It certainly does not look like that here in B'more. Crime and delinquency is the number one issue in the city, especially among the working class. The current law-and-order mayor (a white guy) got more black votes than the two black candidates combined. White city liberals, otoh, voted for the bring-in-the-churches-and-NGOs (black) guy. In the "empowerment zone" where I live the main complaint is the overwhelming presence of Section 8 housing (a bonanza for out-of-state building contractors and slumlords who receive government-guaranteed market rate for their slums) and the lack of law enforcement. My neighbors hate junkies, bums, and teens painting grafitti on their walls, and laugh in my face when I hint at the "systemic causes" of their presence.
A few years ago, an elderly black man shot and killed a teenager who vandalized his car in revenge for the man asking the teens to behave decently. The public support for the man was overwhelming - although he was tried and sentenced, he was soon released to appease public sentiments.
Otoh, you do not see many cases of police brutality in B'more - which may partially explain the attitudes mentioned above.
>Anyway, let's assume it's true. It is not hard
>to figure out if you put a little effort into it, but I'll
>spell it out. In the 'burbs, it's okay to use, as long as
>you do it behind closed doors and buy somewhere else. In the
>slums, there are no doors that can't be kicked open, and there
>is no somewhere else for scoring. So the inhabitants resent
>-- they're not being treated with suburban grace.
This is not about the "use" - but about the violence and delinquency that accompany it. What suburban liberals do not understand is what they do not experience in their everyday life - being exposed to violence and delinquency on every day basis. Suburbanites come here in the morning in their panzer SUVs and retreat back to their tranquile suburban residences in the evening to enjoy their peace and quiet. Inner city resident deal with crime, grime and delinquency 24 hours a day 7 days a week - no reprieve.
wojtek