I have walked everywhere in Chicago and have no fear. But I can understand how those who are not familiar with it can believe they are endangered everywhere. That is the perception given by the media. My neighborhood is far safer than most and really is comparable to small towns or better on a per thousand basis.
There are few, if any, professional orchestras outside the major cities, ONE professional football team, no baseball, basketball, no museums.
Civilization is the product of cities and, if cities are allowed to degenerate, cultures disappear.
I was not speaking of unwanted intrusions and you know it.
glad to hear it. We need more safe neighborhoods that are still neighborhoods.
There are few, if any, professional orchestras outside the major cities,
With my hearing a good high school orchestra sounds the same and since I know the players it is more enjoyable to me. Otherwise there are plenty of CD's and DVDs available. Never saw the use of sitting and watching something that is better listened to.
ONE professional football team,
There IS only ONE football team (I own stock :^) )
no baseball,
Haven't followed baseball since the last strike (or was it the strike before?). Grown men being payed millions to play a child's game and whining about it. Who needs them.
basketball,
Otherwise known as thug ball. Pro basketball hasn't been worth watching for years (unless you like criminals and the voluntarily deformed). College ball is almost getting as bad. Again I watch mostly grade school ball now as I know the players. (admittedly I was never a big basketball fan anyway, which is almost a sin to admit in Indiana)
no museums.
I will admit from time to time making the run into DC (not SE, note) for the Smithsonian or on very rare occasions into Chicago for the museum of science and industry. Last time in Chi was about 15 years ago I think. I'll wait another 5 or so and then take my daughter. Other than that my favorite museum is the Milwaukee County Museum. It's surprisingly good for a smaller city museum.
The one thing you left off is zoos. And perhaps this is the only thing where the city has an advantage. But then again many smaller cities (large towns?) have some nice zoos too. Again the Milwaukee zoo is good, probably still my favorite. National zoo in DC, San Diego zoo both good. I prefer Cincinnatti over St Louis but both are OK. Indianapolis is good but too small. Lousiville is small but pleasant and even Evansville has a zoo. Then of course there's the smaller county zoos and wildlife parks
Civilization is the product of cities and, if cities are allowed to degenerate, cultures disappear.
And the reason I don't like most cities is that they are degenerated. High crime and pervasive leftist slants. Our culture lives on in the heartland. The rural area is the repository of real American values.
I was not speaking of unwanted intrusions and you know it.
Then you needed to phrase it better. What you said is that you wouldn't come. Since you weren't invited that's a good thing. If you meant you wouldn't come even if invited then that's a different thing, although it's still not insulting