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I have been reading the threads and found one of the comments to be interesting. Do you acutally believe blacks and whites are actually segregrating themselves from others? Or do you think perhaps due to the many years of white inflicted segregation that blacks choose to live in and around other blacks in order to protect themselves and their families. I can tell you right now that I actually prefer living around other blacks primarily because I choose to. I have lived around other races and cultures and find my experience to be okay, however my preference is to live with in and around my own race of people. However, I do not think I am self segregating, I honestly feel in my heart that I only have a preference that should not be judge or categorized as "segregation or self-segregating."
Too often do people, especially where a majority exists do the majority want to control those in the minority. Also, we should stop using the term minority. It is terrible term and also one that is used to purposely and historically segregate people.
I think you might have answered your own question. I think most blacks and whites don't mind living in communities with both races but if they have to choose between and all white or all black community they are going to pick the one they identify with. I don't think you are anybody else is purposely segregating themselves, but in many cases they don't have much choice. There are however many areas of the Atlanta metro area which are emerging into mixed areas which provide the opportunity for people to live among people from all sorts of backgrounds.
As far as not using the term “minority,” you are probably right. The problem is as long as we are thinking in terms of race there has to be a minority. Minority simply refers to groups who are disadvantaged because they are not as large of a group as another group. They are disadvantaged only because there numbers aren’t as large as the majority. As soon as we stop seeing in terms of race we can stop seeing people as “minorities.” But people don’t seem to want to stop thinking in terms of race because they would lose all the advantages that do come along with identifying with a race. In the US minority historically means non white and for some reason some people think this gives it negative connotations. In a tread discussing race I think using the term “minority” is appropriate and descriptive.
I have been reading the threads and found one of the comments to be interesting. Do you acutally believe blacks and whites are actually segregrating themselves from others? Or do you think perhaps due to the many years of white inflicted segregation that blacks choose to live in and around other blacks in order to protect themselves and their families. I can tell you right now that I actually prefer living around other blacks primarily because I choose to. I have lived around other races and cultures and find my experience to be okay, however my preference is to live with in and around my own race of people. However, I do not think I am self segregating, I honestly feel in my heart that I only have a preference that should not be judge or categorized as "segregation or self-segregating."
Too often do people, especially where a majority exists do the majority want to control those in the minority. Also, we should stop using the term minority. It is terrible term and also one that is used to purposely and historically segregate people.
I am sure there are many people that have this same intension as you but it's the people on the outside looking in that will ask you the same question that you've just asked. "Do you acutally believe blacks and whites are actually segregrating themselves from others?"
I can tell you right now that I actually prefer living around other blacks primarily because I choose to. I have lived around other races and cultures and find my experience to be okay, however my preference is to live with in and around my own race of people. However, I do not think I am self segregating, I honestly feel in my heart that I only have a preference that should not be judge or categorized as "segregation or self-segregating."
Or said another way, I can tell you right now that I actually prefer living around other [Whites] primarily because I choose to. I have lived around other races and cultures and find my experience to be okay, however my preference is to live with in and around my own [White] race of people. However, I do not think I am self segregating, I honestly feel in my heart that I only have a preference that should not be judge or categorized as "segregation or self-segregating."
This is the same rationale that supposedly decent and moral people used 40 and 50 years ago when attempting to justify and rationalize de facto segregation. I don't mind coloreds, but I just prefer to live amongst my own race. They seem to be happy with their (inferior) jobs and their (inferior) schools and (inferior) neighborhoods. It works out well for everybody.
Well ... go right ahead and follow that lead. It's easier than doing what's right. Me? I remember the '60s; I remember having to live in an inferior neighborhood and attend inferior schools because it made folks comfortable in their "identity"; I remember being the first of the bussing students. I see history repeating itself, and have no delusional intentions of going along to get along.
Location: Unlike most on CD, I'm not afraid to give my location: Milwaukee, WI.
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I'm not in Atlanta..
and don't want to be. But I make no bones about the fact that I prefer to live around whites like myself, and the vast majority of my friends, relatives, and co-workers do too. I can also state, having lived in many places, that whites segregating themselves generally has nothing to do with intolerance of different skin color or culture. However, it has everything to do with intolerance for crime, bad schools, and property decay.
It is also highly probable that the gentrification of intown neighborhoods will eventually lead to Atlanta having its first white Mayor in many years. Mayor Franklin is doing an excellent job for now but the seismic shift in demographics is alarming. As it stands right now, I think the total number of African-American voting population is only at 54%, far from what I was initially lead to believe that the city proper is heavily African-American majority. I just hope the potential candidates do not resort to race-baiting to get their points across.
[I'm not in Atlanta] and don't want to be. But I make no bones about the fact that I prefer to live around whites like myself, and the vast majority of my friends, relatives, and co-workers do too. ...
A perception and worldview that's not inconsistent with historical ones. That Black folks today essentially adopt the same is mindboggling to me.
In other words, Derrick, this person wants you to know that it's OK that you desire to live amongst folks who share your identity and worldview, basically because it legitimizes his or her own desire to do the same.
I don't know if you have school-aged kids Derrick, but in the rest of the 50 states, schools that are predominantly Black or Brown--you know, kids who look like each other; share the same identity, etc.--are typically the worst schools. This might suit Mrkool and the vast majority of his friends, relatives and co-workers just fine. But it's such a problem for others that the US Supreme Court is about to decide whether it's OK to--once again--resegregate another generation. So how schizophrenic then, that so many Black parents think it's just fine to live in our "own" neighborhoods while our neighborhood schools get worse and worse for our future generations.
Education and race are two different things. The bigger questions to ask ourselves is why are predominantly black schools failing and other white affluent schools succeeding. I use to believe that is was 100% black peoples problems, but come to find out many states have tax systems that forces black schools into failing and affluent schools into succeeding. Take Ohio for example, the state Supreme court ruled the way school districts are funded as being unconstitutional, however no one has taken the initiative to change this very unfortunate situtation. And please lets not necessarily blame anyone, lets offer solutions.
The bigger questions to ask ourselves is why are predominantly black schools failing and other white affluent schools succeeding.
One of the primary reasons is because of the very thing you advocate. Greater society is content with "us" voluntarily living in our own neighborhoods. And if one of the consequences of our choice results in underfunded schools, poorly paid and experienced teachers and a hopeless education system, then the rest of society isn't going to be too sympathetic about it. After all, it was our choice.
And don't think for a minute that the greater society wants it any other way. Every time they hear Black folks trying put an intellectual spin on the decision to live amongst ourselves, it's one more guarantee that their kids don't have to go to school with our kids. Now, if we had continued on with the hard work of true integration and reconciliation, we likely would have moved past this.
My solution? I just said it: the hard work of integration and reconciliation. We'll get nowhere if we don't.
So backfist...your telling me that once we all integrate that will solve the problem of black failing schools? Umm I truly believe blacks inherited a system of public education that was already failing. The public school system was handed to blacks with no infrastructure and very little direction. As far as integration is concerns, it proves nothing more than another attempt to force all the races together, hold hands and sing ***[come] by ya my lord." lmao
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I'm not in Atlanta..
