The Geneva bubble
Every day, I am amazed at the extreme cultural differences there are between Geneva and Chicago. Murder is such a common occurrence there and I would never imagine Geneva being that dangerous. The other week, our football team played Richards High School. The topic of conversation the entire week was about their quarterback, Hasan Muhammad-Rogers. Rogers was wounded with a gunshot to the leg in a drive-by last Memorial Day. A victim of Chicago’s gun violence was in our town. Rogers’ presence made me realize how much of a reality it truly is.
Up until this July, the last murder in Geneva occurred in 1975, by serial rapist and murderer, Brian Dugan. Our most recent murder, which came as a surprise, happened about two blocks away from my home. Shadwick King murdered his wife for allegedly cheating on him. With two murders over the last thirty-nine years, Geneva is one of the most safe towns in Illinois. In 2014 so far, there has been 297 murders in the windy city. The other weekend, I was in Chicago on Saturday for a concert. While I was there, two people were shot and killed. In less than a day there were just as many murders in Chicago as there were in the last thirty-nine years in Geneva. Almost all of these murders go unheard of and we are only a forty-five minute train ride away.
People in Geneva should always be grateful they not do have to deal with these everyday horrors. Although we live a sheltered and safe life here, we live less than an hour away from the murder capital of America.
Joumana Foster • Jan 27, 2015 at 7:08 pm
Well said Jake!
Lisa Thomas • Nov 6, 2014 at 9:48 pm
While your article was well written and articulate I would suggest that facts be checked. Chicago is not the murder Capital of AmericaI, So I will have to disagree with your article. Pew research a leader in statistics had this article on their website;http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/07/14/despite-recent-shootings-chicago-nowhere-near-u-s-murder-capital/. Chicago is no where near the “Murder Capital of America.
I grew up and raised my children in Glen Ellyn and have lived in Chicago now for 8 years. I have never encountered any kind of crime. I have lived in the South Loop. Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Streeterville and now Logan Square. I have always felt safe here in Chicago. I take immense offense to your comment that Chicago is unsafe and the “Murder Capital of America”
Chicago is a beautiful, cultural, extremely diverse city with beautiful parks and lake front, theatre, museums, fabulous restaurants, the best shopping, and wonderful people that I get the privilege to interact with and get to know on a day to day basis.
All i can say to you Jake Williams is that there is crime in every sector of America be it suburbia, city, rural or right next door. Just always be aware no matter where you are and be prepared for anything to happen no matter where you live or choose to go.
jake williams • Nov 13, 2014 at 3:35 pm
Thanks for the feedback. Although I have at one point seen that Chicago had the most murders in America, i meant that more as an adjective but, that’s my bad. I have lived in Illinois my whole life and have family around Chicago and Glen Ellyn. I would not want to call anywhere else my home and i continuously fall in love with Chicago every time i visit. i love Chicago but, I am always shocked by the violence that takes place there.