Race relations in Georgia (Atlanta, Columbus: transplants, crime, credit check)

[Koopidoo]

I know this post is bound to stir the pot, however I have a question... I live in Rochester NY which is a racially divided and charged city. For some reason everything here is based on race. It doesn't matter what race!! There is way too much racial tension and you can feel it.

We are planning to relocate, I would love to move to Georgia. I see that there is quite a blend of races in most of the cities in Georgia. Please tell me that everyone gets along??? At least as best as any human population does for that matter!

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by Koopidoo

I know this post is bound to stir the pot, however I have a question... I live in Rochester NY which is a racially divided and charged city. For some reason everything here is based on race. It doesn't matter what race!! There is way too much racial tension and you can feel it.

We are planning to relocate, I would love to move to Georgia. I see that there is quite a blend of races in most of the cities in Georgia. Please tell me that everyone gets along??? At least as best as any human population does for that matter!

I would say that in general people get along in GA. There are quite a few threads on 'Racism/Diversity' in the Atlanta forum and some say they have had negative experiences but you would just have to draw your own conclusions.

What is going on in Rochester that creates so much tension?

[Koopidoo]

I don't know where to begin on that one. Maybe it statred with the riots in Rochester in the late 60's. Take a look at the city-data page for info. The only problem is most websites that are pro-Rochester show how nice of a place this is. Don't get me wrong. Rochester has it all. The lake, the bay, musuems, night life, diversity, the 4 seasons (snnnooowwww) excellent colleges. But look at the crime (highest in NY state per capita), the city school district (worst in the state), businesses leaving the area. They even "took away" our downtown shopping center because they can't control the crime.

It's really a sad state of affairs. I think it has more to do with the officials in charge than the actaul race population. We (all races) have been allowed to act this way and it's not funny anymore.

[TakeAhike]

Based on that then I would say things are more peaceful in GA. Metro Atlanta, which includes 5 or 6 counties and surrounding areas is fairly diverse with many transplants from across the US. The smaller cities and towns in North, South and Middle GA might be considered more traditional.

GA is struggling to improve public education and has been ranked 48th/49th on national tests for too many years. There are certainly good/excellent schools in the state and a number of well-respected colleges and universities.

Which parts of GA interest you?

[terrence81]

In my opinion yes people get along. No one is going to say anything racist to your face, at least no one has said it my face. Racism is polite in the new south. One of the most racist things said directly to me in recent memory was a white gal asking me how I got a job at a certain local company that requires credit checks. She may not have meant anything by it and I answered her question that I simply applied and was hired. Still stayed on my mind for a little while though.

Can only speak for my hometown Columbus, GA which is still fairly segregated but improving. Race relations are fairly good people get along in the work place but socially most people don't mix.

My biggest problem growing up was being accused of being "too white" based on my speech and clothes. I don't get that as much now that I'm in the DC area but have been asked what country I am from.

"I'm from America" I tell them. "Really?" they might say. "Yeah really." Now on the surface simple mistake and the person saying this didn't mean anything by it. But it's like really I have to act and talk a certain way to be an African American? Otherwise I HAVE to be from another country? It's not the biggest deal more of a pet peeve.

[Koopidoo]

I haven't really given it much thought. I personally like Wyoming, Colorado and southwest Utah. My husband likes: N. Carolina, S. Carolina and Georgia. I have family in Columbus and they like it. Savannah seems real pretty. We have 2 years until we can move. I'm hoping my employer heads further south in those 2 years. That would definately have an effect on my choice. Personally I think I would melt in the humidity...

Do you live in GA?

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by Koopidoo

I haven't really given it much thought. I personally like Wyoming, Colorado and southwest Utah. My husband likes: N. Carolina, S. Carolina and Georgia. I have family in Columbus and they like it. Savannah seems real pretty. We have 2 years until we can move. I'm hoping my employer heads further south in those 2 years. That would definately have an effect on my choice. Personally I think I would melt in the humidity...

Do you live in GA?

I'm in Atlanta and lived for a while in Savannah. The heat and humidity were an issue for me but Savannah is a lovely city. I'm afraid the mountains of North GA are not much like Wyoming, Colorado or Utah. LOL--much cooler than the coastal GA, however.

The areas north of Atlanta are growing and that might be a good choice--semirural or semiurban I guess you might say. Several lakes are located in this area.

[Koopidoo]

Terrence81: What country... LOL! I too get get harrassed. I get "Why is it when you open your mouth I hear the sister come out of you". I am white, and grew up in a neighborhood in which I was in the minority. I have found based on my own experience that if people can admit that all races ARE different (everyone always says "We're all the same"), then we begin to appriciate what each of us brings to the table. I love learning about different ethnicities, especially the food!!! But I get discouraged when being proud of your heritage labels you as a racist. I think EVERYONE should be proud of who they are, where their ancestors came from and share that with others. It is not wrong to be proud. What is wrong is guilting people into self denial of culture. I don't know maybe I live in fantasy land, and all places are tense?????

[lzbthc82]

No, not everyone gets along in GA. I'm from a small military town in north Florida and things are quite different here in GA. I hear a lot of people grouping all of a color into "those people are what is wrong with the government(welfare, EBT etc.)" type statements. It seems the south GA poor people broke the economy. Or at least that is the newest thing. But it is more than just the really ugly comments about races. We live in a very diverse neighborhood and when I took my kids to the bus stop for the first time, I was struck by how segregated the children were. Each of the three prominent colors had their chunk of sidewalk and refused to talk to each other. I also know that several cities around us have black and white proms. It seems they can't get along for one night of celebration to have a prom together.. so they elect a court for each color and separate.
Another great example... Obama hadn't been elected more than an hour and I overheard someone say "watch them get all uppity now.. they think we owe them something". I grabbed the paper the next day for the big picture of Obama "making history" type paper and our city had put a picture the size of a wallet of him in the margin and put another elected official slap in the middle of the paper.

I have tons of these, but I'll save them for a drunken "wtf is wrong with these people" rants with my husband.

Maybe for some this isn't very extreme, but I wasn't raised to even notice color or blanket a race with ignorant comments. I don't know much about your area in NY or how race is a factor there, but I know here that it is a HUGE thing. (at least in this town)

[xxs78]

I saw that a black men with white women "surprise" less than a white men with black women ????? what is the reason ?