How Strong is Racism in Terre Haute?? (Elkhart, Walton: new house, unemployment rate)

[MsGem91*02]

I recently moved to Terre Haute. What I heard about this town before I actually got here was that, over all, the area was nice, but that part of its racial majority was still a little racist. I didn't want to assume anything, and when I finally made it here, I was more than excited about my new house and environment to think about that. However, now that I've been here for a few weeks, I'm not sure if it's racism or just plain rudeness, but I have encountered a few little "rare" incidents already. On different occasions, clerks in stores at the local mall have seemed eager to service certain people, but not others, including me. At a store's parking lot, a man approached me, feeling compelled to suggest I should move my car (with very obvious Hispanic-oriented decals) after I parked "too close" to another vehicle, which was parked incorrectly by the way, and yet, said nothing to a lady not 10 feet from us sitting in her car right outside the store's entrance (along the red curb) waiting for someone, I assume. It is not a matter of opinion, but rather statistical facts, that whites are the dominant race and are less likely to be subject to such treatment, so I would like to hear from the minority community, Hispanic especially, about how they see this town...was it that I happen to deal with these people having a bad day, or is it really racism? THANKS FOR THE POSITIVE INPUT IN ADVANCE!

[Capt. Dan]

But if you add up all minorities- whites are no longer the majority. Dont worry. In not too many years, Hispanics will take over the country at the ballot box and you wont have anything to worry about. Then you can be as rude to Whitey as you percieve he is to you!

[Lonesomedove54]

Oh boy, well heres my take on this. I was born and raised in TH. I still have family there. Let me say I am a white woman. I moved away, and returned to visit, and I was schocked, not just at the whites or blacks, but how stand offish it seemed everyone was. I spoke to a woman in the mall, and I swear that woman about jumped 10 feet. When I came home (Ar.) I ask my friends at work if I was like that when I moved here. They said I was ! Wow! Go to the grocery store there, try to make eye contact with someone, wont happen. I dont like it there at all anymore. Sad most of my family is still there, family and friends are okay, but not strangers. I call it the Terre Haute mentality.

[Adarie]

I am from Terre Haute and a few years back I moved to Elkhart Indiana. I must say that of course growing up in Terre Haute I dealt with a lot of racial slurs being a black girl who spoke very proper. But it is not nearly as bad as Elkhart and at the same time. Terre Haute is so full of meth addicts mostly white and black and crackheads now the only discrimination should be against all the druggies. People of all races are bringing the system down. Last time I was there and this was 1 month ago. I overheard a older white saying something about blacks and welfare. I would say check the stats. There are alot of whites on the system who could work it is far from being a black thing anymore so please keep an open mind hopefully my home away from home can get it together

[Shell71]

I lived there a few years ago with my children who are biracial and never had any problems as far as race went people in the stores and offices were always polite and friendly to us ,in fact I'm concidering moving back within the year becuase I really miss the oppertunities the kids had there with the ymca programs and the parks were always a nice relaxing getaway...We had been living in Ca. where ironicly we have had race problems and very bad rudeness from all different types seems there (CA.)people say one thing then act another ..Right now we live in Florida(which is my home state) but between the heat and over crowdiness I'm really really missing my time in Terre Haute

[penny any]

I was born here in Terre Haute and still live here and i hate to say this but so much has changed over the years ppl are more rude now then they use to be.
When you speak to someone or open the door for a older person they dont say thank-you anymore heck they dont say nuthin and the younger ppl well that is another story altogether they have no respect at all. I dont understand .
beside that there is nuthin to do here at all unless you like to play golf or go shopping there isnt anything for the young ppl to do. I have seen this town go down hill in the last 51 years.
Job suck unless you want a job at one of the fast food places that dont pay anything cause most of the industries have gone out of busniess and yes i know it is bad every where right now but still the unemployment rate is down really bad so why come here.
as far as race well we have problems the same as other cities and I dont think that is ever going to change do U. AND YES WE DO HAVE 4 colleges that for sure but i can remember when you could walk on campus and never have a problem but dont know if you can say that now.
YOUR CALL Terre Haute could be better then it is.

[Shell71]

Penny Any how can you say there is nothing to do my family and I always seemed to be doing something from walks to Dairy Qeen ,theres the ym and ywca,the parks are awsome,we spend afternoons at the library and bring home movies and books for the evining,the theater downtown is fun then the coffee shops after I don't know we were never bored there my kids arn't young either well one is 5 the other two are 16,and 18 so not real little..I don't know anywhere can be fun or boring just depends on your perspective I guess..

[jj68]

Having lived in several other states (and in larger metropolitan areas than Terre Haute), my impression of Terre Haute is that there is a larger amount of racist minded people than I have encountered anywhere else I have lived. I found this to be very dissappointing. And I really hate to say this, but I have found that there is also a strong mindset that if you were not born and raised in Terre Haute, you should not be here at all. It seems to be a very clickish town and not welcoming of newcomers. Kind of like Terre Haute is a race of its own and everyone else is second class. I am not saying that everyone in and from Terre Haute is like this, I have met some very nice and welcoming people. BUT the overall feel of Terre Haute seems to be as I have described and I have met many people who were born here who agree.

[BarnettRA]

I grew up in TH until the age of seventeen when I enlisted in the military in 1995. I stayed active duty for 12 years before I got out to raise my three youngs son (I am a single father). During my 12 years away I went to no less than 20 different countries...most of them for the war efforts, however, I was permanently stationed in Fort Walton Beach, FL for 9 years and Okinawa, Japan for 2 years. I always hated TH as a kid and I stayed far away for very good reason. I came back here ONLY for the federal job at the Federal Prison.

I have been back for nearly two years and this town is such a s***hole, redneck, white trash, wannabe biker (as if being a biker is a good thing), meth infested, gang infested, low life town. Of course there are exceptions...although extremely rare, but it mostly involves older generations of people trying to preserve TH and/or defending the place they grew up. Which is another thing, people will defend to the death this dreadful town and yell at you with their missing teeth and drooling meth mouth, biker vest, and bunch of cronies behind them.

Additionally, except on the outskirts of the town, nobody cares for their lawns, washes their vehicle, or watches their children. Half the people I knew in high school are either on drugs, have nothing to their name, or are without a job, unwilling to work, and collecting unemployment and lying about looking for a job so they can get a free check.

Yes, racism exists, just as much with the blacks as it does with the whites. So, that is a stalemate in my opinion.

Subsequently, I have applied for a transfer and have ZERO plans of ever moving back to this sinkhole of a town. Yes, the "vibe" is bad, the people are a**holes, and there is nothing to do whatsoever. It is true, you never know how bad it is until you leave, or until you come back.

However, if being unlawful, doing meth, joining a gang, being a dirty biker on meth, being unemployed, having a bunch of undisciplined kids, and being white trash is your idea of fun...then come on back or stay put.

I say avoid it like the plague.

[SacalaitWhisperer]

David Duke once ran for office in Louisiana. He is a known KKK idiot.
Do you know most of his financing came from Indiana and California... NOT the swamp?

They did not elect that moron, thank goodness. The money trail still exists, however,
and it goes straight through your state.

There are more racists in your area than you realize, is my guess.