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Thank you. All I really wanted to do is provide honest feedback (based on personal experience) so that it could be weighed against the other things that you know about AZ. I was not trying to slam anyone specifically. My overall opinion is that areas like Scottsdale and North Phoenix will have the combination of a more sophisticated and diverse population which also means that there will be a tendency for more acceptance.
I don't know if I agree with that. I knew some people in North Scottsdale. They were not formally educated but became successful with a business they started decades ago. They were some of the most racist people I ever met particularly toward Hispanics. I have seen a lot of these "old money" Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and North Phoenix residents who are kind of racist. A lot of these people inherited their wealth in some form or another (either money or a family business etc). A lot of Scottsdale women are like this. They were waitresses, models, bar tenders, strippers, or sales clerks at luxury or boutique like institutions(BMW car salesperson, Pharmaceutical rep, Medical Device rep which they get through their appearance alone in many cases) who then marry rich and now feel entitled when they really haven't made anything of themselves. They get plastic surgery, become "homemakers" despite having a full time nanny and a maid and shop a lot. It might sound like a stereotype but it's true. You see it all the time in Scottsdale.
I think education has more to do with tolerance of diversity. For example in Chandler and Tempe, there are many engineers who have traveled the world, lived in different cities in the United States and are highly educated. They are wealthy but it's a different type of wealth than the type you often see in Scottsdale where a trust fund baby inherits a lot of money but isn't really a sophisticated and educated person. These are self made people who worked hard for their wealth and didn't just inherit it.
Last edited by azriverfan.; 11-02-2011 at 05:38 PM..
I have personally had some not so nice experiences in the areas which I named in my previous post. I did not, however, realize that I would need to detail the specifics of each incident in order to not be attacked for my feedback to the OP. The information that I did provide regarding my experinces in AZ (and with whom) were very relevant to my opinion.
You are entitled to your opinion. But, once you state it here, others are also entitled to point out, politely, how you have taken your very limited personal experiences and spoken broad generalities about the income level of those "people" you encountered (how would you know their income, or, as Ponderosa pointed out, their educational level, which is more predictive of tolerance?) and, painted whole cities as "low income" when they are not. Racism is present everywhere, and in all directions.
I met my now husband online. At the time he lived in Raleigh, NC and I was living here in Phoenix area. After long distance commuting for a year, he moved to Phoenix in May 2008. He is originally from Nigeria, grew up in Amsterdam and lived in various cities from Houston to Chicago. He said he never faced as much racism in all those other places than he did here. He faced much racism here in AZ from various different levels. We had some minor instances with us as a couple but nothing major. He hated living in AZ so much that he actually relocated back to NC. I will be following next year. Up until he moved here I did not really see it, I guess coming from a different perspective and surrounding myself we like minded people, I did not see it. However, it did open my eyes and I have heard from others that they have faced the same issues of racism. Is it overt and out in the open, as in other places? No! But does it exist, absolutely.
You are entitled to your opinion. But, once you state it here, others are also entitled to point out, politely, how you have taken your very limited personal experiences and spoken broad generalities about the income level of those "people" you encountered (how would you know their income, or, as Ponderosa pointed out, their educational level, which is more predictive of tolerance?) and, painted whole cities as "low income" when they are not. Racism is present everywhere, and in all directions.
The OP was asking the question from a very specific point of view. People who have never (and will never) encounter the world the way in which she has/will can only offer a "broad generalizations" as well and it will not be from a personal perspective which would benefit the OP and her family.
The OP was not asking for statistics and demographics, she was asking for something that can not be measured in that way. I was attacked by people on this forum who have not and will never experience life from my perspective. The OP was entitled to honest feedback from someone whose racial background could give more honest information about what to expect. She did not want to be fed the typical chamber of commerce type BS, that is so often spewed, only pack up the family and move to a place that is not a good fit for her family.
i dont know. but i have known some great WM BF couples.
something that guys ought to take a better look at bek of their very low divorce rate.
but i regret, like most OP's like this, the profile is conspicuously blank.
why does that bother me? obsession with diversity, racism, interracial dating, and the dating scene, are almost 100% single male AA posts on CDF. never female.
The OP was asking the question from a very specific point of view. People who have never (and will never) encounter the world the way in which she has/will can only offer a "broad generalizations" as well and it will not be from a personal perspective which would benefit the OP and her family.
The OP was not asking for statistics and demographics, she was asking for something that can not be measured in that way. I was attacked by people on this forum who have not and will never experience life from my perspective. The OP was entitled to honest feedback from someone whose racial background could give more honest information about what to expect. She did not want to be fed the typical chamber of commerce type BS, that is so often spewed, only pack up the family and move to a place that is not a good fit for her family.
You are 100% correct. I do not want stats and demographics I want to know about people's experiences and I said the same thing on the last thread and was blasted. I said people that are not of color are never going to understand racism and I don't expect them to, but they are not going to see it because they are not getting any racism so they are just going to say it is not out there. They are not going to be called names, stared at, turned down for a job, or just be treated completely wrong and I am not saying every situation is racist don't get me wrong I am not blaming racism on every situation. But I also have a black female friend that lives out there because of the military and we also visited her while we are out there and she said yes there are a lot of nice people and it is nice out there and she does live in Peoria and she grew up in Georgia and she said that she has experienced more racism out there then growing up in Georgia. Now she is basing it on her experiences and her experiences only. She said to me also she does her interracial couples and she did not want to turn me away and told me I need to experience PHX on my own. All I was simply saying was I came out there and loved it, but had a realtor told me it was not too accepted and also a complete stranger going back home on the plane tell me that as well. I live on the East coast and have been with my husband for 14 years and have not once been told it is not too accepted. My other major concern was my children. We live in a very diverse community. My daughter’s middle school is 46% black and 49% white and my concern was I just do not want her to be treated any type of way being one of the few bi-racial children. Middle School age is already hard enough and then to have to worry about more problems. And I am truly sorry if nobody understands my concerns and took them as I was trashing the Valley that was not my intentions at all.
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You are 100% correct. I do not want stats and demographics I want to know about people's experiences and I said the same thing on the last thread and was blasted. I said people that are not of color are never going to understand racism and I don't expect them to, but they are not going to see it because they are not getting any racism so they are just going to say it is not out there. They are not going to be called names, stared at, turned down for a job, or just be treated completely wrong and I am not saying every situation is racist don't get me wrong I am not blaming racism on every situation. But I also have a black female friend that lives out there because of the military and we also visited her while we are out there and she said yes there are a lot of nice people and it is nice out there and she does live in Peoria and she grew up in Georgia and she said that she has experienced more racism out there then growing up in Georgia. Now she is basing it on her experiences and her experiences only. She said to me also she does her interracial couples and she did not want to turn me away and told me I need to experience PHX on my own. All I was simply saying was I came out there and loved it, but had a realtor told me it was not too accepted and also a complete stranger going back home on the plane tell me that as well. I live on the East coast and have been with my husband for 14 years and have not once been told it is not too accepted. My other major concern was my children. We live in a very diverse community. My daughter’s middle school is 46% black and 49% white and my concern was I just do not want him to be treated any type of way being one of the few bi-racial children. Middle School age is already hard enough and then to have to worry about more problems. And I am truly sorry if nobody understands my concerns and took them as I was trashing the Valley that was not my intentions at all.
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I guess everyone's particular experience is going to be different. I do see where you are coming from. I did not think that you were bashing the valley. My husband had issues with work, school (college) and with police. My next door neighbor is a Phoenix cop and he also admitted that there were issues with racism (he is black). I am also sure there are other people who have not had any issues. My husband lasted three years before he had enough and decided to move back to Raleigh.
I guess everyone's particular experience is going to be different. I do see where you are coming from. I did not think that you were bashing the valley. My husband had issues with work, school (college) and with police. My next door neighbor is a Phoenix cop and he also admitted that there were issues with racism (he is black). I am also sure there are other people who have not had any issues. My husband lasted three years before he had enough and decided to move back to Raleigh.
We where also looking into Raleigh. So you kind of answered that question also I was wondering about Raleigh. So I would take it based on your husband's experience's he had less racism in Raleigh. I do appreciate you honest feedback. That is all I wanted was people who had experienced things.
We where also looking into Raleigh. So you kind of answered that question also I was wondering about Raleigh. So I would take it based on your husband's experience's he had less racism in Raleigh. I do appreciate you honest feedback. That is all I wanted was people who had experienced things.
Yes, he definitely had much less racism in Raleigh than in AZ. He was there for ten years before moving to AZ. We actually got married last month in Raleigh. Hmm, city data even played a part on planning the wedding LOL, search my id and you will see
I wasn't born yesterday. It's not a coincidence that you asked about kidnapping then gangs and now racism. It's pretty obvious where this is going. Are you going to keep posting threads asking questions about negative elements of Phoenix and then justify it by saying you want to move here but that you "heard"...... Like Ponderosa, I also don't think your intentions are sincere and will leave it at that.
Well then you must have been born yesterday. Moderator cut: rude Stop being paranoid, if any of those things are not true that I heard then you will not have to worry about me so called "Trashing" the Valley.
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Last edited by Kimballette; 11-02-2011 at 07:21 PM..
Reason: rude
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