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I've had a few friends move down around the area over the years and when they compare it to other parts of Georgia, the concensus seems to be it has by far the most raciL tensions in the state. Was told it's more aggressive here than in other parts of the south where passive-aggressive is the rule.
As a resident, what's your personal feedback on the matter?
I am 45, black male. I'd say Macon is not racist but racially divided. Black, white, hispanic and asian coexist fine to me. In the 80's & 90's the majority of whites moved out of the city to the county and south to Houston county leaving the city core to blacks. I encountered far more racism out west in places like Prescott, Arizona; one morning I pulled into a church parking lot, I wanted to talk to the priest (man of God)?, but with an attitude he told me I should leave town. Soon after; not far away, I saw KKK members and arian brotherhood idiots. When I was in Long Beach, California a black cop I met at a hotel told me "man you better watch out 'cause these white boys think Jim Crow is still in effect." The next day I found out he wasn't lying. I took a walk down PCH to 2nd st. while on second street I saw a guy text to a group of guys to alert them of my presents, but when I got by the group the lead idiot wasn't sure what to do; grab me into the bar to jump me or punch me in view of the public. The sidewalk was crowded and I heard him say out loud "dang guys; he's in a crowd, (chuckling as he said)"and he's wearing some OP's", I guess he'll slide by." I thought I took a time machine back to the 50's.
Sorry for the long story (truth), but the only way I see Macon as racist is every convenient store is owned & operated by natives of India. They don't employ American's; white, yellow, red or black, but they're glad to receive all our money.
Outstanding post man. Thanks for dispelling unfounded rumors. Hard to believe arizona is that way though, never heard anything like that before. Prescott is a suburb of phoenix iirc. Jeeze. How many years ago was that?
2 years ago a traveled across the country Prescott is not a suburb of Phoenix it is about 125 miles NW. Phoenix people are cool. Long Beach is what shocked me. I like people of all backgrounds or differences and simply can't understand hatred. In Macon the black on black crime and hatred is sometimes ridiculous.
One thing many people fail to realize is that there are very few black people out west, especially compared to southern states. There are more black people in metro Atlanta and Georgia than all of Metro LA and California. And California has almost 4 times the total population of Georgia! Fact is that, despite what many will admit, the mere sight of an African American makes lots of people in this country incredibly nervous, and this is especially true in places where black folks make up a very slim percentage of the population. Make no mistake, an awful lot of folks who live out west and consider themselves liberal and enlightened are in fact closet racists. Some may not even know it!
There is nothing more eye-opening than a drive across the upper Midwest and Great Plains, when you stop at a gas station or McDonald's and realize that every single person working in there is a white kid. There simply ARE NO BLACK PEOPLE! Yet these folks, who've never lived with, gone to school with, or worked with people different from themselves, are supposedly free of bigotry and not blinded by racial stereotypes?! Yeah. Right. Whatever.
DarylX got it right. Where I live in Savannah we have a lot of racial tension. The black and white communities do not see eye to eye on many issues. But out and out racism is rare. I dare say that the most devisive and hateful words I hear spoken in the Savannah area most often come from so-called leaders in the black community who try to turn unfortunate incidents into a firestorm (ie Ferguson) for their own political gain.
Location: Metro Atlanta (Sandy Springs), by way of Macon, GA
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Between xDarrylx and Newsboy, they nailed it.
Here's what I've noticed as a young black male. It's very simple for me. Regardless of the racial division or unity in local politics, the higher the black population % of an area, the less likely I am to experience racism.
We have all these sweeping generalizations of places. Oh Cali, Liberal, Racial Utopia. New York, Liberal, Racial Utopia. No, it depends on what town you're in.
Here's the thing about the deep south. YOU VERY RARELY run into towns that aren't at least 20-25% black. I'm always in and out of rural towns here in South and Middle Georgia. Most are anywhere from 25-70% black. I dont experience much racism. Why not? Well, when I walk into the stores or the Gas Station, chances are a lot of people in those stores are black like me. This isn't like the old days, racists arent going to be so bold if they're surrounded by the people they "hate."
I've been through towns in these "liberal, racial utopian" states like NY and experienced much more racial undertones than I have anywhere in Georgia. I hd cold blooded stares when I stopped at a Wal-Mart in Upstate NY on my way to visit relatives in Rochester? Why? Well because the towns was like 90+ % white. Once you leave the urban parts of Upstate NY, the rural areas dont hardly have black people, unlike the south. I drove across the entirety of Pennsylvania on a trip from Cleveland to Newark, NJ and didnt hardly see black people at ANY exit. Some people would just look at Philly and saY "oh yeah, lots of black people in PA"
Here's what I've noticed as a young black male. It's very simple for me. Regardless of the racial division or unity in local politics, the higher the black population % of an area, the less likely I am to experience racism.
We have all these sweeping generalizations of places. Oh Cali, Liberal, Racial Utopia. New York, Liberal, Racial Utopia. No, it depends on what town you're in.
Here's the thing about the deep south. YOU VERY RARELY run into towns that aren't at least 20-25% black. I'm always in and out of rural towns here in South and Middle Georgia. Most are anywhere from 25-70% black. I dont experience much racism. Why not? Well, when I walk into the stores or the Gas Station, chances are a lot of people in those stores are black like me. This isn't like the old days, racists arent going to be so bold if they're surrounded by the people they "hate."
I've been through towns in these "liberal, racial utopian" states like NY and experienced much more racial undertones than I have anywhere in Georgia. I hd cold blooded stares when I stopped at a Wal-Mart in Upstate NY on my way to visit relatives in Rochester? Why? Well because the towns was like 90+ % white. Once you leave the urban parts of Upstate NY, the rural areas dont hardly have black people, unlike the south. I drove across the entirety of Pennsylvania on a trip from Cleveland to Newark, NJ and didnt hardly see black people at ANY exit. Some people would just look at Philly and saY "oh yeah, lots of black people in PA"
YES! The absence of African Americans in rural areas outside of the South is very striking. Of course those of us from the south understand and acknowledge the historic reasons for our large rural black population. But people in other parts of the country are completely oblivious to it. To them, blacks in small towns is something foreign and odd -- and you better believe that a lot of them find it very uncomfortable!
Soooo Not True.. Just like every other Georgia City or US City. If thats the case its racist all over the Country. Look at B-more and other Major Cities.
Outstanding post man. Thanks for dispelling unfounded rumors. Hard to believe arizona is that way though, never heard anything like that before. Prescott is a suburb of phoenix iirc. Jeeze. How many years ago was that?
Believe it brother I'm from California Arizona is on some other stuff. Keep in mind they only recognize MLK birthday in the early 90's because for fear of losing the super bowl and other major events.
Last edited by mone21; 07-20-2015 at 12:47 PM..
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