We are often blind to our own environment because of our assumptions, framed by media, insular thinking and our own prejudices. Smart City Consulting's blog – named one of the most intriguing in the U.S. by Pew Partnership for Civic Change – hopes to show how Memphis really is and could be through alternative questions, fresh approaches and new ideas. We hope to open your eyes - and your ears - to a new way of thinking about Memphis. Send ideas and emails to tjones@smartcityconsulting.com.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Danger Is A Metropolitan Risk
To follow up the last post, Memphis has been ranked the third most dangerous of 330 metropolitan areas, following Detroit and New Orleans. In an interesting footnote, as a city, Memphis ranks 16th among 369 cities. It's as a metro area that it really moves up the list. By the way, the Jackson, TN, metro is ranked as the 18th most dangerous metro area. So much for rural bliss.
This is a purely anecdotal data point, but still:
ReplyDeleteTwo women who were refugees from New Orleans thanks to Katrina moved into the (modestly nice) building across the street. They were from downtown NO, but after just three days they were arguing with the landlord. They demanded to be released from their agreement because of the constant drug traffic in and out of the building!
They said they'd heard about Memphis crime but were shocked at how bad it really was. They were gone by the end of the first week.