Why is West Bend so racist? (Milwaukee: crimes, gated, live in)

[Allan Trafton]

I grow up in Milwaukee's northwest white flight suburbs during the 1960's and 70's. The residents of this area, for the most part, had a complete disdain for blacks. If you questioned their feelings you would be looked at as odd or crazy. So for the most part you kept your month shut. I don't agree with this, but this is how it was. Many of the residents, from the era, still live in the area and so do their adult children. They passed these beliefs to their kids and for the most part they still agree. The difference today is people will not voice racist feelings or beliefs in public. They keep them to themselves or their tight circle. As a society we like to believe we have reached a enlightened age
where the problems of race and racist feeling are a thing of the past. This far from true. In a town like West Bend it's probably worse then say Germantown or Menomonee Falls, where they made some progress. West Bend is a far flung suburbs and may of the residents have little or no contact with blacks. Therefore, they are more likely to fall into the race trap. They may be quicker to judge and believe stereotypes. They may be curious and overly friendly or you may get a quick glance or an ugly stare. If I were black in West Bend I would keep my guard up.

[rso092]

Originally Posted by Allan Trafton

I grow up in Milwaukee's northwest white flight suburbs during the 1960's and 70's. The residents of this area, for the most part, had a complete disdain for blacks. If you questioned their feelings you would be looked at as odd or crazy. So for the most part you kept your month shut. I don't agree with this, but this is how it was. Many of the residents, from the era, still live in the area and so do their adult children. They passed these beliefs to their kids and for the most part they still agree. The difference today is people will not voice racist feelings or beliefs in public. They keep them to themselves or their tight circle. As a society we like to believe we have reached a enlightened age
where the problems of race and racist feeling are a thing of the past. This far from true. In a town like West Bend it's probably worse then say Germantown or Menomonee Falls, where they made some progress. West Bend is a far flung suburbs and may of the residents have little or no contact with blacks. Therefore, they are more likely to fall into the race trap. They may be quicker to judge and believe stereotypes. They may be curious and overly friendly or you may get a quick glance or an ugly stare. If I were black in West Bend I would keep my guard up.

Keep your guard up? I don't think you'd be finding any burning crosses on your lawn

I live in WB; yeah there are racist rednecks living up here, no it's not that bad.

[Murderwaukee]

Honestly I think you will find racism in any town if you look for it.
Just let it roll off . I work in the inner city in Milwaukee and get called
all sorts of names by the folks that don't really know me.

[Allan Trafton]

rso092 you admit there are racist rednecks living in West Bend. If this is so why won't
a black person keep their guard up. I work in the inner city of Milwaukee and I always keep my guard up. I have been called cracker, white boy, five-o many times. I don't let it bother me, but I'm always aware. My personal safety is at risk. An example of this, in the Washington County/Waukesha County area, was a few years back when a black man was fishing out near North Lake. The fire chief, from a area town, and another local man threatened the man with a German Shepard and racial taunts.
It's been 25 years since I lived in that area, so it's probably has improved. When I lived there racism was terrible and I sure much of it still lingers

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Allan Trafton

rso092 you admit there are racist rednecks living in West Bend. If this is so why won't
a black person keep their guard up. I work in the inner city of Milwaukee and I always keep my guard up. I have been called cracker, white boy, five-o many times. I don't let it bother me, but I'm always aware. My personal safety is at risk. An example of this, in the Washington County/Waukesha County area, was a few years back when a black man was fishing out near North Lake. The fire chief, from a area town, and another local man threatened the man with a German Shepard and racial taunts.
It's been 25 years since I lived in that area, so it's probably has improved. When I lived there racism was terrible and I sure much of it still lingers

Those persons calling you those names are still wrong for what they did.

A fire chief? What kind of mess is that? A person can't even fish in piece. What year did this happen?

[Allan Trafton]

The incident occurred April 19, 2005. Two North Lake firefighters were involved. One was the Fire Chief Terrence Stapleton and another firefighter Webber. Both were charged with hate crimes and a civil court case was settled out of court. If your interested there is plenty of info on line concerning this case.

[sarah5sophia]

i live in west bend and i used to live in slinger where an actual hate crime happened, the victim was walking home from school when they were pushed to the ground and beaten, recieving a broken leg. one woman stopped in her car to stop the opressors of the victim. There is racism in washington county and we all need to keep up our guard an make sure we let people who say racist things, to be stopped, so that they won't commit racist acts such as hate crimes in the future!!!

[rso092]

Originally Posted by Allan Trafton

rso092 you admit there are racist rednecks living in West Bend. If this is so why won't
a black person keep their guard up. I work in the inner city of Milwaukee and I always keep my guard up. I have been called cracker, white boy, five-o many times. I don't let it bother me, but I'm always aware. My personal safety is at risk.

You could be straight from Africa and nobody in the WB is going to beat the hell out of you because of it

I'm not sure if you've ever been around this city, but if you haven't, I'll clue you in to something. The rednecks up here pretty much only fight with each other. Even then, it's only the occasional drunken bar fight. The racists up here aren't hard, and they aren't going to cause a scene. They WILL likely make horrible remarks to each other and under their breath, but that's it.

Keep in mind, I'm not dismissing those muttered remarks and prejudicial feelings, because they are ridiculous and ignorant. However, your personal safety is not at risk here simply because you are black, mexican, asian, etc.

i live in west bend and i used to live in slinger where an actual hate crime happened, the victim was walking home from school when they were pushed to the ground and beaten, recieving a broken leg. one woman stopped in her car to stop the opressors of the victim. There is racism in washington county and we all need to keep up our guard an make sure we let people who say racist things, to be stopped, so that they won't commit racist acts such as hate crimes in the future!!!

So when exactly did this "hate crime" happen? Actually, forget it. You can go on looking over your shoulder thinking a posse of Klansmen are going to grab you and hang you from the nearest tree.

I live up here because it's safe, quiet, and relatively inexpensive for the Milwaukee area. I don't live here because it's a haven for whites alone, or because minorities are run out of town the second they step foot inside city limits.

You people act like this is Mississippi, circa 1960's

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by mjohnny123

...Remenber for the first 150 years, it was only Africans and English living here.

What about the French and Native Americans?

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

What about the French and Native Americans?

Oh great now we have "a fire " in the Milw forums now.