Considering Houston (Howe: high crime, how much, home)

[lukeache]

Diversity in Houston means ghetto. Every neighborhood with large populations of Hispanics, Blacks, etc will have high crime rates, poor schools, all types of BS and very low standards. I am considering moving back to Houston to live in a more "diverse" area like Westbury, until I read about all this BS about Katrina refugees causing trouble and Hispanic gangs shooting each other over territory, this type of ignorance makes me want to move as far away from diversity as possible. I dont care how PC this society tries to be, the best schools, best areas will always be the areas where you have overwhelmingly White majority. If I had kids, I would move to Kingwood or the Woodlands, even though some may think these neighborhoods are "boring and plain", I would rather live in places where you find people that have similar goals, ideals and expectations regardless of their race and I am not even White. So, diversity is an illusion for those that have bought into the political correctness madness.

[kristilynne612]

It's very diverse and yes, with many Asians. However, it's not always safe. Yes, it's safer than Houston central, but, they get their fair share of crime.

[Mom2Feebs]

Originally Posted by lukeache

I would rather live in places where you find people that have similar goals, ideals and expectations regardless of their race and I am not even White. So, diversity is an illusion for those that have bought into the political correctness madness.

AMEN! Could not have said this better.

Growing up in Kingwood, we had just a handful of African-Americans in our school. One was our valedictorian and a friend of mine. We didn't see him as any different from the rest of us at ALL! I never even KNEW racism until I moved into the city.

Did anyone read the Harvard Study done on Diversity? It's quite interesting.

Study paints bleak picture of ethnic diversity

[worldlyman]

Originally Posted by Wysiwyg

Yes there is no limit to diversity. it sounds positive thats why its an *approved* word. Theres really more to the word so lets not get technical and refer to the dictionary entry. have you checked 'ghetto' in the dictionary? point is words' meanings changes over time when talking about social/racial issues. Do you believe that safety/crime is directly related to diversity? the dictionary would probably not mention anything about that

Reading your statements above suggests that you think (quite common) that the caucasian count is the baseline and now question the 'diversity' of Alief because you dont know whats the percentile of caucasians. Also is 'what you hear on the news' about a certain race and changed your perception of the 'diversity level' of Alief? diversity = less caucasians and less safe?

according to the web, caucasians are still the majority in my area of Alief, you just dont see them, probably they blend well/conform to society that they dont draw attention (No caucasian in a sportscar here). People walking in groups (some without shirts) are mostly black or mexican, what does that tell you? Asians (yeah the whole lump sum) are a tiny percentage in Alief but chinatown is its most popular feature, and like you think Alief has a large asian population which is not true, many just shop/dine here

well i wish i can explain all this better.

So why are there are a plethora of late night Asian eateries in the Alief and Sharpstown areas while those are DIFFICULT to come by in San Diego, a Pacific Coast city? I think I saw maybe one or two in the Convoy area in San Diego...but Houston. There's no deprivation of Asian eateries that are open until two or three in the morning.

Caucasians the majority in Alief? That's comical. My impression of Alief is that...it's really hard to tell who the majority really is! It's so diverse with every halal and hot dog stand compared to most other cities in the USA.

More so than San Diego, more so than the Tampa Bay area which are diverse too. I mean, there just aren't the powerful Asian commercial presences there like in Houston. And that commercial presence DOES indicate the large pan-Asian presence in Houston which is probably undercounted anyway. San Diego has some nice Asian outlets (mostly Filipino) but NOTHING in comparison to what's going on from Sharpstown through West Oaks. And then there's Long Point, Hillcroft, Beechnut, the NW Veteran's Memorial area, downtown's back areas...Houston is just so loaded with multi-ethnicity compared to most other US centers.

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

AMEN! Could not have said this better.

Growing up in Kingwood, we had just a handful of African-Americans in our school. One was our valedictorian and a friend of mine. We didn't see him as any different from the rest of us at ALL! I never even KNEW racism until I moved into the city.

Did anyone read the Harvard Study done on Diversity? It's quite interesting.

Study paints bleak picture of ethnic diversity

ummm because theres only 2 of 'them'? try (to imagine) a 50-50% or 30-30-30-10 mix. also ever notice the one that became valedictorian is an oddball? so did the other one commit suicide or something?

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by worldlyman

So why are there are a plethora of late night Asian eateries in the Alief and Sharpstown areas while those are DIFFICULT to come by in San Diego, a Pacific Coast city? I think I saw maybe one or two in the Convoy area in San Diego...but Houston. There's no deprivation of Asian eateries that are open until two or three in the morning.

Caucasians the majority in Alief? That's comical. My impression of Alief is that...it's really hard to tell who the majority really is! It's so diverse with every halal and hot dog stand compared to most other cities in the USA.

More so than San Diego, more so than the Tampa Bay area which are diverse too. I mean, there just aren't the powerful Asian commercial presences there like in Houston. And that commercial presence DOES indicate the large pan-Asian presence in Houston which is probably undercounted anyway. San Diego has some nice Asian outlets (mostly Filipino) but NOTHING in comparison to what's going on from Sharpstown through West Oaks. And then there's Long Point, Hillcroft, Beechnut, the NW Veteran's Memorial area, downtown's back areas...Houston is just so loaded with multi-ethnicity compared to most other US centers.

ok? are you following any of this?

here, laugh your a** off (or reread my post first)
77072 zip code - Houston

[Houstonres]

I am not sure whether professor Robert Putnam's research applies to Houston. He says, “We act like turtles. The effect of diversity is worse than had been imagined. And it’s not just that we don’t trust people who are not like us. In diverse communities, we don’t trust people who do look like us.”

I have lived in many states and cities in the US and outside the US, and have found that the people here are far friendlier and trusting than in San Francisco, Milan, New York and many other cities.

I truly believe he has studied cities that call themselves "diverse" but are actually very segregated: similar to what one finds in St Louis where one race lives on one side of the river and the other on the other side. Or lets take Chicago where basically every different race lives within its own specific section of the city.
I think Houston is very mixed. Certainly there is more of a mixture in certain areas, but in general one finds every ethnic group everywhere in the city. My neighbors are black, chinese, White, Asian, and Hispanics and generally we know each other and watch out for each other's property. I have lived in various sections of Houston for the past 30 years and generally all ethnic groups tend to be open and friendly to one another.
Professor Robert Putnam's research leaves a lot to be desired.

[Steve_W]

Originally Posted by Houstonres

When Houston was mostly caucasian, life was very dull. Most restaurants would close by 8pm. Most streets were deserted on Sundays. I prefer what houston has developed into today. I love all its different new residents for what they have brought with them. For all those who dislilke this type of living, there is always places like Boise, Omaha, N. Dakota, to run to.

Umm yeah..........How's your crime situation (murder in particular) going in Houston? Hasn't your murder rate risen 300% since Katrina with the influx of minority gangs fighting with the local MINORITY gangs?

Also, if you come to Omaha expecting white people with white houses and little white picket fences, you will be sadly disappointed.

[Aundine]

Originally Posted by eastwest

Sorry but 'diverse AND safe' in Houston doesn't exist. It's sad, but mixed areas are going to be the more dangerous, run-down ones.

What a completely closed-minded, mentally shut down thing to say... lol

I don't live in Houston, but I am POSITIVE that diversity and dangerous don't always go hand in hand. I am sure that diverse and safe, in this case means a place where there is tons of things to do, all types of people, but a place where you (using common sense) can get around. Diversity can mean being surrounded by the arts, or being in an area that is filled with diffrent type shops, etc...its not JUST about color or ethnicity.

Hope my soapboxing didn't annoy anyone too much, but I HATE closeminded statements...ugh and I had to address this one!

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by Aundine

What a completely closed-minded, mentally shut down thing to say... lol

I don't live in Houston, but I am POSITIVE that diversity and dangerous don't always go hand in hand. I am sure that diverse and safe, in this case means a place where there is tons of things to do, all types of people, but a place where you (using common sense) can get around. Diversity can mean being surrounded by the arts, or being in an area that is filled with diffrent type shops, etc...its not JUST about color or ethnicity.

Hope my soapboxing didn't annoy anyone too much, but I HATE closeminded statements...ugh and I had to address this one!

looks like Prozac and Telekinesis go hand in hand
from where are you getting (good) vibes about houston?