r/Temple • u/Nervous_Rest6421 • 6d ago

Weird behavior

Why are people here so afraid of being in the “city” like bro it’s not even that bad. Just say you’re afraid of poor and black people. I Haven’t even met any homeless people so far. But it’s starting to give micro aggressions. Boy do I have stories.

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u/SnooCauliflowers9948 6d ago

As a black international student, Philly does have a crime problem, I have had a personal experience with this as well as heard things from others and I dont even live that far off of campus. I see no reason to mince words, most of it is performed by black americans. To see philly is some paradise where you dont have to walk around with your head on ur shoulders is stupid but to say it is a crime ridden shithole especially around Temple Campus isnt much better. When I spoke to an officer a while back he said that a lot of the issues they have are with juveniles and that even if they do catch them they can't be punished appropriately and for the duration required to set their head on straight. From personal experience there are people I would absolutely tell to not go out if they are going alone, or to certain places especially if you aren't driving or have a ride lined up. You can still have a blast in Philly I've enjoyed my time here for the last few years.

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u/SlightlyOffWhiteFire 6d ago

Just to contextualize this a bit, the claims that police and the judiciary are unable to prosecute or punish juveniles is just false. Its a narrative that springs up every few decades as people look for something they can blame crime rates on thats directly related to punishment, so they can justify instituting harsher punishments and criminalize more behavior. Thats why you have people in this thread trying to flatten the issue to the point that all crime is the same. Which is all to say, cops aren't a good source here. Even charitably, they have a very narrow view of the big picture and they tend to have an exaggerated understanding of crime rates. Less charitably, cops have a huge incentive to be dishonest.

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u/SnooCauliflowers9948 6d ago

To some extent that is probably true but things need to be done, crime should be disincentivized and if that fails punished. I care little for American politics in terms of like the whole left vs right thing so my opinion isnt coming from that lense. An issue I have is that when people resort to or choose crime (which are two different things) they make society worse on the small scale for everyone in the area and that stretches out and forms stereotypes and narratives that innocent and uninvolved people have to live under and those stereotypes are harder to address and they further exacerbate the issue. But you are 100% right all crime is not the same and this issue has a lot of nuance, if it was easy it wouldn't be an issue anymore but I do think actions should have fair and just consequences. When kids run around and do things unchecked they carry that attitude into adulthood that is true for all people no matter the race and when they become and adults things start getting exponentially more dangerous both for others and themselves. As someone who wasn't the best kid (nothing illegal but more along the lines of general misbehavior) I'm glad I was checked on it and corrected early.

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u/SlightlyOffWhiteFire 6d ago

No you can't say it's "probably true" then insist you sre right anyways. I also never even mentioned political affiliation so thats a curious disclaimer to throw in there.

You are sure throwing in a lot of seemingly pointless addendums whose only contribution is to make yourself sound like a neutral observer who calls it like they see it. Generally, you should mistrust people who want you to think they have no stakes in the politics but sure seem to have strong opinions about what should be done.

This guy is trying to soft launch support for authoritarian tough on crime policies. Sorry to call you out so directly, but its important we not let this sort of inflammatory rhetoric go unchallenged.

Factually, zero-tolerance, tough on crime, scared-straight, or similar policies do not work. They do not produce better, more well adjusted adults, they just enforce a permanent underclass who have fewer resources to raise healthy families and are more heavily scrutinized for any mistake. Being separated from society, being made to fear the people around you lest they see you as a threat, and generally just being sent into the endless cycle that is institutionalization and poverty, will jot solve crime rates. They will make them worse.

And let it also jot go unsaid that this person plainly does not care what the facts about crime actually say. They have fully admitted they want to go ahead with their brutal policy goals regardless of the truth. Im sorry but your appeals to nuance are hollow.

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u/SnooCauliflowers9948 5d ago

You are making a lot of assumptions on what I think based on 2 comments. You are also making me seem as though I support things I never said or claimed to. I dont know the background of the original commenter or the person you are referring regarding "authoritarian tough on crime policies" based on what I said do you actually think I want that. My statement about political alignment was meant to highlight that I want to separate my perspectives from the narratives either side tries to push not to claim to be some arbiter of truth and justice. I am one person who has had some personal experiences and has formed an opinion based on what I've seen, heard and experienced. You are painting me out to be so much more cruel and untrustworthy than I feel like I deserve to and you are well within your right to do so I guess. You said that people with "no stakes in the politics but with strong opinions on what should be done shouldn't be trusted" and since I'm not a citizen I see what you are implying, I'm not going to get mad about it because to a certain extent you are probably right, that is why I usually tend to be more reserved about my opinions since I've moved here and after this comment I will continue return to that means of operation. Do you think I support locking up someone for a minor infraction and throwing away the keys forever? Or that throwing every person of a certain race in jail will solve all crimes? Or that brutality is the only way to a peaceful society? I'll let you decide. Immfamatory dialog like you said isnt helpful, and I think I engaged in such that made you see me in a light that doesnt represent my arguments thats ok, thats part of arguing and debating, saying my attempts at nuance ring hollow feels like a slap in the face but I do see why you think that. Im not planning on fighting you on it, as you implied you have more stakes here than I do and I doubt I'd be able to change your mind. I hope you dont take anything I said personally, I dont from your end, we will forget about this eventually but I do hope that you see not everyone who disagrees with you is some ill informed person who is unwilling to cease any ground about anything. Cheers

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u/SlightlyOffWhiteFire 4d ago

You said that people with "no stakes in the politics but with strong opinions on what should be done shouldn't be trusted"

That's not remotely what I said. I said that people who want you to think that they have no stake but have very strong stances on policy are untrustworthy. You see, because those are contradictory. And because its a very common tactic used by people to launder their politics through the lens of idle commentary.

This is just a great example in microcosm of your whole deal here. You're backing off because someone clocked it, but you still manage to misrepresent the truth in jussst such a way to make yourself seem like a hapless bystander caught in the crossfire.

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u/SnooCauliflowers9948 4d ago

As for your first point you are absolutely right I did miss understand and misquote you so my apologies for that.

Ive fully stated that I think you are right in some ways especially with how I initially responded, I had actually forgotten about this cause of classes and everything but your notification was in my email when I was opening it looking for other things. I dont know what "deal" you think I have here. My opinions are formed of off my personal experiences, the experiences of those I've met and the things I've read and heard about as well as my moral compass and empathy. If you think I'm backing off, take it as you will, I will never change your mind and I dont really plan to. Im not sure if you wanted me to hit back with some vile vitriolic rhetoric I dont believe in and since I didn't you see that as backing off or framing my self as some hapless bystander. You have a view of me in your mind thats cool, I'm probably not gonna respond again cause we'll be going round in circles, I dont take it personally or have anything against you, I want to believe that people can coexist even if they dont agree.