Do people tend to stereotype more or less in Minneapolis? (St. Paul: neighborhood, high school)

[jazzymentality]

Do people tend to stereotype more or less in Minneapolis? More specifically, do they stereotype people because of their race? Right now, I live where there isn't as much diversity, which may be the reason why it's more susceptible to stereotypes. I don't want people to automatically assume I have an attitude, or that I'm on welfare everytime they meet me. One of the reasons I'm moving here is because there may be less ignorance in the area.

[jojo61397]

I think people stereotype anywhere you go...

A perfect example. My dad as per the post below is in the ICU with heart attack, and other associated problems. One night my mom and I spent the night there because he was having a really rough go of it. Anyway, the next day we were playing cards, as they would not allow us in the room more than once an hour for only 10 mins, but everytime we went in there he asked us to stay. Well, this lady comes into the waiting room with her family and says she doesn't want to sit in the waiting room with "those kind of people", meaning my mother and myself, as we were the only people in the waiting room. It was demeaning and rude, as we had not spoken to the lady, said anything derogatory, in fact she was the least of our concerns as at that point in time, because of the crappy care my dad was getting at this particular hospital and the fact that he was one of the most critically ill patients in the entire hospital with the largest team of doctors. Anyway, it still stings that she said this, as I am not a racist person, I have worked with people of all colors, creeds, and religious backgrounds. I was in the military for over 5 years, I could go on and on. But that lady made me feel so damned low.

Anyway, I'm a Native American-French-Irish-Scottish woman adopted to a Native American-French-German woman and a German-Irish-Welsh dad, with my Bohemian (Czech)-Irish adopted brother. Racism comes in all shapes, colors, and locations.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by jojo61397

I think people stereotype anywhere you go...

A perfect example. My dad as per the post below is in the ICU with heart attack, and other associated problems. One night my mom and I spent the night there because he was having a really rough go of it. Anyway, the next day we were playing cards, as they would not allow us in the room more than once an hour for only 10 mins, but everytime we went in there he asked us to stay. Well, this lady comes into the waiting room with her family and says she doesn't want to sit in the waiting room with "those kind of people", meaning my mother and myself, as we were the only people in the waiting room. It was demeaning and rude, as we had not spoken to the lady, said anything derogatory, in fact she was the least of our concerns as at that point in time, because of the crappy care my dad was getting at this particular hospital and the fact that he was one of the most critically ill patients in the entire hospital with the largest team of doctors. Anyway, it still stings that she said this, as I am not a racist person, I have worked with people of all colors, creeds, and religious backgrounds. I was in the military for over 5 years, I could go on and on. But that lady made me feel so damned low.

Anyway, I'm a Native American-French-Irish-Scottish woman adopted to a Native American-French-German woman and a German-Irish-Welsh dad, with my Bohemian (Czech)-Irish adopted brother. Racism comes in all shapes, colors, and locations.

That really stinks! But are you sure she was referring to you and your Mom's race? Sometimes people can be just plain rude...

[jazzymentality]

Yes I agree, stereotyping can come in all shapes, colors, sizes, situations. I'm just asking, relatively...do people noticeably stereotype? Your example about your dad is a good one, it was an obvious, hurtful, and ignorant thing to say.

[jojo61397]

I grew up in Minneapolis, in a very diverse neighborhood (Brooklyn Park). I think there have been some growing pains there, especially with the older residents, but I think people in my generations (30s and younger), are more aware of stereotypes and tend not to stereotype people.

[Mistacoolio20]

Originally Posted by jazzymentality

Do people tend to stereotype more or less in Minneapolis? More specifically, do they stereotype people because of their race? Right now, I live where there isn't as much diversity, which may be the reason why it's more susceptible to stereotypes. I don't want people to automatically assume I have an attitude, or that I'm on welfare everytime they meet me. One of the reasons I'm moving here is because there may be less ignorance in the area.

The City of Minneapolis Welcomes You

[kuan]

If we were to answer the question that would be stereotyping Minnesotans wouldn't it?

[jazzymentality]

Wow. I was asking a simple question! Has anyone ever seen Spike Lee's " Do the right thing"? I'm talking in situations like those. I've been strongly affected by stereotypes, and I just want to get away from them. I'm going to college, and the last thing I need to deal with is continuously being noticeably stereotyped.

[jojo61397]

U of M-- heck no, Minneapolis/St. Paul-- the elderly, suburbs-- probably not, depends on the burb and the attitude of the local population. I know that in Brooklyn Park, when I went to high school, I was running in track at PC, and I was running with a friend of mine who happened to be South American (Guyana to be precise), and we got pulled over and harassed for running on the street and blocking traffic. We were on the sidewalk, their was a vehicle blocking traffic, and the only reason we were pulled over was because my friend was dark. I wrote down the police officer's badge number and my parents called the police department, my dad knew the chief, and the police officer was suspended for a month for that one. That being said, there are a lot of bad people, with bad attitudes in Brooklyn Park, and I am not just talking gangstas. If you are in Minneapolis and most of its suburbs, you are not going to get followed in a store like you would in Mississippi, you are not going to see KKK written on anything, you are not going to be denegraded for who you go out with, there is a wide variety of radio stations (unlike here in ND), and people aren't going to ignorantly stereotype you. The farther out you go from Minneapolis, the more you are going to face stereotypes.

[nick is rulz]

within the city and immediate inner ring burbs, probably not...as you extend further out, yeah.