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I've thought about this a lot through the years. As an individual, I'm naturally inclined to be self-centered and think about my (and my loved ones') safety enough to avoid the "more diverse = more conflict" situation. However, as a member of this society, I want to be a part of the efforts that will improve it. No slight at all for those who don't. That's just me.
But let's be real; even small towns are starting to get more diverse in the U.S. If you don't like diversity, consider moving to Europe if you're white, or Africa if you're black, etc., etc. Don't get too comfy, though, because that scary diversity is starting to pop up everywhere. Big Chinese populations in South America... Indians in Africa... Europeans and Asians... everywhere... it's craziness, I tell ya! My advice is to sell the house and get a trailer, so it's easy to pack up and move to find another homogenous community when things get diverse.
ITA. I live in a non-diversified town and I love it. No crime, excellent schools, no thugs, great neighbors, I feel very safe and comfortable here.
The fact is: some people want to live amongst their own kind. I don't think this should be a problem and nobody should be accused of being racist because of it, either.
It's not racist if they want to live by like-minded individuals, but it is racist if they only want to live by like-minded individuals of their race.
I just want to say that just because a place is diverse does not mean it is bad. I live on a very nice street. There is no crime whatsoever, no loud music, everyone gets along, no problems at all.
And on my street [not neighborhood...just street] there is:
2 Indian Families
1 Korean Family
5 White Families
1 Chinese Family
3 Black Families
1 Muslim Family
And also the school I got to is very diverse too. There are also no problems there either except for some fights now and then but I'm pretty sure that happens at every school. At my school...
38% are White
24% are Black
19% are Asian
20% are Hispanic
So basically my school is racially diverse. It is also religiously diverse too although I don't know the statistics. I know plenty of Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Jewish, etc kids. We also have kids of many different ethnicities. I have had kids in my classes who have been Irish, German, Greek, Polish, Italian, Pakistani, Indian, Chinese, Korean, Jamaican, Zimbabwean, Ecuadorian, Peruvian, Colombian, Puerto Rican, Lebanese, Israeli, etc.
I live in a extremely diverse town and there is barely any crime. No murders.
Can you please be more specific and reveal the name of this utopia you live in? City, school, etc...? And by the way, I am a public school teacher, so I can easily check out the wonders of school district you speak of thru colleagues/friends made all across the country!
But anyway, please enlighten us all on the details of a spot in the country where there are the demographics you speak of, and with none of what seems to plague other areas? I am sure many would want to move there. And want a job as a cop or teacher!
What America needs is a monocultural society where various races living in a place where their experiences, upbringing, goals, concerns, and interests are similar. This is what we had during the 1980s-1990s and look how race relations were then (excluding the dramatic events such as the LA Riots and the OJ Simpson case). With a monocultural society, we can guarantee ourselves a formidable chance to conquer racial prejudice.
The above can be applauded and commended as an idealistic sentiment...but that is all it is. Sad, but true.
Reality almost never turns out to be what social engineering intended. And especially relevant and telling is that those in a postition to righteously mandate it are those who pay no price for being wrong about what they force upon others. It is not a coincidence that those federal judges and legislators who trumpeted "forced busing" back in the 70's also had their own kids in PRIVATE schools. Or that the same northern congressman (hastening to add this is NOT a regional issue today, but an American one with a past in this realm) suddenly put their mouths and agendas in reverse when it became clear the Courts would put de-facto segregation in the same class as de jure segregation (i.e. Jim Crow laws concerning public schools in the South), and order the busing which suddenly now affected them...
But anyway, be that as it may, the "formidable chance" spoken of has had its chance for several decades. Have there been improvements? Sure there have, and that is great. However, force usually, at best, creates its own seperate set of problems.
I guess my main point is that "racial predjudice" is not something that can be "conquered"...and least of all by forcing people to live together and mixing. If they want to, fine...if they don't...then what is wrong with voluntary segregation if that is the way a free people (operative term) truly want it? And is reflected in natural patterns?
It is not politically correct to say it, but anyone alive and sentient really knows that racial groups tend to naturally gravitate toward one another. One mild example is that anyone who has taught in a racially mixed school -- as I do -- knows this.
And what IS so wrong with it?
The flawed premise originating from the idealism of the liberal era is that by forcing people together they will eventually start to love one another and all become a glorious melting pot of humanity. Equally, and relatedly flawed, is that by segregating along racial lines, that it by default involves "racism" or "predjudice" as defined as hating another group and/or thinking them "inferior"
On the contrary, a bias is much more often just reflective of an indiduals' natural preferences and experiences and values, regardless of their race/ethnic group as concerns another.
I guess if there is a bottom line, it is to say that, as someone smart once said: No social theory, regardless of public policy, can convince someone of what their own personal experience tells them is simply not true..
The town is North Brunswick, NJ in Central Jersey. We have the most diverse school district in the entire state according to an article I read. It said we are 73.6% diverse. Here is the article:
And according to an article that someone here mentioned, we are the most diverse community in the entire state.
And an elementary school in my town was named the most ethnically diverse in the entire country.
Last edited by dancer1212; 07-09-2008 at 03:54 PM..
The town is North Brunswick, NJ in Central Jersey. We have the most diverse school district in the entire state according to an article I read. It said we are 73.6% diverse. Here is the article:
And according to an article that someone here mentioned, we are the most diverse community in the entire state.
And an elementary school in my town was named the most ethnically diverse in the entire country.
At least you are honest about where you live! Kudo's to you, and I mean that sincerely!
The other side is that the crime rate (which is all I have had time to look up) is not exactly what you originally presented. In fact, not good at all compared to national average. It doesn't make your case in the least.
You have the wrong town. The town is NORTH Brunswick, NJ not NEW Brunswick, NJ. NEW Brunswick borders us and the crime rate is pretty bad there. We are confused with them a lot unfortunately.
There have been people on this website who say the school district is nothing special but I have gone to it since Kindergarten and I think it is a very good school district. I really don't see what is wrong with it. I just go to school every day and there never seems to be any problems.
Last edited by dancer1212; 07-09-2008 at 04:28 PM..
You have the wrong town. The town is NORTH Brunswick, NJ not NEW Brunswick, NJ. NEW Brunswick borders us and the crime rate is pretty bad there. We are confused with them a lot unfortunately.
I do indeed stand corrected on this particular aspect. Thank you and I apologize!
However, the demographics still don't square with what you posted earlier as to school population:
Races in North Brunswick Township:
White Non-Hispanic (58.0%)
Black (15.3%)
Hispanic (10.4%)
Asian Indian (8.3%)
Other race (4.7%)
Two or more races (2.9%)
Chinese (2.4%)
Korean (1.2%)
Filipino (1.1%)
Other Asian (1.0%)
American Indian (0.7%)
***************
And that is FINE! No problem. And likely just a matter of no real importance. Still, the evolution of growth and relocation (as new township and suburbs are founded/created) in a given direction still indicates flight to the suburbs and demographics reflect a pattern that is undeniable. And North Brunswick appears to be no different at all.
But anyway, my main point is why is it such a matter of caring in the least that people might naturally segregate themselves...whether by race or chess players?
This silly obcession with that this part of human nature is something that the self-designated "elite" amongst us needs to "solve" as a "problem", is not only a fools' errand, but absolutely ridiculous. Who gives a damn?
Where did you move? When I moved out of the city, I specifically looked somewhere with people who I had much in common with. I was sick of Mexicans killing Blacks, hate crimes, and racial prejudice.. etc. I needed some sanity in my life. Charles on this forum said, "Common culture = common values = safety.
So called diversity = chaos and crime. Not a suitable envrionment for children or teenagers. "
There's a bad mix of both here in Philly. There's that diversity,then there's the cultish,clannish neighborhoods that if you weren't born there and you don't look like the rest of them then you stick out like a sore thumb!
I do indeed stand corrected on this particular aspect. Thank you and I apologize!
However, the demographics still don't square with what you posted earlier as to school population:
Races in North Brunswick Township:
White Non-Hispanic (58.0%)
Black (15.3%)
Hispanic (10.4%)
Asian Indian (8.3%)
Other race (4.7%)
Two or more races (2.9%)
Chinese (2.4%)
Korean (1.2%)
Filipino (1.1%)
Other Asian (1.0%)
American Indian (0.7%)
***************
And that is FINE! No problem. And likely just a matter of no real importance. But the evolution of growth and relocation in a given direction still indicates flight to the suburbs and demographics reflect a pattern that is undeniable. And North Brunswick appears to be no different at all.
Why is it such a matter of caring in the least that people might naturally segregate themselves...whether by race or chess players? This silly obcession with that this part of human nature is something that the self-designated "elite" amonst us needs to "solve" as a "problem" is not only a fools errand, but absolutely ridiculous!
Well the numbers I got for school diversity is from my school yearbook from this year so I think they would be right. Are your numbers from the 2000 Census because I believe it has gotton more diverse since then.
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