Racial relations in Atlanta (White, Buckhead: home, rent, travel)

[jaeidiaz]

Originally Posted by xenourtv

jaiedez, have you heard the saying when a person says "most of their friends are black" or "I have many black friends" its a sign that they are racist. You said you dont have a prejudice bone in your body... Everyone has prejudice which is alright, we are all human I think.

Um, no - I disagree with that viewpoint. I actually don't have any predominant friends of any race. Its pretty equally rounded.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

John, I'm going to take a guess that you live and/or work in the Midtown or closeby areas. You will tend to find a lot of mixed working environments as well as mixed social environments in those inner city areas than you will in most other areas in the metro. I once worked for a company based near Monroe and Piedmont and it was a similar situation there - varied multicultural employees, most of whom lived nearby as well, and who interacted well at work as well as outside of the office after work socially as well. That was the only company I worked for since however, that had that type of working environment.

Since that time I have worked in places along Fulton Industrial, Chamblee, Vinings/Smyrna, and now West Cobb. The white and black employees in most of these places worked well enough together because they had to. It was required. During lunch you would go into the break room and all white employees would be sitting on one side, all black employees on the other - seemingly because *both* groups wanted it that way. Even the company I work for today, the black employees who work in the warehouse only associate with each other, and will not mingle wiht the white or hispanic employees. In past cases, it seemed to be more of a two way desire that neither/nor wanted to associate with the other but at the current job it's more that the black employees will shun the others when any new employee who is not black tries to "make contact".

Jaeidiaz Moderator cut: use the Report Post function for moderation issues needs to be aware that just because Atlanta's past doesn't have as much racial violence as some other cities did, the race relations issues here are more covered up, but ARE still there. You'll have a white police office shoot a black criminal and the marches immediately begin... or white officers will try to cover up their blundering when shooting an elderly black woman. Remember the Rodney King riots when they happened here, too? How many whites went out and bought handguns immediately after? Answer - thousands - and members of the police and media were frankly freaked out that there were going to mass shootings of inner city black kids by suburbanites working intown for weeks.

Things in Atlanta are certainly BETTER than they were 25, 30, or 40 years ago. If anything simply because especially since the Olympics, we now have people from literally every corner of the globe moving here daily. The white AND black people are "thinning out" to make way for people from Asian countries, Latin America, the Island countries, Africa, and Europe. You see less tension between two sides when there are 15 other sides starting to enter the mix. It's great that you live in an area and work for a company that has such a good mixture of people and good relations amonst each other, but I think it's naive to tell someone generically that they'll "be just fine" - because there ARE still some areas, and some companies, where they may not be fine if they want a Kum-ba-yah type of atmosphere... it doesn't exist everywhere in the area (yet), though yes, there are pockets of stability here and there and people who find nice places to work just like that as well.

Just my opinion from 23 years of living intown, on the edge of town, and in the burbs.

Greg, I live in the area where Brookhaven & Chamblee blend together, and I work in Buckhead. So yeah, I definately am ITP for just about everything (ITP = Inside the Perimeter to our friends from other places). I also am fortunate to work in the Travel Industry, which seems to attract pretty progressive types that are ususally (but not always) also pretty outgoing - so I know it's not like this in all workplaces. My sister has run into situations similar to what you have experienced, and I think it's pretty sad but realize it IS like that for lot's of people. I wish everyone that desires to could experience the fun and warm work situation that I do. I do realize it isn't like this for everyone, but I wish it was.

I really do think that jaeidiaz will be fine here, and I also agree that Atlanta & L.A. have many similarities re: race, but with a few different twists. Overall though, the people here are MUCH friendlier and not as provencial or insular as L.A. folks seem to be.

Regarding the Rodney King riots here - I worked Downtown back then, and you're right - it was scary as hell. We were told to evacuate around 2:00pm or so, and things were getting out of hand very rapidly. I blame a very large part of what took place on our former corrupt and very racist mayor Bill Campbell. He did absolutely nothing to try and difuse the situation AT ALL. I even remember him stating on live TV that it wasn't possible for blacks to be racist, as the Koreans were on the roof of their burning store while mobs were attacking it. The cops wanted to disperse the crowds and evacuate these people, and he refused to allow it. Fast forward to the present - I can honestly say that Mayor Franklin would have never allowed things to get to the point that he did. That man singlehandedly did more damage to this fine city than we will ever know. IMO, Federal prison on the edge of the Everglades is a perfect spot for him to ponder the immense damage he did.

All in all though, I still think race relations here are far superior to most large American cities. We aren't afraid to talk about it here - it's out in the open, which I think is very healthy. I have friends from Chicago that constantly say they wish it was like that there. It is simply taboo to even bring the subject up, let alone have open discussions the way we do here.

I am really enjoying this open and frank discussion.

[pirate_lafitte]

I am only speaking from my own experience, but I think Atlanta's race relations may not be the worst, but I certainly think they aren't the best either. Through my own experience, I have seen racial problems here. The difference is that alot of people would pretend everything is okay.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I am only speaking from my own experience, but I think Atlanta's race relations may not be the worst, but I certainly think they aren't the best either. Through my own experience, I have seen racial problems here. The difference is that alot of people would pretend everything is okay.

In reply to my own post , I have something else to add. It isn't just the name calling and people flying rebel flags and scribbling swastikas on the bathroom walls. There is racial prejudice all the way up into to the levels of academia. I am talking among the students. It isn't just some ignorant student who laughs at his own ignorance. It is some of the women who have an inclination to stare at someone because he(or in some cases she) is black. This is just my own experience. I am more aware and to be honest, more sensitive to it. Atlanta has alot of problems. It's all hidden so far that even the stench of it can't get up there, but if you watch carefully, you'll see it. Not everyone in metro Atlanta is racist or prejudice. I know that for a fact, but Atlanta is not too busy to hate. Atlanta is just image conscious. Look at Birmingham. Birmingham had the riots and bombs like Atlanta, but Atlanta had less notoriety for it and tried to pass itself off as being better than Birmingham and being more progressive to avoid economic turnovers(i.e., trying to look good for the corporate world.) by using the slogan "Atlanta, The City Too Busy To Hate". Birmingham didn't do this and it looked real bad. It was the "Johannesburg of the West" as I call it. Companies were reluctant to relocate to Birmingham because of its violent reputation. Atlanta faked being good and succeded.

[yami29]

Anyone who claims and believes Atlanta does not have racial tension is living in a bubble or does not mingle with people outside of their groups. I have lived here for 10 years, and my opinion is that racial tension here has grown worse. As a Hispanic, I have experienced animosity, glares, and ignorant comments from both Whites and Blacks who think that all Hispanic persons are illegal, uneducated, and poor. I grew up in a metropolitan society, and yes there were also racial tensions, as there are in any other place on this earth where peoples of different ethnicities and cultures who live amongst each other will experience. I do agree that people here are too concerned with image and pretense, to face these issues. Everyday I drive by a particular restaurant in Marietta that has racial slurs and comments regularly posted on its billboard. Freedom of speech here is often confused as a right to try to degrade and slur people of all races.

[atlantamoi]

Man, I never realized how bad the perception is until I read this board. I'm white, my wife is hispanic. We have a hispanic next door neighbor, two black families (right next door and across the street). Indian family two doors down. We're all friendly with each other. I work downtown with a very mixed group of folks. My boss is black. I NEVER experience any of the racial issues people post here. Of course, I'm white and that probably makes a difference, but I just don't see blatant animosity or outright ugliness.

I've always thought that if you treat others with kindness and respect you'll get the same in return. It's worked for me all these years.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by atlantamoi

Man, I never realized how bad the perception is until I read this board. I'm white, my wife is hispanic. We have a hispanic next door neighbor, two black families (right next door and across the street). Indian family two doors down. We're all friendly with each other. I work downtown with a very mixed group of folks.

You may not realize that the living/home AND work environment you experience every day is not the norm throughout metro Atlanta - or even within the city in all neighborhoods. You're lucky. You get to experience diversity and a good mix of a lot of different people at home and at work. Of the 5+ million people who live and work in the metro area however, overall few can say this.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

You may not realize that the living/home AND work environment you experience every day is not the norm throughout metro Atlanta - or even within the city in all neighborhoods. You're lucky. You get to experience diversity and a good mix of a lot of different people at home and at work. Of the 5+ million people who live and work in the metro area however, overall few can say this.

While it might not be "the norm" in some areas, my guess is that it actually is "the norm" in more cases (and for more people) than you realize.

My experience here in my neighborhood and at my workplace matches his, for example, but most of the folks I interact with in both contexts are also from out of state originally (and at work a number of folks are international, since we hire a lot of people to do technical support in a wide variety of languages). The high percentage of transplants I deal with could make a difference, I don't know.

[Merin]

I think racial relations are good in the city, but Rcstiener has a great point about the translplants. The problem I am finding in the city is more about socio-economic level. The lower income people outside of my development don't really like to deal with us, its really sad.

[Seh1959]

Aries,

I am a middle-aged white woman and I agree with much of what you said. The worst part about the race relations, as I see it, is that persons of color can complain about other races; they can exalt their own race ("beautiful black man, strong black woman" ad nauseum), but whites are supposed to remain mum about our concerns regarding race relations. If a white person speaks up about things that bother them regarding race relations, then, immediately the superior-acting, hypocritical idiots come crawling out of the wood work screaming, "RACIST!!!!" And, from what I see, it's mostly other whites screaming these accusations. I think this is pretty dangerous. I think that when a large group of people are expected to be silent about things that concern them, then those concerns start to become resentments and unreasonable fears.

And are white people afraid of black people? Well, let me answer it this way: it seems to me that, me and my white friends are teaching our kids not to hit, and not to get violent with others. Then they go to school and they are around kids who, apparently are taught to be threatening and tough if they don't get respected. So, basically, we strip our kids of any defenses and then send them off to figure out how to get along with kids who believe in violence or the threat of violence in order to get their way. It seems to me that African Americans are more prone to violence than white people are, on the whole. Maybe it's just my perception, but if that's so, I can at least say that that's the perception being propagated through the media.

And while we're on the subject, why isn't anyone calling it another hate-crime when another black man kills another white woman? Is there anyone out there who honestly thinks that race doesn't play into some of these murders? I'd like to see the stats on how many white guys rape or kill black women vs. how many black men rape or kill white women.

Do I keep my eye on that black man walking down the side walk toward me? You bet I do. He may be another one who hates white people and would like to take it out on a white person who is physically weaker than him.

So you all can come crawling out screaming that I'm a racist if it makes you feel better about yourself. Someone in an earlier post said that a racist is someone who believes that one race is inferior to another. I don't believe that. But I do believe that the African-American culture is different from the culture that I know as a white person, and there are a lot of things about the African-American culture that I strongly dislike. The idea that violence is OK is one of them. As is the realization that if my son stands up to a black kid at school, it may come to a fight. And if that happens, then there may be 4 or 5 kids against my son. Then this poor excuse for a news media that we have here in Atlanta will refer to it as a school fight, rather than a mob-beating.

As for the racial relations here in Atlanta, my own experience has been that the African-Americans who have relocated here are people I can take at face value. In other words, I don't "get" feelings of predjudice or resentment from them. The people who are from around here who are of color, I find, to be a different story. They seem to have a chip on their shoulder and make it apparent when dealing with whites.

I, myself, am from the midwest and didn't have to deal with racial tension until I moved here 20 years ago. I'm from a city of diverse cultures, and somehow we just all got along. Maybe there were a few problems and concerns here and there, but people showed courtesy and respect to each other across the racial lines.

And to the person who compared the Michael Vick dog-fighting issue with hunting, let me just say this: dog-fighting is a vicious and cruel "sport". The dogs tear each other to pieces, and live their whole lives for the purpose of fighting. There is no quality of life. It was derived, apparently from some sort of sadistic mentality. Hunting, on the other hand, involves a quick death (hopefully) to an animal who has been allowed to live a free life up to that point. Any hunter worth his salt will not let his hit suffer. If the animal runs off after being shot, the hunter will track him to the best of his ability in order to make sure that the animal doesn't suffer. Dogs who are used for dog-fighting suffer greatly. Since you were the one who claimed that dog-fighting is a sport of black men (something I was not aware of until reading your post) and that hunting is a white man's sport, then, you have just given me another reason to keep my eye on that black man sharing a sidewalk with me.