that is offended if anything is done to try to correct it by members of the same community. Remember last Summer? Jesse L. Jackson was caught on tape stating that he wanted to cut off the testicles of Barack Obama for "talking down" to black people? How can this community be helped, if it is considered insulting to talk about issues of morality?
What about Dr. Bill Cosby? Dr. Cosby is considered an "oreo" or "uncle tom" by many in the black community for his views on the problems in the black community and how he thinks he should be corrected. Again, if this is considered insulting, there isn't anything anybody can do to help these people.
As long as this community see successful people as an oreo or uncle tom for being successful, and don't forget that many started out in not the best of circumstances, then there is nothing that anybody can do. Speaking proper English and receiving and education counter the 'hood culture.
Look at post #14 by Matt, just goes to prove my point. "Its easy to make judgments from your Ivory towers based upon an outside-looking-in position, but until you live this reality, there's little need for negative, myopic comments."

YOu are on target. Cosby is shunned. Jackson, Sharpton, Meeks, Bobby Rush, and a bunch of Rainbow/Push member Aldermen, along with several of the "ministers" speak the blame game. Terrible role models for a culture. You would think a few people would show up protesting with signs anywhere Jackson appears. Just to let him know he is not welcome anylonger. He has raped them of their money and kept them in the blame game for decades. He's more harm than good.

[ROLE MODEL]

Concerned wrote:

<quoted text>
Please stop talking down to black people.

It's not talking down. IT is reality. The culture is broken and yet being "black" remains more important to many in these neighborhoods than; education, parenting, being a positive role model, speaking correctly, disciplining children, displaying social values, etc.