Am I Missing Something? (Milwaukee, Madison: rental, house prices, movie theaters)

[LML]

Originally Posted by nanannie

cops had a dude handcuffed(black man) and were yelling at him to "SHUT UP"(,my kids were used to Officer friendly) .Really boring areas around the lake,houses on top of houses,I guess what were factories or power plants,but no nice shorefront,,,seemed so bland,,whats the draw?? I missed it too I guess.Different strokes

Okay, I see you felt you needed to point out that the man taken into custody by the police was "black" so I take it that, where you live, only white men are arrested? And in your town "officer friendly" tells the people they are arresting; "Welcome to the neighborhood. How about some milk and cookies?" As for there being nothing but houses on top of houses around the lakes (we have four of them in Madison) I KNOW you were not paying attention because there are lakefront parks and beaches as well as some truly beautiful buildings. I will admit that since they have built the very big performing arts center downtown there are fewer "unique" businesses than before. But I get the feeling that a couple of you came to Madison for the weekend, stayed in one of the downtown hotels, and never ventured beyond a two block radius...and then think you have seen Madison. Madison is made up of many, many neighborhoods stretching for miles in 4 directions from the isthmus. Madison is not just the isthmus. But don't feel badly about your mistake. A lot of our politicians think the isthmus is all of Madison too.

[MadCityKid9]

lafollete high school is only 60% white as of september, hows that for diversity.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by MadCityKid9

lafollete high school is only 60% white as of september, hows that for diversity.

Well, for an American city school, it's still got a ways to go yet, but looks like it's getting there!

[Bryan D]

Nothing like a little indolence...

I didn't bother doing research into the various independent bookstores because, from what I'd been told, I expected those places to jump right out at me.

...mixed with a dash of bigotry...

I've lived in diverse communities for most of my life and going to a place like Madison would not only be a culture shock, but I also have to question how liberal an overwhelmingly white and middle class town can truly be.

...and a swirl of entitlement minded bliss ninny mentality...

But considering the cost of housing in Madison (amongst other things), I think it could try just a little bit harder to cater to a more racially and socioeconomically diverse populace.

...to make a nice big steaming pot of crap.

Oh... an I especially love the assertion that Madison isn't liberal enough! Perhaps Jim Doyle is Sean Hannity's clone as well?

He seeks diversity, yet wishes to be isolated in and insulated by the most liberal environment possible. Lest not we be troubled by differing ideas and ideals… for we may have to think about who we are and where we stand.

What a joke.

[Drover]

Easier to live in an echo chamber than have to consider other points of view (as if he'd encounter many of them in Madison anyway) . . .

[Yac]

Keep it civil and avoid personal remarks, please. discuss the topic, not each other.

[GothamBK]

Just checking in to see what people are saying about my hometown. As a person of color who grew up in Madison, I can completely understand where the original poster is coming from. Especially after reading replies that are actually slamming him for having cultural needs that Madison probably couldn't meet. One of the biggest reasons I left Madison is because of the colorblind/one-world/sesame-street attitudes I encountered there. It's as if people actually believe that they're so open-minded and accepting of everyone that cultural differences should be a non-factor... it doesn't exactly work that way. I also can't say I'm surprised that the original poster is being called closed-minded because they didn't like Madison. That seems to be the only defense anyone in Madison can muster when someone criticizes it, no matter how on-point those criticisms are. Sometimes I think I should visit home more often, but then I see stuff like this which reminds me why I left to begin with.

[GreggB]

You mention "Colorblind/One-World/Seasame-Street Attitudes". You Sure your not from APPLETON????????

[rdaleg]

I have to say I agree with ILLWAUK. Having lived in Madison for 13 years now, for a variety of reasons, I am still trying to find the appeal. The beaches appealed to me at first but now I would not swim in them--they have deteriorated. I agree that downtown basically is the UW, students, the Capitol, and I would add State Street and a very exclusive Overture Center. I have been to all the independent bookstores, as I sought them out. I have been to many cultural events, festivals, multi-cultural affairs, etc. I am aware of the diversity but it is only where you look. It is not everywhere as it is in Washington DC for instance. Now I am biased bc I lived in DC for 18 years before coming to Madison. There is just no comparison. I cannot afford to move to DC again. Frankly I am having a hard time affording Madison right now. So I am now looking to move to a smaller, more affordable town in Wisconsin, at least until I can afford something elsewhere perhaps.
But with all the above letters I wanted to offer some support to the original writer. Also I am very saddened by the focus on alcohol and binge drinking in Madison. I have never lived anywhere where there is such an intense amount of drinking and partying.
I live in a cozy house on the Isthmus. I am white with a spouse who is white and our child is african american. She is the only child of color within in many blocks. We homeschool and she is the only child of color in the two homeschooling groups we belong to. Yes I have worked in places where the majority even were african american, asian, hmong, and other people of color, but again it is few and far between and it requires a search.
I am stymied too. People have such an image of Madison that I just do not see. I may be spoiled from DC, I don't know. But I agree with much of what ILLWAUK wrote.

[Vagus]

Originally Posted by rdaleg

I have to say I agree with ILLWAUK. Having lived in Madison for 13 years now, for a variety of reasons, I am still trying to find the appeal.

Gosh, if you've been that miserable for 13 years, it's time for you to leave. (BTW, I don't live in Madison. This just strikes me as common sense.)

I have been to all the independent bookstores, as I sought them out. I have been to many cultural events, festivals, multi-cultural affairs, etc. I am aware of the diversity but it is only where you look. It is not everywhere as it is in Washington DC for instance.

So despite the fact that you've been to all these things, they really don't exist and there is no diversity. Why does diversity have to jump up and smack you in the face? Like many things in life, I think it's more meaningful if you have to seek it out. You know, the whole "journey not the destination" thing. And "diversity" kind of depends on your frame of reference -- have you ever stopped to think that compared to DC and other large urban centers, it's 'middle America" Madison that is "diverse"?

Now I am biased bc I lived in DC for 18 years before coming to Madison. There is just no comparison.

Well, duh. Did you really, honestly, think there would be? I lived in New York City for 12 years, the capital of the world and far and away the most superior city on the face of the Earth (including, of course, D.C. ). I absolutely loved it. And it would probably even meet your criteria for "diverse." But when I left, it sure wasn't with the attitude of "well, I'm going to find someplace just like it." I've since then I've lived in places ranging from 3,000 to 300,000 in population and they all, without exception, have something to recommend them. You just have to adjust your expectations and if the place doesn't live up to them, move on.

So I am now looking to move to a smaller, more affordable town in Wisconsin

I'm not going to say I'm an expert on WI demographics, but do you really think that a smaller WI town will actually have more of what you're looking for?

Also I am very saddened by the focus on alcohol and binge drinking in Madison. I have never lived anywhere where there is such an intense amount of drinking and partying.

It's called "40,000 college students." Ever been to Ann Arbor MI, State College PA, Iowa City IA, etc? That, of course, does not excuse the behavior, but what did you expect?

We homeschool and she is the only child of color in the two homeschooling groups we belong to.

Again, expectations, expectations, expectations. The most recent stats I've seen show that less than 10% of homeschooled kids are African-American. So I am not surprised if the homeschooling groups you hang out with are overwhelmingly white.
Umm, by the way, if you are so keen on diversity, why are you homeschooling anyway? How "diverse" is your student body at home? Send your kid to public school.

Yes I have worked in places where the majority even were african american, asian, hmong, and other people of color, but again it is few and far between and it requires a search.

Again, honest question: how much diversity is enough? At what point do you feel comfortable saying "ok, this is diverse enough for me"?

Overall, I can sympathize with your unhappiness, but I think your time in DC set you up with some very unrealistic expectations and comparisons. You need to move on. I'd suggest going down south -- combination of demographics that will probably be more to your liking and relatively lower cost of living.