[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Tunky

Staying on topic though...racism is everywhere of course, but based on overhearing rednecks shoot off their mouths...I've heard a lot less of that in the UP than I have in places like Ohio and in the south.

I haven't been to the UP of Michigan. I would love to check it out. I wouldn't be suprised if the UP had it's share of racists, but the violence factor is the difference between the UP and the South. The South developed a violent reputation and there are some people who are still very violent, though even they are dwindling. The UP has never been well known for violence as far as I know. I would imagine it wouldn't be as tense.

[Tunky]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I haven't been to the UP of Michigan. I would love to check it out. I wouldn't be suprised if the UP had it's share of racists, but the violence factor is the difference between the UP and the South. The South developed a violent reputation and there are some people who are still very violent, though even they are dwindling. The UP has never been well known for violence as far as I know. I would imagine it wouldn't be as tense.

you're right...it's not. I grew up in the UP, lived all over the world as a military wife and now live in the south. It's quite shocking to me how often I hear people speak in a racist way in what would otherwise be considered polite conversation.

[johnbower]

i miss the up. it was a happier time and a slower time

[johnbower]

What can i say, i think of the whitefish running in the anna river ; trout fishing with my brothers and cousins. swimming every day in the summer. running in the woods. i was young then, but i would still like to think, it was a better life, theres nothin like da up

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by johnbower

What can i say, i think of the whitefish running in the anna river ; trout fishing with my brothers and cousins. swimming every day in the summer. running in the woods. i was young then, but i would still like to think, it was a better life, theres nothin like da up

What advice would you have for the person who wants to travel to the UP?

[Cheeto]

[quote

Sure, fair enough, but you can understand my concern, right? Given the experiences we have had living in the suburbs of Detroit and given the experiences we have had just as a couple (not as the family we now are) in such tourist places like the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Atlanta (yes! of all places!), beaches, towns, restaurants (a great place for people to stare because they often get at least 45 minutes of us--we are a good looking couple, I must add...), I'm just hoping to get a little bit of insight as to the diversity (or lack thereof) of travelers to the UP and how pleasant our trip through the UP would be. I haven't been up there since I was a child with relatives, but knowing how my family is, I'm hesitant to go given OUR intolerance of others ignorance, yet have a determination to not let others stop us from going whereever we choose in order to show our son the world.[/quote]






Your concerns aren't totally unfounded, but you also sound kinda paranoid! Yes, there are plenty of racist people in the world from ALL races, but my experience with racists have been that they would more than likely ignore somebody rudely before they would stare!! Maybe you just like to think people are staring at you because you like the attention. Or maybe people are staring at you because they're checking you out or checking out your significant other, and your natural defense is to play the race card! Like i said, there are plenty of people who are racist, but an interracial couple is hardly a rarity in this day and age so why would people stare? It must just be you!!

[Orwelleaut]

Originally Posted by 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.

A confederate flag front plate, in a Northern state like MI that lacks front plates, does not necessarily mean that the driver of the vehicle is some kind of horrible bigot. These days, the confederate flag, in rural Northern locales, is just a way of saying "I'm country, and I like living a country lifestyle". If the driver of the vehicle dislikes the inner city, they dislike it because of the drug trade and the resulting violent crime, the lack of open space, and the lack of fresh air. Not liking the violence of the inner city does not make this person racist. Most of these people would treat a black person as they would like to be treated, and do so in their dealings with black people. What they object to is the negative behaviors of certain inner city residents, not the skin color of hard working, decent black people.

That there is more violent crime in the inner city is not a racist notion held by a few supposedly ignorant and uninformed rednecks. It is a reality of daily life in most ghetto neighborhoods. When liberals try to pretend that police officers are just being bigoted and fudging stats, they are ignoring the realities of what good, decent, hard-working black people have been dealing with on a daily basis in these neighborhood for many years. If these liberals had any respect for the decent black people of these neighborhoods and for the realities they deal with, they would see the truth about inner city crime instead of painting whites who see the truth as bigots. They would help the community leaders in these communities in addressing the issues that cause the violence: poverty, lack of education, lack of father figures in homes, illegitimacy, and a government with no pride that gives handouts to those who have children out of wedlock.

Flying a rebel flag because you don't want to live in a neighborhood where gangs of young men cause everyone else to live in fear is not racism. These days, it just symbolizes a desire to be "country", and to embrace the freedom that is our birthright as Americans. Just because folks who fly this flag may be ill at ease with behaviors like having children out of wedlock does not make these folks racist. Disliking a behavior does not make one racist. Disliking one's ethnicity or skin color, regardless of their behaviors, is what makes one a bigot. Few folks of any race or ethnicity are this ignorant. Usually, folks who are unfairly branded as bigots just feel that too many members of a certain racial or ethnic group are engaging in behaviors they dislike. They will treat a member of that group will respect if their behaviors earn that respect.

[FESTER]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I haven't been to the UP of Michigan. I would love to check it out. I wouldn't be suprised if the UP had it's share of racists, but the violence factor is the difference between the UP and the South. The South developed a violent reputation and there are some people who are still very violent, though even they are dwindling. The UP has never been well known for violence as far as I know. I would imagine it wouldn't be as tense.

Heck yes come on up. We don't care if you are black, red, yellow, orange, or any other color. Just bring plenty of green. Yes you are right about being not as tense. The U.P. is one of the most un-tense places you will find. Some folks come here with an arrogant-big city-better than you are attitude. That will go over like a fart in church no matter what color you are. Just be a regular down to earth type and you will be fine. We will be happy to have you.

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by Orwelleaut

A confederate flag front plate, in a Northern state like MI that lacks front plates, does not necessarily mean that the driver of the vehicle is some kind of horrible bigot. These days, the confederate flag, in rural Northern locales, is just a way of saying "I'm country, and I like living a country lifestyle".

Flying a rebel flag because you don't want to live in a neighborhood where gangs of young men cause everyone else to live in fear is not racism. These days, it just symbolizes a desire to be "country", and to embrace the freedom that is our birthright as Americans. Just because folks who fly this flag may be ill at ease with behaviors like having children out of wedlock does not make these folks racist. Disliking a behavior does not make one racist. Disliking one's ethnicity or skin color, regardless of their behaviors, is what makes one a bigot. Few folks of any race or ethnicity are this ignorant. Usually, folks who are unfairly branded as bigots just feel that too many members of a certain racial or ethnic group are engaging in behaviors they dislike. They will treat a member of that group will respect if their behaviors earn that respect.

The U.P is a wonderful place and I highly recommend that minorities move there by the 1000s....

The battle flag is just that....a symbol that says "I will fight for the ideals of the past"

If you'e country, then fly the real southern flag...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars_and_Bars


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Blue_Flag

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by FESTER

Heck yes come on up. We don't care if you are black, red, yellow, orange, or any other color. Just bring plenty of green. Yes you are right about being not as tense. The U.P. is one of the most un-tense places you will find. Some folks come here with an arrogant-big city-better than you are attitude. That will go over like a fart in church no matter what color you are. Just be a regular down to earth type and you will be fine. We will be happy to have you.

In that case, whenever I get some money(and some time), I am taking that ride across the Mackinaw to LP.