Boston 2024

[Roger87]

I am sure they do- a terrible indictment on the society that has been created there. Having travelled to over 50 countries I still find it shocking that such large swathes of US cities are like that. It goes unsaid- as if it is some type of normality. It definitely isn't in Australia or Asia or most of Europe.

Did you visit some parts of East End London or some banlieues in northeast Paris? These zones are widely known for high levels of violence and poverty around Europe. They aren't exactly "better" places comparing to the poor neighbourns in Chicago and LA. And let's not forget the 2005 riots in France and 2011 riots in UK started in these places.

Or how about Secondigliano in Naples, mostly known as the "most dangerous neighbourhood in Europe", which can compete in violence with similar marginal neighbourhoods of Mexico and Brazil alongside close Scampia.

[baron-pierreIV]

It's probably only Scandinavia, the Baltics, Switzerland and Monaco where there are no visible slums. Otherwise, ALL the other countries have them.

[FYI]

It's probably only Scandinavia, the Baltics, Switzerland and Monaco where there are no visible slums. Otherwise, ALL the other countries have them.

And all of those places consist of mainly homogenous nations of less than ten million. But even in the case of Scandinavia, you had the riots of Stockholm two years ago, where Sweden a lot of the time is viewed by outsiders as this social, democratic utopia. Goes to show that virtually no where in world nowadays is true 'paradise'.

[Nacre]

And all of those places consist of mainly homogenous nations of less than ten million. But even in the case of Scandinavia, you had the riots of Stockholm two years ago, where Sweden a lot of the time is viewed by outsiders as this social, democratic utopia. Goes to show that virtually no where in world nowadays is true 'paradise'.

It's unfortunate, but this is true. Australia's lack of blighted inner cities that the USA has is a reflection of the difference in the racist history of both countries.

The USA:

* is still working to integrate its African and European populations, and Chicago is the most segregated city in the USA (and maybe even in the world)

* is dealing with tens of millions of immigrants from Central America (currently 53 million)

Australia:

* maintained its homogenity through the White Australia policy forbidding non-white immigrants up until 1972

* is separated from the rest of the world by an ocean, preventing the mass illegal immigration we see in the USA

That's not to say that countries shouldn't take in immigrants. Just that integrating immigrants and peoples of different cultures is a painful and centuries long process, and that there are almost inevitably lots of blighted government housing projects along the way.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Nacre

[FYI]

Australia:

* maintained its homogenity through the White Australia policy forbidding non-white immigrants up until 1972

* is separated from the rest of the world by an ocean, preventing the mass illegal immigration we see in the USA

Yeah, like I mentioned earlier as well, theres a tremendous difference when you're located in the most isolated part of the world (relatively speaking), where one is not as affected by other outside factors as the rest of us are.

I distinctly remember Whoopie Goldberg once describing her recent trip to Australia at the time on a talk show, & saying how she felt "like a raisin in a bowl of milk". And how "there aren't very many of us over there".

Needless to say, I don't really think that Australia can be described as a "melting pot" of different cultures like the U.S. is & has been for centuries.

[baron-pierreIV]

I distinctly remember Whoopie Goldberg once describing her recent trip to Australia at the time on a talk show, & saying how she felt "like a raisin in a bowl of milk". And how "there aren't very many of us over there".

Leave it to Whoopie to come up with that analogy. Sometimes I think she should be made Nobel Laureate or something!!

[Roger87]

And all of those places consist of mainly homogenous nations of less than ten million. But even in the case of Scandinavia, you had the riots of Stockholm two years ago, where Sweden a lot of the time is viewed by outsiders as this social, democratic utopia. Goes to show that virtually no where in world nowadays is true 'paradise'.

Interesting when I traveled to Sweden and Denmark, I was surprised for the (albeit smaller in comparaison to the other European Countries) slums near Stockholm and Copenhagen. Some of them like these:

And from others countries:

Germany

Japan

South Korea

Hong Kong (The most known -Kwoloon- previously to the demolition)

Greece

[Roger87]

And too add more points, Australia is also a "new" country, with only a century of existence. Also, at difference of countries like USA, Brazil, Canada or Argentina in the Americas, Australia was born as a penal colony in the beginning which implied a different history and social cohesion.

Also, like Nacre said, until 1972 the "exotic immigrees" were europeans of the Mediterranean region (Croats, Iberians, Italians and Greeks), which were part of the Western Civilization. So, beside some religious differences, these groups were adapted better in this new land. And now,the current wave of Asian migration is still young.

[FYI]

I guess those are the parts that weren't on the to-do tourist list on their 'travels' there then lmfao :-D What a terrible indictment on the society that has been created in those places! :-/

[baron-pierreIV]

I guess those are the parts that weren't on the to-do tourist list on their 'travels' there then lmfao :-D What a terrible indictment on the society that has been created in those places! :-/

A lot of those are the 'gypsy' camps -- where, unfortunately, the gypsies (like the mentally ill homeless in SF and the USA) refuse to be integrated into society. So they will always be a subclass in any society. And even when they "join" the rest of society, they are still so shifty and devious, and prey on the vulnerable and unsuspecting members of "regular" society.

[zekekelso]

Australia's lack of blighted inner cities that the USA has is a reflection of the difference in the racist history of both countries.

Australia:

* maintained its homogenity through the White Australia policy forbidding non-white immigrants up until 1972

* is separated from the rest of the world by an ocean, preventing the mass illegal immigration we see in the USA

I would argue it has a lot more to do with Australia's progressive government policies than their segregation. Here's what parts of Melbourne looked like before the progressive era. Australia was still an island back then with ever stricter immigration policies.

[Usa2024olympics]

I was reading this article about a debate between Boston 2024 and No Boston on Fox and one of the people represented by Boston 2024 is Daniel Doctoroff. For you who don't remember he was the leader of the NYC 2012 bid.

http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/29565548/fox25-boston-globe-partnering-for-boston-2024-olympics-debate

[Roger87]

I hope the debate can be seen online. This will be EPIC.

[WarpedReality]

Interesting article: http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2015/07/20/boston-2024-facing-subpoena-but-is-the-most-transparent-bid-in-recent-olympic-history/

What do people think of the irony that Boston's bid's unprecedented transparency has led to such great opposition in the polls?

[Roger87]

Maybe they want a scarpegoat.

[TorchbearerSydney]

I would argue it has a lot more to do with Australia's progressive government policies than their segregation. Here's what parts of Melbourne looked like before the progressive era. Australia was still an island back then with ever stricter immigration policies.

Is this really Melbourne- I have never seen an image of that concrete curved structure before. Is it the old Airport maybe?

[brennus86]

No it's La Défence quarter in Paris, during the 60's, and the curved structure is the CNIT

Now it's the business distric of Paris:

[brennus86]

And the slum was made by North African immigration and demolished in 1972.

[JO2024]

Oh wow! I have lived for almost 2 years in Paris and only been once in la Defense. It's insane to think about how much this area changed since the 60's. Now it's the business area, with skycrapers (it's not allowed to build towers over 40m high within Paris), slighly outside Paris. The Parsian's city (London) or Manhattan (NYC). You can see it from far, since it's the only place where you can have skycrapers. They are building lots of new skycrapers there. By 2020, there will be twin towers there, higher than the eiffel tower.

Those twin towers kind of look like Olympic torches, don't you think?

[woohooitsme83]

Those twin towers kind of look like Olympic torches, don't you think?

They should be the cauldron! Do what Toronto failed to do with the CN Tower. #somuchdisappointment

[TorchbearerSydney]

No it's La Défence quarter in Paris, during the 60's, and the curved structure is the CNIT

Now it's the business distric of Paris:

I thought it was La Defense- but was too nervous to say in case I was wrong!

[olympiaki-agones]

I thought it was La Defense- but was too nervous to say in case I was wrong!

Why do we never want to accept that poverty is part of humanity and definitely need it to use such people a a hard labour? I believe there are slums or something similar in Australia inhabitated by the "invisibles" or non-white people. Sydney was quite clever to invite an indigenous to light their cauldron, so as Atlanta and LA going for a non-white. All OLympic cities I've been, except Melbourne and Sydney (I haven't visited) have slums. Whoever who goes to Tokyo soon, just head to Ueno area and you'll see Japanese slums. We shouldn't get nervous about the shame of humanity, sorry, poverty.

[olympiaki-agones]

It's probably only Scandinavia, the Baltics, Switzerland and Monaco where there are no visible slums. Otherwise, ALL the other countries have them.

Baron, I drove all over Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and each country is a slum! If go by night, you would not realize there is a town,because they sleep in darkness, they just simply have no money to put street lights and other services. Antwerp is also shocking so are Berlin, Barcelona and Athens. Famous are those slums in Rio, Mexico City, Moscow, Seoul and Beijing, because they just made them part of their folklore without pretending they don't exist like London, Paris, Montreal, Oslo or Rome. The only city I might say I couldn't see a slum kind was Munich. Even Lausanne has its own little shame to be made up if they get the YOG ;-p

[baron-pierreIV]

Baron, I drove all over Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and each country is a slum! If go by night, you would not realize there is a town,because they sleep in darkness, they just simply have no money to put street lights and other services. Antwerp is also shocking so are Berlin, Barcelona and Athens. Famous are those slums in Rio, Mexico City, Moscow, Seoul and Beijing, because they just made them part of their folklore without pretending they don't exist like London, Paris, Montreal, Oslo or Rome. The only city I might say I couldn't see a slum kind was Munich. Even Lausanne has its own little shame to be made up if they get the YOG ;-p

That's why I said PROBABLY. Since I'd never been there, I was just conjecturing.

[TorchbearerSydney]

Why do we never want to accept that poverty is part of humanity and definitely need it to use such people a a hard labour? I believe there are slums or something similar in Australia inhabitated by the "invisibles" or non-white people. Sydney was quite clever to invite an indigenous to light their cauldron, so as Atlanta and LA going for a non-white. All OLympic cities I've been, except Melbourne and Sydney (I haven't visited) have slums. Whoever who goes to Tokyo soon, just head to Ueno area and you'll see Japanese slums. We shouldn't get nervous about the shame of humanity, sorry, poverty.

Sydney and Melbourne do not have slums, we have good public housing and social safety nets in our major cities - but yes we do have poverty and terrible housing conditions in remote Aboriginal communities across the country.

My father grew up in an Aboriginal camp in remote New South Wales.