It happens Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons at Alternatives Inc., on North Sheridan Road, where a social service agency’s success belies the area’s frustrating inability to turn itself around without turning a back on some of our neediest." Keep reading here.
To quote Ray Stantz from Ghostbusters II, "You know, I just can't believe things have gotten so bad in this city that there's no way back. I mean, sure, it's messy, it's crowded, it's polluted, and there are people who would just as soon step on your face as look at you. But come on! There's gotta be a few sparks of sweet humanity left in this burned-out bird. We just gotta find a way to mobilize it!"
ReplyDeleteWhen you read stories like this, it does give you hope though the darkness in this neighborhood that there is light and things can get better. That we have a generation that will help contribute to making things better. These kids ask for nothing else. Just to dance and live normally like we all do.
Its easy to talk about how bad things are but it would be nice if there was more comments on stories like these.
Just to clarify, Alternatives engages students from across the socio-economic strata. Their programming isn’t just for poor kids or gang kids or (fill in the blank). Alternatives is for all kids.
ReplyDeleteAs for some of Mr. Warren’s other characterizations, they are tad long on ambiance and short on facts.
Property values in Uptown have not kept pace with appreciation elsewhere? Middle class investors have stayed away? In the past 30 years, Uptown property values have appreciated as much if not more than other neighborhoods and middle class investors have driven the rise. Even after the recent run-up super-fueled by cheap credit went kerplunk, prices in Uptown held better than in other neighborhoods.
As for life in Uptown being “so doleful,” well, I don’t think we have a corner on grief. Seems to me anywhere can be doleful if you’re paying attention.
In fact, I was hanging out at the A&W in Dodgeville, Wisconsin earlier this week, reading the State Register in which a story examined murder data for the state’s southwest counties. The number of murders in the bucolic rolling hills of dairy land is startling and there isn’t even a fraction of the gang activity or drug traffic to explain it.
Seems to me we misunderstand our own community if we believe we’ve got dibs on misery or loss.
"We" aren't describing "ourselves" as anything. That's the angle the Times is taking. "We" aren't saying anything at all about having dibs on misery. Actual residents can't be reprimanded for whatever emotions the Times is ascribing to us.
ReplyDeleteI believe where you, most Uptowners and the New York Times can find common ground is that agreeing that Alternatives is trying to do good things.
" In the past 30 years, Uptown property values have appreciated as much if not more than other neighborhoods and middle class investors have driven the rise."
ReplyDeleteSuzanne, I'm with you on your property value point. Below is a link to housing trends.
Uptown vs. Chicago Real Estate Price Trends
More to the point of the posting...
gg, I have to agree, "Alternatives is trying to do good things."
gg, I understand, but just so you know, it wasn't my intention to reprimand UU readers or Uptown residents but Mr. Warren for the factual inaccuracies in his story and the absurd characterization of Uptown as stuck, desolate, and uniquely troubled.
ReplyDelete