upper peninsula travel and racism (Detroit, Marquette: environment, house, crime)

[scarabchuck]

Hell I'm as white as they come and I've been around some Yoopers that made me nervous !! Run when you here the banjo's playing !!
I am just kidding , as long as you don't mind hereing "flatlander" "troll" (because we live below the bridge) or "apple knocker" ( never got that one) jokes you will be fine. The UP is one of my favorite places to visit.

[beadster]

You will be fine in the UP. I have split my time the last 8 years in both Houghton and Sault Ste Marie. I am Bi Racial, ( Black and White) and have run into very little trouble. You have nothing to be worried about. Go visit St Ignance, they have a nice touristy downtown, Locks in and Tower of History Museum in Sault Ste Marie. Stop in at the Falls just east of Sault Ste Marie. Make a stop in Seney, as there's Wildlife Refuge there,, Make a quick Stop in Christmas, and wave to Santa. GO through Marquette and check out the old mining areas, its a decent sized city for the UP, The porcupine Mountains have nice scenic view. Houghton has beautiful views all the way to Copper Harbor, and stop at the Lighthouse, Can take a ferry across to it.

THere is lots to see and do and experience. Don't miss out!

[Bluefly]

I can't believe your family disowned you. Thankfully, that's something very foreign to most young people anymore. We live in such a multi-cultural environment, most of these young people so excited about Obama had to be told by older folks that they should be worried about his race.

Where do you live that people are staring at you for being interracial? Unless you live in a really backward area, I have trouble believing they're staring because of your race.

I live in Marquette and, while it is predominantly white, it is an open minded university community. Large homosexual/bisexual community, blacks/Asians just as much a part of the groups as anyone. You'll be fine in any quasi-urban or touristy area.

The only overt racism I've found was from a few people in rural areas or amongst some working class people. I don't know why they always have to be the last to switch, but no one's going to bother you. There's no history of racial tension up here that people are going to take their pent up rage out on you. I think it's just kind of a general distrust amongst some people of difference.

[Driller1]

Originally Posted by beadster

You will be fine in the UP. I have split my time the last 8 years in both Houghton and Sault Ste Marie. I am Bi Racial, ( Black and White) and have run into very little trouble. You have nothing to be worried about. Go visit St Ignance, they have a nice touristy downtown, Locks in and Tower of History Museum in Sault Ste Marie. Stop in at the Falls just east of Sault Ste Marie. Make a stop in Seney, as there's Wildlife Refuge there,, Make a quick Stop in Christmas, and wave to Santa. GO through Marquette and check out the old mining areas, its a decent sized city for the UP, The porcupine Mountains have nice scenic view. Houghton has beautiful views all the way to Copper Harbor, and stop at the Lighthouse, Can take a ferry across to it.

THere is lots to see and do and experience. Don't miss out!

I LOVED the mine rides!!!! They take you hundreds of feet down in the Earth.

[Giesela]

The UP has a lot of experience with tourism so I think as long as you present yourself well - nicely dressed, well groomed, well behaved, no one will look at you twice.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by michigantraveler

my "multi-racial" or "bi-racial" or "interracial" (as so many people label us) family would like to travel to northern michigan, including the UP, this summer. we are cautious of unfamiliar places, however, given the unfortunate circumstance of having racist people still in our world. now that we have our 1 1/2 yr old son, we're even more cautious. we would simply like to travel to the soo locks, taquamonen (sp?) falls, and up to copper harbor stopping at some little towns (if anyone can recommend) in between. my family is from the UP and is totally racist and has "disowned" me, which provides my ammunition for concern.

any advice?

I think you should just go and do all the things you want to do. You have to help your children deal with the fact that they will occassionally run into this kind of thing and you can't shelter them.

I think at the places you mentioned, there would be no problem. Small towns -- maybe maybe not.

Some people I know that are not even biracial have learned ways around the attitudes of others, one is to not care, one is to always be more presentable and polite than anyone else. It's just a fact of life and make sure your kids aren't overly sensitive about it either because sometimes people see things that really aren't there if they are looking too hard.

[joemits]

jeeg, is right on. People in Marquette wouldn't give a second look. come on up and have fun.

[JHTEW]

I understand your concern! There are so few minorities living in the UP that just about anywhere you go you may get a few stares. My husband lived up there for 12 years and my dad is from up there. I don't think you are any more likely to come across the hostile/rude form of racism up there than anywhere else. Maybe some ignorant curiosity . I do happen to know a biracial family up there. The mother is white, she has 5 multi-racial children and the father is no longer with them. I've never asked her about any experience they've had with racism in that region, but I've never heard her complain of it either.

[sav0320]

Well, anytime you get away from the cities, the people turn pretty redneckish. Being white myself, I notice this BS, like the confederate flag plates on $500 POS pick-ups in Michigan (yeah, you're in the south, morons...), etc. My wife is black, we get stared at a lot in da UP.

[goblue1231]

I dont really think you will have anything to worry about. We moved to Traverse City a few years back and spent tim ein Petoskey and Indian River before that and we dont notice anything. I know thats not quite the UP but its not downstate either. We are a biracial couple with 3 kids and at first my wife was really concered about moving up there but now she says there is no where else she would rather live. I think we got more stares downstate then we ever do in northern Mich. Dont beleive all the negative info you here everyone I have meet has been so friendly and we never hear anything about racism. Just go enjoy yourself and your family I am sure you wont regret it.