When I was in school on the southside of Chicago, that whole south side was dangerous. I remember one Sunday evening driving to a Burger King on Stony Brook. I was about to pull into the parking lot when I saw a man in a blue shirt come running out of the restaurant, shouting and waving his hands. I went around the block and when I returned, everything was quiet, so I went in to order. When I got my sandwich, I went back out to my car and the parking lot was overtaken by Chicago PD cars. I was able to leave, but found out that the manager had been shot by a robber. I NEVER went off campus (unless absolutely necessary) after that and took great care every time I had to drive to the freeways from school. The southside of Chicago is the perfect place for a monument to Obama!
I used go to the university of Chicago medical center 2 or 3 times a year. Would rely on gps to get me in and out of the area. Drove through some neighborhoods that would be sketchy at night.
Was pleasantly surprised to see a building with nice looking graffiti art on it that prominently displayed “All Lives Matter” on the front facing of the building. Wish I could have taken a photo but I was driving.
There are good people everywhere.
Back in the early ‘70s, I was doing construction inspection on Chicago freeways, but staying at a Ramada Inn in Calumet City. Just a little North of there by looking in the yellow pages, I found a BBQ joint called George’s place - deep on the wrong side of the Ell. My out of town co-workers went there with me the first time I went, but due to the stares from the locals, they were too afraid to go back with me again. I went back every Thursday throughout the summer while I was there, got my order of ribs, slaw, and fries, stopped at Walgreen’s on the way back to my motel to pick up a bottle of Cold Duck, and returned in time to watch the weekly episode of “Welcome Back Kotter”. George had mighty tasty ribs. And I figured as long as I was a patron spending money, even if I was the only white for miles around and tipped appropriately, I was welcome. That proved to be correct.