Racial relations in Atlanta (White: transplants, crime, home)

[NovationMortgage]

Miami, although one of my favorite periods in life, was FAR more racially charged than Atlanta for a city where there are many races. In Atlanta, as a white man, there are no places that come to mind where I just wouldn't go but in Miami there were places I definitely avoided. Is there prejudice and bigotry here? Heck yes! Is it everywhere? Not even close. I've had worse experiences in Detroit, "I don't believe I'd go through there if I was you. I'd go around the long way" said the black shopkeeper to me when I asked directions. Are there rednecks here? Yes, just like the ones in New Jersey and Seattle. Here there are just a lot more negative impressions because of the characterization of people with deep southern accents as uneducated, backwoods idiots. Put that concept out of your mind and that will help. There is discrimination from all sides toward another but by no means is it everywhere, everyone or all the time.

I second Pirate, " I can't give a simplistic view because race relations are complicated."

[tla94804]

I'm ruling Atlanta out of a possible relocation pool of southern cities to choose from...I don't know if people are pissed off about each other due to racial issues or because of the horrible traffic I've been reading about down there-funny thing is, I live in the SF/Bay Area, we get a little knock of earthquake every now and then.
I bet if there were a 7.0 on the richter scale over in Atlanta, you would have the white/black people hanging on to each other for dear life!! throw in a little perspective-and a little adversity-that's when people start pulling together-I'm praying for a 9.0 over in Atlanta, compliments of SF!
Trust me, the Bay Area has it's own share of racial tension and always very expensive to live in-but people could be in a cafeteria arguing about Rodney King or OJ and here comes a tremble and they respond with wide eye wonder at the same time "did you feel that one???"
Remember life is too darned short! everyone can teach you something and I've learned that common denominator in every argument having to do with race is fear/insecurity...

[Megabit15]

Originally Posted by tla94804

I'm ruling Atlanta out of a possible relocation pool of southern cities to choose from...I don't know if people are pissed off about each other due to racial issues or because of the horrible traffic I've been reading about down there-funny thing is, I live in the SF/Bay Area, we get a little knock of earthquake every now and then.
I bet if there were a 7.0 on the richter scale over in Atlanta, you would have the white/black people hanging on to each other for dear life!! throw in a little perspective-and a little adversity-that's when people start pulling together-I'm praying for a 9.0 over in Atlanta, compliments of SF!
Trust me, the Bay Area has it's own share of racial tension and always very expensive to live in-but people could be in a cafeteria arguing about Rodney King or OJ and here comes a tremble and they respond with wide eye wonder at the same time "did you feel that one???"
Remember life is too darned short! everyone can teach you something and I've learned that common denominator in every argument having to do with race is fear/insecurity...

Actually, you are right! It was pretty peaceful after 9/11. Everyone was just a citizen. I think I'd rather a 7.0 instead of another 9/11 though!

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by NovationMortgage

Miami, although one of my favorite periods in life, was FAR more racially charged than Atlanta for a city where there are many races. In Atlanta, as a white man, there are no places that come to mind where I just wouldn't go but in Miami there were places I definitely avoided. Is there prejudice and bigotry here? Heck yes! Is it everywhere? Not even close. I've had worse experiences in Detroit, "I don't believe I'd go through there if I was you. I'd go around the long way" said the black shopkeeper to me when I asked directions. Are there rednecks here? Yes, just like the ones in New Jersey and Seattle. Here there are just a lot more negative impressions because of the characterization of people with deep southern accents as uneducated, backwoods idiots. Put that concept out of your mind and that will help. There is discrimination from all sides toward another but by no means is it everywhere, everyone or all the time.

I second Pirate, " I can't give a simplistic view because race relations are complicated."

I think that is the difference between the South(and metro Atlanta to a certain extent) and the rest of the nation. The southern accent tends to stand out. There are problems everywhere from NJ to even Seattle(I must admit it). The difference is that you may not see a Confederate flag flown or here a southern drawn like you would in Georgia. That is the difference.

As for complicated race relations, each city has a unique narrative. Atlanta's narrative is a city that had the Jim Crow laws just like everywhere else in the South, but there was a relatively large black middle class and institutions such as Spelman, Morehouse, etc. Few other places had this. That is the difference. Blacks had to learn to be self-sufficient because of this. Race relations went to an alltime low in the 1960's during the Civil Rights movement and there was even a riot in addition to the 1906 riot. Few people ever want to admit this. More blacks started going to Atlanta in later years for jobs. Most were middle to upper class. Many settled in Atlanta because they wanted to live in a rich area and be all black. Alot of whites moved to Atlanta for jobs(as well as relatively mild winters and a relatively cheap place to live). Atlanta was a place to work. Atlanta tried to pride itself as the "city too busy to hate" and many people believed it. It isn't true. The difference is that Atlanta had an image to promote, so it became pretensious. Atlanta had the "white flight" just as other cities did. Atlanta didn't have a rust belt economy so it could hide anything. That and alot of apathy have created sort of a "quiet riot".
Chicago's narrative was a city that attracted blacks due to better job opportunities and what appeared to be an escape from the Jim Crow south. Blacks poured into Chicago in droves. Many found work. Some didn't and had problems. Chicago also had its problems. Blacks and whites competed for blue collar jobs and tensions were the result. Housing discrimination was rampant, hence why most blacks lived in relatively poor areas. Police relations were bad too. All of this led to problems in the sixties with race riots. Chicago may have not had the Jim Crow etiquette like there was in the South, but there were problems. A considerable loss in the middle class due to dwindling job opportunities caused a considerable migration of blacks from Chicago(and other Rust belt cities) to Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, and even Minneapolis to a smaller extent.
The Twin Cities narrative, though relatively calm, was of a city that never had a large black population to start with and prejudice was more hit or miss and spotty. Minneapolis-St. Paul didn't have the large migration of blacks that other northern cities had because it wasn't a large industrial hub. Minneapolis also had housing discrimination just like most US cities had before the civil rights movement and even a riot. The fact is Minneapolis and St. Paul never gained a reputation for being bigoted in spite of any problems at all. The decline of industrial jobs in the rust belt combined with manufacturing jobs in the Twin Cities being vacant enabled a second migration from the rust belt to the Twin Cities. Blacks began taking jobs that few people would take. There were also black professionals that decided to settle in Minnesota. However, some came to Minnesota simply to live off of welfare because welfare was being cut in other states. Racial tensions did come to the surface under other problems such as rising crime. Basically, the narrative of the Twin Cities is of a city that never had a bad reputation but did have some hidden racism.
ATL: A city with alot of pretensions
CHI: A city that got bad as time went on
MPLSSTP: A city with a somewhat gentle past but there were still problems.

[Antwain]

This thread was deep and a really good read. It helps to put Atlanta into perspective from various views.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Antwain

This thread was deep and a really good read. It helps to put Atlanta into perspective from various views.

That is what this thread is meant to be: deep and meaningful.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by backfist

Depends. If you live in Mille Lacs county, then yeah, the Ojibwe are probably going to be "the other race". But if you live in Hennepin or Ramsey counties, then it's anybody's guess.

Probably Somali immigrants in Bloomington around Southtown and the Walmart on the south of 494 there, and those dern Russian immigrants in Shakopee.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by tla94804

I bet if there were a 7.0 on the richter scale over in Atlanta, you would have the white/black people hanging on to each other for dear life!! throw in a little perspective-and a little adversity-that's when people start pulling together-I'm praying for a 9.0 over in Atlanta, compliments of SF!
..

No, actually, I'm afraid if that were to happen then all you'd see is a large amount of looting going on. Masses of urban teens flooding into broken windows stealing anything they could get their hands on while shopkeepers either run or try to fight back. Hate to think that, but yeah, that's what would happen if a 9.0 or for that matter, any major disaster that does a lot of damage hits the central area. Yes, you'd see good citizens helping out others, but the looting would definately be there.

However, if terroists attacked or something like that, then yeah, I think the "stand together" instinct would kick in and you'd see the different groups of folks here come together to tackle an issue like that. When "outsiders" threaten you and your family, people do tend to get that "let's get together and kick ass" attitude, so in those conditions, I think people would actually act civilized.

[backfist]

This discussion makes me mindful of how quickly the many issues of race become relevant than when someone comes to know someone of another race or ethnicity intimately; such as when one intermarries, or when a family adopts across racial lines.

I've know of at least three White families who adopted a Black child and--never having the need to give it a thought--found themselves having to think about, talk about and deal with the myriad issues of race, culture and class. Today. If anything, these fine folks have more questions than answers. But the prevailing question usually begins with why.

The answers, they find, are usually rooted moreso in the past than in the present.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by backfist

I've know of at least three White families who adopted a Black child and--never having the need to give it a thought--found themselves having to think about, talk about and deal with the myriad issues of race, culture and class. Today. If anything, these fine folks have more questions than answers. But the prevailing question usually begins with why.

The answers, they find, are usually rooted moreso in the past than in the present.

Oh well you'll love this one, then. Up the road from me is a family that adopted a black child. One of their neighbors quite very literally looked at them and said the following: "Now, why did you go and do that when there are all those poor Asian kids on tv that need a home? This kid's parents could have been crackheads and you know that's hereditary, right??".

Yes, really.