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 Post subject: CHESTERTON, INDIANA - NOW AND THEN
PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 11:32 am 
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Hello folks of Chesterton,

In 1968, history was made in Gary, Indiana. Richard Gordon Hatcher, a law professor at Valparasio University was elected the first African American Mayor of Gary. The term, "white flight" was implemented. Some whites burned their businesses and homes to collect insurance money so they could leave as soon as possible.

Today's date, 2015: Because of "white flight", Chesterton is now 75% African American. The potential for economic development has deminished proportionately to the number of newcomers. The blacks who once resided in Gary now occupy Chesterton. Once again, Gary is predominantly occuppied by caucasians. The attraction, the newly developed lake front. What a plan?

The same plan was, and still is being implemented to the infamous Cabrini-Green Housing Projects in Chicago, Illinois. The entire proximity of Cabrini Green is some of the most expensive real estate in Chicago. Blocks from the Gold Coast Area.

Fifty five percent of Cabrini Green has been replaced with $200,000 - $400,000 condiminums, town houses and new schools. We all know who the new tenants are. The displaced African Americans tenants are to be returned once the project is complete. What a joke!


Dwight Taylor


Last edited by Dwight on Sun Feb 20, 2005 6:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:49 pm 
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Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 11:52 am
Posts: 58
Location: Porter County
I guess I am having trouble seeing what the relevance to Chesterton is in your post. You have written before that you feel that Chesterton is racist, and I guess this is just a continuation of that. I must be slow...I'm not getting it. Are you using Chesterton as an example of all communities in Northwest Indiana who aren't predominantly African-American?

What do the City of Chicago and Cabrini-Green have to do with Chesterton? Chesterton has nothing to do with whatever is going on there.

Could you explain? :?: :?

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 4:36 pm 
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Chesterton or any other white community that has a firm economic foundation generates a tremendous and progressive amount of revenue. When the community is saturated with African Americans, the foundation is weakened and the whole picture changes. You know why, and I know why.

I included Cabrini-Green into this scenario for several reasons. The process that transpired to acquire Cabrini-Green was relentlessly conniving with trickery and deceith. Deceithful such as how whites burned their homes and businesses to get out of Gary, and how you will probably burn yours to flee Chesterton if I moved next door to you.

Your inablity or refusal to interpret my scenario concerning the future of Chesterton or any other predominately caucasian community, and it's comaprison to Gary and Cabrini Green does not surprise me.

The whites were not forced out. They left voluntarily for racial reasons. The blacks were forced out for economic reasons. I used Cabrini-Green becuse I was involved with the opposition of the entire land grab process as a community activist.

Cabrini-Green went from poverty to prosperity. The real estate value in Chesterton and every other non-African American community throughout Indiana is mutually high.

Because of your failure/denial to see any relevance to my posting and any other predominately caucasian community, including Chesterton, an attempt to justify the inbalance of justice will always be made.


Dwight Taylor


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:16 pm 
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Cabrini Green did not work for a simple reason. When you stack a bunch of poor uneducated people of any race on top of each other you create a formula for failure. When people have no positive role models around them and all they see is despair you encourage the cycle of failure.

Tearing down Cabrini Green was a very smart idea. A crime-infested ghetto is now a productive neighborhood. The current plan is to integrate the unemployed poor former residents of Cabrini with working people. That makes sense to me.

The key to breaking the cycle of poverty is education. Most thinking whites don’t fear the working educated black man; it is the ignorant unemployed that they fear.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:31 pm 
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This post should not really be in Chesterton or Gary as it applies to many communities throughout NWI as well as our country as a whole. It is an interesting disscussion that if posted elsewhere would attract more interest.

Just a thought.....


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:39 pm 
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Location: Porter County
Whoa, Dwight. I read and re-read your original post, and admitted I didn't get the correlation. I told you I was slow. :)

So I guess the points you are trying to make are:

1. Someone is going to take over Gary and push African-Americans out.

2. They will all move to Chesterton and all the whites will leave.

3. If you live in Chesterton, you are a racist.

4. If a person fails to "get" one of your posts, they are either unwilling to see your point or unable given their limited intelligence.

Dwight, you're obviously a bright guy. You're obviously angered by the societal and socio-economic penalties that racism begets.

I empathize with that. But, I asked honest questions in an effort to understand your point. I will admit that my intellect leaves a lot to be desired. The vitriole is a little loud and I truly believe unwarranted.

Have a great day.

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 Post subject: TOTAL AGREEMENT
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:24 am 
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Ray Gun, I agree with you 100% concerning the structure for failure. Any time you stack poor people together, regardless what color they are, you are absolutely right, you will inevitably have failure. Failure is exactly what was intended when the projects were built.

You echoed my exact sentiments concerning not only the physicality of poor people being jammed together, but the phychological effect the environment will have on them as well.

Dwight


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