Exactly - essentially the thread of this discussion was people who actually live on this Schuykil discussing the somewhat unexpected recent arrival of a really decent grocery store in the middle right in the heart of West Philly and you jumped in with this totally inflamatory slag on the whole neighborhood. On top of that, the very first comment in this thread, you may notice, points out the proximity 56th St. El stop to the parking lot - so right off the get go your comments "wandering those streets" show that you have never actually been by the store in question or even bothered to carefully read the thread you are jumping in on.

If you go off with this really denigrating, ignorant statement about an area I consider part of my neighborhood , I think I could forgiven for mistaking you for a hateful redneck - you sure sound like one in that message. Reread your statement - you really do sound like a violent ******* gunning for every young man in braids and an oversized Iverson jersey in West Philly in that message. Its not reasonable statement at all. In no way does it realistically give people who might be considering checking out the Fresh Grocer a accurate picture of the neighborhood immediately around it and you know it.

56th and Chestnut is a little rough around the edges, but come on, by Philly standards and particularly in comparison to some of the truly bombed-out sections of West Philly, it really is not that bad at all. I mean I would take the high 50's of Chestnut and Walnut at 3am over the mid 50's off Woodland and Kingsessing or the low 50's/high 40's above Lancaster in broad daylight any day of the week (and I bet so would you). Look, since you haven't lived around UCity for a while maybe you don't realize what a negative effect the disinformation you are feeding can have. The degree to which some of this neighborhood's more recent residents fear points west goes well beyond sort of basic urban common sense and veers well into the irrational. This unspoken "wall of fear" reinforces negative racial boundaries and is the unspoken divider that time and again stops community groups from working together across neighborhood boundaries to get Janie Blackwell (and other's - no reason to just pick on Janie) off their ass to make West Philly as whole a better, safer place to live. You might have just been running off at the mouth, but what you said went way beyond mild exageration and feeds right into the irrational fears that keep businesses West of 50th down and stops new ones from starting up.

Plus man you are coming down my whole giant neighborhood, dammit. I admit I insuated you have small penis after you copped this whole "I grew up in Overbrook so I am the be-all and end-all of truth about West Philly no matter what ridiculous thing I say" attitude but I never said everyone who lives in the Fairmount/Spring Garden area is yuppie scum with bad breath, did I? That, by the way, was a poor attempt at humor, but you get my jist.

Look, seriously, if you said, "That's great about the grocery store but keep your wits about you wandering around that area late at night particularly the blocks a little north of the El stop" that would be constructive, accurate information to someone new to the area. But I don't think the kind of slag you are slinging about my 'hood is just hateful, inaccurate well beyond the limits of colorful exageration, and reinforcing of a whole lot of negative fears and misperceptions that help hold West Philly as whole back and isolate UCity from its immediate neighbors in way that is counterproductive to everybody.

Basically, I regard that kind of negative talking smack as really unnecesarily damaging more than a little un-civil itself, capeesh?

Sean

There really is only one answer to this, of course.

Malloy must shop at the 56th and Chestnut Fresh Grocer and report back on his experiences.

Since I'm sure Malloy's rolling in it, and since I've been broke since, like, forever, he can pick up a few things for me. I'd like a rotisserie chicken and a few cans of chili, please. Maybe some jalapenos, if they have them.

After giving me my groceries, he can report back here as to his impressions of the neighborhood and grocery store.

tmcgee

Rolling in it? Hardly. Ill get ya some Chili though.

Ill go check it out soon. Unfortunately, I will drive there...as it will take forever to get there on the EL from my place. Plus, I am sick of the damn EL...I paid my dues, dammit

oh, now you have to bring me into this.

WELL said. In the year I have lived here, not a week goes by where I don't hear about several shootings in this city. It sickens, disgusts, and saddens me. I cannot find the words to express how upsetting it is to read casual, cavalier comments from ANYONE regarding carrying a handgun. I've read it over and over from various people here on the blog -- something is very wrong here!

Step up and do something about it. Go to schools and talk to kids about weapons and drugs. I did this in college, but a few years have passed since I have gone back. The kids need help.

That was the only statement I have made on this forum about my firearm(s) Go find some words, and direct them to the people who need a lecture, or more importantly some actual guidance.

Whoa. Breathe, Malloy, OK?

A lot of people need help, in my opinion, including those who think the answer to gun violence is more gun violence. Let's give every man, woman and child a handgun with one in the chamber and just call this the wild, wild west, shall we?

Ok. You said what you had to say; I said what I had to say. I'm done with it. Peace.

Such rancor over a grocery store thread.

What's the moon looked like this week.

And poor El - he really thinks it's about him.

__________________
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs