Liquor and God in the "C"
After my dip into science fiction, I figured I’d get back to maps. Is it true that liquor stores and churches are as prevalent in the inner city as people believe? Well because of Memphis’ unique “C”, the stereotype is slightly different but overall true. In Shelby County there are about 110 liquor stores, about 77 of which are in the “C”. Here’s the map.
Now there is whole lot more liquor stores in the “C” than outside of it. There are only 31 liquor stores outside the “C”. Funny there is almost as many bank locations on Poplar Ave (26) as non “C” liquor stores. Throw in the all the banks along Germantown Parkway and Stage, banks greatly out number liquor stores. But there aren’t as near as many banks as liquor stores in the “C”.
Let’s look at the churches. Here are two maps with church locations. One is with income levels and the other is racial breakdown. Needless to say, there are plenty of churches in the “C”.
I guess poor folks need booze and faith to make it through the day, but I prefer to think the prevalence of churches and liquor stores are a product of economics. Since we’re in a capitalist system and there are limited economic opportunities in low income areas, you can sell drugs or sell God.
Here is another map with different demographic information on area just south the FedEx Forum. This map shows the total number of people on public assistance. Strange how liquor stores are so common in the areas with the highest totals of people on public assistance, as do the churches.
I find it interesting that elected officials know that liquor stores, besides contributing to the undermining of communities in poorer areas, also serve a financial institutions of last resort as well. This problem is plain as day but do you here about the City Council or Mayor talking about this. Where is the pressure to make banks come back to these areas or shut down these many of these liquor stores. No, all we here about is a bullshit football stadium or the goddamn shake joints. The first step in helping a community being bled to death is getting the fucking leeches off.
posted by polar donkey at 5:18 PM
3 Comments:
Strange how liquor stores are so common in the areas with the highest totals of people on public assistance, as do the churches.
Strictly playing devil's advocate here, but maybe it's that large numbers of people make bad decisions about life and turn to a God/parent figure to bail them out?
On the positive side, I've put forward the idea before of micro-banking. It's common in India and some other developing countries. Basically, it's a small, community-owned bank that makes very small loans (sub-$500 in India, IIRC) to people who are trying to get a small or in-home business up to the next level of success.
Something like that is definitely needed here. There's also a striking need for borrower-friendly financial institutions that cater to the same very-small loan market. After all, there's a reason checking cashing and payday-loan businesses are so successful, even with ruinous interest rates and terms! Someone who figures out how to exploit that market beneficially is going to have a tiger by the tail.
Good to see you back.
3:53 PM
Are you saying there is a correlation between churches and liquor stores and economics? You could also plot population densities and it would "correlate" with the higher number of churches.
Churches are for sick people, much like hospitals. They aren't places were the high and holy congregate.
6:00 PM
Wasn't it L. Ron Hubbard that said the real money is in religion. I see lots of ministers in Escalades and other Cadillacs. (Lisimba Grey and Whalum to name two I have seen.) I would guess that religion is a pretty profitable business even in poorer areas. The same can be said for liquor stores.
9:05 PM
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