I live in the part of my city that most people fear, the one with the reputation for the most crime and danger. I don't have a car, so I walk all the time, to bus stops if not further. Some people think I'm nuts, even some who live in the same neighbourhood. I want to know what's wrong with them. Why have they bought in to the hype?
Random crimes are really not that common in my area. You get house break-ins, but that usually occurs when one is not at home. There was a rape near my house a few months back, but there was also one across the city in a "safe" neighbourhood, in the middle of the day, when a 15 year old girl was home alone, with the doors locked, and a man forced his way in. Car thefts and break-ins occur all over the city. Most crime does. I don't really get why people think my neighbourhood is so much worse.
I think mostly it's prejudice. I live where the street people and hookers are, but they won't bug you most of the time, and after a while you learn how to deal with or avoid them, neither of which is difficult. And, the area is poor. People seem to assume poor=criminal. That's ridiculous, and they just need to drop that idea.
What people don't see is the beauty of the old, established trees, the character of homes that have been inhabited for 100 years, the natural beauty that thrives in large part thanks to the trees. They don't see the people who live in the houses, and how their mostly just ordinary folk who are fabulous to know. And, they don't consider how convenient it is to live right in the middle of the city.
People need to stop letting fear form their opinions for them.
4 comments:
Hey, Thanks for the comment! This is a good post too. My mom was freaked out when I first moved to Winnipeg and I told her I was going to be living in the north end. Then she came and spent a week with me. Met my friends, roommates, and "street people" I knew. Did errands with me as I walked around the neighbourhood...and her attitude started to change. I don't think she was completely ok with it yet, but the fear of the unknown was definately gone.
That is one of the urban myths about Winnipeg that I believed.
I think not watching the news or t.v. is a big help in breaking that myth.
Every single news programs loves to start the program with some horrible story about some autrocity in the north end.
It is amazing the power that the media holds.
yes and amen... just watch out for the house on the corner :)
i miss you and the beautiful ideas that you've captured...
and i miss your neighborhood.
maybe i can come visit this summer.
and thanks for the letter, it made my day.
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