What's the Diversity Like In Denver??

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by Marston

It's an undisputed fact that many communities along the front range are not diverse. In my many years living in communities that fit this bill, I have never heard anyone say that lack of diversity was the reason for them living there. I personally would feel disgusted and mortified by that reasoning.

Sure, some of the elements I look for in a place to live just happen to appeal to people in my demographic, and there's nothing wrong with that. One would expect that since housing development and the people that occupy these spaces aren't distributed randomly or evenly.

Well then, I made a mistake by saying that we aren't into diversity that much, but so what. There are many things that people aren't into that others like. People generally don't come right out and say "I moved to (somewhere) because of little to no diversity", but when a person chooses to live in an area that that is like that, why are they bad? Are all the people that live there, or choose to live there, bad??

I really have to THANK YOU for not bashing wife and I. Again, thanks.

[Marston]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Well then, I made a mistake by saying that we aren't into diversity that much, but so what. There are many things that people aren't into that others like. People generally don't come right out and say "I moved to (somewhere) because of little to no diversity", but when a person chooses to live in an area that that is like that, why are they bad? Are all the people that live there, or choose to live there, bad??

I really have to THANK YOU for not bashing wife and I. Again, thanks.

Thanks for the response. The way you characterize things makes be believe you've fallen into a classic top-down/bottom-up logical trap, and it's likely why you feel so misunderstood.

I think the bottom line is that when evaluating any given community, one should include factors such as cost, schools, roads, connectivity, walkability, etc etc etc. If you have no problem with people of different backgrounds, then diversity, shouldn't really be part of the equation. That said, if you find a community that checks all the boxes that are important to you, and find that it just happens to not be diverse - then that's a-ok too.

I wouldn't say that folks are holding back the urge to say they're actively avoiding diversity in a non-diverse community, however. In my experience, they are absolutely not. Folks just live where they like to live, and in many cases, that means you'll be around a lot of people that look like you.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by Marston

Thanks for the response. The way you characterize things makes be believe you've fallen into a classic top-down/bottom-up logical trap, and it's likely why you feel so misunderstood.

I think the bottom line is that when evaluating any given community, one should include factors such as cost, schools, roads, connectivity, walkability, etc etc etc. If you have no problem with people of different backgrounds, then diversity, shouldn't really be part of the equation. That said, if you find a community that checks all the boxes that are important to you, and find that it just happens to not be diverse - then that's a-ok too.

I wouldn't say that folks are holding back the urge to say they're actively avoiding diversity in a non-diverse community, however. In my experience, they are absolutely not. Folks just live where they like to live, and in many cases, that means you'll be around a lot of people that look like you.

Loveland people don't necessarily look like us, except during the Larimer Fair and Rodeo time, but then again, we don't wear our Western attire all the time either. Basically only time we do go "Western" is when we go to a Fair/Rodeo or to a Country-Western nightclub (like Sundance Saloon & Restaurant in FC or The Boot Grill in Loveland). We are definitely into boating and Boyd Lake looked great.

One thing for sure, didn't see any of the diversity in Loveland, FC or Cheyenne like we have here. It was rather shocking.

[Marston]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

One thing for sure, didn't see any of the diversity in Loveland, FC or Cheyenne like we have here. It was rather shocking.

I'm sure you won't think twice about it in no-time!

[Thoreau424]

Interesting "loose lips" and Freudean slips on the previous pages. I'm glad others caught those not too subtle statements, and called them out.

[history nerd]

Hey, LoveBoating... I'm going to go ahead and respond even if you aren't reading anymore... I think I was one of the people who set this whole thing off so I feel I owe you that much.

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Then, that means most people in Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, the Dakota's, Nebraska, Kansas and even parts of Colorado are "racists", right? Since Loveland, and cities around it aren't diverse, would you call them folks "racists"? Since one, apparently black lady, stated that Denver isn't that diverse, would you call many people in Denver "racists"? Should I go on???

So I'm a Colorado native, grew up in a pretty non-diverse area in southeast Aurora... And I chose to live in Wyoming and South Dakota for many years before moving back to start a family. I don't think I was a racist just for living in those areas, but intent matters. When living in Wyoming and South Dakota I met some people who were bigots, who moved to South Dakota specifically because of it's lack of diversity. I on the other hand lived there for other reasons. I lived there because of the low cost of living, access to hunting and fishing, and job/education opportunities. When I moved back to CO I chose a diverse area of Aurora not because I was seeking it out but because it met my needs... Diversity was an afterthought but my experience with people of different backgrounds in Aurora has been really positive anyway.

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

How can we be "racists" if we love black music and movies?

I don't think you are a racist, but just to be clear racism is a complex systematic thing and liking Jazz, for example, does not mean you can't be part of racist systems or engage in racist ways of thinking.

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Just because we don't like diversity, doesn't mean we are "racists"! Hell, I worked as an EMT, years ago, in Compton, Watts, South Central L.A. and Santa Ana. My partner was black and lived in Compton. I got along great with the black dude I worked with in Denver. My wife's previous boss was black. So, with all of that, how could we be "racist", just because we prefer to live in a non-diverse area, like Loveland or around it.

You simply don't make any sense at all. You think everyone should be like you...…..isn't going to happen!

Not living in a diverse area is fine. From everything you said it sounds like you didn't pick out Loveland because you hate black people but rather because it provided you with recreational activities you enjoy. That's fine... But you seem to be conflating these things with lack of diversity in an unexamined way. If Loveland was a little blacker or browner but everything else was the same would you move? If so you might be a bit racist. Nothing you have said makes me think that is the case.

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

We made a mistake. Everyone, including you have made a mistake in their life, right? We plan on correcting that mistake and move back to where we belong. IOW, we didn't research Jacksonville nearly as much as we should have.

Was the problem with Jacksonville racial diversity? Or was it something else? Perhaps racist systems have made Jacksonville an undesirable place for people of all races... as a historian that would be my guess.

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Let's not blow this whole "we just don't like diversity that much" out of proportion. It may be hard for some of you to understand, but NOT everyone in the U.S. likes diversity where they live. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

I agree that seeking out diversity is a bit of a trendy thing to do... And you don't have to. But there is a difference between not seeking it out and actively avoiding it or blaming it for things that aren't it's fault.

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

I pretty much knew what I was doing. Guess nobody on the Denver forum knows anyone who lives in Loveland or any of those areas. I just don't see the problem with not like diversity that much.

Or maybe I know several people from Loveland or even less diverse places like South Dakota and Wyoming where I lived... But those people aren't necessarily the type who actively hate diversity.

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

The question was about Denver, and since I worked for 4 1/2 years in Denver, I thought I give my opinion on how it was during those years. If the diversity has changed since we left, that's fine with me. We never went to Denver for much anyway.

But, for what's it's worth, just how diverse is Denver today. That one lady states that it's not or very little. Not sure I'd believe that.

Are you comparing to Jacksonville or Wyoming? There is a sliding scale here after all.

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Does everyone have to so-called "embrace" and love people of color. We talk to both black and Indian people in our complex. We don't avoid them. I think your idea of "racist" is just to "far fetched". I really don't know what you mean by "embrace" and "love" people of color? No, we don't invite any blacks or people from India here out for dinner or anything like that. We don't party with them, unless it's a community party by the pool or inside our Rec Area.
Don't even think of asking my half brother his feelings of people from India (not good). He will give you a mouthful and then smile at you

So... I don't think you necessarily need to invite black people over in order to be a good person/not a racist or anything but there is more at work here. Rather than focusing on who is or isn't a racist I think we should examine the systems. People like me get rubbed the wrong way when we hear "I don't like diversity and try to avoid it" not because on a moral level it's the same as "I don't hate black people." That is almost immaterial, it isn't my job to decide who is or isn't good or bad. On a functional level it doesn't really matter why you think you should avoid diversity the outcomes are the same. When people perpetuate self-segregation it leads to the types of cultural and economic problems that made Jacksonville so miserable for you.

The ONLY way for things to get better is for white people to stop conflating other races with systematic problems and instead work on solving those problems TOGETHER. The best way to do that is integration.