16 Mile? (Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren: housing, rent, travel)

[khfar]

Originally Posted by TheProf

Geez, RedWingsFan, I really hope you're engaging in some tongue 'n cheek, because if not, you are incredibly ignorant... and sad. It’s people like you why Bush, and the regressive mentality he represents, is in power.

Now see...I'm a card carrying Republican, but I do NOT take kindly to racism.

[reconmark]

Well now jeffncandace, cato the elder, khfar and others; you have been officially baptised into the hate of se mi.
I told you it would make your skin crawl, and trust me these people actually exist.
Read this one post of mine if you want an alternate point of view. Race relations in Michigan . Feel free to review all my posts and you will truely see and learn things about this area that you would not believe.
What boggles my mind is that certain people out of one side of their mouth will say that no one is holding blacks back or descriminating and out the other side of their mouths they talk about how those people would not be welcome to live near them.
If they have this attitude when it concearns where you can live imagine the impact when these sorts of people are in positions of hiring managers, college acceptance counselors, reporters, police, etc. and they will tell you with a straight face that they have never adversely affected your life.

[RedWingsFan]

Originally Posted by Cato the Elder

You must view it like the NBA - not enough white. Don't ever move to Toronto b/c it must really be going to shi^ according to your worldview.

Of course there's not enough white people in the NBA. But that's a whole other subject. And I have no plans to move to Toronto, there's no reason to do so.

Originally Posted by khfar

OMG. OMG. That's all I can say here. O.M.G.

Yeah, because you didn't know that people actually think like that? Come on, you had to know.

Originally Posted by khfar

Now see...I'm a card carrying Republican, but I do NOT take kindly to racism.

I'm a card carrying Republican as well but it doesn't bother me if people like to stick with their own kind (wether it be white, black or brown).

For every one of you on here that doesn't agree with me there's MANY more that think like me in the SE MI area. They just don't know about this site.

I'm sure the next time you are on this forum and see someone ask where the black, Asian or Hispanic people tend to live in a particular city you will tell them how racist they are and how sick it makes you feel, right? I see those questions posted all over this site. People don't seem to mind that, it's only if whites want to live around whites. Crazy!

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by reconmark

What boggles my mind is that certain people out of one side of their mouth will say that no one is holding blacks back or descriminating and out the other side of their mouths they talk about how those people would not be welcome to live near them.
If they have this attitude when it concearns where you can live imagine the impact when these sorts of people are in positions of hiring managers, college acceptance counselors, reporters, police, etc. and they will tell you with a straight face that they have never adversely affected your life.

Well RedWings, you have made it perfectly clear that you are a racist, and you think it's the majority opinion of whites (although you think they wont admit it), yet you seem to think that affirmative action is not necessary. Makes no sense.

It's clear to the deaf and blind that whites hold the best cards in this poker game called America. I say that as a white person. On a slightly different note but to make a point, my wife and I love to drive around neighborhoods like B'ham (you know, that ghetto south of 16 Mile), and Bloomfield Hills. But we KNOW that we wouldn't dare do that if we were black, because in this area, people with your mentality do indeed seem to be the majority, and we would probably have the cops called on us and pulled over in a heartbeat, asking what we are doing driving through these neighborhoods. (And yes, I know you would say "darn skippy you would", grinning from ear to ear.)

I have to say when I read your posts about how "it's not gonna change, we all like it this way" that I'm truly embarrassed for you (yes, I know, you aren't for yourself) and for this area. The Detroit Metro is nationally recognized as a dump, and this sort of backwards thinking will keep it that way. I cringe at the thought of someone just cruising the forums, and happening upon your posts. Progressive, forward-thinking, DESIRABLE cities by and large SCOFF at this type of thinking.

For all of our sakes, I hope to God you are wrong, and that the racism on BOTH sides dies out.

[RedWingsFan]

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

Well RedWings, you have made it perfectly clear that you are a racist, and you think it's the majority opinion of whites (although you think they wont admit it), yet you seem to think that affirmative action is not necessary. Makes no sense. .

Affirmative action perpetuates racism. It is one of the things that keeps blacks down instead of putting them on a level playing field. Nobody will ever see them as equal if they are getting a handout to get to the same spot as whitey.

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

On a slightly different note but to make a point, my wife and I love to drive around neighborhoods like B'ham (you know, that ghetto south of 16 Mile), and Bloomfield Hills. But we KNOW that we wouldn't dare do that if we were black, because in this area, people with your mentality do indeed seem to be the majority, and we would probably have the cops called on us and pulled over in a heartbeat, asking what we are doing driving through these neighborhoods. (And yes, I know you would say "darn skippy you would", grinning from ear to ear.).

You have me pegged!

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

I have to say when I read your posts about how "it's not gonna change, we all like it this way" that I'm truly embarrassed for you (yes, I know, you aren't for yourself) and for this area. The Detroit Metro is nationally recognized as a dump, and this sort of backwards thinking will keep it that way. I cringe at the thought of someone just cruising the forums, and happening upon your posts. Progressive, forward-thinking, DESIRABLE cities by and large SCOFF at this type of thinking. .

Wrong. The city of Detroit is nationally recognized as a dump. Not the suburbs. And many many people believe that race is at the heart of why the city is the way it is. Instead of looking for handouts and help those people could be helping themselves first.

So what you are saying is that someone who's cruising the forum looking for a very diverse neighborhood would come across my posts about the Detroit area and choose not to move there? Well in all honesty I just saved them time and money because it's the truth. It's obviously not the type of city they are looking for. And if they move there and think they will change it they will end up disapointed in the race relation situation because they will see it everywhere and not be able to change decades of history.

BUT... if someone is looking for a place where that has white neigbhorhoods that are safe, good schools, etc. where they can raise their kids then they may find my information enlightening and begin considering some of the suburbs of Detroit. Gasp - some people are looking for majority white communities to raise their kids in.

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

For all of our sakes, I hope to God you are wrong, and that the racism on BOTH sides dies out.

Honestly racism will never die. Why? Because there are different races. As long as there are different races then there will be race relation problems. It has existed since biblical times and will continue. Actually it's just as racist to feel as though there shouldn't be a majority of whites in a neighborhood as it is to believe there should not be. In wanting a racially diverse neigbhorhood you are still making decisions based upon race, making it a big factor, which is still inherantly racist. So I would have to say that you are just as racist. Making race an issue at all, whether wanting to live around certain races or not is still racism because you are making race an issue. If race was really NO issue to you then you wouldn't care what the neighborhood looked like where you lived. You wouldn't pay attention to the fact of it being white/black/brown/Asian, etc. It would make absolutely no difference to you. So you wanting diversity is racist.

I'm sure you will throw your hands in the air and declare it not true. But it is true. Food for thought. Anytime you have made race an issue, wether singling someone out or wanting to make sure they are included simply because of their race then you are being racist because you are excluding someone because of their race (like all the white people you would be excluding to make sure your area is so diverse).

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

For every one of you on here that doesn't agree with me there's MANY more that think like me in the SE MI area. They just don't know about this site.

By the way, I commute with an older guy (59) who was born and raised in Detroit, as was his wife. She picked us up yesterday and on the way home I brought up your "stay north of 16 mile" mentality. They both thought it was laughably ludicrous and at the same time emberrassing. They raised their kids in Beverly Hills and a few years ago moved north of 16 mile, then recently chose to move down to Royal Oak. They were quick to point out how much someone who thinks that way is missing, and wanted to know where people like this go for culture? Because the majority of the cultural and sports events in this area (Red Wings, anyone? ) are in Detroit. My co-worker in particular wanted to know why 40,000 people show up to games if they are afraid to be there.

Your opinion is yours, and you are entitled to it. But I would venture to guess that for every racist bigot that lives here, there are rational people, like my co-workers, who cringe when hearing the ignorance being spewed forth. Seriously, they weren't shocked, they know the attitudes by both blacks and whites exist, but as far as the 16 Mile thing goes, they truly WERE shocked. As natives to the city, they stated it was your loss, everyone elses gain.

[RedWingsFan]

Ever notice that the things like going to Red Wings games in the city of Detroit have easy freeway access? It's not by accident. Nobody wants to get caught on the wrong street in that city. You have to have easy access if you want people from the suburbs to go there.

And... if there are 40,000 white people emerging on the city for a hockey game there is some safety in numbers. Duh.

And on the same note, how many blacks drive out to the Piston games in Auburn Hills? Not that many. Those seats are mostly filled with white people.

I could name just as many people that would laugh at what you are saying. Trust me. In the northern suburbs of Detroit there are more people that share my viewpoint than yours. That's a fact. Thank God.

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

Affirmative action perpetuates racism. It is one of the things that keeps blacks down instead of putting them on a level playing field. Nobody will ever see them as equal if they are getting a handout to get to the same spot as whitey.

Unfortunately redwings, the playing field is not level. Racists such as yourself make it so. You live in a fantasy world. Again, I'm embarrassed for you. (Well if your not gonna do it for yourself, SOMEONE should be ). personal insults. Eventually, things here will change, and if I'm wrong and you're right and it does not, well..then...the entire Metro will continue to decline as you move on up to 3,416 Mile to get away from it.

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by RedWingsFan

I could name just as many people that would laugh at what you are saying. Trust me. In the northern suburbs of Detroit there are more people that share my viewpoint than yours. That's a fact. Thank God.

Don't drag God down with you...He's folding His arms, shaking His head...

[Cato the Elder]

Originally Posted by khfar

OMG. OMG. That's all I can say here. O.M.G.

Khfar, I wouldn't worry too much. Certain bigots on here are inordinately vocal, but the vast majority of people I've met in Metro Detroit are nowhere near this bad. It's pretty much what you get in larger states between urban and rural areas; I'm sure you're not unfamiliar with this coming from Texas. Yes, the area has race issues and an ingnominious history of black-white relations, but there's old blood leaving and new blood coming in as we speak, thanks to the tanking of the Big-3. It's time we cut the umbilical cord here...