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Soooo, Lansing going down the dumps? Again, I say no.
Has anyone heard what they're going to put on the southeast corner of Ridge and Torrence (where Chio's used to be)? I heard a Starbucks, but that was over a year ago.
Also, there's another empty corner on the northeast corner of Ridge and Wentworth? Anything going up there?
What I find interesting is how when Group A cant pay their bills, they are considered lazy, worthless, or irresponsibile. When Group B cant pay their bills, its considered an epidemic. Bail out plans are then considered.
Lansing in a nutshell-whites moving out; blacks moving in. Business is moving out, school test scores are going down. If you think Lansing is a nice place to live you are more than likely moving in from the south side of Chicago, if you don't like where Lansing is going you've probably lived her for more than a few years and can see the transition right before your eyes. The white flight was really moving up until the feds gave the axe to the sub prime lending practices. Since that has happened I think the white flight has slowed, as it's harder to get approved for a loan. Lansing housing and property taxes are not cheap.
This is so ridiculous it's funny. Give us more than just your words. What businesses have left (outside of the ones that left because of the expressway construction)? Show us the plummeting test scores (I know TF South's are horrid). Give me something more than your paranoid ravings about black people ruining Lansing.
This is so ridiculous it's funny. Give us more than just your words. What businesses have left (outside of the ones that left because of the expressway construction)? Show us the plummeting test scores (I know TF South's are horrid). Give me something more than your paranoid ravings about black people ruining Lansing.
I have NO connection to Lansing and could care less about it, but FWIW, the average ACT score has gone from 21 to 18 at TF South from 98 to 07, which in case you didn't know is terrible. Violent crime has risen as well, it sucks but it is true.
The thing is, if you line in Lansing, care enough to make change happen, it is a great community but unless the residents force a positive change, things will continue to go downhill - make the positive change happen - screw race, religion, etc - try to make a positive change for your children.
Only those living in Lansing can make things better - either make the positive change or stop complaining about things there.
I have NO connection to Lansing and could care less about it, but FWIW, the average ACT score has gone from 21 to 18 at TF South from 98 to 07, which in case you didn't know is terrible. Violent crime has risen as well, it sucks but it is true.
The thing is, if you line in Lansing, care enough to make change happen, it is a great community but unless the residents force a positive change, things will continue to go downhill - make the positive change happen - screw race, religion, etc - try to make a positive change for your children.
Only those living in Lansing can make things better - either make the positive change or stop complaining about things there.
Like I stated, I know that test scores at TF South suck (that's not a result of the increased black enrollment). Unless City-Data's stats are wrong, violent crime has not risen in Lansing. The crime index is well below the national average. As I have stated before, I personally see nothing wrong with my community, so I don't need to "force a positive change". It's great to see that even though you have no personal connection to Lansing outside of what you've read on this board, it seems as though you've taken what the OP says at face value.
As to the white flight issue, I'd like someone to explain to the five white families that moved into my immediate area in the past year that they've got it wrong. They're supposed to be moving out, not in.
As to the white flight issue, I'd like someone to explain to the five white families that moved into my immediate area in the past year that they've got it wrong. They're supposed to be moving out, not in.
Given Chicagoland's history of rigid segregation, white flight isn't surprising. Seems we're trained like Pavlov's Dogs to stick a "for sale" sign in the ground when X number of minorities move in and head west. It's been about as predictable as the end of a romantic comedy, or it was. Maybe high gas prices and the "back to the city movement" are helping eliminate this to some extent. Folks would be a lot more tolerant of diversity if gas was $6/gallon if you know what I'm saying. It would also help if we didn't spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer money on expressway extensions to make the flight easier. Of course this could backfire on the communities served by those highways also -- you never know.
Yes, you do have a right to live where every you want. I never wrote that, you didn't. Futhermore, I'm talking about village employees who are paid, with tax dollars! Just like employees employed with the City of Chicago, including educators....now have to LIVE in Chicago! What does your father who worked for Inland Steel have to do with this? That company, doesn't pay it's employees with tax-payer dollars?
I stated how about making incentives for village-employees, who do still live in town? Many other cities have these type of benefits! What tends to happen in many South Suburban communities, is that when the police officers/fire-fighters/EMT's and such start moving out, people.... especially non-minorities, start abandoning ship! Then as a result, businesses start pulling out, so on and so forth and there begins a demise of a community! This is what I've seen my entire adult life, living in the South Suburbs, of the Chicagoland area!
I worked in Orland/Tinley park area for over a decade. They have residency-requirements, for village-employees.... and it's NOT a problem! However, it's a problem for urban-community areas, because the White employees, don't want to live there!
Yes, we do practice what we preach! My husband has worked for the Village we live in for nearly two decades. They even lifted residency and we are still here! Many of the elderly towns-people were dishearten when the residency was lifted and are uber appreciative of those who stayed, like us. Interesting enough, it was all of the White officers and such who were so eager to leave because, "oh my.....I don't want to live in a town with people of color moving in and the administration voted in, is now diverse too. Ugh, perish the thought!"
Yes, town-people, felt a sense of security with officers/fire-fighters and such living in town. It maybe perceptions of safety more than a reality in your opinion. However, it's assuring to know when there's a serious sitiuation, that results in calling in numerous staff members to be on-site, they can get there in five minutes. Instead of, taking 45+ minutes because they all moved to St. John/Crown Point or Merrillville Indiana. We felt a since to stay in the community because it's a good community and just because minorities are moving in, doesn't make it bad!
I've experienced White-Flight my entire adult life. I find it quite sad and pathetic! The foundation of this nation was built on diversity. The Mid-West (Illinois), is one of the most racist states ever. My family are all from the South. Believe it or not, they couldn't believe how White people acted when they moved into a community. They lived right next door to other races in South; the so-called heart of racism and never had problems.
Paying for one's salary with tax dollars is completely irrelevant - that is why I made the comparison with Inland Steel. Employees are compensated to do a job and are not under taxpayer "ownership" merely because the funds to pay the salaries are drawn from taxes! With all the tax-related benefits major corporations are given I bet, with some time, you could figure out even a private-sector employee is paid directly/indirectly with taxpayer money. It is a very simple equation: do a job well = compensation. Your assumptions and mindset are very archaic, but understandable. I would guess you to be in your 50's or 60's as this is common among that age group.
On another note, if you think employees are quicker to respond because they live in town I assure you this is not always the case. I, as an example, am very rarely home and generally do not answer the phone if I see on the caller ID it is work calling. I am not issued a department pager or cellular telephone and therefore am not "required" to be on-call at the employers whim. Mutual Aid, for police, fire, & medical, is readily available and often used in an emergency manpower situation. Why would they need to call us unless it was for a sustained period of time? Actually, if it was a geographical emergency isolated to the Village do you really think an employee would choose going to work or helping his/her family first? I can provide the answer to that!
This is so ridiculous it's funny. Give us more than just your words. What businesses have left (outside of the ones that left because of the expressway construction)? Show us the plummeting test scores (I know TF South's are horrid). Give me something more than your paranoid ravings about black people ruining Lansing.
DeYoung's furniture just closed, which is probably the biggest business on Ridge Road, Sams club is leaving this year. Take a walk down Ridge Rd. and see all the empty stores that were once mom and pop joints. I know of two real estate/insurance agents also closing up shop on ridge. My point is that more stores are leaving than are coming to town. Also you are not getting your Starbucks, those plans were scrapped about 6 months ago. As far as I know it will be another vacant lot.
Yes, TF South's scores are horrible, what other high school to we have? I don't know about you but that's a pretty big deal to me. Also Memorial and Heritage are on the verge of academic probation. I can tell you haven't lived in Lansing long. I'm not paranoid about anything, you can't argue against the facts of what happens in general to towns in the south suburbs when whites leave. I'm sure this is where you're going to come back at me with some quaint saying about freeing my mind.
Also, do you have kids that actually attend any of the schools we have in town? There's a nationwide website called greatschools.net that not only rank schools on a scale of 1-10 based on test scores, but also has a section where parents/students can put input about their experiences with the school. Go read up on our "great" schools.
Last edited by rubber duck; 01-23-2008 at 06:59 PM..
DeYoung's furniture just closed, which is probably the biggest business on Ridge Road, Sams club is leaving this year. Take a walk down Ridge Rd. and see all the empty stores that were once mom and pop joints. I know of two real estate/insurance agents also closing up shop on ridge. My point is that more stores are leaving than are coming to town. Also you are not getting your Starbucks, those plans were scrapped about 6 months ago. As far as I know it will be another vacant lot.
Yes, TF South's scores are horrible, what other high school to we have? I don't know about you but that's a pretty big deal to me. Also Memorial and Heritage are on the verge of academic probation. I can tell you haven't lived in Lansing long. I'm not paranoid about anything, you can't argue against the facts of what happens in general to towns in the south suburbs when whites leave. I'm sure this is where you're going to come back at me with some quaint saying about freeing my mind.
Also, do you have kids that actually attend any of the schools we have in town? There's a nationwide website called greatschools.net that not only rank schools on a scale of 1-10 based on test scores, but also has a section where parents/students can put input about their experiences with the school. Go read up on our "great" schools.
I've seen the empty stores and I've also seen a few new ones coming in their place. When the weather is good, I walk/jog down Ridge Rd. for exercise. Blacks were in Lansing long before these stores shut down. Also, one of the insurance agents closing is moving because of a reorganization of their sales district. You can't blame everything on black people. The economy is bad and people all over are suffering, including small business owners.
The educational state of the schools in Lansing are a big deal to me, too. I have a daughter at Coolidge (the greatschools website only has three reviews for Coolidge and they are all old, but positive) and a son starting there in the fall. In my opinion, my, and my husband's, involvement in my children's education is what will help to make it a success. I went to a crappy elementary school and a nearly crappy high school and came out with a good education because my mom stayed involved with me, my teachers, and the administration. So, I'm not really worried about test scores. Now, if TF South becomes overrun with gangs and my children's lives would be in danger, that's a different story.
If we were talking "in general", I would have to agree with you about of the decline of the south suburbs. Towns like Harvey, Dolton, Calumet City, and Riverdale have suffered. However, we are talking specifically about Lansing, which in my opinion has not suffered.
The only thing about ANY predominantly WHITE area is, "if too many Blacks/Hispanics move into an area, it reduces the value of their homes then they move.
I'm a resident of Lansing and have a VERY nice home there, and in the area I live in, there isn't anything negative going on, however, when two, three or four Black families move on the street, you see the same amount of "For Sale" signs in yards of white owners and the neighborhood hasn't changed a bit.
The truth of the matter is, it's a silent prejudice. Whites were taught that Blacks are the cause of degeneration, the cause of home depreciation, to be scared they're going to break in they're homes, etc.
The school systems are good & PREDOMINANTLYwhite, however, EVERYTHING STARTS IN THE HOME!!!!!!!!
Once, Lansing had a banner going across the main ave saying, "Please bring our stores back to Lansing, this is our town......" What does that mean?
It's always Blacks that's blamed for everything anyway. So don't take it personal everyone. Just live and learn. This is going to be a ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT, and that's what all of this is about. Be more vigilant of what WHITES do, then you'll be able understand why fingers are pointed.
NEVER POINT YOUR FINGER BECAUSE THREE IS ALWAYS POINTING BACK AT YOU!!!!!!! TRY IT.
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