Is Boston racist?!?!?!? (Cambridge, Washington: real estate, high school, university)

[BlackMoses]

Originally Posted by ChunkyMonkey

However, unlike those other cities, Boston does not have as large a black population, hence an unfair comparison. Quite a large part of Boston's black population are immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean, a nonvoting segment.

That's a stereotype. Boston is 1/4 black, like most major cities in the US, and Boston is almost half "non-white", and in a few years (if people don't leave Boston the way they're doing now) it'll be more than half.

It is true however that Boston's black population is diverse, but more than half are able to vote.

[jyoung666]

Originally Posted by BlackMoses

Being that I lived in ALL kinds of neighborhoods in Boston.. i'll say my two cents.

Is Boston racist in the "KKK" way? No. But is Boston racist in the way the city is planned way? YES!!

The racism is more or less due to the way the city is planned. If you're white and you live in a white neighborhood, OF COURSE YOU WONT EVER SEE RACISM OR ACKNOWLEDGE IT! But if you're Black/Latino and live in a Black/Latino neighborhood, you'll see how things like job opportunities, entrepenurialism, and how much your neighborhood is runned down and how EASILY expendible you and your neighborhood are when investors want to "gentrify" it are so blatantely evident.

People want to believe that the East Coast/NorthEast is some "haven" from racism because of its liberal stereotype, but that is NOT the case at all since there's a city called Boston that SWEEPS its issues under a rug. If you're black/latino and live in a black/latino neighborhood, you'll feel how the city subliminally shows that they do not care about your neighborhood.

Boston is definitely the most racially-organized city in the Country... this coming from someone who has moved all around the US... it's like as if you feel the inequality, but if you bring it up, you feel like it was all an illusion, simliar to the crime rate and yet people STILL have the mentality that "it doesn't happen" and/or "it's not as bad as ______ (insert another city)"... Boston is known for turning the other cheek.

But yes, Boston is NOT "KKK" racist, but rather Racist in the way where this isn't a city for minorities due to lack of opporunities in ALL aspects.

That isnt true and i have no idea where you get that from people arnt segragated to different areas, that just bull! No matter what race you are life is what you make of it, people end up in those ends of the city because they choose to be there and thats all, you make it sound like the city decides that certain race must live in certain areas, and thats not the case!

[BlackMoses]

Originally Posted by jyoung666

That isnt true and i have no idea where you get that from people arnt segragated to different areas, that just bull! No matter what race you are life is what you make of it, people end up in those ends of the city because they choose to be there and thats all, you make it sound like the city decides that certain race must live in certain areas, and thats not the case!

I agree... but you should look up terms like "glass ceiling" and it's similiar to what i'm speaking of... I believe "Life is what you make it" as well, but we're not here to philosophize, rather i'm speaking as a voice representing the community, and truthfully, Boston HAS dealt with situations like this and continue to do so, whether you want to believe it or not. I believe you can look it up, or if not, ask a local politician from a poor district in the city.

I hate to sound like a pessimist, but it's true, but there are beautiful things about Boston and all people can see, and some people can't see.

[nooneknowsmyname]

Originally Posted by ChunkyMonkey
However, unlike those other cities, Boston does not have as large a black population, hence an unfair comparison. Quite a large part of Boston's black population are immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean, a nonvoting segment.

Originally Posted by BlackMoses

That's a stereotype. Boston is 1/4 black, like most major cities in the US, and Boston is almost half "non-white", and in a few years (if people don't leave Boston the way they're doing now) it'll be more than half.

It is true however that Boston's black population is diverse, but more than half are able to vote.

Black Moses is absolutely correct. People believe that Boston does not have a large population of Blacks, but that is simply untrue. When I first moved to Boston in the late 60s, the population of Blacks was 16%, but that number has steadily increased and now according to the 2000 census, the Black population is 25.3 %. And although 60%, 43.2%, 36.8% respectively, DC, Philadelphia, and Chicago have greater percentages of Blacks, at 26.6% New York City's Black population is not that much larger than Boston's (consult <http://www.city-data.com> for source) . One of the most significant differences between Boston and NYC and the other cities was that Boston was slow in being able to elect Blacks to the City Council and School Committees. I lived in Boston when some of the first Blacks were elected to both bodies. Some of these people were Tom Atkins, a Black man who was elected to the City Council in the late 1960s John D. O'Bryant who was the first Black person elected to the Boston School Committe in 1977 and again in 1979. When it came to getting Black Bostonian into elected at all levels, Boston was much slower than other major cities. For a detailed analysis of Blacks in politics consult the following <http://bostonreview.net/BR06.5/hill.html> Having lived in Boston during this time, I am not talking off of the top of my head, but speaking for experience.

[Thruway]

Originally Posted by whinton

Boston is not racist, but can be uptight about education. Massachusetts just elected an African-American governor, only the 2nd in the history of the United States.

You can't use the 'electing a governor' as proof of non racism, because the 1st state to do so was VA, a very southern good ole racists state.
That proves nothing.

I went to college in Boston, I don't know if it's racists still!
I do know that unlike DC and most east coast cities, there are VERY few Blacks by comparison, VERY FEW.

The African American population of Boston is in my view way below other cities, and in fact much less than Asian or Hispanic there.

This in turn might cause people to think Boston is racists or since it is more white, it just has a higher amount of white people's opinion without the black views to mix it out.

That said you have to wonder why Boston has such a light black population and many people from MA, NH I run across, again places were the black population is lagging, they say awful things which I consider racists but they don't consider it.
I think it comes from lack of exposure, so I again I don't know.

[howsitgoingdude3]

Originally Posted by tberg224

You can't use the 'electing a governor' as proof of non racism, because the 1st state to do so was VA, a very southern good ole racists state.
That proves nothing.

I went to college in Boston, I don't know if it's racists still!
I do know that unlike DC and most east coast cities, there are VERY few Blacks by comparison, VERY FEW.

The African American population of Boston is in my view way below other cities, and in fact much less than Asian or Hispanic there.

This in turn might cause people to think Boston is racists or since it is more white, it just has a higher amount of white people's opinion without the black views to mix it out.

That said you have to wonder why Boston has such a light black population and many people from MA, NH I run across, again places were the black population is lagging, they say awful things which I consider racists but they don't consider it.
I think it comes from lack of exposure, so I again I don't know.

Actually, that is also not correct the first black governor was elected in like 1800's in Ohio, but post segregation (not sure why they always do that Doug Wilder was elected) so technically in the nations history he is not the first. I might be incorrect, but i'll double check and post a link if i can find it. It might have been first Senator, but i'll check.

[jyoung666]

Originally Posted by BlackMoses

I agree... but you should look up terms like "glass ceiling" and it's similiar to what i'm speaking of... I believe "Life is what you make it" as well, but we're not here to philosophize, rather i'm speaking as a voice representing the community, and truthfully, Boston HAS dealt with situations like this and continue to do so, whether you want to believe it or not. I believe you can look it up, or if not, ask a local politician from a poor district in the city.

I hate to sound like a pessimist, but it's true, but there are beautiful things about Boston and all people can see, and some people can't see.

Well unfortunatly I am not seening eye to eye with you on this subject! And what makes you a voice for the community, those area in which you speak of are diverse areas, including people from all races, and all religions. It is just what we call "the poor section" of the city. Not having to do anything with racism but with income.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Originally Posted by nooneknowsmyname

People believe that Boston does not have a large population of Blacks, but that is simply untrue. When I first moved to Boston in the late 60s, the population of Blacks was 16%, but that number has steadily increased and now according to the 2000 census, the Black population is 25.3 %. And although 60%, 43.2%, 36.8% respectively, DC, Philadelphia, and Chicago have greater percentages of Blacks, at 26.6% New York City's Black population is not that much larger than Boston's (consult <http://www.city-data.com> for source).

I'm not arguing that the black population is not large. However, you have to admit it is smaller relative to other big cities. Your own numbers show that. Your NYC number is relatively small (It was 28% according to the census). However, I wonder what was the black population in the late 80s when Mayor Dinkins became the first black mayor of NYC. A huge chunk of Boston's blacks are from overseas, Africa and the Caribbean primarily, so voting strength as a bloc is weaker than most cities. That said, I think Boston is one of the most diverse cities in the country. If you look at immigrant data, its immigrants are fairly evenly distributed throughout the world recently led by Asians, South Americans and still a draw for Europeans and Canadians. So, a lot of the whites in Boston are probably Europeans. This is a contrast to a city like Washington or Atlanta that have a huge chunk of Black Americans, hence not as diverse and more segregated.

[smarty]

I say it before and I'll say it again.

Originally Posted by smarty

I agree Boston is not racist. They just discriminate people without $$$$.

It is like the chicken and the egg question. From the race and income data, we know that median income of blacks are lower than Caucasian. So, who are the poor people? "Life is what you make it" is a good one. However, applies only if you can see beyond tomorrow.

The different sections of town has imaginary line that is not easily crossed. Most will stay on their side. How many have lived a week on the other side to see what it is like? May be we should have a reality show like trading spouses!

[jyoung666]

Originally Posted by smarty

I say it before and I'll say it again.



It is like the chicken and the egg question. From the race and income data, we know that median income of blacks are lower than Caucasian. So, who are the poor people? "Life is what you make it" is a good one. However, applies only if you can see beyond tomorrow.

The different sections of town has imaginary line that is not easily crossed. Most will stay on their side. How many have lived a week on the other side to see what it is like? May be we should have a reality show like trading spouses!

HaHA thats actually a good idea. and i agree with you(as I previously stated) life is what you make of it. There are poor sections of boston and rich sections, and both have nothing to do with race, people use the word racism as a scapegoat. A persons laziness and lack of motivation is what sets them back not their race!