St. Louis is Worth the Fight
Date Posted: October 25, 2018
Posted In: Discussion,
From The St. Louis American: To many, a proud St. Louis looks like more than $8.5 billion in projects from the Arch to Wash U with a thriving Central Corridor. For others, it’s a beautiful night to walk the dog, wife, and kids in a safe neighborhood after enjoying a locally brewed beer. But for so many St. Louisans, our pride is buried under the debris of gun violence, inequality and the decay of vacant and abandoned buildings driving down property values and possibilities.
The stigma of St. Louis throughout the nation is of violence, death and destruction. Data from the FBI reports that St. Louis has one of the highest homicides rates per capita in the United States. We hear these reports and bury our heads, retreating to the comforts of our own neighborhoods and social circles. But that doesn’t help change anything.
Contrary to popular belief St. Louis does, in fact, have a lot to be proud of, yet we aren’t talking about it. As one friend puts it, “St. Louis does not do a good job at promoting the good things about St. Louis or the proud things it already has or what’s new to the city. It’s just here.”