Why I'm Leaving Baltimore (Mount Vernon: rent, buying, landlord)

[designer_genes]

Originally Posted by Wandering_Nomad

The thing that probably freaked me out the most was I didn't see very many white people around, except for the inner harbor, fed hill, and Towson areas. That was probably the first time I ever visited a city where I felt outnumbered, it's not a good feeling btw.

If being in the minority makes you feel uncomfortable, maybe you should think about stepping out of your comfort zone a little more. Before I moved to Baltimore, I lived in white upper class towns surrounded by white upper class people. It was terrible. Then, I moved here. I find the diversity refreshing and it has given me a lot of perspective that I certainly did not have before. Maybe you should think about what those different from yourself can teach you instead of grabbing your cell phone a little tighter every time you see a black person.

Congratulations. Welcome to white privilege.

[BonyT]

The old saying holds true: If you have to preface your statements with "I don't mean to sound racist, but..." you should probably just stay silent.

[Wandering_Nomad]

Originally Posted by james777

You say that his mindset filtered out the historic architecture. I don't think he has any idea about historic architecture. There was nothing in his mind to filter out.

I love historic architecture and I did see some beautiful buildings in the harbor, Canton, and Fed Hill areas I visited.

In my previous statement I was referring to the ghetto areas that I drove through. Certainly some of the buildings in those neighborhoods were nice, but the people living there obviously don't take care of them, and that's a real shame.

Originally Posted by designer_genes

If being in the minority makes you feel uncomfortable, maybe you should think about stepping out of your comfort zone a little more. Before I moved to Baltimore, I lived in white upper class towns surrounded by white upper class people. It was terrible.

It was terrible? Poor you! Being overly pampered and having an abundance of resources and wealth doesn't sound all that bad to me.

Originally Posted by designer_genes

Then, I moved here. I find the diversity refreshing and it has given me a lot of perspective that I certainly did not have before. Maybe you should think about what those different from yourself can teach you instead of grabbing your cell phone a little tighter every time you see a black person.
Congratulations. Welcome to white privilege.

Being white hasn't been a privilege since the 1950's. There wasn't a united caucasian scholarship fund I could apply to when I started college 5 years ago, but there was one for black students, simply because they had dark skin. Some of my professors also graded black students differently, my one African studies professor even explicitly told the class she would grade her black students differently, which is why I dropped the class and filed a complaint with the college administration which never went anywhere. It kind of defeats the whole premise of "equality" when you start grading people differently based on their race but I digress, I'm starting to rant here so I'll stop.

Diversity can be refreshing, especially when it doesn't involve crime.
Also, I don't grip my cell phone tighter if I see a black person walking by.

Thugs have their own style and way of dressing, I can spot them from a mile away. I'm actually glad that thugs have their own unique style because it makes it easier for all of us good people to avoid them. A black guy in a business suit isn't going to mess with me, but the black teen in a hoody and jeans hanging off his ass is a likely candidate. Common sense.

Originally Posted by BonyT

The old saying holds true: If you have to preface your statements with "I don't mean to sound racist, but..." you should probably just stay silent.

I just prefaced it that way so as not to offend all the wimpy, liberal idealists who have a problem honestly discussing race.

[designer_genes]

Originally Posted by Wandering_Nomad

It was terrible? Poor you! Being overly pampered and having an abundance of resources and wealth doesn't sound all that bad to me.

Yes. It was terrible. If your idea of a good time is hanging out with a bunch of spoiled people, then you must not be very fun. A girl I played soccer with growing up cried because her dad got her the wrong color Audi for her birthday. True story. Also got constantly picked on in school for not caring about designer clothes or makeup. All of that gets really old really fast. Funny how that all goes away now that I live here and people actually judge me based on my character and my accomplishments instead of what clothes I wear and the car that I drive. It's also nice to make my own money and provide for myself - no matter how modestly - and be surrounded by people that actually work for a living instead of relying on their parents like all of the kids I went to high school with still living at home in their 20s.

Being pampered isn't all it's cracked up to be. Wealth is corrupting and incredibly overrated. I'm happier now than I ever was.

Originally Posted by Wandering_Nomad

Being white hasn't been a privilege since the 1950's.

You get the award for dumbest thing I've read on this forum ever. And that is seriously saying something. I recommend you pick up a book - preferably one about race relations in Baltimore. You may learn something. I recommend "Not in My Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City."

[Infinite_heights77]

Interesting comments.

Originally Posted by Wandering_Nomad

I love historic architecture and I did see some beautiful buildings in the harbor, Canton, and Fed Hill areas I visited.

In my previous statement I was referring to the ghetto areas that I drove through. Certainly some of the buildings in those neighborhoods were nice, but the people living there obviously don't take care of them, and that's a real shame.



It was terrible? Poor you! Being overly pampered and having an abundance of resources and wealth doesn't sound all that bad to me.



Being white hasn't been a privilege since the 1950's. There wasn't a united caucasian scholarship fund I could apply to when I started college 5 years ago, but there was one for black students, simply because they had dark skin. Some of my professors also graded black students differently, my one African studies professor even explicitly told the class she would grade her black students differently, which is why I dropped the class and filed a complaint with the college administration which never went anywhere. It kind of defeats the whole premise of "equality" when you start grading people differently based on their race but I digress, I'm starting to rant here so I'll stop.

Diversity can be refreshing, especially when it doesn't involve crime.
Also, I don't grip my cell phone tighter if I see a black person walking by.

Thugs have their own style and way of dressing, I can spot them from a mile away. I'm actually glad that thugs have their own unique style because it makes it easier for all of us good people to avoid them. A black guy in a business suit isn't going to mess with me, but the black teen in a hoody and jeans hanging off his ass is a likely candidate. Common sense.



I just prefaced it that way so as not to offend all the wimpy, liberal idealists who have a problem honestly discussing race.

[Infinite_heights77]

Designer Jeans,

Are you familiar with Tim Wise's work?

[Infinite_heights77]

You think spoiled upper class white children are bad, try spoiled middle and upper class black children. They are just as bad, if not worse!

Originally Posted by designer_genes

Yes. It was terrible. If your idea of a good time is hanging out with a bunch of spoiled people, then you must not be very fun. A girl I played soccer with growing up cried because her dad got her the wrong color Audi for her birthday. True story. Also got constantly picked on in school for not caring about designer clothes or makeup. All of that gets really old really fast. Funny how that all goes away now that I live here and people actually judge me based on my character and my accomplishments instead of what clothes I wear and the car that I drive. It's also nice to make my own money and provide for myself - no matter how modestly - and be surrounded by people that actually work for a living instead of relying on their parents like all of the kids I went to high school with still living at home in their 20s.

Being pampered isn't all it's cracked up to be. Wealth is corrupting and incredibly overrated. I'm happier now than I ever was.




You get the award for dumbest thing I've read on this forum ever. And that is seriously saying something. I recommend you pick up a book - preferably one about race relations in Baltimore. You may learn something. I recommend "Not in My Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City."

[Infinite_heights77]

You have to be honest, there are some people who just hate Black people and don't want to be around them. It's plain and simple!

Originally Posted by designer_genes

If being in the minority makes you feel uncomfortable, maybe you should think about stepping out of your comfort zone a little more. Before I moved to Baltimore, I lived in white upper class towns surrounded by white upper class people. It was terrible. Then, I moved here. I find the diversity refreshing and it has given me a lot of perspective that I certainly did not have before. Maybe you should think about what those different from yourself can teach you instead of grabbing your cell phone a little tighter every time you see a black person.

Congratulations. Welcome to white privilege.

[bmoregrimey]

Originally Posted by Wandering_Nomad

I love historic architecture and I did see some beautiful buildings in the harbor, Canton, and Fed Hill areas I visited.

In my previous statement I was referring to the ghetto areas that I drove through. Certainly some of the buildings in those neighborhoods were nice, but the people living there obviously don't take care of them, and that's a real shame.

Im not sure why you would expect people to be able to take care of property in the ghetto if folks are poor...Most likely the residents of this "ghetto" are actually renters waiting for their slumlord to make repairs. And trust me these landlords do not live in the city and especially not in the neighborhood where they rent their, often times, run down properties.

[designer_genes]

Originally Posted by Infinite_heights77

Designer Jeans,

Are you familiar with Tim Wise's work?

I am not. I'll look into it.

Originally Posted by Infinite_heights77

You think spoiled upper class white children are bad, try spoiled middle and upper class black children. They are just as bad, if not worse!

I believe it. I really make no distinctions of race here. Spoiled kids are annoying as hell, no matter what the color of their skin. I just made comments about spoiled white kids because they're the type that I have experience with.

Originally Posted by Infinite_heights77

You have to be honest, there are some people who just hate Black people and don't want to be around them. It's plain and simple!

Sad but true, I suppose. It really is hard to undo years of steadfast belief.