People who look like me... (Birds: neighborhood, high school, to live)

[Northwest Indiana]

The double-standard goes the other way too:

When a black person moves into a white neighborhood...even if they are just as middle class as their white neighbor...the neighborhood "starts to go downhill".

When a white person moves into a black neighborhood...even if they are just as middle class as their black neighbors....the neighborhood "starts to rebound" or "begins to gentrify"...

Solution to the problem?

If EVERYONE just put education and safety as a top priority, then by default, we should have naturally diverse and integrated communities. Too often, people tend to label "diverse communities" as being mostly black or mostly hispanic (non-white), when in reality, they may be just as diverse as a mostly white community.....Unfortunately, many unsafe areas with poor schools are located in areas with a larger percentage of minorities (specifically black and hispanic).

I personally do not care if someone wants to live by people like them...however, if one says that they DONT want to live by a certain group of people, that is when their motives may be questioned

[jamaicabound60565]

I totally agree with you. I'm white, grew up around white people and I'm more comfortable around white people.

My two best friends are black dudes but I would feel uncomfortable living in a neighborhood where its all black and I'm the minority.

Lots of studies have been done and for the most part black people like living with black people mexicans with mexicans and whites with whites.

The exception to this is liberals who think they are cool and openminded living in diverse areas or blacks who would rather live in white areas for less crime, better schools, etc. Don't get me wrong their are plenty of safe middle class black neighborhoods but lets be honest if its white it generally has better schools, less crime, etc.

[ParkerP]

There's nothing wrong with wanting to live amongst your own. It really just boils down to cultural differences and norms. I live in a nice black middle-class area where if I pull up to my home in my Honda CR-V bumping Gucci Mane's Lemonade, I won't get any funny looks or judgement. Whereas in a more "diverse" neighborhood they'd think I was a hoodrat that was about to bring all the thugs to the yard.

[ajolotl]

Yeah, when white people see that kind of stuff they figure that a shooting can't be too far away.

[mas23]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

White people are frustrated by the perceived double-standard in what qualifies as racist and what constitutes acceptable public discourse on racial matters. Rather than saying "I don't blame you for wanting to live with blacks, but I'm irritated that I can't say the same about whites without being accused of racism", they go the opposite direction and pretend like they are offended themselves. I guess it is a pretty immature tactic.

Yeah it is immiture and if they know better why dont they act like it. Or in other words why do people on this site pretend they are mad when in reality they dont give a . Me I think people should live anywhere they want. If a white person wants to live with only white people then hay more power to them. Is it racist? Who knows but if the person is moving just to get away from minorities then I wouldnt want any person like that living by me anyways.

mas23

[AzzureManagement]

The comfort of simularity is condusive to being a human its more nurturing to know someone or assemble with those who share commonlity. I believe you all dug to deep, when the root is all major US cities are segragated and the only intergrated ones where commonly arranged by educational institutions. The cultural balance doesn't lie in demographics hense the Census. The reality of it all is that exposure to other cultures exude a better amerikka.

[levans32]

Lets be frank here.....ppl are more comfortable with what they are familar with. Its the cultural differences that cause so much misunderstanding between whites and blacks. these differences can be misunderstood in many different ways and it leads to fear and sterotypes. Truth be told many hard working black folks would perfer to not live in a 100% black community depending on the social status of the members of the said community. non employed and depressed folks of any color will bring down a neighborhood, but unfortunatly we as black people are afflicted with these sorts of problems in our community( and a few more) and it shows. Other races i think have better support systems and outlets therefore their community stays in tact...that is not he case in many black communites...mainly ones that are made up of poor people. I myself being a young black female, that has attended college and makes a decent living i would prefer to live in a mixed to mostly white area for obvious reasons. I also wouldnt mind living in a nice black neighborhood but the type of money you have to have to live in a blk neighborhood thats equal to a middle class white neighborhood is the type money i dont have. all in all there is nothing wrong with want to be comfortable with your living situation.

by the way I was raised middle class in the south burbs which at the time was a nice mix of blks and whites. I am greatful to my parents that i was rasied around ppl of many different backgrounds...the real world doesnt cater to comforts.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

Yeah, when white people see that kind of stuff they figure that a shooting can't be too far away.

Oh please. Give me a break. Mainstream hip-hop is by and large supported more by the 16-25 year old white male demographic than ANY OTHER.. I'm sure you can find "that kind of stuff" (ie: someone in an SUV bumpin' Gucci Mane) in the NW burbs or Iowa too. And no one figures a shooting can't be too far away.

[ajolotl]

Originally Posted by urza216

Oh please. Give me a break. Mainstream hip-hop is by and large supported more by the 16-25 year old white male demographic than ANY OTHER.. I'm sure you can find "that kind of stuff" (ie: someone in an SUV bumpin' Gucci Mane) in the NW burbs or Iowa too. And no one figures a shooting can't be too far away.

Thanks for the lecture. I think I've been around long enough to know that.

The point is that white people interpret this behavior completely differently when a young black person is doing it vs. a young white person. There is a double standard. that is my point, and I believe the point of the poster who originally brought up this issue. It is obviously not true 100% of the time, but there is a tendency for whites to think that the gangs are taking over the neighborhood when they see some of these symbols in the black community. I've seen it frequently over the past 25-30 years.

[Northwest Indiana]

Originally Posted by urza216

Oh please. Give me a break. Mainstream hip-hop is by and large supported more by the 16-25 year old white male demographic than ANY OTHER.. I'm sure you can find "that kind of stuff" (ie: someone in an SUV bumpin' Gucci Mane) in the NW burbs or Iowa too. And no one figures a shooting can't be too far away.

You are correct! The only problem is that these "16-25 year old white males" are not the ones paying the mortgages...their parents are...and of course if their precious ones listen to the music, there is usually no problem, but God forbid an outsider minority were to drive through in the same car with the same music and then **gasp** move in next door!? The neighborhood will now be considered "going downhill"...it's sad that some people think that way, but what's new?