That's some pretty clear-headed, eloquent stuff, MoBOB! I don't think you drag your knuckles as much as you make it out to be.

Re: safety in the city, I agree with Jeanette that a bit of common sense can go a long way. A lot of people live safely in cities, after all. But it seems to me that city living, especially in the sketchy part of town, requires a kind of vigilance that must be learned. You become aware of spots where robberies/attacks could happen. You become sensitive to patterns after spending time living in an urban environment. Maybe people who haven't lived in urban environments can't pick them up yet. Or maybe they let their fears do the typing on the computer when they post their anti-urban prejudices.