Proof Chicago is The American Dream*.............................................*for whites only

http://www.movoto.com/blog/opinions/how-awesome-chicago-show-them/
As I skimmed through recent Facebook posts this morning, a particular video that came up on my news feed a couple of times peeked my interest. The subtitle on this article acclaimed Chicago to be "proof" of the American Dream. Now, I knew this was bull%^&* before I even watched the video, because let's be honest, the American Dream is attainable for some, but for the majority of society, it's just what it suggests -- a dream. So maybe I went into it with the wrong attitude, but this video really annoyed me. It called Chicago a city that "talked the talk" of the American Dream, claimed that in each neighborhood one could witness "migration into assimilation." Sure, this might be true for some, I don't doubt it. Yet as I watched this video I couldn't help but think of the African American population in Chicago, the large majority of whom live in impoverished, segregated neighborhoods on the South or West side. I realized the source of my frustration came from the fact that those people who had posted this video (caption: "love my city!") actually believed this was true. And how couldn't they? They are white, were raised in the suburbs, have affluent parents who “made it” – their life is the American Dream. As a byproduct of extreme segregation present in the Chicagoland area, privileged individuals become so far removed from inner city life that ten miles apart turns into a world away.

                        

African American Population by Census Tract in Chicago, 2011  

(photo from wikipedia)

Before posting a cynical response to this testament to “how awesome Chicago is,” I did a little research. As of 2011, 63% of African American residents of Chicago lived in racially segregated neighborhoods identifying as 95% or more black.1 This figure is a measly 6% lower than the level of neighborhood segregation that existed in Chicago prior to the civil rights movement. 34% of black residents of Chicago live in poverty, compared to 11% of whites.2 Furthermore, the median household income for Chicago whites is nearly double what it is for the black population.3 Just as my own experience had suggested, I found racial segregation, and its accompanied concentration of poverty, to be a pervasive issue for the city of Chicago.
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So, if Chicago is “the Great American city,” a place that “represents America to its core,” then it is time America retire its title as the land of opportunity and equality for all. Some might call me cynical, but I just see it as being realistic.


1 http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/african-american-percentage-poverty-unemployment-schools-segregation/Content?oid=10703562
2 http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/african-american-percentage-poverty-unemployment-schools-segregation/Content?oid=10703562
3 http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/african-american-percentage-poverty-unemployment-schools-segregation/Content?oid=10703562
4 http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/african-american-percentage-poverty-unemployment-schools-segregation/Content?oid=10703562