Racism on the Range... (Minneapolis, Duluth: crimes, house, high school)

[MidniteBreeze]

"Here in MN, you're considered a hick if you live here in the Northland, I've been called it many times by friends in the Twin Cities. I guess maybe it should offend me, but it doesn't"

Nah, don't sweat it...those city dwellers are just jealous of all the beautiful and lakes and forests we have right here in our own backyards Whenever I have to go to the cities, I'm always SO glad when the traffic thins out as I head back north into the woods and out of that ratrace. They can have it.

[Josh IN CA]

The term "politically correct" is an old Communist phrase from the 1920s. I get chills every time I hear it.

[mudmuffin]

"Minnesotans that travel get mocked for their accents, I've never been offended by it."

You shouldn't be, it's the rest of the country that can't pronounce words correctly.

As for racism, I can't speak for the Range but I do know that Bemidji has some serious issues with American Indians. Not everyone in the town is prejudiced but those who are cover all age groups, young and old.

[MidniteBreeze]

"As for racism, I can't speak for the Range but I do know that Bemidji has some serious issues with American Indians. Not everyone in the town is prejudiced but those who are cover all age groups, young and old."



Yeah, I've heard there's issues in that area...I think there's just a long history of distrust between white people and Natives around there being that Bemidji is the only larger town in close proximity to 3 different reservations. We have some Native friends from the Cass Lake area...they're well educated, well spoken, etc., but they've said they often feel "watched" while out in town shopping and such.

I think it's one of those situations where BOTH sides have done things to either scare or intimidate the other and no one is willing to let go of the past and move on. Similarly to strained relations between foreign countries, I think the best way to change attitudes and get rid of stereotypes is for people to put forth the effort to make real, personal exchanges with members of the other "side".

I even have to admit that while I don't consider myself racist by any means, I did have some pre-conceived notions about Native Americans. After my husband took a position working at a tribal college though, we began to expand our social network and have become good friends with some Native people.

It's really been neat to see some of the stereotypes break down when we get together with others (i.e., if we go hang out with them and their other Native friends, or they hang out with us and our other white friends). Both sets of friends have made comments like "wow, he/she is really a cool person, I didn't know white/Native people were like that." A lot of us have gotten so comfortable with each other that we're not afraid to joke around about our differences and laugh at ourselves...I think that's SO important!

Of course these small, one-on-one exchanges aren't going to change the political climate of an entire region anytime soon...but even small steps in the right direction are better than none. It's just too bad more people don't have these kinds of opporunities, because I really believe it's the most effective agent for positive change.

[mudmuffin]

MidnightBreeze, I've seen it first hand in Bemidji. I just don't understand it either. The only thing I can say is that it's just plain ignorance. There are those retailers that have an attitude that we don't want your business and there are those that only care what color your money is. I tend to not to spend my money at places I know discriminate.

[pagenunn]

I am white and married to a black man which is his preferred term. My kids are biracial yet on school forms and state testing (Il) and to their father, they are black too. I think it is a preference issue as well. My husband's family has never been anything but black and they are proud of it.

[Mainerd]

I'm going back to the original concern about racism on the range. I can't speek for everyone, but I see alot of concern by many people, on the topics of the accumulative GPA of 1.8 by the HCC football team, and the rape that involved x number of HCC football players at the dorms not that long ago. Many residents of the Ironrange see tax dollars going to waste. I'm sure not all black students have a 1.8 GPA. I'm sure this looks one sided, but these are a few facts that may upset many residents of the Ironrange. Therefore makeing them seem racist.

[mykitty]

There is definitely racism here. I go and watch cases at the court, almost always blacks in trouble, and no black jurors>?!! I am not black, but an Italian. I am always being confused with Hispanic and my GOD! Racism is alive and well here in the good old USA Twin Cities. I hope I can make it out alive. The sad thing is I love all people, and it really hurts when people treat me poorly and make fun of my accent

[Delaneyland]

Originally Posted by mykitty

There is definitely racism here. I go and watch cases at the court, almost always blacks in trouble, and no black jurors>?!! I am not black, but an Italian. I am always being confused with Hispanic and my GOD! Racism is alive and well here in the good old USA Twin Cities. I hope I can make it out alive. The sad thing is I love all people, and it really hurts when people treat me poorly and make fun of my accent

I think you are confusing the metro area with the Iron Range, where the original post was inquiring about. As far as juries and jurors, potential jurors are selected randomly by registered voting records. If a person doesn't vote, he or she doesn't get on the juror selection list. I'm certainly not implying racism does not exist in MN, but I think your observation of "...almost always blacks in trouble.." might reveal a little more about changes in the Twin Cities in the past 15 (or so) years.

[RedRoses]

Originally Posted by Slig

Let's get something straight right now. Refering to someone as "black" is NOT racist, just like the word "jew" is not derogatory in any way. I don't get all huffy puffy when I'm called a gringo down in Mexico. It isn't meant in a harmful manner, just another word for an American. Try looking on job applications, most of them still ask the race question and black is one of the options. Some say African American but I still run across alot that say black. Not a big deal.

As a black person who is from the Island( Jamaica) I don't care if you call me black, African-American, Negro, or colored. I could care less and I wont get offended. I really don't like that Afro-American crap. . We are all worm food anyway. They certainly don't care when we are place down there,which is where we all will end up.