> Mark Snyder wrote: >> They're still poor. Even with subsidized housing, they're still unable to afford many of life's necessities. Are they supposed to suddenly develop job skills because they're no longer surrounded by drug dealers and trash on the streets? If they're minorities, are they suddenly no longer at risk of racial profiling? If they're disabled, will they suddenly become "abled?" If they don't participate in their communities because they're working two or three jobs to get by, how does moving the a more expensive area of the city help with that? >>
. I have agreed with most of Mr. Snyder's posts, but must respectfully disagree a bit with this comment. I agree that Mark may very well be correct in regard to adults. I have wondered about the social and physical environment of people during the pre-adult years from birth to age 18. True there are surely a number of children who do just fine growing up in a low income family and a low income neighborhood. However, there are also a number of people who do just fine and live a long life smoking 2 packs of cigarets per day. Despite cases where there seems to be no problems, we are intelligent enough to look at the big picture. We are concerned when there is evidence of a cause and effect relationship in problems occurring such as smoking, not using seatbelts, driving drunk, etc. Is there evidence of a cause and effect relationship in enough people of growing up low income in a low income neighborhood? My thinking is that this is already two strikes against the young who often have a difficult time growing up even in the best of environments. All too many kids are not able to rise above the dispair, hopelessness, violence, bitterness and self destructive actions and attitudes of so many of the people that they rub elbows with on a daily basis. All too many of these children grow into adulthood and carry on the cycle of poverty. All to many of these children become involved with and victims of murder, criminal activity, gangs, drugs, dropping out of school, having children at a young age. My question is very simple. Where do children have a better chance of succeeding? Do they generally succeed better growing up poor in a poor neighborhood, or do they generally succeed more often growing up poor in a middle income neighborhood? Dave Stack Harrison TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
