Diversity in Downers Grove? (Elmhurst, Oak Brook: fit in, section 8, house)

[sahmommie]

We're looking for a house in the vicinity of Oak Brook that will run (hopefully) no more than $350k, will have a decent yard, at least 3 bedrooms, and 1.5 baths. Something that we don't really have to fix up preferably.

Anyhow, we were originally looking in Elmhurst, but it seems like everything there in our price range gets snatched up before we can even see it, so now we're looking in Downers Grove as well.

I don't really have a feel for DG though. Are they open to mixed race families?

Elmhurst seemed quite ideal for a suburb and I didn't feel like we'd have too much difficulty fitting in. DG seems a bit more spread out, and I didn't know if there were specific pockets we should be looking for, or if it is a pretty laid back, open minded sort of locale.

I apologize that this post is kind of all over the place. I need to go get some sleep!

[bulldawg1594]

it's not really that diverse, but a little more on the south side than the north.

[chitown85]

There are some Hispanics, but Downers Grove is mainly wasps. I don't think it would be hard to fit in since most of DuPage County is pretty welcoming.

[chet everett]

City-data.com graciously provides much more accurate data than mere speculation:

http://www.city-data.com/city/Downer...-Illinois.html

[sahmommie]

Yes, I've actually read through the demographics. But the numbers don't really say much about attitudes, which is what I'm more concerned with.

I've lived in Memphis, where there is a very large minority presence, but it can be very hostile for different races in different areas... just a lot of tension. I'm wanting desparately to avoid that.

I have no problem being 'different' from our neighbors, so long as our neighbors don't have a problem with us being 'different'... if that makes sense.

[cdc3217]

I went to the local YMCA when I was checking out Downers Grove and its seemed like there was some variety in people - both racial and economic. Just a quick impression. I think the poster who said south is more diverse/open than north is correct.

[chet everett]

Downers Grove has lots of "do unto other" type people, some of them are church oriented, some are not, but it is a big town with lots of attractive neighborhoods and mostly people that enjoy keeping up their property and helping others enjoy living there.

The Y serves many areas and I agree that you will find people of many races there too.

Downers Grove has fewer bars than some other towns and I think that leads to its mostly peaceful reputation, though I also suspect that turns off some of the younger folks who would like to have more entertainment options.

I have never lived in the south, but I will take "peaceful" over any alternative...

[promis1]

Originally Posted by Gioobag

Your attitude is refreshing, because in defense of the "whites" which we are always talking about in the defensive & pejorative sense in these discussions, it is their culture that is attacked, not vice-versa. It sounds like you won't be hostile or xenophobic to the people who live in Downers Grove before you and have a culture there. That's good.

Often what happens is the 'different' people come in, malign and demean a white area, put it down, say it needs diversity, take a superiority stance on relations/diversity, etc. and the entire time the attackers don't realize what they are doing -- which is putting down another ethnic group and their manners/culture (suburban whites)

I am glad that you have no problem being different from your neighbors, that's refreshing, because most of the time people who are different start demanding changes, etc. It's implicitly insulting to the people who have built the place and culture the newcomer is moving into.

When one moves to another's culture, a true good person respects it. Just as one can be an Ugly American in another's culture, many non-Whites can be 'Ugly' especially when they demand changes and implicitly insult their neighbors' values and long-standing culture simply because it's white. Why is Downers Grove implicitly bad because it's white? Why is Chinatown great because it's not diverse?

So true- but not mentioned enough as it should.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Gioobag

Your attitude is refreshing, because in defense of the "whites" which we are always talking about in the defensive & pejorative sense in these discussions, it is their culture that is attacked, not vice-versa. It sounds like you won't be hostile or xenophobic to the people who live in Downers Grove before you and have a culture there. That's good.

Often what happens is the 'different' people come in, malign and demean a white area, put it down, say it needs diversity, take a superiority stance on relations/diversity, etc. and the entire time the attackers don't realize what they are doing -- which is putting down another ethnic group and their manners/culture (suburban whites)

I am glad that you have no problem being different from your neighbors, that's refreshing, because most of the time people who are different start demanding changes, etc. It's implicitly insulting to the people who have built the place and culture the newcomer is moving into.

When one moves to another's culture, a true good person respects it. Just as one can be an Ugly American in another's culture, many non-Whites can be 'Ugly' especially when they demand changes and implicitly insult their neighbors' values and long-standing culture simply because it's white. Why is Downers Grove implicitly bad because it's white? Why is Chinatown great because it's not diverse?

Whites are often considered the bad guys when it comes to sociological issues. This should be no shock to anyone by this point. When they move to an area, they are gentrifying and displacing unfortunate minority groups. When they move from an area, they are fleeing and causing disinvestment. When they pass laws to preserve what they feel is appropriate behavior within their communities, they are profiling.

Pointing this out certainly does not make you some brave and insightful purveyor of the truth, it's just an obvious fact of life now. Personally, I don't pay much attention to it. Just do what you think is right and live where you want to live and all will be fine.

[latikeriii]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Whites are often considered the bad guys when it comes to sociological issues. This should be no shock to anyone by this point. When they move to an area, they are gentrifying and displacing unfortunate minority groups. When they move from an area, they are fleeing and causing disinvestment. When they pass laws to preserve what they feel is appropriate behavior within their communities, they are profiling.

Pointing this out certainly does not make you some brave and insightful purveyor of the truth, it's just an obvious fact of life now. Personally, I don't pay much attention to it. Just do what you think is right and live where you want to live and all will be fine.

Hmmm, I disagree. When more blacks move into the neighborhood than people would like, it means the neighborhood is declining, when an area is predominately black(regardless of income, class), it means its the ghetto. I wonder where the term "There goes the neighborhood" come from..hmm; Code name for black=Section 8. When yuppies move into changing minority areas, it ALWAYS mean that the area will improve and the value will rise and the neighborhood will improve. When I lived in a primarily white neighborhood and got pulled over for simply "looking suspicious", is that a law passed to preserve appropriate behavior even though I was simply going home? I'm not trying to argue with you about the differences in white vs. other neighborhoods but your point is weak. Whites are rarely considered the bad guys, the liberal media makes it appear that way but in reality, Whites aren't definitely considered bad guys. Ask any Asian, Indian, foreigner, etc if they would move to a middle class white suburb or middle class black suburb? Yes, the white suburban schools are generally better than black suburban schools but if the schools were equal and everything else were equal, the white neighborhoods would always be preferred over the black or possibly hispanic neighborhood.