[L,TOWM]

Just because somebody is living in a crappy neighborhood, does not mean that they do not work and pay for their own stuff. I lived in some pretty sketchy neighborhoods in my younger days.

[Chode]

you said "To be fair, about 70% of african-americans in the US are in the middle class (or better)"

middle class or better do NOT live in a "crappy neighborhood", a better neighborhood is the definition of Middle Class not simply above the poverty line and paying your bills... that's more like blue collar

according to wikipedia,

Within capitalism, middle class initially referred to the bourgeoisie and petite bourgeoisie. However, with the immiserisation and proletarianisation of much of the petit bourgeois world, and the growth of finance capitalism, middle class came to refer to the combination of labour aristocracy, professionals and white collar workers.