The Canton experience (house, to buy, schools)

[pirate_lafitte]

I never go up to Canton,except to see a friend who lives up there(and he lives in the middle of nowhere in the woods) and I went to Canton with a friend today. He went to get his car washed and I could tell there was an air of aloofness. My friend later told me that he noticed alot of people inside were staring at me. He commented that race could have been the reason. After that experience, I am wondering what alot of people like about Canton, other than cheap land and being away from the city. Can anyone else give a description of Canton?

[plessthanpointohfive]

Hey Captain Lafitte...what race ARE you?

Hey, are you from Lafitte, LA?

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

Hey Captain Lafitte...what race ARE you?

Hey, are you from Lafitte, LA?

I'm not from Lafitte, if there is such a town as Lafitte. I know there is a Lafayette. I was born in New Orleans.

By the way, I am black.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Yeah, it's just south of NOLA, about 25 miles. My dad used to take us there to go eat at Lafitte's Landing on our way to stay in Grand Isle during the summer.

My family is all from New Orleans. Did you grow up there? I'm from Lutcher. Know where that is? My husband's from Gueydan. We both went to USL, back when it was called that, in Lafayette, back in the early 90s.

OK, just checking. I figured if you were talking about being treated a bit coldly in Canton you had to be black or brown but I didn't want to assume.

Anyway, I'm sorry you didn't feel welcome...that's another reason I moved into the city...even though I am white...

[pirate_lafitte]

Getting stared at in Canton made me think "What is with Canton?"

[plessthanpointohfive]

I remember when I lived in Gwinnett and I was stuck in line at Publix because there was a woman in front of us who had a really big basket of food - a black lady. And it was taking a while to check out. I was about 4 people back from her.

The woman in front of me leaned back and said out of the corner of her mouth, "If all these damn n****** would stop having kids we wouldn't have to wait for these welfare mammas to buy all this food on food stamp day." Or something like that.

I remember she used the n-word and made a reference to welfare and food stamps. I tell you, I was so shocked that she said that to me! I mean, without any kind of idea of who I am she was more than comfortable using that kind of language with me!!! Just because we're both white. I was shocked speechless! I just stared at the back of her head.

And that's when I noticed the black lady was paying...but not with one of those PeachCards. So I leaned forward and said, "She's paying with a check...from a bank."

I NEVER hear that kind of language where I live now.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Getting stared at in Canton made me think "What is with Canton?"

I dunno- my next door neighbors are black, as are a number of other folks up here in Canton, so I doubt that what you experienced is a wide-spread issue. Is there anything else that could have prompted this reaction that you're perceiving?

As far as "why Canton?"- yes affordable homes and being away from the city are major factors in our decision to live here, as are friendly people and great schools. Does one really need more than that to decide on a place to live?

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

I NEVER hear that kind of language where I live now.

And you probably never would have heard it again if you lived in Gwinett to this day- one incident from an ignorant person is hardly an indicator of the feelings of the entire population. At the same time, don't think that there aren't people where you live that have the same attitude- they just keep it to themselves and you haven't had them open their mouth to you about it.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Nah...I heard stuff in this vein, without necessarily using the explicit language, very often. Even more so about Hispanics.

I am not saying that everyone in Gwinnett is racist. No way. There are MOSTLY good people there. However, racist type are either more prevalent or, as you say, just more comfortable using that language than where I live now.

I wasn't born yesterday...I've heard white people talk like this my entire life. It's one of the reasons I left my small town outside of NOLA and moved here.

Here's something I used to hear a lot that just made me disgusted: "I like black people who act like white people."

WTF does THAT mean?

You should ask your neighbors if they ever feel the kind of sentiment Lafitte has...

[shell34]

i am thinking off moving to canton i am coming from london with my kids and i am black and my husband for 12years is white/spanish do think we have problem i love the house we buy i am looking forward do you think i get work .