upper peninsula travel and racism (Traverse City: friendly, live, population)

[Great Lakes Pirate]

I've lived in the western UP for about 10 years (after growing up in Metro Detroit, and living in downtown Chicago) -- IMO, you won't encounter anything ugly.

I would say, generally speaking, that Yoopers do appreciate it when visitors behave as polite guests. Waving money around, deriding the locals, even hinting that a lot of Yoopers' paychecks depend on "your" tourist dollars, and otherwise just acting like a butt, will get you nowhere. Regardless of your heritage or racial background.

[bellabella2]

Not too fast people. I agree there is not a lot of blatant racism here in Marquette but it does exist. My husband and I went to a local restaurant and the folks next to us as soon as they heard me speak Spanish started to make horrible comments including " they should go back to their country" " bullets for the Mexicans" and so forth...
My husband and I are a mixed couple and although we don't come across a lot of blatant incidents like these they do occur. Then again I will have to say that the four people who said those comments could have been from somewhere outside of Marquette.
You never know..
On a lighter note...There is always going to be stares if you are beautiful. I am beautiful and I must suffer stares everywhere I go. lol Enjooy your time in the UP.
You should no miss it just because the xenophobic few that still inhabit the area.

[DrummerDave]

I would say that many towns in the UP down seem to even have any black residents, so that could get you some stares. I have noticed some people up there still havent quite learned that certain terms are not considered appropriate (ie. "Colored"). I dont they mean to cause offense, but they're just not used to there being any other races around (besides native Indian I guess).

[Bhaalspawn]

Originally Posted by Jswee

Can't say for sure but my experience has been that there is a lot more latent racism in the suburbs of Metro Detroit (people who have participated in white flight) than in many areas of the NLP and UP.

Why is "white flight" necessarily racist? What if the motivation for the "flight" were to have a newer, larger house on a larger piece of land in an area with better schools and less crime? Don't blacks and other minorities desire those things too? Please explain how that's racist. Also, are you open to the possibility that minorities themselves can be full of hatred and racism or is this strictly a white-only thing? If a black man leaves Detroit to move to the white suburbs, is he racist too?

My advice for minorities who are concerned about "white flight" is for them to improve their group's culture and economic status so that it wouldn't bother them if whites took off. Imagine if the direct result of whites moving out of the neighborhood were less crime and a better educational environment in the schools (and higher standardized test scores). If a group of people want to leave your city or your neighborhood, you would hope the proper response would be, "We don't need you, good riddance!".

[mackinawlocal]

I don't think you have to worry about racial prejudice traveling in the UP. My experience has also been that you experience more of that in the cities then up north.

Hope you make the trip and have a great time!

[mackinawlocal]

[quote=bellabella2;4625905]Not too fast people. I agree there is not a lot of blatant racism here in Marquette but it does exist. My husband and I went to a local restaurant and the folks next to us as soon as they heard me speak Spanish started to make horrible comments including " they should go back to their country" " bullets for the Mexicans" and so forth...
My husband and I are a mixed couple and although we don't come across a lot of blatant incidents like these they do occur. Then again I will have to say that the four people who said those comments could have been from somewhere outside of Marquette.
You never know..

It's the language issue which upsets a lot of people, not the fact that you're an immigrant. Most citizens of the US have parents/grandparents who are immigrants that came here and considered it an honor to be an American citizen so they actually learned the English language before becoming a citizen and stopped speaking their native tongue because they felt it was rude, disrespectuful and unpatriotic to do so. Once you become a citizen of another country then you should speak their language and abide by their customs and laws. That's how my German ancestors felt anyway and that's how many people still feel about it.

[Lindseyup67]

I live in the Marquette area,moved here from the Detroit area in 1986. I was shocked at the racism when I first moved up here, but have noticed a huge degree of tolerance since then. Right or wrong, these old timers up here are mostly of Finnish decent, and just being older makes them EXTREMELY set in their ways, and mostly intolerant of different races, young people with their tatoos and piercings, etc. I do agree with mackinawlocal, though. I cashier at a large home improvement store, and find it highly offensive when a couple/family comes through my line speaking their foreign language. IMO, you are patronizing an American store.......please speak the language!!

[ComputerBlue]

[quote

It's the language issue which upsets a lot of people, not the fact that you're an immigrant. Most citizens of the US have parents/grandparents who are immigrants that came here and considered it an honor to be an American citizen so they actually learned the English language before becoming a citizen and stopped speaking their native tongue because they felt it was rude, disrespectuful and unpatriotic to do so. Once you become a citizen of another country then you should speak their language and abide by their customs and laws. That's how my German ancestors felt anyway and that's how many people still feel about it.[/quote]

[ComputerBlue]

Well SAID!!!!!!!!!!!! Learn ENGLISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GlassPipe]

ROFLMAO - Appleknocker.

Think gravity. Just like being a troll, you're "under" the bridge. If they drop an apple, it will knock the troll senseless.

Too funny, see what a case of old millwaukee (in glass bottles no less) will do to you?