Meet your neighbor

Tuesday, August 7th, 2012 10:00 PM

I am always mystified by how little we know about our neighbors — especially our neighbors on the east side of Austin Boulevard. This was recently reinforced when the author of an opinion piece characterized the Austin community as a "ghetto." [Stop whining about OP's taxes, Viewpoints, July 25]

He has a valid opinion. However, it is a one dimensional view — a stereotype in a village that abhors being stereotyped. The human beings who live in Chicago's Austin community are our neighbors. They work in our businesses, shop at our stores, eat at our restaurants, buy fuel at our gas stations, ride the el to work, receive health care from our doctors and pharmacists, etc. Just like our neighbors in Forest Park and River Forrest.

The Austin community encompasses 7 square miles, which is about 60 percent larger than Oak Park. There are 98,000 residents in the Austin community. Oak Park has 51,000. Approximately 85% of our neighbors are African American. Twenty percent of Oak Park's citizens are African American. Austin's median household income is $33,000. Oak Park's is $73,000.

Our neighbors also live in a part of Chicago with a devastating level of violent crime. In the last 180 days, they have experienced almost 11,000 crimes — 999 of which were violent*. (Violent crime is defined as homicide, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and aggravated battery.) On average, 61 crimes are committed each day, with 5.5 being of a violent nature. Sadly, 18 were homicides.

The Austin community also has over 100 faith-based organizations, each filled with people trying to help each other. Clearly our neighbors are in a very bad situation.

Given what we know about the human beings on the other side of the street, what should be our response?

*Source: Chicago Police Department CLEARMAP Crime Summary reporting website, gis.chicagopolice.org

Gustavo O. De Leon Jr.
Oak Park

Reader Comments

6 Comments - Add Your Comment

Comment Policy

Oak Park Person

Posted: August 22nd, 2012 5:47 PM

Given the prevalence of violent crime in the Austin neighborhood, my "response" is to stay as far away from there as possible. What would you have me do? What are you doing?

Foom

Posted: August 9th, 2012 9:41 AM

Im sorry but what would you like us to do other than "meet our neighbors"? Its an awful area to live in or even be around , I noticed you didnt mention Oak Parkers making the trip into Austion to shop and eat would you like us to start doing that?

Over it from OP

Posted: August 9th, 2012 6:31 AM

That's not a ghetto....it's a symbol of Oak Park's unique and diverse culture! It's a "competitive advantage" in the housing market, right Rob Breymeier? Hey, in what other rich suburb can you buy heroin as you go through the McDonald's drive through right next to the police station? Now THAT's diversity!!

OPRFDad

Posted: August 9th, 2012 6:07 AM

Hold on here ... We're living right next door to a ghetto? Who knew? Hey, Gustavo, I've heard about this town called Maywood. Can we get some stats on that place?

Confirmed. from OP

Posted: August 9th, 2012 6:02 AM

Thank you for confirming with data that Austin is, in fact, a ghetto. And you also correctly note that we Oak Parkers live side-by-side with the Austin community sharing our doctors, transportation, shopping -- and let's not forget parks and schools --mostly peacefully and without incident. What more would you like to happen? No one is holding you back from doing more personally....

Rez

Posted: August 8th, 2012 3:02 AM

Whats the point of laying out all of these stats to highlight these differences? Austin is a seriously poor area and seriously violent. You want to get to know it? Go spend some time there, and then see if you want to spend more time there. I'm sure there are good people in Austin, but I'm going to guess that Oak Parkers don't know much about people in Austin because the don't want to take the chance of walking the a crime Ridden area.

Find a garage sale near you!