I forgot to mention that there are African American folks but they are not numerous. They mostly live on the west side closer to downtown Yonkers. This is the result of years of disgraceful de facto housing segregation as well as the herding of poor African American people into "housing projects". The euphemism of "slum clearance" was used during the fifties and sixties. Misguided governmental policies are the root cause of the problems of poverty and crime. We are still paying the price.

The tales of gangs,drugs and crime can be applied to any city in this country.

This little nerd seems to me like he would not last 10 minutes in the environment he describes. Poetic license perhaps by this aspiring artiste?

Comments were made by people who watched the "soft ball" approach of J Lo and the other creep.

As an aside I recently moved to an area of Yonkers that borders the Bronx.
Many people warned me about the "bad neighborhood". Well I have Van Cortlandt Park and a very nice stretch of McLean Avenue. The area is primarily Irish, Hispanic, South Asian and some leftover Italians (the ones who didn't succumb to "white flight"). It is a neighborhood of many private homes that are well maintained. So, yes, I am tired of people bad mouthing New York City and environs. Does anyone want to check out some of the areas of New Haven where even the police shy away from venturing into?

Areas of the Bronx are worse than the bad areas of New Haven. The whole city of New Haven had 12 murders in 2009, and thats about half as many as the 47 precinct had alone in 2010

Hi,

Yes it is accurate to say that crime in the Bronx is significantly higher. I
wanted to point out that are crime ridden area no matter where you go. The
population of Bronx (residents) is 545,000 greater than New Haven and
criminal elements can filter in from the entire population of the metro
area. One thing that we can all be thankful of is that crime has declined
since the late eighties.

This kid was just talking about HIS life and his circumstances. What should he do, tone it down so as not to offend? He has every right to talk about what happened to him.

There a large areas of The Bronx with detached homes, garages and satellite dishes that were once warzones. The North Bronx looks like suburban Westchester and has paths for horse back riding. Well paid professionals have discovered they can buy huge apartments by a subway station only 25 minutes from the Financial District. That said, there are parts of the South Bronx I doubt Mr Diaz honestly resides in because he wants his family to keep living.

Hehe that's some funny shit
Yes Ruben and his buddy espada are crooks in their own right too!
They've Been looting the Nys taxpayer for the last 10 years. Creating shell companies to hide all rhe discretionary Funds that they could possibly get their hands on!
Why isn't this douche bag ruben and espada not in jail already?
There's a few lovely jails in the south Bronx that they might like to move into also!
This indignant outburst is just going to shine the spotlight once more on Diaz!

I think you're confusing junior Diaz with senior Diaz.

What about Junot Diaz?

Well the Irish Italians and Jews never left the north Bronx that's why. And riverdale Like wise. The thing is the s Bronx is being guntrified and that's usually for the better. But these gangs aren't going to go quietly!
I'm sure there is push back from the black and spamish folks !!
I wouldn't move to the s Bronx
Not for a million dollars

Not sure which bad movie you watched about the South Bronx, but gangs are not the leaders against gentrification.

Northeast Bronx (I'm referring to the area near White Plains Road in the 200s) is probably equal if not worse than any area in the South Bronx. Prostitutes run amok, there is open-air drug dealing, and there is a large contingent of gang members. The 47 precinct, which covers that area had more murders than any other precinct in the the borough with 23. This year, the precinct already has two murders including one incident in which a 14 year old was fatally shot. Trust me, there are no horseback trails near 219 and White Plains Road.

Northwest Bronx, especially Riverdale, is another story.

I should have been more specific, but frankly most people who don't know The Bronx couldn't care less. The bridle paths by Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay Park are servicing two equestrian centers.

no part of the bronx is 25 minutes from the financial district. Especially in better, northern parts of the Bronx like you mention.

Not even close

Not quite true. You can ride the 4 or 5 train from the South Bronx to Wall Street in about 25 minutes, if the MTA is in a decent mood. You may ask Yankee fans working downtown about that.

no, you can't

I used to ride the 4/5 all the time

So this is what it takes to get Gothamist to acknowledge the Bronx outside of a 1-block radius of Yankee Stadium. Mention it on American Idol.

Pretty awesome.

I believe the Gothamist has a daily police blotter-like page outlining all the crime going on. What else is there to cover there?

Why don't you tell us, expert?

I never understood why the media always rags on the Bronx, Brooklyn etc.

Clearly people don't know the ghettoes of midwestern or southeast cities where it looks like downright third world down there.

Bronx is far from being Mayberry but its nowhere near the worst place in America (go check out the ghettoes of the Southern state cities or in the midwest, you'll be mindblown).