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I know this is way off topic. But I'm curious as to how you came up with your moniker.
It partially has to do with my government name (starts with an O), and that oatmeal more than often doesn't taste that good, and when it's overcooked, it doesn't digest well. But it's good for you in the long run. I thought it was the perfect metaphor for my outlook on life and how I approach people.
Okay, this may come out sounding a little odd, but i'm still just confuse. I find it odd that everything in the US has to be directed towards pleasing african-americans. And quite a few prominent african-americans make it such a point to be around thier own race, race bait and make big deals over race issues. I mean really, like previous posters have said, you don't see people complaining about the lack of Asian's or Hispanic's in X city, so why do people go so far just to appeal to african-americans?
Maybe it's just cuz I can't relate (im white) but it just confuses me and seems so counter-productive. Can someone please explain.
Are you sure it's mostly blacks? How many Chinatowns, Little Saigons, Little Mexico's, Little Italies, Little etc, etc are there in the US as opposed to Harlems or Baldwin Hills? As a poster said previously, as a white person, you may take the white majority for granted. I mean for the past century whites have been moving OUT of city neighborhoods, at the sign of blacks moving IN. Not to be disrespectful, but a majority of these black meccas, and upper-middle class black neighborhoods, and black owned this and that and the whole black self-segregating mentality, etc, etc, came from, well, uhm, white-Americans. Blacks saw how whites and other races segregated themselves(and still do), and blacks want that same piece of the pie. It's not like discrimination stopped after 1968. The only reason people want to make a big deal over it NOW, is because of the fact it's blacks doing the self-segregation. So now it's more noticeable.
It partially has to do with my government name (starts with an O), and that oatmeal more than often doesn't taste that good, and when it's overcooked, it doesn't digest well. But it's good for you in the long run. I thought it was the perfect metaphor for my outlook on life and how I approach people.
Interesting philosophy. Makes quite a good bit of sense too. And all this time I just thought it was something random lol.
Are you sure it's mostly blacks? How many Chinatowns, Little Saigons, Little Mexico's, Little Italies, Little etc, etc are there in the US as opposed to Harlems or Baldwin Hills? As a poster said previously, as a white person, you may take the white majority for granted. I mean for the past century whites have been moving OUT of city neighborhoods, at the sign of blacks moving IN. Not to be disrespectful, but a majority of these black meccas, and upper-middle class black neighborhoods, and black owned this and that and the whole black self-segregating mentality, etc, etc, came from, well, uhm, white-Americans. Blacks saw how whites and other races segregated themselves(and still do), and blacks want that same piece of the pie. It's not like discrimination stopped after 1968. The only reason people want to make a big deal over it NOW, is because of the fact it's blacks doing the self-segregation. So now it's more noticeable.
Back to the OP....
I think the author of this story is being really selective in "proving" his point. The cities he chose are not the only ones being held up as role model cities. They are just the ones that fall neatly into his theory.
Let me give you an example: Raleigh, NC. Raleigh constantly finds itself at or near the top of list after list after list of "best of...." or "highest.....", etc. It's typically named among some or all of the cities mentioned in the article along with some other less white MSA's. But, then again, I suppose that naming these other cities doesn't prove a point.
Raleigh, at 29% African American, anchors a county (Wake) that is 20% African American.
America's Smartest Cities—From First to Worst - The Daily Beast (http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-04/americas-smartest-cities---from-first-to-worst/?cid=bs:archive9# - broken link)
City of Raleigh | Raleigh Recognition: Recent "Best Of" Awards (http://www.raleigh-nc.org/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_306_202_0_43/http%3B/pt03/DIG_Web_Content/category/Resident/Raleigh_At_A_Glance/About_Raleigh/Cat-2CA-2007423-142554-Raleigh_Recognition__Rec.html - broken link) Raleigh North Carolina Tops Us Metros With Best Quality Of Life - Business News - Portfolio.com The Coming Job Boom: The Hottest Cities for the Next Decade | BNET The Ten Best Cities for African Americans
Races, ethnicities, etc. are not evenly distributed across this country. Nobody is completely average across all data points. Averages are just that...average. To get to an average, you have to have numbers that are higher and numbers that are lower. It's just common sense. There are model cities and cities that are held up as excellent examples in a variety of demographic mixtures. The white race % isn't an automatic indicator of success.
Very good and insightful post. Until you. Brought that up I hadn't really paid attention to averages like that. Good job pointing that out.
Well I recently just commented on a thread that ask if Portland was diverse etc... Here is my quote:
Portland is a really great city.
You stated that your concern about diversity, well I would say Portland is diverse. Too often diversity has beeen mistaken for consisting of just black and white though in todays world that is far off from being diverse. Portland is diverse in with ethnics, and although american culture dominates the city you can find different cultures throughout.
Are you sure it's mostly blacks? How many Chinatowns, Little Saigons, Little Mexico's, Little Italies, Little etc, etc are there in the US as opposed to Harlems or Baldwin Hills? As a poster said previously, as a white person, you may take the white majority for granted. I mean for the past century whites have been moving OUT of city neighborhoods, at the sign of blacks moving IN. Not to be disrespectful, but a majority of these black meccas, and upper-middle class black neighborhoods, and black owned this and that and the whole black self-segregating mentality, etc, etc, came from, well, uhm, white-Americans. Blacks saw how whites and other races segregated themselves(and still do), and blacks want that same piece of the pie. It's not like discrimination stopped after 1968. The only reason people want to make a big deal over it NOW, is because of the fact it's blacks doing the self-segregation. So now it's more noticeable.
I agree with this statement, and this country is definitely not geared towards pleasing blacks. It just so happens that blacks are one group speaking out.
You do know that Texas has the 2nd or 3rd largest Black population in the nation, right? You do know that Texas received the most Blacks outside of Georgia this past decade, right?
Not sure I get your point. Lots of blacks living in a state is not evidence that the state is not "hostile" to them. The blackest states (MS, AL, GA, SC) had the most troubled racial pasts, pre-1970s.
One of my favorite rappers (black) lives in Austin, and two other rappers I really like (both black) live in Minneapolis, so I dont imagine they're all that bad.
Are the Minneapolis rapers by chance signed to to Rhymesayers? I love that label! A lot the Rhymesayer rapers stop in Austin during their tour quite frequently. Although their not black, Stubb's in Austin is supposedly Atmosphere's favorite place to play.
Quote:
Originally Posted by polo89
Haha, I used to hear that same complaint. I even said that a few times myself. I knew alot of blacks who wanted to move to Houston. Houston always seemed like the destination for most blacks who wanted to move out of Austin. But alot of blakcs also love it there. So I agree, it really isn't "anti-black".
Yeah it seems most of the blacks who leave Austin usually go to Houston for that reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by killakoolaide
I thought it was well known that the PNW and Texas(Juneteenth anybody?) were hostile towards blacks moreso than most of the country.
Maybe I've got this wrong, but isn't Juneteenth a holiday dedicated to the abolishment of slaver in Texas? Am missing something, or wouldn't that evidence that Texas is NOT racist?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Overcooked_Oatmeal
I've been accused of the same thing in my life, but that's usually from noobs who don't realize that I hate pretty much everyone.
Well Oatmeal, at least you don't discriminate and include everyone in your hating.
Anyway, in a general response to the thread, after some thought, I kind of think this article is just a bunch of conservative BS. Why does it focus so-called progressive cities and leave out (fairly) conservative city cities with low black populations like Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Omaha, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, etc.? Couldn't you make the same argument that CONSERVATIVE cities are anti-black using the mentioned cities and similar rhetoric?
Last edited by wpmeads; 06-01-2010 at 11:00 PM..
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