Question about racism in Minnesota.... (Eden Prairie: rent , low crime, company)

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Cooliner

yes, you're right, in MN it tends to shock more! But hey Pirate_lafitte, I saw your profile and you're from Georgia, right? In 1996, before this internet stuff became popular in Brazil I receive a letter from a 18 teen girl from Georgia, who was seeking for a pen friend in Rio and wanted to know more about Rio de Janeiro... I was not going to answer it, but as she prepared a neat letter in a colorful envelope I decided to reply to her telling what she wanted to know... I remember it was during the Olympic games and she told me a lot about Georgia...and made me curious...(I used to have a wrong impression of Georgia caused by the movie "Deliverance"...) She was from a small town in the northwest named Dalton, near Chatanooga. Have you ever passed near there??? I'd definetely have visited Georgia if she had kept in touch for longer...
Anyway, my next trip to USA I intend to visit Blairstown, NJ and LongIsland! Have you ever considered spending your vacation in Brazil??? What's the reputation of Brazil out there in Georgia?

Honestly, I have never seen the movie "Deliverance". I don't do much traveling unless I am given a way to travel. There are parts of GA that might still have that image, and I wounldn't be surprised given the culture in the South, but I never see it because I live near Atlanta where you aren't likely to see it. As for the reputation of Brazil in GA, I haven't seen much of it, Compared to other places in the USA like Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, the state of GA doesn't have a large Brazilian population and most Brazilians in GA live in or near Atlanta. There is a Brazilian church in Marietta that I know of. There are also some Brazilian restaurants too. For the most part, alot of people I know tend to associate Brazil with either Rio or the Amazon. There might be some prejudice towards Brazilians, but most of the tensions that mount are directed towards Hispanics. The thing with GA now is that now people tend to hide their prejudice in some places.
I remember the Olympics because I moved to the Atlanta area in 1996. I watched them on TV. Atlanta itself has changed from it's Deliverance image, but there are still areas with that image.

Now back to Minnesota. It does tend to shock if there is prejudice in Minnesota. Most people I know outside of Minnesota who have never been to Minnesota do not believe Minnesota has any racism because you never hear about it in the media. Minnesota never got a reputation so when it does happen it hurts because no one imagines that. Whenever I hear about racism in GA, or any other part of the South, it doesn't surprise me because the South already has a spoiled reputation and whenever racism in the South hits the media, few people are shocked. In fact it is thought of sometimes as "well,we're in the South, it happens here", whereas in Minnesota, which has developed a reputation as "nice", people are more inclined to think "not Minnesota, it's too nice of a place to be like that". Things can happen anywhere.

[JenMerrs]

I think that you would find more of a racism issue in the more rural areas of Minnesota. Our cities and city/suburb areas are quite diverse and think a lot has changed, even in the past 5 years.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by JenMerrs

I think that you would find more of a racism issue in the more rural areas of Minnesota. Our cities and city/suburb areas are quite diverse and think a lot has changed, even in the past 5 years.

Most rural areas outside metropolitan areas might have racial problems. It is a matter of smalltown values combined with suspicion of outsiders and especially those who don't look like everyone else. That is what I have seen. Cases can vary though.

[Cooliner]

I was impressed by the victory of Sen. Obama in Mississippi... (I know almost nothing about politics in U.S but I guess traditionally the South is a Republican turf, right?) and
as you yourself reported in your last post, people there unquestionally still have an in for Black folks due to the past and stuff... So
How do you think Obama is doing a great Campaign even convincing those setback minded from Mississippi? What's his secret after all???
And
by the way, did you hear that song put across by Rush Limbaugh's about Obama???
"Barack the magic negro" is the title... which was meant to be
just a teasing but I think it goes overboard as the lyrics (supposedly sung by a Black man, clashing Obama for his stance...
To me, it looks like the singer is envious because He obviously has a stereotype of afro-americans being rowdy and unpolite.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Cooliner

I was impressed by the victory of Sen. Obama in Mississippi... (I know almost nothing about politics in U.S but I guess traditionally the South is a Republican turf, right?) and
as you yourself reported in your last post, people there unquestionally still have an in for Black folks due to the past and stuff... So
How do you think Obama is doing a great Campaign even convincing those setback minded from Mississippi? What's his secret after all???
And
by the way, did you hear that song put across by Rush Limbaugh's about Obama???
"Barack the magic negro" is the title... which was meant to be
just a teasing but I think it goes overboard as the lyrics (supposedly sung by a Black man, clashing Obama for his stance...
To me, it looks like the singer is envious because He obviously has a stereotype of afro-americans being rowdy and unpolite.

The South is traditionally Republican. I think Obama was able to get most of the black vote and upper-class white vote. Race relations may not be as horrible as they were back in the old days, but there are still problems and most of the problems stem from the Civil War days. Many southerners don't even like northern whites for this reason as well. Times are changing, but there are still old attitudes lingering.
Obama even won Minnesota.

[blessteve]

The fact is crime statistics show that the more
blacks in a city the more crime there is. So crime is directly proportional to
black populations in all cities in America. You can look up those facts for yourself.

Is stating the facts and acting accordingly racist?

[Cooliner]

Originally Posted by blessteve

The fact is crime statistics show that the more
blacks in a city the more crime there is. So crime is directly proportional to
black populations in all cities in America. You can look up those facts for yourself.

Is stating the facts and acting accordingly racist?

If what you're saying is true, then I suppose the most violent towns in U.S should be in the South!

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by blessteve

The fact is crime statistics show that the more
blacks in a city the more crime there is. So crime is directly proportional to
black populations in all cities in America. You can look up those facts for yourself.

Is stating the facts and acting accordingly racist?

If that is the case, here is another question: Why is there more crime wherever there are more blacks? And I'm not falling for the same thing. I know there is more here than meets the eye.

[Katiana]

I find this very interesting. I have an interest in Minnesota b/c my daughter went to college there and we have family there.

Over on the Denver forum a woman of Italian ancestry asked if there was any prejudice towards Italians there b/c when she moved from Pittsburgh, which has a huge Italian community, to Mpls, which does not, people were always making rude comments about them belonging to the Mafia, etc. I said I was surprised b/c MN has a "liberal" vibe, but OTOH not, b/c MN does not have a large ethnic minority population. The white population is basically German and Scandinavian. It is one thing to "talk the talk". It is another thing to "walk the walk". Just my 2c worth.

[roneb]

Originally Posted by blessteve

The fact is crime statistics show that the more
blacks in a city the more crime there is. So crime is directly proportional to
black populations in all cities in America. You can look up those facts for yourself.

Is stating the facts and acting accordingly racist?

Then why does New York City, which has a very high black pop, currently have such a low crime index? You'd get the same results you are claiming by looking at socioeconomic data - poor neighborhoods have more crime. Is it race or is it socioeconomic opportunity? Choosing one leads to stereotyping. Choosing the other leads to hope and possible solutions.