Yuri, after seeing these comments, we're going to have to agree to disagree. I'm not sorry for being angry, but I'm sorry for getting personal. I'm sure you're needing some help with something local to your community, unless you want to start a thread of how to help kids on the south side of Chicago get into this community.

Apology accepted, as well as the agreement to disagree as well. FWIW, I've lived in some very choice parts of Oakland and Brooklyn throughout my life, so I am familiar with the environment, and the need for safety. The hard work in normalizing relations is exactly that: giving people that set off your spidey sense an opportunity for honest work.

Give me your honest opinion: to what degree am I racist if : 1) the Uber pulling up is an obvious gangbanger 2) If I refuse the driver for whatever reasons Uber lists when drivers pull up.

I'm going to assume your objection is to #1. If so, do you have any fucking idea how institutionalized racism is in Chicago, especially with CPD? Even sane white folks know this. There are mostly good apples, but some bad ones, and we don't need to be a part of any dragnet.

Here's my honest opinion on how I read your latest statement: "Racism is institutionalized in Chicago by CPD, so the correct thing to do is to follow the procedures established by the racist institution because otherwise I am going to be ensnared in the dragnet."

Are you really that naive to think gangbangers and drug dealers don't use ride-sharing programs and exploit it to their advantage? Every system will be exploited. If you dare live in the environment, you might experience it.

dang should be coming by to tell you that you are out of line any minute now.

I am objecting to the "Fuck you" part, not his (perceived by me) racial insensitivity, which I think we can continue discussing without appealing to mods.

Yes, I was out of line in this context to drop the f-bomb on you. I apologize. Also, it was not done re: racial insensitivity. It's more of a local thing, and it won't translate to this forum. I'm sorry.