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I'm one of those folks who dislikes the south. I am in no way an elitist. I don't shop at walmart either. Every place I have lived in my adult life you would probably consider extremely diverse. There are many good things about that but it has never been an issue with me. That means that I was not seeking this actively. I never had to.
The northeast U.S. is filled with phony liberals to be sure but that is spreading to other places at this point. I am a product of the burbs and it did not cause me to have a narrow view but this would be different for each person. Many of the people I grew up around became very urban as adults and for many different reasons. None of them had any problems with "diversity".
Being a self proclaimed idealist can be just as dicey as proclaiming one's self a liberal. Labels are a waste of time in my world. My day to day life is probably way more interaction filled than many so called liberals or idealists.
As far as the south goes- yes people are surface friendly. That is not a huge selling point for me. Yes it is inexpensive but I don't have kids and can support myself in different locales (just barely). There are many negatives there IMHO. If someone sees those things as positives- that is their business. But this is an issue I have dealt with for most of my life and I feel like I have a very realistic view on this.
Yes the south can be just as "diverse" as many other places these days but at the end of the day people can be just as surface tolerant as they are surface friendly. It doesn't really mean much.
OK, I guess I'm the exception.... I did move from NJ to the south 4 years ago and NO, it's not unfriendly or racist. It's not "hostile to minorities" or anything else you guys have mentioned here. Your ignorance of the southern states or "Red States" as you like to call them is just as absurd as the ignorance that fuels racism itself. You'll find more prejudice in some parts of Brooklyn than you'll find in most parts of the South.
Yes, there are always exceptions, so you'll hear about things now and then, but for the most part it's just a nicer place to live with a lot less hostility, friendlier people and much nicer weather... Oh, and it's much more affordable.
Hold up a minute.....I think someone who is black (as I am) would tend to believe that parts of the South are going to be hostile to minorities. Anyone who knows history would think that. I also know that many Southern blacks are hostile to a person such as myself (light-skinned and Spanish-speaking). I remember going to Florida a few years ago and encountering huge amounts of hostility from the locals, even those at a prominent Black college, just because of what I looked like. I am not saying I would not like the South because it's home to too many racists, just that I know that historically racists have run things there and that although the South has changed greatly, elements of that bias still remain. I did point out, however, that there are parts of the South I would love to move to. I also know, having lived in Philadelphia, Boston, New Jersey and New York, that racists inhabit these areas too. My friends used to call parts of all of these places "up South".
Exactly my point. The so called "Red States" are not full of bigots. I was just clearing the record.
MommyV, I won't say they are full of bigots either, but I will say that there are views there that make me uncomfortable. I don't want to live in a state (or area) where the majority is conservative.
Many people are racist but say they are not and they tolerate other ethnicities. I am mandated by the state to attend sensitivity training twice a year. They make you sign a piece of paper that you attended and then they throw it in a drawer in case they get sued they could say you were trained. As Tommy pointed out there are many, many white people that live in the burbs that would not be to thrilled if a minority family with 5 kids moved next to them. I'm being a realist here folks. I had a partner about 20 years ago that was house hunting in the burbs because he just got married and had a child. You know what he said, he would go into the bedrooms and look at photos of the kids on the walls, whether it be little league or a school photo. He said if he saw more than one minority in the photo he would skip that town and x them off the list. This goes on people and we could all be like we get along and this doesn't happen but this behavior is common all over the world unfortunately.
As far as race relations, of course the south is different. Compared to the northeast or midwest it is far more integrated. If you understand history you will also understand that the history of the south in regard to race was unique and can not be duplicated anywhere else. That history can't be repeated regardless of the results that we see today there (which people generally view as preferable). Black history and race relations in this country are something that most Americans are ignorant of. It is complex and it is one of the biggest reasons why the "diversity" concept rings so shallow.
I'm not accusing red states or blue states of being racist... I agree there are racists of every type among every group of people there is. I think it is wrong, but it is what it is.
When I said I'd rather live in a Blue State I'm talking LEGISLATIVELY. Not because I think it's a liberal mecca or anything like that. And no, legislatively blue states are not "perfect" by any means. But I think I'm more of the mind set of NJ than say, Alaska, any day of my life. I am more conserned with children - all children - having healthcare than I am about the right to shoot wolves from helicopters. If I lived in a state that was the complete opposite of my way of thought I think it would be maddening.... that's all. So like I said before, perhaps like Sunil's Dad I DO like to live among people with similar mindsets...but that doesn't make me "racist" or "prejudice", nor do I exclude people who are differnt from me. Nor do I think having a black family move next door to me will "lower my property value." Having a crack house next door, perhaps. Having a brothel open next door, perhaps. Having a white family that hung pictures of Hitler from there windows probably wouldn't be too good for me either.
I don't mind being an idealist - I don't expect perfection of myself or others - but I think shooting for idealism will bring you higher than settling for the pathetic excuse of reality that we live in. CHANGE does not happen by thinking the status quo is impermiable.
Many people are racist but say they are not and they tolerate other ethnicities. I am mandated by the state to attend sensitivity training twice a year. They make you sign a piece of paper that you attended and then they throw it in a drawer in case they get sued they could say you were trained. As Tommy pointed out there are many, many white people that live in the burbs that would not be to thrilled if a minority family with 5 kids moved next to them. I'm being a realist here folks. I had a partner about 20 years ago that was house hunting in the burbs because he just got married and had a child. You know what he said, he would go into the bedrooms and look at photos of the kids on the walls, whether it be little league or a school photo. He said if he saw more than one minority in the photo he would skip that town and x them off the list. This goes on people and we could all be like we get along and this doesn't happen but this behavior is common all over the world unfortunately.
That's the exact point I am making.....minorities have to try to live in places that are not hostile to them. Many places, North and South, are.
I'm not accusing red states or blue states of being racist... I agree there are racists of every type among every group of people there is. I think it is wrong, but it is what it is.
When I said I'd rather live in a Blue State I'm talking LEGISLATIVELY. Not because I think it's a liberal mecca or anything like that. And no, legislatively blue states are not "perfect" by any means. But I think I'm more of the mind set of NJ than say, Alaska, any day of my life. I am more conserned with children - all children - having healthcare than I am about the right to shoot wolves from helicopters. If I lived in a state that was the complete opposite of my way of thought I think it would be maddening.... that's all. So like I said before, perhaps like Sunil's Dad I DO like to live among people with similar mindsets...but that doesn't make me "racist" or "prejudice", nor do I exclude people who are differnt from me. Nor do I think having a black family move next door to me will "lower my property value." Having a crack house next door, perhaps. Having a brothel open next door, perhaps. Having a white family that hung pictures of Hitler from there windows probably wouldn't be too good for me either.
I don't mind being an idealist - I don't expect perfection of myself or others - but I think shooting for idealism will bring you higher than settling for the pathetic excuse of reality that we live in. CHANGE does not happen by thinking the status quo is impermiable.
Abrazos y reps para ti..........
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