I was born and raised in a suburb of Chicago.
I worked in the city until I transferred out of the state of Illinois 20-plus years ago.
I loved growing up in the Chicago area.
And, although there was some crime, just like all big cities have, it didn’t compare with how much there is now.
Each time I return to Chicago to visit relatives, I am amazed at how run-down and crime-ridden the neighborhoods have become.
It has gotten to the point that I was afraid for my life while driving through some of the areas to get where I was going even in the daytime.
Each time I watch the Chicago news station from where I live now, I am amazed at how much continual gang violence and crime there is.
The latest such story was hearing about the two men whose van was in an accident and a mob of people became savages and beat both the driver of the van and his passenger to death.
It’s sad that a place so clean and safe to grow up in has become so dirty and violent.
