Question about racism in Minnesota.... (diversity, suburb , fit in)

[kg1701d]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

I suspect that some outsiders from urban areas are confusing "racism" with the surprised, suspicious, and/or curious reaction that some isolated-small-town residents will give just about any outsider or stranger.

The fact that some of those people might never have seen anyone with dark brown skin in their lives might enhance the reaction, I don't know.

However, I *can* imagine the effect that a typical group of noisy urban Atlanta teens (black or white) would have if they stopped for gas and snacks at a gas station in a typical small MN town, and I suspect the stereo blasting strange music, along with the kids wearing very different clothes and using different language and mannerisms, etc., would make the whole scene an "event" for some of the locals, especially the older ones who aren't into cable TV or the internet.

It has nothing to do with the folks in MN being backwards -- I suspect a group of farmers driving through parts of the Atlanta metro and talking about hockey or soybean prices would draw a similar reaction. Although the MN folks would be far more likely to be robbed by the locals in Atlanta, I think.

I think rasism in Minnesota has is indeed a lot more curious or annoyance than anything else. Midwesterns are not the most outgoing, in your face people in the country. Nor are the majority of the people accustomed to minorities, through no fault of their own. New people are notice in MN and especially when they don't fit the cultural norms of the state. steiner's statement about farmers driving through Atlanta (or Minneapolis) would be noticed if they were wearing dirty overalls. Its not a rascist thing, its a difference thing.

Not to say that there isn't racism, I grew up with a neighbor who would constantly tell my family that the Holocaust didn't happen cause he didn't care for a certain religion but this man also didn't drive around with his pitchfork threatening or lynching minorities w/e that maybe.

[Organizer]

This is a topic I’ve been doing some research on, it started by putting the words “Moorhead racial profiling" into the google search engine. It came back with a racial profiling report that was performed here in Moorhead by our police department (many other cities as well). Moorhead’s numbers were crunched by a statistician from one of the local universities. His analysis found, what he called “disturbing trends” I’m a Mexican American male with fairly pale skin and light colored eyes (green) so I don’t really fit the profile of a Mexican. Because of this I have been privy to racism as it occurs due to an unsuspecting white assuming I’m just one of the clan (excuse my pun). I now work as community organizer and strive to make racial equality one of my pet projects. I find this studies results disheartening. Latinos and blacks were 10 percent more likely to be arrested than the overall population in 2002. This data, collected by our police was an eye opener as they felt no racial inequities existed. They vowed to continue to collect data as no conclusions could be drawn from only one year worth of data. They did, they collected data for 2003 and 2004, this data, when combined with the 2002 data could finally conclude concerns citizens have brought up about law enforcement. They have not let the public see this data. They have refused to give it to the people. The police chief says he can assure the citizens that there is not a racial problem in Moorhead. I say “C’mon Chief Ebinger le’me look at those numbers and see for myself.”

[earthwar]

I once did some research to see which groups of people were committing serious crimes. To my surprise it read that no person from a minority group was involved in any serious crimes in any county in Minnesota. I know these facts are wrong however. So maybe some of the racism is directed towards whites here. Robyn Robinson news anchor for channel 9 will never use any references to race when they do a news report about a serious crime if the guy was black, (she is black) but if it was from a different minority she most certainly will. So to answer your question, I think racism is directed towards white people here more than anyone else, there are a lot of minority organizations here. The opposite of that is Tom Barnard, radio talk show host, he is very openly racists towards blacks. He is the reason for the reputation that Minnesota is racist. He is very popular here to. This is just my opinion on the subject. EW

[Organizer]

Ok, so the cop shop puts together a comprehensive study on racial profiling in Moorhead. The results of that study (2002) showed that Latinos were more likely to get pulled over and no action being taken. What that means is, a police officer will pull over a Hispanic and not give them a citation, no warning and no arrest will come of the encounter "nothing". What that means to me is that pulling over minorities is a lot like a sport. A cop will pull over a minority frisk him\her or maybe put them in the squad car and than release them with nothing more than a bruised dignity. Sound familiar? A pro-fisherman will catch a fish bring it into the boat maybe hold it up horizontally for the camera before letting it go with nothing more than perhaps an extra hole in its lip. If they need practice keeping up their skills why don’t they take up fishing, I’m not to keen on the catch and release of people.

[Auntie Bob]

Originally Posted by Organizer

Ok, so the cop shop puts together a comprehensive study on racial profiling in Moorhead. The results of that study (2002) showed that Latinos were more likely to get pulled over and no action being taken.

I'd have no reason to doubt the numbers or your assumptions. However, that's some pretty old data so, I'm not sure you can use it to make a case for what conditions are like today.

[Organizer]

I agree Auntie Bob, not only do I agree but that was also the finding of the statistician from MSUM in Moorhead. He said that further research would need to be done before drawing any conclusions. That’s what I’m talking about; in 2003 and 2004 this same police department gathered more data. It would put to rest a lot of unanswered questions. The community was outraged in 2002 they wanted answers they were told to wait until more data was gathered. Looking back what a great strategy, it was the perfect pacifier to get people to go away. When they asked for it later down the line "Police Chief Ebinger just said I can assure the criticizes that no racial profiling is going on here." I say “Chief Ebinger let our peoples data go!” What’s the problem? Besides what’s the expiration date on racism? Some of that data must still be good.

Here's the report http://www.irpumn.org/uls/resources/projects/Moorhead-final.pdf

[Auntie Bob]

Originally Posted by Organizer

Some of that data must still be good.

I'd agree that some of the data would still be good. As an indicator of how things were at the time the reports were done.
If you wanted to prove that's how things still were today, you'd have to have much more current information, like from say, 2006-2007.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Organizer

Ok, so the cop shop puts together a comprehensive study on racial profiling in Moorhead. The results of that study (2002) showed that Latinos were more likely to get pulled over and no action being taken. What that means is, a police officer will pull over a Hispanic and not give them a citation, no warning and no arrest will come of the encounter "nothing". What that means to me is that pulling over minorities is a lot like a sport. A cop will pull over a minority frisk him\her or maybe put them in the squad car and than release them with nothing more than a bruised dignity. Sound familiar? A pro-fisherman will catch a fish bring it into the boat maybe hold it up horizontally for the camera before letting it go with nothing more than perhaps an extra hole in its lip. If they need practice keeping up their skills why don’t they take up fishing, I’m not to keen on the catch and release of people.

One could extrapolate from your data that even though those pulled over may have been doing something wrong, speeding for example, the police in Moorhead cut them a break more often then the non-Latinos pulled over.

See this is the thing with statistics, they are wonderful in the fact that you can twist them any way you want to make a point.

[Organizer]

Originally Posted by golfgal

See this is the thing with statistics, they are wonderful in the fact that you can twist them any way you want to make a point.

This would be a true statement if there wasn’t data that showed otherwise. The 2002 data shows Hispanics were not let off the hook more often. Along with being targeted for driving while brown. This study showed that they were in fact arrested 10 % more than whites, given citations 17 % more than whites and twice as likely to be searched by officers. It can be twisted if you don’t look at all the data. Mostly I’d say something twisted is going on in Moorhead. Check out this article from a local paper. It’s about the Police Chief Ebinger not letting the data go.


Our Lips Are Sealed:* Whatever Happened to the Moorhead Traffic Stop Data? | High Plains Reader

[regionalperspective]

I live in south minneapolis and have two biracial children, i am white (irish/french) and can tell you factually that there is high degree of residential segregation that have affected the urban schools of mpls. and st. paul and to a related degree the first ring suburbs of the twin cities.

that kind of spatial segregation does in fact, point to a very real issue of racism, although it would have to be considered institutional racism, as opposed to personal or individual racism which is what most of the participants in this thread seem to be talking about.

and of course, institutions are created and maintained by individuals. so one does follow the other. i have experienced, mainly through my children's experience, a significant amount of institutional racism including the criminal justice systems, housing and schools. Have my children ever been called the "n" word, not that i know of. have they felt put down or looked at differently because of their color, yes, absolutely.

I can only assume that the poster who seems bothered by the conversation because its a non-issue is white. racism cannot attain "non issue" status until there is social and economic equity across racial lines and we aren't even close to that. for every dollar a white person makes a black person makes 48Cents (these are national figures) a white ex-felon can get a job easier then a black college graduate. Those are some major issues!

But that does nothing to help the poser of the question decide whether racism is a significant enough problem to inhibit a move here. The urban area of Minnepaolis and St. Paul is probably no worse then other major cities. We are becoming better at encouraging racial diversity as the number of POC increase. But i wouldn't encourage moving to rural areas or to outer ring suburbs where your kids could still easily be the only brown skinned kids in the classroom.