Racism in Middletown (Frederick, Cumberland, Ocean City: crime, roughest, wage)

[KelpJuice]

To echo the words of OP,

Originally Posted by steppinthrax

I see no one wants to touch this thread!!!!!!!

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by KelpJuice

I hate to drag this thread out of its grave, but as an ethnic minority and 2016 graduate of Middletown High, I thought I'd weigh in with my experiences.

First off, like many posters have said, Middletown has a middle class, family-friendly atmosphere. Most people are drawn there because it's a relatively nice rural/small town type of area with not much poverty and crime, and decent facilities and schools. I got a satisfactory education that, for the most part, prepared me for college-level academics. A bit lacking in terms of AP classes and academic competitions, but still above average compared to a lot of nearby schools.

However, being in a 90%+ white area, I have had my fair share of racial incidents. I moved from a relatively diverse part of Baltimore where there was a decent representation of all different races, so as you can expect there was a bit of a culture shock. It was much harder to relate to people who've had a drastically different cultural upbringing, and I remember feeling a sense of detachment from my peers (who often were entirely composed of white people, besides myself). It was somewhat difficult for me to make friends because many people frankly didn't seem interested in hearing about other perspectives and backgrounds.

There were also a good amount of rednecks - think camo-sporting, pickup truck driving people - who were pathetically misinformed and stereotypical when it came to cultures outside of their own. I got your typical "ching-chong," "squinty eyes," and "dog eating" comments. Now, this wasn't too big of an issue when I was in classes with good, supportive teachers that handled these issues with tact and consideration. However, and I realize this is partially due to the angsty thoughts that come with adolescence, when you're around people who blatantly disrespect the core values of your identity, you tend to take on a more spiteful, negative mindset. Though I agree that the majority of people there weren’t like this; as some have pointed out, a few bad apples can really make your experience quite unpleasant.

Obviously, I've matured emotionally since then, and have learned from these experiences. But, I still wouldn't have gone through that if I didn't have to.

I think Middletown has improved since OP graduated nearly twenty years ago - the area is experiencing growth economically and socially. I feel for his sentiments, having endured similar things, however I encourage him to reconsider his bitter view of M’town, considering it’s still an objectively nice place to live for most people, at least in present-day. My complaints are mainly targeted at a few then-teenagers, as opposed to the place in general.

Conversely, to the people who write off Steppinthrax’s experiences, I do want to point out that your perspective on racism is going to be drastically different from someone who has personally been a victim of it. Much of the bullying that goes on in public schools, racially motivated or otherwise, flies under the radar. This is especially true today, given the advent of social media and consequently cyberbullying. Thus, if you’re not part of the ~10% of Middletown people who have personally experienced being part of a small minority, you are likely not going to be aware of these circumstances, and won’t have to overcome the social adversity I discussed earlier. I do not intend to guilt trip white people, but I do intend to shed light on the experiences they likely have never had to endure.

I have no idea why you felt the need to bump this train wreck of a thread. White people understand that we can't possibly understand what you felt. That goes without saying and none of us don't think it was wrong for you to have to deal with it.. However you are demonstrating similar behavior. Complaining about locals in a small rural town driving pickups with gun racks is like complaining that New Yorkers talk with a New York accent.

[Leona Valley]

Even the poorest truck driving, gun toting, camo-wearing redneck towns are safer than 99% of U.S. ghettos.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

I have no idea why you felt the need to bump this train wreck of a thread. White people understand that we can't possibly understand what you felt. That goes without saying and none of us don't think it was wrong for you to have to deal with it.. However you are demonstrating similar behavior. Complaining about locals in a small rural town driving pickups with gun racks is like complaining that New Yorkers talk with a New York accent.

What's funny is that I haven't seen a truck with a visible gun rack in years. The ones that used to be put inside the back window have all but disappeared and any now sold are made of canvas and loop over the rear of the front seats or attach to the roof.

[KelpJuice]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

I have no idea why you felt the need to bump this train wreck of a thread. White people understand that we can't possibly understand what you felt. That goes without saying and none of us don't think it was wrong for you to have to deal with it.. However you are demonstrating similar behavior. Complaining about locals in a small rural town driving pickups with gun racks is like complaining that New Yorkers talk with a New York accent.

I bumped this thread because I felt that my personal experiences would add value to the discussion, as a minority who lived in Middletown and experienced similar racial incidents as OP, while also being a different race within the minority and having attended school there in a different time frame. My experiences, when compared to the original post, serve to show the differences in perception of different racial minorities, and also how the social attitudes of the community have changed over time. Also, "minorities who attended Middletown High" is a very small portion of the general population viewing this forum, so I thought everyone would benefit from hearing about a perspective that is rarely come across, regardless of the timing. I don't see how this is a "train wreck" if I'm just expressing my observations of the social/political climate and commenting on others' statements.

[KelpJuice]

Originally Posted by Leona Valley

Even the poorest truck driving, gun toting, camo-wearing redneck towns are safer than 99% of U.S. ghettos.

First of all, I never said rural areas weren't safer than ghettos, so I don't see how that relates to my post. Secondly, according to data on this very site, Cumberland (one such "redneck town" here in Maryland) had a higher overall crime index than the infamously gang-ridden, impoverished urban hood of Compton, CA every year since 2010, so watch what you say.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by KelpJuice

First of all, I never said rural areas weren't safer than ghettos, so I don't see how that relates to my post. Secondly, according to data on this very site, Cumberland (one such "redneck town" here in Maryland) had a higher overall crime index than the infamously gang-ridden, impoverished urban hood of Compton, CA every year since 2010, so watch what you say.

Yeah, I'm from Cumberland. I'll give you a personal invitation to come to my town and check it out. You can then go to Compton, and see if the REPORTED crime rate really reflects the reality on the ground for the people who live there, or visit from other communities.

If you spoke like that to your more rural classmates, no wonder you got a bit of grief back. I don't see you taking the high ground on compassion and understanding of experiences outside of your own either. You have repeatedly looked down upon and made negative comments to those you see as rural poor whites in your posts here. You have lots to learn too......maybe do that before throwing stones at communities you don't know or understand.

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by KelpJuice

I bumped this thread because I felt that my personal experiences would add value to the discussion, as a minority who lived in Middletown and experienced similar racial incidents as OP, while also being a different race within the minority and having attended school there in a different time frame. My experiences, when compared to the original post, serve to show the differences in perception of different racial minorities, and also how the social attitudes of the community have changed over time. Also, "minorities who attended Middletown High" is a very small portion of the general population viewing this forum, so I thought everyone would benefit from hearing about a perspective that is rarely come across, regardless of the timing. I don't see how this is a "train wreck" if I'm just expressing my observations of the social/political climate and commenting on others' statements.

I didn't mean your post was a trainwreck, I said this thread from years ago a train wreck. I mean the opening poster asked what nationality a poster's kids were. When the reply was provided he chastised the poster for not understanding he meant race not nationality. Just one example of why this thread was a train wreck.

While I sympathize with your situation while acknowledging I could never fully understand what you went through I felt it was kind of unnecessary to point out something we are all well aware of in a 4 year old thread that went off the rails immediately after it was started. However I do agree with the post by westside, you have made unfair blanket assessments of rural white folks driving pickups. Driving a truck does not mean you are racist.

[KelpJuice]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Yeah, I'm from Cumberland. I'll give you a personal invitation to come to my town and check it out. You can then go to Compton, and see if the REPORTED crime rate really reflects the reality on the ground for the people who live there, or visit from other communities.

If you spoke like that to your more rural classmates, no wonder you got a bit of grief back. I don't see you taking the high ground on compassion and understanding of experiences outside of your own either. You have repeatedly looked down upon and made negative comments to those you see as rural poor whites in your posts here. You have lots to learn too......maybe do that before throwing stones at communities you don't know or understand.

I was never one to initiate disrespect and misunderstanding. There were a handful of people who I did get along with and learned interesting things from. If there is something I'm missing, perhaps you, who presumably understands the mindset of people living "rural poor white communities," can explain why I was met with indifference at the least and ridicule at the worst upon encountering this demographic?

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by KelpJuice

I was never one to initiate disrespect and misunderstanding. There were a handful of people who I did get along with and learned interesting things from. If there is something I'm missing, perhaps you, who presumably understands the mindset of people living "rural poor white communities," can explain why I was met with indifference at the least and ridicule at the worst upon encountering this demographic?

Yes, here is what you are missing.........don't diss my town when you didn't live there and have shown no first hand knowledge of it.

If you want to argue with strangers about a wealthy small town in an exurban area of Frederick County, stick to Frederick County. Make sense?