"Atlanta a black mecca...oh wow, I need to move there." (cities, mayor)

[PKCorey]

I doubt, most people even care that Atlanta is considered a so called black mecca.

Yet again, most of the time, the issue about black mecca comes up with comparisons between Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, NYC and the DMV. The crap from City vs City that leaks over into this forum.

We get it. Don't brag about too many blacks folks in the Atlanta metro.

[Just1Fan]

Originally Posted by meep

I'm just being honest, most people aren't very fond of hanging in predominately "black" areas--- we have alot of problems internal to our community that are highly publicized, this steers others away from wanting to be a part of that.

Elaborate.

[meep]

Just1fan,

Crime, drugs, illegitimacy among others. Notice: I said "highly publicized" meaning there is a certain image poeple get when they hear "black people" or "black city", this is not to say other races do not have problems, ours are just publicized(or have been) alot more.

[Just1Fan]

People of various nationalities can go back to their homeland, to study their culture. English people go to England, Irish people go to Ireland, Japanese people go to Japan, and so on, and so forth. But, most African American people all go to the same place. I'm sorry folks, but Atlanta is not the motherland.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by meep

Just1fan,

Crime, drugs, illegitimacy among others. Notice: I said "highly publicized" meaning there is a certain image poeple get when they hear "black people" or "black city", this is not to say other races do not have problems, ours are just publicized(or have been) alot more.

And?

New negro syndrome...

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by meep

I'm not familiar with the Norwood incident?

In Atlanta's last mayoral election, Mary Norwood (who is white) appeared to be the front runner. In response, the Black Leadership Forum issued an urgent memo arguing that it was critical for black voters to unite behind a black candidate in order to prevent a white candidate from being elected. The memo pushed a "Black Mayor first" approach, which included the "...assumption that having a black mayor in Atlanta is equal to having a black social, economic and political agenda." The memo went on to warn that factors such as the imperiled state of the Jackson Machine, the loss of 100,000 black residents in the city and the rapid growth of the city's white population put the black agenda at risk.

In the general election Norwood took 47% of the vote, followed by Kasim Reed with 37% and former city council president Lisa Borders at 14%. However, since no one broke 50% a runoff was required and ultimately Reed won, though the margin of victory was very tight (less than 1 percent).

The memo about to shake the Atlanta mayor's race | Political Insider

[Indentured Servant]

Originally Posted by meep

I like that. I'm not trying to censor posters, but in advertising the person selling the product knows their audience from well-studied surveys, predispositions, etc. the situation is different here.The number of black people aren't too high on these particular threads, so why advertise this as a hooking point? it has nothing to do with marketing. My point is this preference among the minority of users on the board and in real life america shouldn't be used as if it would appeal to the broader base.

I'd be ok if we opened a discussion on black success in Atlanta in which all races participated, but in threads that are about the whole of the city it just doesn't work. There too much going for Atlanta to localize it on something like race.

I certainly do not think that black folks on this forum are trying to reach the white audience when they talk about Atlanta being the black mecca. Regardless of how few blacks participate in the forum. Blacks are only 13% of the US population. Thus, should our particular interest be totally ignored because we are a small percentage? In fact, I think that is called the tyranny of the majority, when minority interest are suppressed.

[Indentured Servant]

Originally Posted by meep

I will sum it up this way: International cites do not do this. NY is not known for focusing on the success of one particular race. How would this attract big business, different races, yadda yadda(seinfeld reference). It just doesn't work. When you "compete" on the boards you want to be considerate to the mass of readership, if you are too inward and say things that only matter to some people you are going to lose. This is why many people bash Atlanta on this board.We have to highlight the more universal aspects of the city.

If you talk about the universal qualities of the city......then you might as well not talk because that would be making a distinction without a difference. Universal means that every city has it. If every city has it....how is that a selling point? I am really confused by this line of reasoning. This forum is a free market of ideas and thoughts. If people are not interested in what is being supplied, then the thread will die. I do not see any reason why people feel the need to restrict content.

[Nanosolar]

As a non-black, longtime resident of Atlanta, I greatly resent the term "Black Mecca" and hope it quickly goes away.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Peachcity

I don't care what the original use of "thug" or " ghetto" but how it is used now to insult and stereotype blacks. I wouldn't go around calling blacks "ghetto" or "thugs" either in public if I were you, even as a black person using it it is offensive to many of us.

Don't many blacks refer to themselves as "thugs"...?

The term originally comes from the Thuggee cult in India, I think.