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Hon, your very FIRST post on this thread was this:
Tell me, how is this not calling Boston a racist city? And you want to talk about having an "intelligent conversation" with quips like these?
Look, I've spent a good 50% of my time on the Boston forum trying to dispel this myth that Boston is racist. Over the years, trolls and ignorant people have come onto this board, people who never have even visited Boston, let alone lived and grown up in it, try to paint my hometown as a city that practically lynches blacks the second that they cross over the city borders (yes, I'm using a bit of exaggeration here). I've seen people insist till they're figuratively blue in the face that Boston in the 21st century is racist b/c of a busing incident that happened over 40 years ago, because some idiots from PHILLY of all places posed as Boston hockey fans and made racist comments on Twitter, b/c Anthony Anderson was the only black person in The Departed and he got killed, and so on. Frankly, it's growing tedious that people can't be bothered to learn more about one of the most diverse cities in this country and insist on trying to convince me, a black Bostonian born and raised, that Boston is a racist city.
If you REALLY want to have an intelligent conversation about race relations in Boston, get off this site and do your research. Look into the demographics of the city. Come into the city and talk to the Haitians, Kenyans, Jamaicans, Dominicans, Cape Verdeans, Brazilians, and so on who have made this city their home for years/generations. STOP getting your information from idiotic sites like Gawker that's about as credible as RadarOnline. And if you really are seeking information about Boston for whatever reason, search this site and look at the COUNTLESS other threads about blacks in Boston, about this perceived racism in Boston and look through those threads and stop rehashing the same tiresome, borderline trollish rhetoric countless of noobs before you have spewed before. Because posters like you are the EXACT reason why Boston can't shake off this persistent reputation.
Stop kidding yourself, you didn't hop on this thread to have an "intelligent conversation" about race relations in Boston, you hopped on to join the "look how racist Boston is!!" bandwagon, as evidenced by your posts.
Phillyprincess, thank you for standing up for yourself! some people on this site can be so ridiculous, if you misspell something, you're and idiot, and if they dont agree, you're not intelligent. being on this forum for 10 yrs or 2days doesnt make your opinion more or less calid than anyone else's and im sick of it, but theres also a lot of cool people on here too.
and eevee, since you are trying to discredit philly's ability to have a valid opinion, i'll say (being a current resident) that there is some truth to her comments, or have i not been on here long enough for you?
Boston does not enjoy a reputation for welcoming any race other than the "white" race, this is a sad but true fact. Google the most racist city and Boston comes up. Last year (2012) Bostonians spewed such unbelievable hate words towards a black Capitals player that the "most racist city - Boston" became forever cemented. What I find so interesting is that Mass has a two term black governor!
Well, as people have been super excited to point out this wasn't really where I wanted this whole thing to go when I statred this tread, but I will address this anyway! You say that Boston doesn't enjoy a reputation for welcoming any race other than the "white" race, but then you never gave any evidence that Boston is unaccepting to any race other than African-American. Even if was true that the majority of us Bostonians weren't welcoming to blacks (which I don't think is true, but which seems to have been the main subject of the fireworks that have been going off since this origional comment that I'm now adressing, so I won't adress it) there's still no evidence other than perhaps the one thread in the MA forum about an Asian American's problems in Quincy to suggest that the Boston area isn't welcoming to people of Asian and Latin American descent, of which Boston has more than any East Coast city aside from NYC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eevee
It's unfortunate how little attention is paid to the huge black population that exist in Boston. It's home to countless blacks from the Caribbean, Africa, and other locales. It's home to tons of Brazilians, Dominicans, Asians from Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Jewish Americans, and so on. People who think Boston is a "white" city are sadly ignorant of the diversity it truly has.
Hurray! Someone agrees with what I was trying to say!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phillyprincess64
Thank you Eevee now THIS is the kind of information I am looking for about Boston. I actually love New England, it's charming and beautiful for the most part. A few years my job transferred me to Vermont and I was sorry to leave. The last time I was in Mass was in February, I was attending a meeting at Harvard and stayed at The Charles Hotel. It started snowing and I was reminded of the movie Love Story. My job is talking of transferring me to Boston, I wanted to get some candid ops about Boston. I lived all over the world, many places in the US, London, Brussels - my fav place, Paris, and Rwanda. For some reason...Boston made me pause. Unfair...probably.
Soooo.....what do you personally feel about the city in terms of its diversity relative to other major US cities? I guess you were trying to make known what a large amount of people in the US feel about Boston, but do you agree or disagree when I say that that perception is misleading? I don't understand what your opinion is exactly...
Quote:
Originally Posted by BitofEndearment
They don't need to know about busing per se. The series of events would be: busing crisis - national media attention of "Boston racial tensions over busing" - transforms in to "Boston racial tensions" - twenty years down the road "Boston is a racist city" or "bad city for minorities"
--------
There is no Nas from NY or Dr. Dre from LA or Kanye from Chicago. Esoteric or Reks or Akrobatik or 7L never hit it big like those guys. There aren't as many recognized hometown heroes from Boston's minority communities.
On the first point: This is sad but true . My question is: will this perception ever change? I think most who have spent time in Boston would say that it is not in fact a "bad city for minorities" or an unusually racist city, but will the rest of the country ever think this despite the fact that the media likes to potray the city as a 100% white city?
On the second: Don't give up hope, my friend!!! Akrobatik's new single doesn't sound terrible
I do also know many people that see Moufy as something of a hometown hero, not because he is a gret artist (I'm honestly not a huge fan) but because he strongly reps the 617, which leads me to believe that it isn't that Boston has a weak rap scene, its just doen't recieve as much attention as other major US cities. I also really like Bad Rabbits, though I'm not sure what audience they appeal to, or if they would be associated with the Boston AAs if they ever made it big. However, it could just be that I don't follow music as well as I could, but I don't believe Baltimore or Providence have produced any huge minority artists, yet I think few see those as white cities....
Quote:
Originally Posted by goofy328
Miami is 70% Hispanic, Miami is also 72% White. Non-Hispanic White makes up 12%.
This is my point, though I did exagerate the percent because I was too lazy to look up the actual numbers and am sorry if that offended you in some way, that how is Miami always viewed as such a diverse city if it is 70% Hispanic (/72% white)? Boston may have a large amount of non-hispanic whites, but overall its various ethnicities are much more evenly spread than Miami's are.
Quote:
Originally Posted by green_mariner
I know Boston has alot of diversity. However, in the past, Boston kind of scared me because of the incidents of the 1970s. Now it's a curiosity to me.
Meh, there are two extremes: one is to say that Boston is perfectly diverse and accepting and integrated, the other is to say that Boston is a white segregated and racist city. The truth is that it is both of these things are true at once. There are many parts, like mine, where you have many different groups of people living together in relative harmony, but there are also parts where it really is overwhelmingly white. And though I'm happy that you don't feel scared of my city and now may perhaps eventually decide to visit it, don't just jump from that first extreme to the other and think that Boston is a racial utopia, because its not.
I do think, on the bright side, that Boston is going through a sort of transition period as (I believe it was lrfox) said earlier in this thread. A lot of new immigrant groups and even groups of people from different parts of the US have moved in over the last 20 years that with time will hopefully bring about a lot of positive changes in the culture and perception of MA. I believe its already started to happen, as one of the biggest red sox fans I know is a Chinese woman who, having grown up in Boston, speaks perfect American English, yet at the same time speaks at least three Chinese dialects, and who married a French man. Also one of the biggest Aerosmith fans I know is a Brazilian woman.
to draw attention to this all I really wanted to try to bring attention to with this thread, and the fact that at least one person seems to now think a little differently about the city makes me happy
Okay okay....i'm thinkin my post is too long and wordy......oh well, hahahah
To Eevee - "Troll" "Nobb" "Ignorant"......Wow! If you are truly from Boston what an embarrassment you are to the decent people there that I am sure can have an intelligent conversation without name calling. Your nasty over the top posts are the kind of posts that give Boston a bad name. There is absolutely no way that I would ever believe that you are an educated person. Education teaches us to embrace and explore different view points and not wage overly personal attacks because someone offers up a different theory or opinion.
I am from Philly and someone is always offering an op about Philly. Philly is racist....Philly is dangerous....remember what the city did on Osage Ave...etc. Never do I wage a personal attack because it is THEIR opinion and they are entitled to their op just like I am entitled to my op. Instead I ask - why do you think Philly is racist? Tell me about your experiences? This usually leads into very interesting discussions. I'm not afraid to listen. My very real education taught me that one can learn a lot from simply listening.
So Hon, take a chill pill, relax awhile, take a step back and log off. Your rants are embarrassing to Boston.
Yawn, if you think my posts have been nasty, then you'll need a bit of a thicker skin, hon. FYI- "noob" isn't an insult, it's short for "newbie", which is what you are. I'm not going to lose any sleep over what you think of my intelligence or education level (I've stated more than once on this forum where I went to school and that speaks for itself). Again, you're taking this thread ultra personal for someone not from Boston and who as of yet hasn't stated any interest in living or even visiting the city.
Like I said, do the research if you really want to learn more about Boston instead of relying on Gawker. You'll find that the city does indeed allow people who aren't white into the city, contrary to your initial post. If my blunt resposne to your less-than-accurate portrayal of my hometown offends you, well, then, tough. Maybe it's you who needs to vacate this thread.
I know Boston is no Atlanta. I'm not looking for soul food though. I don't like rap music. However, I do like jazz and R&B. I'm also Catholic. I was never into the HBCU scene or college fraternities of any kind. I'm into alot of things that are international. For that reason, I've wondered how I would do in Boston.
I would think there would be alot of African-American culture because of Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury. New Edition is from Boston.
I know Boston has alot of diversity. However, in the past, Boston kind of scared me because of the incidents of the 1970s. Now it's a curiosity to me.
I think the black immigrant population is represented better than the African-American population. Then again, this could just be my biased perception. Of course, Boston has played a role in the Civil Rights movement and has a strong AA identity. For example, the Dudley Sq. branch of the Boston Public library system is home to many books on the Civil Rights movement and African American leaders and figures.
Not sure if the store is still there, but across the street from the library was a store, Nubian Notions, that sold many African goods, books by AA authors, Kwanzaa supplies, and so on. A bit further away is Fort Hill, an area popular with middle class/upper middle class blacks, especially artists (I remember years ago doing an art crawl through the area).
The area used to be pretty sketchy, home to lots of boarded up buildings, though the city is working on revitalizing the area and it seems to be A LOT better.
I used to live a block away from this place. If you ever visit Boston, it's worth checking out:
I will say that Boston proudly recognizes its historical African American figures. I think there's some sort of black history tour (possibly self guided) that takes you to various sites like Crispus Attucks' grave, the African Meeting House, and so on.
Boston is an important part of African American history and it's a shame that many African Americans feel apprehensive about visiting and living in the city.
Thank you Eevee now THIS is the kind of information I am looking for about Boston. I actually love New England, it's charming and beautiful for the most part. A few years my job transferred me to Vermont and I was sorry to leave. The last time I was in Mass was in February, I was attending a meeting at Harvard and stayed at The Charles Hotel. It started snowing and I was reminded of the movie Love Story. My job is talking of transferring me to Boston, I wanted to get some candid ops about Boston. I lived all over the world, many places in the US, London, Brussels - my fav place, Paris, and Rwanda. For some reason...Boston made me pause. Unfair...probably.
Just curious if you found Vermont to be "too white" or "not welcoming of blacks"? Because my impression of Vermont is that it is a very white state.
On a side note Vermont isn't a bad place. I'd argue the only real thing against it is the huge parks that exist that cause you to drive further north. Burlington is really nice, I have nothing bad to say about it although it would probably get more visitors if it was located further south.
Also I'd kinda argue on what level is diversity being argued upon? Race? Religion? Sexual preference? Political affiliation? In the 1960's it might have been considered a big thing for a Catholic and Protestant to marry now we are well beyond that. Is it diversity of industry and commerce? That can be hard to argue because every local government is zoned to a given point. For businesses is it about what is sold, who owns it both or something else?
Specifically how much does it take to make something diverse or the reverse? How should someone show diversity if they are bi or tri racial and have multiple religious influences? How much participation is to be required? Like I mentioned earlier it is hard to assume or try to guess the backgrounds of people these days. A friend of mine might appear to be some pasty white guy but he knows seven or eight or so languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Arabic, Manderine, French and trying for Italian last I talked to him).
In a sense it could be argued that technologies take this to be a bit at a loss. If someone is listening to music on a mp3 player, reading a book on a ereader or a movie on a tablet there's no physical product (cd case, book, dvd cover) so you have no clue what they are enjoying and thus this is harder to prove/disprove diversity.
Just curious if you found Vermont to be "too white" or "not welcoming of blacks"? Because my impression of Vermont is that it is a very white state.
I had a great time in Vermont, the people were kind, gracious and treated me no different from anyone else. While you will not find a lot of diversity in Vermont, you will find some of the nicest people there. Beautiful state, beautiful people.
Boston does not enjoy a reputation for welcoming any race other than the "white" race, this is a sad but true fact. Google the most racist city and Boston comes up. Last year (2012) Bostonians spewed such unbelievable hate words towards a black Capitals player that the "most racist city - Boston" became forever cemented. What I find so interesting is that Mass has a two term black governor!
Most of the people that tweeted things were not from New England. Second, in Canada, they threw a banana at a black player during a game, so are those Canadians overly racists too?
A friend of mine told me about this discussion and I just had to chime in. Let me tell you a little story about the racism of Boston.
One day last year my husband came home and told me that his company was transferring him to Boston, MA. I was excited and a little bit weary, I have to admit. Hearing so many horrible stories about racism, etc. I figured everyone has an opinion and put all of those stories out of my head. Even as my neighbors questioned a move to Boston I put on a happy face and prepared for the move. My husband's company offered to put us in a corporate apartment but I wanted my sons to have more space. So we started looking for homes to rent in Boston. Since the relocation was only temporary, about a year or two, we decided not to buy. We looked at several homes in and around Boston.
We finally found a home we liked in a neighborhood that I thought would be good for my sons. When we first went to see the house the owners were nice, we chatted about the neighborhood, etc. During a conversation the wife made a comment about "keeping the neighborhood in the family". I found this to be an interesting comment that caused a slight flutter in my stomach. I decided that I was probably being overly sensitive and stopped my wayward thoughts. Later at dinner I told my husband about the comment, he was not in the room when the wife and I talked, he too thought it a strange comment. We decided that we would take our two children with us when we signed the lease.
Three days later we met with the owners, with our children, to sign the lease. When we walked into the house the bright smile on the husband's face slid like a mudslide and the dance began. The owner told us he had another couple apply for the house at the last minute and that he had to give them serious consideration. My realtor was as surprised as we were and shared as much. The owner told us he would get back in touch with us. After about a week I called the owner and asked what happened. After some back and forth the owner told me he just could not rent his home to us because his neighbors would not understand. He also said the neighborhood would not be good for my children. While I was glad for his honesty, I was shocked!
You see my husband and I are the white parents of two beautiful little boys we adopted three years ago. Our beautiful little boys are black and a neighborhood in Boston did not want them. Shame on them!
In closing, please do not tell this mother about racism in Boston. I lived it first hand and will never forget it!
Oh and yes, I am new to the website so please keep any prejudicial comments about new users to yourself.
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. My job is talking of transferring me to Boston, I wanted to get some candid ops about Boston. I lived all over the world, many places in the US, London, Brussels - my fav place, Paris, and Rwanda. For some reason...Boston made me pause. Unfair...probably.
. My question is: will this perception ever change? I think most who have spent time in Boston would say that it is not in fact a "bad city for minorities" or an unusually racist city, but will the rest of the country ever think this despite the fact that the media likes to potray the city as a 100% white city?
