Thank You, Sheltered White Boy, For Your Opinion

Today's Metro (the free "news" paper distributed on the T in Boston) decided to take on the tough issue of crime in the city. Specifically, it decided to ask a few dedicated Metro readers "How they feel about violence in the city?"

(For non-Bostonians, let me note that violent crime rates -- and in, particular, shootings/homicides -- have risen dramatically in the past year or so. I should also note that these crimes have primarily affected certain neighborhoods in Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, the South End, and Jamaica Plain -- read: lower-income African-American neighborhoods where gang violence is a huge problem.)

So who did the Metro choose to ask about crime in the city? Perhaps someone that, say, lives in these neighborhoods?

Nope. Here's the interviewees:

Dan, a student from Allston (another note for non-Bostonians: Allston is the predominately white neighborhood in the west of the city where all the BU/BC college kids live. Far, far from the neighborhoods where crime has been a real problem) would like us to know that he's "never felt threatened or intimidated. You just need to be smart about where you go and what time you go there."

(Read: Just stay out of those crazy black neighborhoods, yo, and you'll be fine.)

Matthew, another student from Allston, notes that "it's not as bad as people make it out to be."

(Read: I dunno, I don't see anyone with guns in my neighborhood. I think they're all exaggerating.)

Jennifer, a business analyst from Chelsea (suburb north of the city) feels that "it's terrible that such a thing can happen in a city where you feel safe. It seems to be centralized in certain neighborhoods."

(Well, at least she acknowledges that it's a problem for some people in the city.)

Don't get me wrong here -- it's not as though I've personally been affected by the violence in the slightest. The closest I've come to any of it is knowing, peripherally, someone whose son was killed and having a friend who witnessed a shooting on her street. My (predominately white, gentrified) neighborhood feels perfectly safe to me at all hours. I'm not saying I have any better understanding of the violence going on in this city than Dan, Matthew, or Jennifer.

I'm just saying that it is incredibly insulting that the Metro would publish Dan, Matthew, and Jennifer's views on violence in the city -- all people who have admittedly not been affected in the slightest -- without going out and talking to people who have been affected.

Of course, that would mean sending a reporter to Roxbury or something, and who's going to be crazy enough to do that?