Birmingham and Alabama

[_OT]

Originally Posted by Kalen Kane

K

Whatever the spin that perhaps some natives and locals attempt to use, it is clear that Birmingham, Alabama shot itself in the foot, Alabama didn't do it, neither did anyone else way outside the region. Call it what it is: a self-inflicted wound. Say or believe as anyone wishes, the truth is that bad attitudes and racism were the culprits of stymied local growth, and they contributed mightily to a very very bad national image outside the region (but even as close as Atlanta or Nashville).
All of the over-rationalization or counterfactual explanations and arguments won't change their own results of their OWN history. Sadly, Birmingham still hasn't outgrown that image, no matter how much local historical revisionism is over-layed on their own set of local so-called facts and truth. It's obviously been ineffective - business and cultural interests and observers inside and outside the region can't all be stupid or misinformed. The proof of this is that Birmingham's early failure is still a topic of conversation.

To be fair, OP's question was, "How much does being located in Alabama hurt Birmingham, in your opinion?" Obviously Birmingham has had some issues in the past, but nevertheless, as of 2017, the fact that both Birmingham and Alabama seems to be going in two totally different directions actually speaks volumes about that particular relationship. The way that Birmingham is trying grow, or reinvent itself as, also goes against what Alabama, distinctively follows. So, if you take it from that perspective, I really can't look into a situation where Alabama, is significantly supportive of what Birmingham plans to do for oneself.

[steveklein]

Originally Posted by Tourian

So that has what to do with the airport? Or are you just pulling one thing out of context to make some sort of strawman? Yep. That's what it is.

You literally said "let's pretend racism only existed here" and then act like *I* am strawmanning. That's rich.

As to what it had to do with the airport... um... are you serious? It's no different than North Carolina losing out on events due to its transgender bathroom issues. Most companies don't want to be associated with what is perceived as racist, sexist, homophobic, or other behavior that is widely regarded as "progressive". Would Delta and others have located here if Bull Connor and George Wallace were trying to desegregate ahead of the law? Maybe, maybe not. We'll never know because Birmingham eliminated itself from contention because of what was going on in the city.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by steveklein

You literally said "let's pretend racism only existed here" and then act like *I* am strawmanning. That's rich.

It is called sarcasm.

That's right. Racism is everywhere. Pretending that this city and this state is where all the bad things happened and it is the ONLY reason Birmingham isn't as advanced as SOME other cities is silly. Ignoring the decline of Big Steel and the run on the banks as negative effects on the city is worse.

As to what it had to do with the airport... um... are you serious? It's no different than North Carolina losing out on events due to its transgender bathroom issues. Most companies don't want to be associated with what is perceived as racist, sexist, homophobic, or other behavior that is widely regarded as "progressive". Would Delta and others have located here if Bull Connor and George Wallace were trying to desegregate ahead of the law? Maybe, maybe not. We'll never know because Birmingham eliminated itself from contention because of what was going on in the city.

No, "maybe maybe not" doesn't fly. The time zone difference and the fact that Atlanta was in the right place at the right time earned them the airport. The end - we do know that.

[PortCity]

Originally Posted by Kalen Kane

hurt BIRMINGHAM ? have you considered the distinct possibility that Birmingham's local racist and violent history may have "hurt" the rest of ALABAMA ? such as cities like Huntsville ? Mobile Bay? The shadow cast by Birmingham's history over the rest of Alabama has been enormous ! in politics, in national perception, in business development and in interpersonal relationships. Other "Alabama" has been poorly type-cast by Birmingham, not the other way around it seems to me. If you have lived outside the south, most people that I have ever met, immediately associate "Birmingham" with "Alabama" first..in other words they equate Birmingham acting upon Alabama, not Alabama acting upon "Birmingham". I think I might be hard pressed to find a resident of Huntsville who might believe that Alabama has hurt Birmingham more than Birmingham has hurt Alabama. An argument could be made that being located in Alabama hasn't hurt Huntsville in a massive way. My opinion.

I must admit the comments are right on the head. Birmingham's civil rights era has put a shadow on the state. Other cities in the state dealt with it of course but not on the level as Birmingham. Neither Mobile nor Huntsville have a museum dedicated to Civil Rights history because there wasn't enough events to create one in both cities. With much passion I hate that outsiders refuse to move on. When cities such as Boston and Chicago both share a past that is darker than Birmingham's ,as well as current racial tension in so called progressive cities.. Unfortunately the images that are engraved are those that come from the Civil Rights era in Birmingham. Now I do feel that the state gives rural Alabama to much power. And lastly there are other organic issues such as white flight.

[mcalumni01]

Tell me how one city can affect what goes on in other cities in this state? Every city has it own government structure. So in other words when great things happen in other cities, is it because of birmingham? People want to blame birmingham for it past as to where this state is today, but when other cities have success in whatever developments it has, it's all because of what that particular city accomplished, but yet do they give birmingham credit? What does a having a civil rights museum have to do with anything. There are civil rights museums, small and big, everywhere in this state and country. There's a national civil rights museum in d.c. This country went thru the same thing as birmingham in the 60's and 70's, so did america hold back alabama. Do people really believe that this state would be any different today if birmingham wasn't in the forefront of civil rights? Perception would still be today that we are a country backward bama state because of the simple fact of the mentality and actions of people that resides here. Being located in the deep south don't help the case either.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by PortCity

I must admit the comments are right on the head. Birmingham's civil rights era has put a shadow on the state. Other cities in the state dealt with it of course but not on the level as Birmingham. Neither Mobile nor Huntsville have a museum dedicated to Civil Rights history because there wasn't enough events to create one in both cities. With much passion I hate that outsiders refuse to move on. When cities such as Boston and Chicago both share a past that is darker than Birmingham's ,as well as current racial tension in so called progressive cities.. Unfortunately the images that are engraved are those that come from the Civil Rights era in Birmingham. Now I do feel that the state gives rural Alabama to much power. And lastly there are other organic issues such as white flight.

This is that ridiculous circular logic I was referring to. So sorry for the rest of the state that Birmingham's blacks didnt just bow down. So sorry for all of the other cities that some racist evildoers chose to blow up a church with four little girls and firebomb black homes and businesses. Never mind events in Selma and Montgomery and the Scottsboro boys or anything else that happened in this state. So sorry the high population of black people in this city put it in the crosshairs of those that would do then harm. Theres been plenty of bad and shame to go around across the whole country and this whole state.