Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Downtown
^A rather breathtaking victimization narrative:
The city has always been quick to destroy infrastructure in African American neighborhoods. Woodlawn’s rows upon rows of vacant lots attest to that. Housing, retail, and just about anything else that the city could get its hands on started coming down shortly after the riots in Woodlawn over the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. On the West Side, where most of the rioting at that time took place, the blocks pockmarked with vacant lots bear a striking resemblance to streets in Woodlawn.
Arthur Brazier understood that there is a deep satisfaction that racist white politicians and voters get in taking away resources from African American communities. |
I'm sorry, what?? This type of perspective is breathtakingly shameful. Lack of opportunity or rescission of the same is not about victimization, especially when the status quo in Chicago has clearly shown apathy or even downright hatred towards people of color for decades. The notion that only a handful of people would use any part of a future extension is completely disregarding any potential future development that is already planned for the immediate vicinity. Transit planning is for the future, and should NOT be representative of current usage models - not sure why this is such a difficult idea to understand.