Why Don't You Want to Live in a Bad Neighborhood?

I once asked a friend of mine her thoughts regarding the fact that most, if not all, of the neighborhoods within New York City that are considered "bad areas" are predominantly full of blacks and Puerto Ricans. I do not recall exactly what her response was but we had an interesting conversation.

There is no doubt that the neighborhoods which have the most crime are full of minorities. I came to the conclusion that it's not the buildings, streets, stores, etc. that make these areas bad. There are places in Harlem which any yuppie would love to buy or rent (many are doing just that). The problem is the people. And it's not about being racist, prejudice or any of such nonsense. The truth is that blacks and Hispanics within NYC and perhaps most other parts of the U.S. engage in more criminal activity than other ethnicities. The reason why this is the case is a topic for empirical inquiry. Thomas Sowell has written a great book, Black rednecks and White Liberals, which addresses this very issue.

Many leftists and others will deny that blacks and Hispanics commit more crimes than others. Or they'll say the police are targeting only them. Oh please! The police patrol where there is high crime. Since there is already high crime in certain neighborhoods, of course police would make more arrests there since there's more crime. I have many more than a few white leftists who seem to love speaking out for blacks especially and condemning the police, conservatives and people of faith. They will rant about various issues regarding blacks, yet I have never met one who has come from that background. I have never met one who even has friends from these high-crime neighborhoods. Typically, it seems white leftists have no clue what the mind-set and behavior of blacks within these areas are even like so why do they even bother?

I don't know the reason. Perhaps it's because "social justice" is "hip" now and it's what everyone is doing so they jump on the bandwagon with everyone else. Perhaps it is because since the news outlets, television shows, movies, music, educational institutions, etc. have become so biased against any other views other than their own and only display images and information which will bolster their cause, that countless Americans are taken in by such tactics. Most people watch television for hours, thus they are being pumped leftist propaganda constantly. It's no surprise many would be duped by these tactics.

Speaking as a Hispanic and having grown up having mostly only black and Hispanic friends, I know what the mind-set of many of these individuals is and it is not praiseworthy. Taking pride in sleeping around with girls, beating up foes, and indulging in drugs are not activities which ought to be embraced. A new frame of mind is needed within these communities. A brand new outlook on life is crucial for these individuals to live more productive lives. The best way for this to occur is for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be preached and taught within these areas so that repentance and godly sorrow will be ubiquitous. Then, the light of Christ's work on the cross might shine so that people will be saved.