Question about racism in Minnesota.... (Minneapolis, Duluth: rent, work, high school)

[Auntie Bob]

Originally Posted by Lillietta

It is indeed their way to not hold a door open, not look you in the eye, avoid confrontation of any kind, behave remote and isolated.

Well I'm definitely from small town (northeast) MN. I've had doors held for me and I've held them for others. I don't have any trouble looking people in the eye, smiling and saying hello. I do avoid confrontation of most any kind though.

[cjc1970]

I cannot speak enough for mid-,mn. I have lived here my whole life and have seen biracial families and children come in and be welcomed by the whole community. The area is country and city combined. There are alot of things to do in the area or not too for away, for example: camping, hiking, skiing, and there are alot of churches to go to- with alot of activities for kids. The closest movie theatre is 10 miles and things are very resonably priced.

[cjc1970]

Originally Posted by kizzeith

This state votes democratic because more than half of the 4.5 million people here live in the Metro area. If you look at the voting maps, you see a blue SouthEast corner in an otherwise completely red state. There is racism here. It's just more prominent in smaller communities.

I am biracial (Caucasian-German/Filipino) and grew up in a small town in MN. Because I grew up there, I was accepted for the most part, besides occasional "guys being guys/giving you crap jokes."

In that small town though, I always felt uncomfortable listening to people make racist comments toward mexicans and blacks (pretty common.) There are a lot of racists in small-town MN.

I went to college in Fargo-Moorhead and it was less common there, and it's even less common in the twin cities or Duluth (where I live now.)

A few months ago I was in a town of about 200 in central MN and there was a drunk 20-something year old shooting off his best "Ni***r" jokes for a good 15 minutes. It was disgusting, and everyone in the bar thought it was funny.

If you move here, I wouldn't live in central Minnesota. You will get looks and you will feel uncomfortable, but that's probably as deep as it would get.

Stay in a bigger city and live around people that are more accepting/modern and liberal-minded. The twin cities would be ideal, then maybe Duluth. St. Cloud/Fargo-Moorhead would be decent third choices.

Apparently you were in the wrong small town! I take great offence to this statement--your rulling out small towns everywhere? Let me tell you about the small towns around Mid-Minnesota: They have tighternit communites that care for each other(regardless of race), they take in people -not just races. They have bennefits for ill and aged because of the friendships and community. And they don't have the violence and rages that the "BIG citties do. Watch the T.V. everynight!!

[cjc1970]

Originally Posted by Auntie Bob

Well I'm definitely from small town (northeast) MN. I've had doors held for me and I've held them for others. I don't have any trouble looking people in the eye, smiling and saying hello. I do avoid confrontation of most any kind though.

I think you are right on the money. People are much friendlier in a small town. And they have more of a religious belief-- maybe just more homestyle, positive outlooks, less violence here. There are still people that can leave there front door unlocked at night.

[JenLee]

I haven't read -or posted- in this thread since the 2nd or 3rd page because the whole topic is such a non-issue for myself and most of the people I know. Granted, my family is white; but even our biracial and non-white friends rarely bring up the subject of race. Is it because we are professionals, or our attitudes, or what? *I* don't know.

Our kids have had some very diverse friends and dated several different cultures and races between the 2 of them. We haven't seen a problem with any of them, no matter what color or culture. Even the guys with the sagging pants were welcomed; and they took some kidding from us about that.

But judging from the reading of the different posts here, it doesn't seem to matter what color people are; it seems as though bigotry and racism can go from being no problem at all to a very serious problem (even if a person is white, according to at least one or 2 posters here!).

So is it color, attitude, neighborhoods, towns, or what? I don't get it......

[TheDeacon]

Originally Posted by Auntie Bob

I'm curious as to what part of the state you are in.

Eden Prairie currently, but I tend to frequent Bloomington for the good shopping, St. Louis Park (Microcenter and a really tasty restaurant nearby that my wife and I sometimes visit) and Minneapolis for the cultural events.

I do mobile computer repair as one of my job duties, so I tend to be all over the place each day for work purposes.

I just came back from Thanksgiving in Madison, WI and I was almost startled by how nice folks were there! I used to live in Madison (had to move, there's just no money there for technology professionals and Milwaukee is so far downhill that I don't even like to visit there too often) and just thought that's how people were supposed to be.

Vegas is about the same except people are a bit more intense (sometimes good, sometimes bad) but are usually even quicker to strike up a conversation.

Few weeks ago I was in Florida to put my mother's house in order after she passed and once more, people chatted, her neighbors hugged me and spent a good time just talking about my mother - Even her local Chamber of Commerce (she was a professional pianist) sent no less than five emails offering condolences and support. Even one of my customers in Florida sent me a greeting card offering condolences.

Then I came back to Minnesota and the first place I went to, someone let a door slam into my face (I thought he was holding it for me) and then walked away when I cried out in pain :/

I reckon everyone's experience is going to be different - I'm a nice guy and I do my best to look non-threatening; I dress neatly and I speak with proper grammar. Maybe it's just the culture, maybe it isn't a racist thing - it's just a very lonely place for an 'outsider'.

I reckon I'll be gone in January, back to Vegas and all, but I am sad that things didn't work out for me here. Part of the reason we moved from Vegas in the first place was because Vegas has no culture. A very tiny museum, a horridly tiny and filthy zoo, very few non-strip art exhibits, few non-strip plays (you will rarely find Shakespeare plays or good indie productions).

The twin cities on the other hand has two zoos that are only rivaled in size and beauty by the Milwaukee and the San Francisco zoo, an almost overwhelming amount of cultural exhibits, art museums, some VERY good restaurants (there's a Hibachi restaurant in Eden Prairie that I will miss for the rest of my life, as well as a couple of chinese buffets in Eden Prairie with VERY friendly asian proprietors) history and science museums, good shopping.....Aside from the cold weather and the bad experiences I've had with people, it really would be the perfect place!

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by TheDeacon

Eden Prairie currently, but I tend to frequent Bloomington for the good shopping, St. Louis Park (Microcenter and a really tasty restaurant nearby that my wife and I sometimes visit) and Minneapolis for the cultural events.

I do mobile computer repair as one of my job duties, so I tend to be all over the place each day for work purposes.

I just came back from Thanksgiving in Madison, WI and I was almost startled by how nice folks were there! I used to live in Madison (had to move, there's just no money there for technology professionals and Milwaukee is so far downhill that I don't even like to visit there too often) and just thought that's how people were supposed to be.

Vegas is about the same except people are a bit more intense (sometimes good, sometimes bad) but are usually even quicker to strike up a conversation.

Few weeks ago I was in Florida to put my mother's house in order after she passed and once more, people chatted, her neighbors hugged me and spent a good time just talking about my mother - Even her local Chamber of Commerce (she was a professional pianist) sent no less than five emails offering condolences and support. Even one of my customers in Florida sent me a greeting card offering condolences.

Then I came back to Minnesota and the first place I went to, someone let a door slam into my face (I thought he was holding it for me) and then walked away when I cried out in pain :/

I reckon everyone's experience is going to be different - I'm a nice guy and I do my best to look non-threatening; I dress neatly and I speak with proper grammar. Maybe it's just the culture, maybe it isn't a racist thing - it's just a very lonely place for an 'outsider'.

I reckon I'll be gone in January, back to Vegas and all, but I am sad that things didn't work out for me here. Part of the reason we moved from Vegas in the first place was because Vegas has no culture. A very tiny museum, a horridly tiny and filthy zoo, very few non-strip art exhibits, few non-strip plays (you will rarely find Shakespeare plays or good indie productions).

The twin cities on the other hand has two zoos that are only rivaled in size and beauty by the Milwaukee and the San Francisco zoo, an almost overwhelming amount of cultural exhibits, art museums, some VERY good restaurants (there's a Hibachi restaurant in Eden Prairie that I will miss for the rest of my life, as well as a couple of chinese buffets in Eden Prairie with VERY friendly asian proprietors) history and science museums, good shopping.....Aside from the cold weather and the bad experiences I've had with people, it really would be the perfect place!

I am going to be honest. This isn't just Minnesota. This is all over the USA. You just happened to have bad experiences in Minnesota. I think the thing that shocked me at first was that this was MN and not GA and I have had problems in GA. I can relate to it. I was in Kennesaw one morning and a man in his truck stared at me and called me the "n" word. Later on a few guys were in their cars and the minute they saw me they gave me the "Nazi salute". I am sorry about your experiences. I am also realizing that this is everywhere.

[Auntie Bob]

Originally Posted by TheDeacon

Eden Prairie currently, but I tend to frequent Bloomington for the good shopping, St. Louis Park (Microcenter and a really tasty restaurant nearby that my wife and I sometimes visit) and Minneapolis for the cultural events.

I'm really sorry for the experiences you've had here. They didn't seem to match what I personally know of Minnesota but, that's probably cuz I'm from up north.
I do hope that you eventually can find a place that not only meets all your needs but, that makes you feel welcome too.

[Auntie Bob]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I am going to be honest. This isn't just Minnesota. This is all over the USA. .

Sadly, I think you are right. It seems as though civilization is becoming a lot less civilized these days.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Auntie Bob

Sadly, I think you are right. It seems as though civilization is becoming a lot less civilized these days.

I don't think civilization was ever "civilized" in the sense that you are describing. The difference is that we have the media to remind about it each day, no matter where you live, you are never far from something bad. I digress.

I am beginning to realize that MN is not paradise. I just hold it to a higher standard because the state of GA and my experiences in it have been a bit of a dissapointment. In reality GA and MN have problems like everywhere else.