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I call it common sense, not bias. As for businesses, I saw at least one check cashing joint. A few no-name pre-paid cell phone places. Several bodegas. "Accept EBT" signs up all over. Some of this might have been on Eddy St., but in the same neighborhood.

It's bias trying to disguise itself as "common sense." It mean there are poor and disadvantaged residents about, nothing more. And, in parts of Providence, it's likely there are residents making six figure salaries living within a few blocks of these places. That fact is called "income diversity."

Poor and disadvantaged is one thing, thuggish behavior is another. You can't tell me you don't understand the difference???

Which businesses you mentioned indicate "thuggish" behavior?? Bodegas? EBT accepting? Check cashing? Or are these just businesses whose customers you hold a bias against?

You'll have to excuse me, as I thought you were referring to my observations re. human behavior. If you go back and read from the beginning; I did say right from the get go that while things like boarded up windows and types of businesses are symptoms, that it's the actual people living there that make the neighborhood. So when I see multiple people acting in a way that is thuggish or "ghetto", that is a very strong indicator that the neighborhood has some "issues". There are of course stupid and simple people everywhere; but when it gets to that point where this behavior is "tolerated" or socially acceptable, one can assume a serious level of social breakdown within a community (or lack of order). It's not bias, you can spend the entire day looking up and reading studies of this phenomenon.

Now onto businesses, no I do not hold a bias against every (or even most) of the customers who patronize these places. But when a neighborhood consists exclusively of those things, McDonald's (and hair salons and dollar stores); signs point to it being a not-so-nice neighborhood. You can try this experiment in any city in America. Find a business district that consists entirely of what I just mentioned, and I bet you 10 out of 10 times it is an area considered by most to be "ghetto". Now drive a few miles down to Pawtuxet Village (or over to Garden City) and look at the various types of businesses there. Almost day and night, and both a reflection of the health of the surrounding community. It is what it is...

"Exclusively"? I just had falafel on Broad Street on Sunday. It wasn't from McDonald's.

That's just a reflection of wealth. Nothing more. Just because a place is socioeconomically on a lower rung, that doesn't mean its a "ghetto". That term is being thrown around quite a bit here.

Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer low income neighborhoods left that are decent places to live. In RI or the eastern part of MA, I can't really think of any. I bet this is true in and around most major cities in the country now. It's a sad reality of the increasingly divided America. You pretty much have to earn a middle class salary if you want to avoid living around major social ills.

Really? Bad people go to hair salons and dollar stores? I thought being well groomed and thrifty were assets? I never suspected that going to such a business made one a thug!


I see a ton of salons, McDonalds, and warehouse clubs in the suburbs. Only instead of a bodega, it's called a convenience store or a spa (in certain Boston neighborhoods) and I guess that makes all the difference in the world.

No. Please read my post again.

Again, re-read what I said and get back to me.