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Old 05-26-2009, 01:21 PM
 
Location: SoCal
2,261 posts, read 7,207,448 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by passionatearts View Post
My best friend from Tufts University (where we went to college) is black and lived his entire life in Boston. When he came to visit me in Austin last year, he asked that exact question! He said that he felt very comfortable in Austin and didn't experience any racism, but he also said that Austin is the least diverse city he's ever traveled to. I can certainly understand his frustration, especially when you compare Austin to a more cosmopolitan city like Boston. While Austin is not that racist, I agree with my friend that Austin is lacking in diversity. Were it not for UT and large companies like Dell being here, Austin would probably be even less diverse.
That's interesting because I grew up in Boston, and heard TONS of stories from friends about racism there. My cousin (who's white) dated a black guy and they got pulled over by police all the time for no apparent reason.

The relationship went sour (for other reasons) and she claimed she'd never date another black guy again. I went to the prom with a black guy and my mom & grandmother didn't speak for a while because of some remarks my grandmother made. (I'm trying to remember if anyone else had an issue about it... but it was so long ago, heh, that I can't remember)

I rented an apartment to an inter-racial couple. On of the first things they asked me was if I had a problem with them being inter-racial. I was sort of shocked (said "no" of course) and I asked them if they'd encountered a lot of racism because of it. "Oh yeah! All the time!" they replied.

There are a lot more stories from friends about stuff like that happening. There's a lot of old conservatism in Boston. I've seen lots of racism in Chicago & LA, too (people making remarks to me about "Mexicans..." stuff like that). I have yet to see any in Austin (other than the weird segregation of neighborhoods)... but, again, I'm white and I've only been here since August.

Quite a lot of people I work with are dating (or married to) someone of a different race. A lot of inter-racial couples. More than I saw in Boston or LA. I don't know if they have issues with it, though.

Last edited by readymade; 05-26-2009 at 01:35 PM..
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Old 05-26-2009, 01:31 PM
 
25,157 posts, read 53,809,751 times
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You will see that in Austin all the time if you are a minority.

Quote:
Originally Posted by girlcitizen View Post
Racism isn't just about yelling names and wearing white masks - it can be very covert, very discrete and only noticeable by those it's direct to. Just my 2 cents.
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Old 05-26-2009, 03:57 PM
 
16 posts, read 44,583 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by passionatearts View Post
Part of the reason for the segregation is historical. In the bad old days, non-whites were forced to live in the east side of town, and I-35 was purposefully built the way it was in order to segregate the races. We're still living with the consequences of these decisions, but I think things are slowly getting better.
Wow! That is really interesting. I used to live in Denton, Texas (north or Dallas & Fort Worth- University of North Texas) and it was the same way. I can't remember the name of the neighborhood anymore but blacks were forced to live in a certain area of town so as not to offend/scare the parents of the young white women who attended Texas Woman's University.

Austin is a progressive city - I'm sure that it is on the right track towards ethnic and racial harmony. I feel 10x more comfortable there than any other city in Texas.
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Old 05-26-2009, 04:54 PM
 
7,987 posts, read 10,329,287 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by passionatearts View Post
My best friend from Tufts University (where we went to college) is black and lived his entire life in Boston. When he came to visit me in Austin last year, he asked that exact question! He said that he felt very comfortable in Austin and didn't experience any racism, but he also said that Austin is the least diverse city he's ever traveled to. I can certainly understand his frustration, especially when you compare Austin to a more cosmopolitan city like Boston. While Austin is not that racist, I agree with my friend that Austin is lacking in diversity. Were it not for UT and large companies like Dell being here, Austin would probably be even less diverse.
I have to agree; Austin is not very diverse at all. You may see statistics that say it has a large percentage of minorities, but that percentage is comprised of pretty much the SAME minority. Not very diverse, IMO.
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Old 05-27-2009, 02:31 PM
 
3,049 posts, read 8,881,842 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by austinite45 View Post
'muslim' is a religious category, not a racial category.
thanks austinite, i dont know why folks get this constantly wrong
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Old 05-27-2009, 02:33 PM
 
Location: southern california
61,290 posts, read 87,104,404 times
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its an affluent place, all affluent places are extremely prejudice against the unemployed with attitude and poor work background. angry pants down 9mm works in detroit and new orleans works great. everybody loves it.
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Old 05-27-2009, 02:34 PM
 
3,049 posts, read 8,881,842 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by readymade View Post
That's interesting because I grew up in Boston, and heard TONS of stories from friends about racism there. My cousin (who's white) dated a black guy and they got pulled over by police all the time for no apparent reason.

The relationship went sour (for other reasons) and she claimed she'd never date another black guy again. I went to the prom with a black guy and my mom & grandmother didn't speak for a while because of some remarks my grandmother made. (I'm trying to remember if anyone else had an issue about it... but it was so long ago, heh, that I can't remember)

I rented an apartment to an inter-racial couple. On of the first things they asked me was if I had a problem with them being inter-racial. I was sort of shocked (said "no" of course) and I asked them if they'd encountered a lot of racism because of it. "Oh yeah! All the time!" they replied.

There are a lot more stories from friends about stuff like that happening. There's a lot of old conservatism in Boston. I've seen lots of racism in Chicago & LA, too (people making remarks to me about "Mexicans..." stuff like that). I have yet to see any in Austin (other than the weird segregation of neighborhoods)... but, again, I'm white and I've only been here since August.

Quite a lot of people I work with are dating (or married to) someone of a different race. A lot of inter-racial couples. More than I saw in Boston or LA. I don't know if they have issues with it, though.


Philadelphia and New York and Portland are like that too. You have to ask if you will be discriminated before renting for if they find out that you are minority or IR you might be turned down.

lots of racism in Philadelphia and New Jersey too. People shout out the N word out of their car, stare and make comments--and these arent the working class and rural people, they are the educated, yuppies in downtown. It is dangerous to walk in the wrong neighborhoods here.
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Old 05-27-2009, 02:39 PM
 
3,049 posts, read 8,881,842 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jennibc View Post
Consider that other white people will talk openly about how they feel in terms of racial beliefs with non-minorities. For instance, when my sister lived in Memphis she was horrified at how openly other whites disparaged african americans in conversation among themselves, as if it was obvious that anyone white would agree with their racist sentiments.

When I lived in the NE, a friendly acquaintance said to me, "I'm not prejudiced, I just wouldn't want my son to marry someone that was not white because I fear what kind of prejuduce their children would endure". I have a feeling that guy wasn't going to share that sentiment openly with a person of color. I mentioned to him that I thought his line of reasoning was a bit racist. He wasn't too happy with me.

At any rate, my point is that although somebody white may not experience prejudice because of the color of his skin, he or she may still be aware of the prevailing racial sentiment in an area because there is less self-editing occuring in his presence.

I agree that as a caucasion woman I could never say that I know what it is like to be discriminated on the basis of color and whether the level of it is tolerable or intolerable, because I don't and I never will. That said, I can get a sense of how race relations play out in a particular city because I live in it. Our closest friend here is AA (in fact she is the designated guardian for our son if anything happens to me and my husband so it's that close of a friendship) and I once asked her what it was like growing up in the south - she said Austin really hasn't been that bad (she has a great job and lives in an upscale community). However, she said that driving through east TX when heading to visit family in the deep south has always made her nervous.

Thanks Jenn, that was so right on. He was afraid of what the children might feel from bigots? well they would experience the same prejudice that he is dishing out.
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Old 05-27-2009, 03:19 PM
 
25,157 posts, read 53,809,751 times
Reputation: 7058
How is Austin a progressive city? I've yet to hear anyone on the forum describe in detail what progressive means to them and how Austin has that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by girlcitizen View Post

Austin is a progressive city - I'm sure that it is on the right track towards ethnic and racial harmony. I feel 10x more comfortable there than any other city in Texas.
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Old 05-27-2009, 03:22 PM
 
7,987 posts, read 10,329,287 times
Reputation: 15000
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinajack View Post
Philadelphia and New York and Portland are like that too. You have to ask if you will be discriminated before renting for if they find out that you are minority or IR you might be turned down.

lots of racism in Philadelphia and New Jersey too. People shout out the N word out of their car, stare and make comments--and these arent the working class and rural people, they are the educated, yuppies in downtown. It is dangerous to walk in the wrong neighborhoods here.
I was born and raised in Philly (my family still lives there) and I have never, ever seen or heard that there. Ever.
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