Race in NE Columbia - hitting to close to home (Summit: HOA, house)

[mkboy13]

I've been living in NE Columbia now for about a year and a half. I live in a nice neighborhood and I'm lucky to be surrounded by incredible neighbors. All in all, my experiences here have been positive. I have always admired the level of racial integration here. Coming from Chicago - I can tell you that the midwest is a long way away from being this integrated and a lot less progressive.

But an incident involving a neighbor and friend this past weekend has me spinning and reconsidering my decision to relocate to the northeast.

On Saturday night, my friend headed out to the Brookhaven subdivision to pick up his son from a pool party where his son had been dropped off earlier in the day by another neighbor. His directions were a little mixed up, so he wasn't able to find the location immediately.

He learned quickly that he was not welcome in that neighborhood when the first shout of "Cracker get out of our neighborhood" rang out. He was stunned. This wasn't some trashy neighborhood. This was Brookhaven, a nice middle class neighborhood where new construction was still underway. Who knew that beneath the shinny new exterior lay such racial animosity so close to home.

It's been keeping me up an night the last two days. For the first time, I'm wondering about all of the subdivisions along Longreen. I took my mother to Ivy Square to look at a home last year. I'd never think of having her live their now for fear she might make a wrong turn some night. My wife and I are thinking of starting a family - but do I really want to send my child to school so close to such blatant racial hatred?

Everything I thought I knew about race relations in NE Columbia has benn tossed out the window and I'm starting over now. I now have to consider where I go at night, and whether one wrong turn might mean trouble.

Shame on those in Brookhaven for spewing such hatred - you're beautiful neighborhood deserves better that that. NE Columbia deserves better.

I love reading this forum, and it was a large part of the decision to move here. There's a lot to love. But it has a bitter taste tonight, lingering, so I thought I post my thoughts in order to work them out and maybe to reach even one person in Brookhaven who can tell me that last wekeend was an abberation. Somehow though, I don't think it was.

[lagoon7]

I think you're overreacting a bit because of the actions of one idiot.

[mkboy13]

Actually, it was the actions of many idiots at three different locations across the neighborhood. Individuals AND groups. This wasn't isolated, but spread out and involving quite a few people.

[Woodlands]

I would not write off Brookhaven just yet as being a bastion of racial intolerance...if it becomes a trend or occuring with more regularity AND it can be determined those the individuals live in the neighborhood.....then it may be worth bringing up at the HOA meeting in terms trying to ID the parents and having some constructive neighborhood dialogue.. Often times issues like these often arise not from the residents but from the friends or cousins or friends of friends that come and visit the neighborhoods. They have no vested interest in the neighborhood so they can wreck havoc and leave it for the residents to sort out.. Of course if this is the case the parents of the hosts should be located and contacted so that they can be aware and hopefully deal with the situation.

[jlboney]

For my own personal reasons, like the reason that I live in Brookhaven and have for two years, I find this really hard to believe. I have never had any trouble out of anyone in the community.

[Brandon Hoffman]

Originally Posted by jlboney

For my own personal reasons, like the reason that I live in Brookhaven and have for two years, I find this really hard to believe. I have never had any trouble out of anyone in the community.

I agree with JL and Lagoon7. I've sold a couple out there and my clients like the neighborhood. But if you buy in there, buy one of the Mungo homes and not the others (and no I don't work for Mungo).

And OP, if you decide to move, call me. I'll sell your house for you:-)

[Nausikaa]

Originally Posted by mkboy13

I've been living in NE Columbia now for about a year and a half. I live in a nice neighborhood and I'm lucky to be surrounded by incredible neighbors. All in all, my experiences here have been positive. I have always admired the level of racial integration here. Coming from Chicago - I can tell you that the midwest is a long way away from being this integrated and a lot less progressive.

But an incident involving a neighbor and friend this past weekend has me spinning and reconsidering my decision to relocate to the northeast.

On Saturday night, my friend headed out to the Brookhaven subdivision to pick up his son from a pool party where his son had been dropped off earlier in the day by another neighbor. His directions were a little mixed up, so he wasn't able to find the location immediately.

He learned quickly that he was not welcome in that neighborhood when the first shout of "Cracker get out of our neighborhood" rang out. He was stunned. This wasn't some trashy neighborhood. This was Brookhaven, a nice middle class neighborhood where new construction was still underway. Who knew that beneath the shinny new exterior lay such racial animosity so close to home.

It's been keeping me up an night the last two days. For the first time, I'm wondering about all of the subdivisions along Longreen. I took my mother to Ivy Square to look at a home last year. I'd never think of having her live their now for fear she might make a wrong turn some night. My wife and I are thinking of starting a family - but do I really want to send my child to school so close to such blatant racial hatred?

Everything I thought I knew about race relations in NE Columbia has benn tossed out the window and I'm starting over now. I now have to consider where I go at night, and whether one wrong turn might mean trouble.

Shame on those in Brookhaven for spewing such hatred - you're beautiful neighborhood deserves better that that. NE Columbia deserves better.

I love reading this forum, and it was a large part of the decision to move here. There's a lot to love. But it has a bitter taste tonight, lingering, so I thought I post my thoughts in order to work them out and maybe to reach even one person in Brookhaven who can tell me that last wekeend was an abberation. Somehow though, I don't think it was.

Troll alert.

[mkboy13]

No Troll. Just a little nerve-wracked.

I'm going to write it off as one crazy night and think positive. Just needed to vent my concerns. Columbia still rocks. Trust me - when it comes to race relations, Columbia is light year's beyond my old Chicago home. Down here, people deal with it and work through it - back up there - it's tucked neatly away and ignored - but simmers.

Thanks folks for listening.

[waccamatt]

I've never been to Brookhaven, but I've never seen or heard that type of comment and I live in a very diverse neighborhood. It actually comes as quite a shock because I've never experienced that and I used to be a field collector when I first graduated from college. I visited many neighborhoods - both rich and poor and never heard a comment like that.

[jkwing]

I too live in NE Columbia, Summit Subdivision. I have been here for about 3 years. I have noticed a change in NE. There have been more cases of young people, mainly black, some white, hanging out and making those that pass their way uncomfortable. Last year we dealt with graffiti on some walls and trash cans being turned over.
When my wife and I go to the movies at Sandhill, we will only go to a show that gets out before 7 pm, as after that there seems to be a large number of teens, again mostly black hanging out at the shops and on the streets, makes it a bit uncomfortable walking the mall or going to or from your car.