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Sorry to have to add into this, but I am strongly considering Austin as one of my places to relocate after I graduate. From the looks of things, Austin, although not as bad as say somewhere in rural Texas and the Deep South, seems to have some covert prejudice. Well that seems to be the case in almost every uber-liberal part of the country, but as for where I live, it seems that the covert racism and white superiority of the Northeast, the xenophobia and class/race correlation gap of the Great Lakes Midwest, and the overt racism and Good-ol'-Boy mentality of the Deep South abounds all in one for most of the DC area.
Just to clarify where I stand:
1) I'm not one who considers a "lack of diversity" in itself as racist, it's more of the reaction of the populous of my appearance. I currently live in a very diverse metropolitan area, but everyone self-segregates into their races and has some sort-of lingering hatred towards one another (or a unified hatred against one minority - guess which one). It's really a damn pity when you're a twenty-something guy who feels forced out of a "league" solely because of race. And it's especially pathetic when one gets caught up in some "Race-Based Cold War" they didn't even sign up for.
2) I'm not one who considers a "lack of a black community" in itself as racist neither, because I have lived in the "black community" for most of my life, and let me tell all of you that I have never experienced such intra-prejudice in my life just for being having tendencies and interests that were considered "white," and wanting to educate myself in order to improve my quality of life. The lack of a "militant black community" would quite honestly be a huge weight off of my shoulders and a breath of fresh air. This is one of the reasons why I refuse to live in Atlanta and am trying to get out of where I am (or at least the "militant black" dominated eastern part of the DC area).
3) I really couldn't care what people older than 40 years of age really have to think about race. I'm just getting out of college, so I don't see myself seeking and building a social, dating, and marriage life around anyone over 30. As long as I have a solid social life and a active dating scene, I couldn't care what some old geezer has to say or think.
4) I'm open to dating anyone from another race, as long as they're decent looking and have a great personality. I just want to know if Austin has a good amount of young women (regardless of the race) who are open to dating a black dude with an education, a solid income, good looks, a lot of confidence, and for all intents and purposes, more assimilated (according to many militant blacks).
5) The other city in Texas I'm strongly considering is Houston, so if anyone who has had experience in both and can coherently compare race relations, feel free to compare and recommend the better place for me.
Given the info, any explainable considerations for (or even against) moving to Austin would be very appreciated.
Fair_Faxian, you asked for feedback about whether Austin or Houston might be the better choice for you and specified your criteria and wanted to hear from someone who knows about living in both cities. Firstly, my sons are 20 something, the eldest has been in a relationship with his black girlfriend for five years - they met here at college in Austin. You are quite right in disregarding the old thinking of the older generation, it really is your generation that you are looking to see where you might best fit and potentially meet your future partner in life.
Given that you described yourself as being an assimilated black (non- militant) I would say you are pretty similar to my daughter n law. As far as seeing a black man with a white women here in Austin, that isn't something you routinely see - Austin is a smaller population and has less black males here. When my son started dating his girlfriend, some blacks objected to it at first.
We used to live in Houston (for me 6 years) so I can tell you, it isn't that unusual to see a black man with a white woman. Of course, you'd have to choose carefully which part of Houston you'd like to live - 50 miles South of Houston is Galveston (a good population of blacks), the closer into Houston you move - fhere are more singles living inside the loop closer to Houston downtown and the Galleria area (stay inside the beltway 8 loop on the NorthWest side back into Houston). Plenty of work and places to live, and meet new people. If humidity and pollution bother you alot, then you might want to try Austin - it's a cleaner more healthy population (especially the 20 somethings).
Hope that helps you out some. I know it is not easy moving somewhere where you don't feel like you fit in. Also, do you know anyone in either of those cities, it's nice to have a support system if one is available to you. Good luck with your move.
Sorry to have to add into this, but I am strongly considering Austin as one of my places to relocate after I graduate. From the looks of things, Austin, although not as bad as say somewhere in rural Texas and the Deep South, seems to have some covert prejudice. Well that seems to be the case in almost every uber-liberal part of the country, but as for where I live, it seems that the covert racism and white superiority of the Northeast, the xenophobia and class/race correlation gap of the Great Lakes Midwest, and the overt racism and Good-ol'-Boy mentality of the Deep South abounds all in one for most of the DC area.
Just to clarify where I stand:
1) I'm not one who considers a "lack of diversity" in itself as racist, it's more of the reaction of the populous of my appearance. I currently live in a very diverse metropolitan area, but everyone self-segregates into their races and has some sort-of lingering hatred towards one another (or a unified hatred against one minority - guess which one). It's really a damn pity when you're a twenty-something guy who feels forced out of a "league" solely because of race. And it's especially pathetic when one gets caught up in some "Race-Based Cold War" they didn't even sign up for.
2) I'm not one who considers a "lack of a black community" in itself as racist neither, because I have lived in the "black community" for most of my life, and let me tell all of you that I have never experienced such intra-prejudice in my life just for being having tendencies and interests that were considered "white," and wanting to educate myself in order to improve my quality of life. The lack of a "militant black community" would quite honestly be a huge weight off of my shoulders and a breath of fresh air. This is one of the reasons why I refuse to live in Atlanta and am trying to get out of where I am (or at least the "militant black" dominated eastern part of the DC area).
3) I really couldn't care what people older than 40 years of age really have to think about race. I'm just getting out of college, so I don't see myself seeking and building a social, dating, and marriage life around anyone over 30. As long as I have a solid social life and a active dating scene, I couldn't care what some old geezer has to say or think.
4) I'm open to dating anyone from another race, as long as they're decent looking and have a great personality. I just want to know if Austin has a good amount of young women (regardless of the race) who are open to dating a black dude with an education, a solid income, good looks, a lot of confidence, and for all intents and purposes, more assimilated (according to many militant blacks).
5) The other city in Texas I'm strongly considering is Houston, so if anyone who has had experience in both and can coherently compare race relations, feel free to compare and recommend the better place for me.
Given the info, any explainable considerations for (or even against) moving to Austin would be very appreciated.
Its best for you to visit Austin first. I believe that you would actually like it and somewhat fit in. Most Black graduates don't stay or choose Austin post college for various reasons but mainly because a lack of black culture which you seem to not be looking for. I'm young, degreed, and black myself and don't buy into or look for the racism hype. I've definitely experienced it but I don't let it affect may everyday life like a lot of us tend to do. I grew up in predominately black neighborhoods in Chicago so I understand how Intraracism is just as bad as Interracism. There was always a light-skinned vs. darker-skinned issue, thug vs. pro-education(athletes went both ways), and poor vs. middle class intraracism where I grew up. You said in DC, it seems that everyone is against a select minority, I understand what you mean. However, I know for a fact that if a white person walked in my former neighborhood in Chicago, they'd probably be in big trouble unless they worked for ConEd or the Cable company.
Anyways, back to the point. I've dated all types of females and actually married a white woman. Lots of women are open to dating guys of different races but honestly, its not too common for the races inter-marry especially Black and (fill in a race). Maybe its family issues, natural selection, attraction, etc but even though this is a liberal city, its nothing like say Atlanta, L.A., Seattle, maybe even Houston, etc in terms of interracial dating between specifically Blacks and other races. Its no interracial dating utopia, Whites and Hispanics intermarry a bit more but nothing to write home about. People naturally self-segregrate by similar cultures, traits; its biological. Honestly, more women of all races tend to like the "unassimalated"(esp UT athletes) Black guy more from my observations in Austin. You shouldn't have a huge problem dating interracially and no offense but I haven't seen too many attractive Black women in Austin, just being brutally honest. Houston has them all, LOL.
You probably won't like Dallas, its a very clicky and pretentious city IMO and doesn't sound like what you'd want. The women are generally standoff-ish. Houston actually has a pretty large Black population and has many have the "pro-black" attitudes like Atlanta, DC, Chicago, NYC, and so on. I'm not sure if that would bother you(I don't mind it at all). Houston would definitely be a less of a culture shock but its a large city and would probably be similar to DC overall. The women are a lot cooler there than Austin and Dallas though IMO.
You need to make a Texas(including Dallas) trip soon, say 1.5 weeks. Rent a car, fly into Dallas, stay there for a few days, drive to Houston, stay for a few days, and then drive to Austin to finish out the trip and then fly home. Alternately, make Austin the middle destination since Dallas and Houston are cheaper to fly to/from. Of course this costs money and you are a student so at least visit Austin for a weekend if the entire Texas trip is cost prohibitive.
Good Luck
Last edited by latikeriii; 07-22-2009 at 07:00 PM..
3) I really couldn't care what people older than 40 years of age really have to think about race. I'm just getting out of college, so I don't see myself seeking and building a social, dating, and marriage life around anyone over 30. As long as I have a solid social life and a active dating scene, I couldn't care what some old geezer has to say or think.
Ageist! I am over forty and it seems like my generation (gen x) is much more comfortable with interracial dating than those that are older than us. Really, you will be amazed how young forty seems once you get there. Old Geezers my A**
Ageist! I am over forty and it seems like my generation (gen x) is much more comfortable with interracial dating than those that are older than us. Really, you will be amazed how young forty seems once you get there. Old Geezers my A**
My bad for sounding ageist, lol. I'm actually more weary of the people over 60 when it comes to racism. I was just emphasizing how I'm not worried about judgment from those group of people whose racial criticism won't really affect me socially. But I'll give y'all Gen X 30-40 somethings credit for being the first generation to cross interracial boundaries in significant numbers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by latikeriii
Anyways, back to the point. I've dated all types of females and actually married a white woman. Lots of women are open to dating guys of different races but honestly, its not too common for the races inter-marry especially Black and (fill in a race). Maybe its family issues, natural selection, attraction, etc but even though this is a liberal city, its nothing like say Atlanta, L.A., Seattle, maybe even Houston, etc in terms of interracial dating between specifically Blacks and other races. Its no interracial dating utopia, Whites and Hispanics intermarry a bit more but nothing to write home about. People naturally self-segregrate by similar cultures, traits; its biological. Honestly, more women of all races tend to like the "unassimalated"(esp UT athletes) Black guy more from my observations in Austin. You shouldn't have a huge problem dating interracially and no offense but I haven't seen too many attractive Black women in Austin, just being brutally honest. Houston has them all, LOL.
Thanks for the honest observations so far. I'll take all of this into consideration. Even though I'm not saying you indicated it, it isn't that I'm not willing to date other black women. It's just most of them seem to not want to date black dudes who seem "educated" and "assimilated" in any way, even if they have plenty of finances, a bit of of a wild side (in a general sense, not a thuggish way), a sense of humor, and confidence/swag in them, like myself. Where I am right now, that definitely holds true, along with the fact that young women from other races are really not into dating (or even at the least hooking up with) black dudes, especially the non-ghetto types. Not to say that there aren't plenty of IR couples involving black men in the Washington Area, but many of them tend to be 30 and older couples who live in Montgomery County, MD and outer-beltway Northern Virginia, places where there are more single-family units with families than condos with young people.
Quote:
You probably won't like Dallas, its a very clicky and pretentious city IMO and doesn't sound like what you'd want. The women are generally standoff-ish. Houston actually has a pretty large Black population and has many have the "pro-black" attitudes like Atlanta, DC, Chicago, NYC, and so on. I'm not sure if that would bother you(I don't mind it at all). Houston would definitely be a less of a culture shock but its a large city and would probably be similar to DC overall. The women are a lot cooler there than Austin and Dallas though IMO.
Good Luck
Well to be honest, Dallas was definitely not on the list of places to live after hearing how it's notoriously known for being cliquey, pretentious, and uptight (I don't need to relocate 2000 miles just to live in another "DC"). But I do look forward to visiting the city, and especially visiting Houston and Austin. As for what I'm generally looking for, I am definitely yearning for a more laid back place where the people are more easy-going and friendly. I know there are jobs in Houston and Austin. The humidity, particularly in Houston will be a challenge, but I'll eventually adapt. And as for the traffic, I'm coming from the metropolitan area with the second worse traffic in the country, so either Houston or Austin will be more tolerable. I know that no place is perfect, but if I can trade off some of the "positives" of DC for a more racially integrated and affable place for twenty-somethings than what I have right now - whether it's in Houston or Austin (or somewhere else) - that would really make up for a lot that I have gone through during my life thus far, and allow me the opportunity to gain a lot of loss ground socially that I've missed as a result of being stuck in the socially cliquish and subtly racist DC area.
Thanks for the honest observations so far. I'll take all of this into consideration. Even though I'm not saying you indicated it, it isn't that I'm not willing to date other black women. It's just most of them seem to not want to date black dudes who seem "educated" and "assimilated" in any way, even if they have plenty of finances, a bit of of a wild side (in a general sense, not a thuggish way), a sense of humor, and confidence/swag in them, like myself. Where I am right now, that definitely holds true, along with the fact that young women from other races are really not into dating (or even at the least hooking up with) black dudes, especially the non-ghetto types. Not to say that there aren't plenty of IR couples involving black men in the Washington Area, but many of them tend to be 30 and older couples who live in Montgomery County, MD and outer-beltway Northern Virginia, places where there are more single-family units with families than condos with young people.
I totally agree with you most of my black guy friends will blantantly say that they don't date black women, ghetto type guys, and the assimilated type guys. I was different, friends and family used to always knock me for not dating black women, I was always open to dating black girls but like you said, they tended not to like me because I wasn't the stereotypical black guy, athlete-type guy. The black girls at UT only tended to date the athletes and the Black frat guys like the Kappas, Alphas, Sigmas, etc. I was cool with all of those guys but still on the outside looking in with black women. Many were attracted to me but when they found out that I didn't play football or wasn't in a frat then they would back off of talking to me (this happens everywhere but its ridiculous at UT). I know of brothas lying of playing football just to get laid, lol. UT football is HUGE in Austin, you don't even know. Also, the guys that the black women generally liked were the same ones that other races liked(in Austin primarily White and Mexican). I always had better luck with White girls because of my interests and personality so that's who I tended to date. You seem to have a lot in common with me so honestly, you will probably have a hard time meeting black women there. Houston, you will meet more of your type. Most of my best friends tended to be Hispanic, that's who I had the most in common with. Anyways, where ever your personality fits in, you are sure to meet new friends and dating partners.
[/quote]Well to be honest, Dallas was definitely not on the list of places to live after hearing how it's notoriously known for being cliquey, pretentious, and uptight (I don't need to relocate 2000 miles just to live in another "DC"). But I do look forward to visiting the city, and especially visiting Houston and Austin. As for what I'm generally looking for, I am definitely yearning for a more laid back place where the people are more easy-going and friendly. I know there are jobs in Houston and Austin. The humidity, particularly in Houston will be a challenge, but I'll eventually adapt. And as for the traffic, I'm coming from the metropolitan area with the second worse traffic in the country, so either Houston or Austin will be more tolerable. I know that no place is perfect, but if I can trade off some of the "positives" of DC for a more racially integrated and affable place for twenty-somethings than what I have right now - whether it's in Houston or Austin (or somewhere else) - that would really make up for a lot that I have gone through during my life thus far, and allow me the opportunity to gain a lot of loss ground socially that I've missed as a result of being stuck in the socially cliquish and subtly racist DC area.[/quote]
Honestly, Austin doesn't have a whole lot of jobs, so many people moving there, a very highly educated workforce, but not a lot of jobs. Austin is known for the underemployed(Your waitress probably would have a Masters, that's no joke). You will have a much better chance in Houston, of course this depends on your field. The humidity in Houston is brutal though. DC's roads suck compared to Houston but Austin has much worse than most cities in the nation. Also, DC has the Metro, Houston's system is building up and not even close to DC. Austin, well the first light-rail line may open someday and the bus system is unreliable for the most part so driving is pretty much imperative. Austin is more cliquish than Houston, like I said its no utopia but it is very laid back and I miss that. NYC is so high strung, people don't relax here. Too many people set unrealisticly high expectations for Austin and come out disappointed. Many really love it. I do advise you to move but seriously check out both cities first, Austin is liberal, laid-back, and cool in the central core, but Houston probably will be a better fit for you. Also beware, lots of people in Austin have a unfavorable view of Houston, lots of it is exaggerated, its not bad besides the humidity and traffic. The sheer size of it bothers some but being from DC, its shouldn't be a concern for you.
Good Luck
Ageist! I am over forty and it seems like my generation (gen x) is much more comfortable with interracial dating than those that are older than us. Really, you will be amazed how young forty seems once you get there. Old Geezers my A**
I agree! Old Geezer??!! 40's gonna creep up on you faster than you think then you won't think 40's are geezer yrs!
I'm actually more weary of the people over 60 when it comes to racism. I was just emphasizing how I'm not worried about judgment from those group of people whose racial criticism won't really affect me socially. But I'll give y'all Gen X 30-40 somethings credit for being the first generation to cross interracial boundaries in significant numbers.
Oddly enough I'm a multi-ethnic Gen X'r who also happens to be over 40. Age really has nothing to do with it. I've met lots of people over 60 who were admittedly racist to start in their lives but grew to learn differently. It's the ones (regardless of age) whose actions need to be monitored more so than their words.
Your statements display an amazing lack of knowledge about the actual historical facts.
The French had a colony in Texas long before Spain ever did. The Spanish established mission forts in Texas before they had any colonies soley for the purpose of discouraging further French expansion from Louisiana. And then abandoned them for two decades because of indian hostilities.
Some of the worst atrocities against indigenous races in the history of mankind were committed by the Spanish, a race that most Mexicans descend at least partially from. Remember the Conquistadors? Spain stole Mexico and the Tejas territories from the natives. Spanish settlers later rebelled and took Mexico from Spain. Tejano settlers later rebelled and took Texas from Mexico.
The Tejanos and indians were constantly in conflict. Spain had neither the manpower or resources to protect its small settlements in Texas from indian hostilities so they opened immigration to others.
Tejanos included immigrants from Mexico, Spain, France, Germany, many other Europeans and Americans of all nationalities. Even those of Mexican descent included many with European ancestry.
As others have pointed out, your hate speech towards anglos and Germans is the most racist thing anyone has said in this thread.
Wrong! Tejanos were not immigrants from different countries. It is a fact that the first Tejanos were spaniards and mexicans. There were other immigrants that settled in Tejas around the 1800's but were few in numbers, if you look at history you will find that Spain explored and settled in the Americas way before the US even had 13 colonies. This may be news to you but it is not to us, there were plenty of spaniards and mexicans in Texas, NM, AZ, OK, CA, KS, etc. Texas was a state in 1845 but the biggest wave of anglo immigrants came in 1850 from Germany. It seems it was then that things really began to get ugly for my people here.
I am not a racist, I simply do not like the fact that my people would be mistreated in their own country and the Indians would also agree. I guess the common person here is the anglo immigrant who took from both the native indians and mexicans.
True, all races are capable of evil things and have done so throughout history but nobody has came close to what Hitler did and almost sucedeed in, elimination of an ethnicity group out of pure hatred. If you want to compare us to Hitler then you need help understanding the difference between war and sheer madness.
I know there is racism in Mexico and other countries because there are also many caucasians there who look down on darker skin people even if they are both Mexicans. The irish immigrant was once looked down upon when they began coming to America, some irish soldiers deserted the US army to fight with the Mexican army because they were looked down upon by protestant anglos. Boston seems to forget all that and now is among the most racist towns in America.
There are group of Germans in the northen states of Mexico, especially Chihuahua, where they live in communities farming the land. They are not bothered by mexicans and they have learned to live among mexicans, some have married mexican women/men but most marry within the group which is fine but the key is that there is no hatred there. I am just tired of always being mistreated simply because I am not anglo and being called mexican-american or hispanic when I am an american. I always have to prove myself over and over at work in order to get the some of the perks my anglo co-workers get but still there is preferential treatment. I am sorry to say that all this racism is making me see things differently, what if we were the majority and everyone else the minority. What if we took what was ours by force the same way it was taken from us? There are many of us who feel this way and we are growing in number, just remember that you made us this way.
There are nationalities and there are ethnicities, I think that there is a bit of a blur going on here. If I were arrested, I would have 'caucasion, non-hispanic' filled in on the line. No where would it say Irish American or whatever. If you were arrested, it would say 'caucasion, hispanic' on the line. Both or genetic definitions that have nothing to do with where you live or your nationality.
Mexican American does seem to be a bit of a misnomer, though, I will grant you that.
I will say that I have to sit and think about who I work with is hispanic and who isn't. It just doesnt cross my mind. Austin has such a large percent of hispanic residents that it never really becomes part of the mental 'processing'. Having grown up around here, it has always been that way as long as I can remember. I admit that I do notice when someone is black, but that is mainly because that is a much rarer occurence in Austin - there just are not that many AAs.
Neither is meant to be comprehensive, but really, really good reading (especially the first, which is obviously not Texas) for a historically accurate text. The second is about Cabeza de Vaca. Those Spainiards were TOUGH SOBs. Cabeza de Vaca is an interesting deviation from the typical conquistador, too.
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I am over forty and it seems like my generation (gen x) is much more comfortable with interracial dating than those that are older than us. Really, you will be amazed how young forty seems once you get there. Old Geezers my A**
. I'm actually more weary of the people over 60 when it comes to racism. I was just emphasizing how I'm not worried about judgment from those group of people whose racial criticism won't really affect me socially. But I'll give y'all Gen X 30-40 somethings credit for being the first generation to cross interracial boundaries in significant numbers.
