Why is Boston so famous for its racism?! (Russell: 2013, city hall)

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

You kind of have to look at Boston's history. In 1940, Boston was 96.7% white. Vermont, basically. By 1970, Boston was 81.8% white. Today, it's less than 50% non-Hispanic white. Like anywhere else on the planet, poor people migrating to a city are treated as outsiders. They economically self-segregate in the poorest neighborhoods. Look at the Turkish communities in any German city. Look at the North Africans in any French city.

Racism was prevalent in Boston in 1940. Other cities were becoming even less White than Boston. Buffalo had a higher percentage of Blacks than Boston did by 1970. Yes, Buffalo had its share of racial tensions. Even with its own issues, Buffalo didn't get as bad as Boston did.

Article from NY Times, 1985: SCHOOL INTEGRATION IN BUFFALO IS HAILED AS A MODEL FOR U.S. - NYTimes.com

[jgn2013]

Originally Posted by Bert_from_back_East

FYI, it's not just a Massachusetts thing.

"White" is the status quo in most states across from America -- from Maine to Washington -- because non-Hispanic whites still constitute a majority of the population in most states across America and in the nation at large.

Last I checked, there were only four majority-minority states: California, Hawaii, New Mexico and Texas.

That's not to mention that, for the first 375+ years of America's history, whites constituted between 80-90% of the country's population.

The two groups of people who tend to lose sight of these facts most often are liberal whites with an anti-white agenda, and minorities who grow up in predominately minority areas (e.g., Los Angeles) and haven't traveled the country much.

Living in TX, this is easy to understand. Our cities are extremely diverse, but our small towns are either whiter than snow (north TX and pan-handle area) or almost 100% Latino (near the border). I can drive 45 to 60 minutes in any direction from Dallas and you'd think you were in rural Alabama depending on where you end up.

Minorities that grow up on the coasts don't see how white most of America is. Those of us in the south will experience many instances of being the chocolate drop in a sea of milk.

[jgn2013]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

In defense of "pushing out black Athletes" I think is more a general can't handle the pressure of the Boston scene thing, after all look at Rick Pitino, he cracked in a second.

Also I don't think it's more racist than most cities. Charles Stewart was the last big racists incident in Boston on (of serious consequence) I can't name a city that hasn't had some racial incident since then. NYC, Chicago, St Lois, Baltimore, Cincinnati, LA, etc have all had major events since then.

The perception is that black athletes are never embraced as much as their white equivalent, no matter how hard they try. Bill Russell was slighted in many ways that Larry Bird was not despite Russell's unparalleled levels of success.

There's also an element of hypocrisy when a Bostonian looks down on the Bubba's in Mississippi, but then adopts many of the same exclusionary traits of that culture. This isn't my personal opinion but it's a feeling that many have.

[Blue Sunday]

Originally Posted by Infinite_heights77

I mean, the city of perceived to me a very racist city. Is it overblown or sensationalist?

Like it or not it is the reputation it got from the Busing riots in South Boston back in the mid 70's.Now back then it was deserved ,I was in college just outside of Boston at the time .Is it deserved now,I don't know I haven't been in Boston in Forty years but sometimes "perception becomes reality".

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Blue Sunday

Like it or not it is the reputation it got from the Busing riots in South Boston back in the mid 70's.Now back then it was deserved ,I was in college just outside of Boston at the time .Is it deserved now,I don't know I haven't been in Boston in Forty years but sometimes "perception becomes reality".

I'll be honest. I've never been to Boston. All I know about Boston(outside of what I read about Boston/from a geography perspective) comes what what my father has told me, what I heard Barry Bonds mention in regards to his father(even though I don't like Barry Bonds), and in regards to the busing riots. I was born in 1986. The things I heard of from that era included some racial violence after the 1986 World Series, Charles Stuart, and the thug from Dorchester known as Mark Wahlberg. That what I know. I've never been. All I have is some apprehension considering what I've heard. I've heard nice things about the rest of New England(outside of the Lewiston stuff).

[miu]

I worked a bi-racial wedding a couple of weekends ago. Black guy and white Jewish woman. Beautiful couple. Everything was chill and relaxed. All the guests mingling happily. Then came the speeches, and I was very disappointed to hear one of the groomsmen make the wedding about race and brought up the Loving vs Virginia case.

Between this speech and watching my black co-workers and their attitudes, I just want to point out that racism is alive and well in the hearts of many black people. It's their personal choice to keep the resentment alive and feel that white people still owe them. However, all the other races I encounter are not racist against black people and just want to move on and be on a fresh slate. From my personal observations, many black people in Boston can't let go of the past, and for this reason, racism is still an issue in the areas of MA that I frequent. Blacks are keeping the race issue alive and well.

And I can't speak about what happened recently at Fenway, but sports fans are intense and a strange bunch to me. And there is lots of racism going on globally in the soccer stadiums. I think that part of the problem is that sports fans get overly emotional and act on the basest of instincts. They also get very nationalistic and care way too much about which team wins/loses.

[Blue Sunday]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

I'll be honest. I've never been to Boston. All I know about Boston(outside of what I read about Boston/from a geography perspective) comes what what my father has told me, what I heard Barry Bonds mention in regards to his father(even though I don't like Barry Bonds), and in regards to the busing riots. I was born in 1986. The things I heard of from that era included some racial violence after the 1986 World Series, Charles Stuart, and the thug from Dorchester known as Mark Wahlberg. That what I know. I've never been. All I have is some apprehension considering what I've heard. I've heard nice things about the rest of New England(outside of the Lewiston stuff).

Much of what has been posted is true and Boston (like NY) has some very old way suburbs) like Dorchester or South Boston(southie).Boston is all so a COLLEGE TOWN with dozens of schools in Boston and maybe a easy hundred outside of Boston.Like any town NY,DC or Philly they all have their good and their bad.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by miu

I worked a bi-racial wedding a couple of weekends ago. Black guy and white Jewish woman. Beautiful couple. Everything was chill and relaxed. All the guests mingling happily. Then came the speeches, and I was very disappointed to hear one of the groomsmen make the wedding about race and brought up the Loving vs Virginia case.

Between this speech and watching my black co-workers and their attitudes, I just want to point out that racism is alive and well in the hearts of many black people. It's their personal choice to keep the resentment alive and feel that white people still owe them. However, all the other races I encounter are not racist against black people and just want to move on and be on a fresh slate. From my personal observations, many black people in Boston can't let go of the past, and for this reason, racism is still an issue in the areas of MA that I frequent. Blacks are keeping the race issue alive and well.

And I can't speak about what happened recently at Fenway, but sports fans are intense and a strange bunch to me. And there is lots of racism going on globally in the soccer stadiums. I think that part of the problem is that sports fans get overly emotional and act on the basest of instincts. They also get very nationalistic and care way too much about which team wins/loses.

I have one question; Are you serious??!!! "Blacks are keeping the race issue alive and well." Please, help me understand this?

[Blue Sunday]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

I have one question; Are you serious??!!! "Blacks are keeping the race issue alive and well." Please, help me understand this?

Some are,just as some whites are. Some of the rap and hip hop music today promote it and many people believe maybe more could be done had the group Black Lives Matter ....used the words "All Lives Matter".Whites should take much of the blame also,trump did canpaign on hate a race so it's not hard to understand.

[Infinite_heights77]

Some of the rap and hip hop music today promote it and many people believe maybe more could be done had the group Black Lives Matter ....used the words "All Lives Matter".Whites should take much of the blame also,trump did canpaign on hate a race so it's not hard to understand.

Honestly, I think, you need to stay clear of such volatile and ultra-sensitive topic such as race, Black Lives Matter or whatever. You're going down Alice's proverbial rabbitt hole in discussing this.

Originally Posted by Blue Sunday

Some are,just as some whites are. Some of the rap and hip hop music today promote it and many people believe maybe more could be done had the group Black Lives Matter ....used the words "All Lives Matter".Whites should take much of the blame also,trump did canpaign on hate a race so it's not hard to understand.