middle tn racism.. (Memphis: tornado, subdivision, live)

[kimsk112]

I am asian and have been in Nashville for 10 years, and I don't experience much racism.

It might be odd, but I remember that I got racism comment once when I was in the Bay Area (San Francisco) which is much more diverse.

[hulalula]

Originally Posted by hew2a

But you know it exists. Especially when you're the only person on an elevator and the woman kindly says she'll wait for the next one. Or the best one is when you walk past a woman (ususally the midle-age and older women) and they clutch their purses really tight. Yeah...that's the funniest.

Just something to think about--it might not be a racial thing but more of a your a male thing. As a woman I don't care if you are a caucasion male, african-american male, hispanic male, asian male, or any combination thereof-the main thing is your a male. If I am stepping on an elevator alone with a strange guy I tend to be apprehensive about it--even if he seems nice enough. I would just rather not be confined. Ask some of the women in your life and I bet you get the same answer.

The purse thing--don't know what to tell you there. Your right older woman do seem to clutch onto their purses like their life depended on it. The older my grandma got the funnier she got about it too.

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by hulalula

Just something to think about--it might not be a racial thing but more of a your a male thing. As a woman I don't care if you are a caucasion male, african-american male, hispanic male, asian male, or any combination thereof-the main thing is your a male. If I am stepping on an elevator alone with a strange guy I tend to be apprehensive about it--even if he seems nice enough. I would just rather not be confined. Ask some of the women in your life and I bet you get the same answer.

That's true. I used to work downtown in Parkway Towers; there's a garage on the lower levels and offices on the upper levels. I went into work fairly early and sometimes left at late hours. Quite often I would get on the elevator alone and start up or down, then the elevator would stop on one of the other levels and there would be a lone woman getting on. I'm white and would generally be dressed in a coat and tie; however, a lot of times there would be a slight look of hesitation on the woman's face if we were strangers. I don't remember one actually refusing to get on the elevator alone with me, but I think they thought about it a few times. I'm a big guy, so that might have had something to do with it too.

At one other place I worked, I would be asked to escort one or two of the women I worked with out to their car if it was dark. The women just wanted to be safe.

[MIKE KRASKI]

Racism is shameful. Please stay in the Northeast where they use co-op apartments to keep the minorities out. They use private schools to keep their children segregated from the minorities.

[pawillia]

Mike: Did you mean stay OUT of the Northeast where they try to keep people segregated and minorities out?? I'm not sure if I read the comment right...I don't understand...

[PattiW]

I have recently relocated in Sparta, Tennessee from Ft. Myers, Florida. It is like a different world here. I have been here 6 months and have not heard one racist or biggoted statement. When I lived in Ft. Myers it was totally different. However I must state that in Ft Myers it was almost every ethnic group making slurs to any different ethnic group. I have not seen that here. People in Tennessee are wonderful! I absolutely love it here, cannot imagine ever living anywhere else!

[juliefought]

I live in Memphis...racism is so bad!!! This is the first place that I ever experienced racism from a black person to me (white). I have made every effort to thwart the racism, but it is everywhere. Most people from elsewhere know what I am talking abt, but both blacks and whites act clueless.
When I visited Nashville, I saw many people of diiferent races and they were all friendly. I can't wait to move there in May/June '08. Like it was said before, you just have to hang around like minded people and ignore the racists. I use the 'bad people' as examples to my kids of ignorance and then introduce them to people of color to prove that any racist attitudes that they have heard are asinine(sp?).

So, MOVE to Nash, maybe we will be neighbors!!!

[pawillia]

How is the Hermitage area of Nashville, TN? Is there much racism in that area-- Can Hermitage be considered a rural area of the city?? I was considering moving there next spring...

[jb2777]

I wouldn't think that there is more racism in Hermitage than in other parts of Nashville, nor would I consider it rural. It is a bit suburban, but not as far out as say, Hendersonville, Franklin, or Mt. Juliet. Actually, I would think it more mixed, racially, than these places. For the most part, though, the further away from Nashville, the more prejudiced people seem to be.

[pawillia]

Thanks for your honesty jb2777. I have been looking into different apartments in that area and the last thing I want to have to deal with is racism. I am very cultured and used to being in diverse "accepting" environments-- it would be an unfortunate circumstance to have to deal with that...