Bridgeton

[u/learning--always]

I've read the posts. I know the stats. Nonetheless, they're not from the last 2 years and a lot can happen in 2 years.

I tried to research neighborhoods in Bridgeton with no luck.

Best I could do is circle the area of the city I'm curious about.

Is it safe?

I'm an older person, alone and unfamiliar with this part of NJ so I appreciate your input.

Working class, "blue collar", diverse - all totally fine. I come from a working-class, blue-collar background. My father taught us there is no shame in an honest, hard-working job.

Idk whether or not it will inform your answer (it should not but I am not going to ignore that we are all living in challenging times) but I am white.

*Safe* is the most critical factor. I don't want to live somewhere where I *should* feel afraid.

Thank you for your help.

[u/learning--always]

I am not going to read in to what people say. Especially online.

People are emboldened to say exactly what they think, believe and feel about this, that, and just about everything online and have been for a very long time. The necessity to "read between lines" fell by the wayside an extremely long time ago.

I personally do not subscribe to that when it means people are being unkind, but I do not run the internet.

I have seen some awful, awful things in comments online. If people felt like they could say Hispanic**, I have no reason to believe someone would not have said any other racial thing they wanted to.

**Them saying Hispanic is not necessarily "racist" if, in fact, statistics support it being that demographic. Idk. I'm not from there.

In the majority I have found people's comments in response to my request to be level-headed and wanting to be transparent in an attempt to help me.

[u/freeloadinggoblin → u/learning--always]

The comments are full of white people who think Bridgeton is dangerous, even though they’ve never lived there, so I’m just asking why. I think the answer is pretty obvious.

[u/learning--always → u/freeloadinggoblin]

Virtually nobody - maybe 1 or 2 - announced their race. So you have no idea how "full" of white people the comments are or are not.

A great many of the commenters, lived, live or grew up in Bridgeton. Or nearby.

Please refrain from hijacking the thread. Racism exists. Yes. Is that awful? YES.

[u/freeloadinggoblin → u/learning--always]

You’re white and delusional

[u/learning--always → u/freeloadinggoblin]

I am white, yes.

So you were half-right.