Why is Boston so famous for its racism?! (Harvard: activities, businesses)

[MassNative2891]

Originally Posted by Space_League

What percentage of people do you think are guilty of biogtry in metro Boston? How does it compare to nationally/globally?

Do you think there's anything signficant correlation between membership in certain 'different groups' and proclivity to bigotry? If so, which groups ?

The more recent immigrant groups aren't as bad. Haitians, Dominicans, Vietnamese.

But the long standing Black American (ADOS), Irish (Boston Irish) and Italian communities are bigoted.

I've had Black friends tell me they hate Fenway because it's too White and White friends tell me they can't visit Hyde Park for "reasons". The same Black friends don't enjoy being in Mattapan/HP at times, they prefer Dorchester/Roxbury. I don't think I need to talk about what Irish and Italians have been up to in the area.

Meanwhile in a more direct comparison it's just not the same in San Diego, Denver, Montreal or NYC. People move to Arizona and report similar things. Seems like everyone who leaves that is the one thing they agree on. It's definitely a product of segregation though.

A %? I think it depends on where you grew up and your generation. These young Gen Zers are much much less toxic than everyone else, but this is due to a more mixed race upbringing. Communities like HP, Malden, Everett, Randolph, Stoughton, Quincy, Revere, Roslindale didn't quite exist in the way they do now. We had HYPER segregated neighborhoods for Black folks, towns with tons and tons of mostly Jewish folks like Randolph of old and Sharon. Areas that were just straight up predominately Irish or Italian.

Things are improving.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by MassNative2891

The more recent immigrant groups aren't as bad. Haitians, Dominicans, Vietnamese.

Are you kidding me? Theyre the worst...so many prejudices for every island, then the black Americans, then the Irish. Theyre definitely the number one culprits.

[MassNative2891]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Are you kidding me? Theyre the worst...so many prejudices for every island, then the black Americans, then the Irish. Theyre definitely the number one culprits.

I didn't expect you to put the Irish last LMAO that should shut up WW for a bit.

But I see where you're coming from but most Islanders hold no sway or authority to wield their bigotry. They'll be bigoted at home. Like for example having an accent is an easy way to get verbally assaulted in a lot of places in DRM (and EMass at large). Islanders are definitely bigoted against ADOS but it's much more subdued.

Derogatory terms for Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Haitians and Dominicans are not uncommon. However I don't find that Islanders run around insulting ADOS all the time (I could be wrong). However that being said, we can't do the offensive olympics because at the end of the day it really does seem like a "Boston" problem. People get caught up in their tribes.

Serious question, how are relations in BMore? I imagine it's much different.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by MassNative2891

I didn't expect you to put the Irish last LMAO that should shut up WW for a bit.

But I see where you're coming from but most Islanders hold no sway or authority to wield their bigotry. They'll be bigoted at home. Like for example having an accent is an easy way to get verbally assaulted in a lot of places in DRM (and EMass at large). Islanders are definitely bigoted against ADOS but it's much more subdued.

Derogatory terms for Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Haitians and Dominicans are not uncommon. However I don't find that Islanders run around insulting ADOS all the time (I could be wrong). However that being said, we can't do the offensive olympics because at the end of the day it really does seem like a "Boston" problem. People get caught up in their tribes.

Serious question, how are relations in BMore? I imagine it's much different.

no I meant they have their prejudices against those groups. I would never put black Americans ahead of Irish in that regard.

In Baltimore its not that different. there are more shared cultural spaces but its still very very racialized especially against "the Mexicans" (hint: there not Mexican and "the Africans" White people in Baltimore are less uncomfortable around black people than in Boston because they're used to always being in the minority. There are all-white city neighborhoods though- very few though. But they're noticeable, its not uncommon to experience some level of what I would call prejudice in those areas.

[WestieWhitie]

Wait, so “animals, savages and neanderthals” are dead-last on his list? I’m afraid to even imagine what he calls the others then…

Originally Posted by MassNative2891

I didn't expect you to put the Irish last LMAO that should shut up WW for a bit.

But I see where you're coming from but most Islanders hold no sway or authority to wield their bigotry. They'll be bigoted at home. Like for example having an accent is an easy way to get verbally assaulted in a lot of places in DRM (and EMass at large). Islanders are definitely bigoted against ADOS but it's much more subdued.

Derogatory terms for Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Haitians and Dominicans are not uncommon. However I don't find that Islanders run around insulting ADOS all the time (I could be wrong). However that being said, we can't do the offensive olympics because at the end of the day it really does seem like a "Boston" problem. People get caught up in their tribes.

Serious question, how are relations in BMore? I imagine it's much different.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

In Baltimore its not that different. there are more shared cultural spaces but its still very very racialized especially against "the Mexicans" (hint: there not Mexican and "the Africans" White people in Baltimore are less uncomfortable around black people than in Boston because they're used to always being in the minority. There are all-white city neighborhoods though- very few though. But they're noticeable, its not uncommon to experience some level of what I would call prejudice in those areas.

What about the AAs vs. Islanders a la "Homicide"? They made the situation out to be fairly brutal...

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by massnative71

What about the AAs vs. Islanders a la "Homicide"? They made the situation out to be fairly brutal...

That’s not really a thing in Boston. Not so far as I’ve seen the only islanders AAs give a hard time really are Haitians. But that subsided a lot since ~2012. But not AA be Islander gangs/homicides. Idk what you’re referring to.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

That’s not really a thing in Boston. Not so far as I’ve seen the only islanders AAs give a hard time really are Haitians. But that subsided a lot since ~2012. But not AA be Islander gangs/homicides. Idk what you’re referring to.

I was referring to Baltimore. It's dated now, but "Homicide" was a series set in Baltimore (late 90sish). A crime series, mostly about the drug trade related violence going on there at the time. It portrayed a lot of tension between the AAs and Islanders (mostly Jamaicans there?), far worse than I remember Boston being at the time. Highly recommended, btw. And yes, Haitians were targeted in Boston in those days. Hyde Park High was mocked as "Haitian High".

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by massnative71

I was referring to Baltimore. It's dated now, but "Homicide" was a series set in Baltimore (late 90sish). A crime series, mostly about the drug trade related violence going on there at the time. It portrayed a lot of tension between the AAs and Islanders (mostly Jamaicans there?), far worse than I remember Boston being at the time. Highly recommended, btw. And yes, Haitians were targeted in Boston in those days. Hyde Park High was mocked as "Haitian High".

Oh, Homicide:Life on the Street. Heard of it many times, it inspired the Wire. But have not watched it.

Most of the West Indians in Baltimore are Trinidadian or Jamaican. Thye have a presence- but nothing like Boston. Many Nigerians here though (in the suburbs), and a few people from Guyana and Haiti.

Most of the Latinos are from El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico with much smaller numbers from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Colombia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor...s_in_Baltimore

[Space_League]

Earlier in this thread we were talking about how Boston's black community tends to get defined by its hardships and basically by the hoods. Whereas other cities like DC, Atlanta, and NYC are defined by their success stories. I'm interested in the impact of that on perceptions and potentially to change realities in those communities.

I'm not as familiar on NYC and DC, but I have a bit more knowledge on Atlanta from living here. Over here I would say the city is understood to have a robust Black middle class, but at the same time it's not really defined by that. The city's image seems much more defined by the UPPER class and the super rich black success stories.

This brings me to this thought about, which is more important? I could see an argument that those super success stories basically inspire communities, give folks footsteps to follow in and an influx of opportunities. It's kind of a 'trickle-down' mentality which seems outdated and questionable but there is some truth to it. Especially when it's a case of a community that's historically been marginalized so ingroup hypersuccess may directly translate to middle class and upper-middle class jobs and opportunities for people who may have otherwise been overlooked. I would say Atlanta is one of the best arguments for this kind of model.

On the other hand you have places like Chicago, which I believe it is the city responsible for more black billionaires than any other city on Earth. At the same time it doesn't seem to have translated to Chicago as much to the average city resident the way it has in DC or Atlanta.

Regardless of what the stats say (and I have no idea what they do say, so I'm interested if someone has them on hand). The city of Chicago, which produced Jordan, Kanye West, David Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, John Rogers etc. is still primarily defined by Englewood and West Garfield Park.

I tend to lean more towards saying that a healthy middle class is more important than a visible upper class. Sure it's cool to see a black hedge fund manager make 100 million, but isn't it better to have 1000 professionals making 100k? Surely that's going to have a way bigger impact on the overall health and vibrancy of the city.

However I don't know if it's so cut and dry when it comes to images and perceptions of cities. In those cases the mega success stories seem to have way outsized impact. There are towns and small cities in upstate NY with way, way better black HHI, education, homeownership stats than Atlanta on a per capita basis, but they don't inspire people the same way at all.