Diversity (Pittsburgh, Republic: environment, income, jobs)

[Maaz]

Originally Posted by guylocke

Well, it depends on the suburb, but I think the short and sweet answer is yes. I have found Pittsburgher's to be very accepting of race, myself. So you might find yourself living amongst more white folk than black folk in the suburbs, but I doubt anyone would raise an eyebrow when you moved in! They would welcome you like anybody else, I think.

You're right, it depends on the suburb. However, I've found the people outside the city and close suburbs to be less accepting. I mean, you're okay if you're in Pittsburgh, Monroeville, Robinston Township, etc. When you go out to the country or small towns, such as in Westmoreland County, you're entering areas that are over 99% white (sometimes even 100% white) and some of those people are less accepting. Not everyone will discriminate but you're likely to face some.

Maaz

[guylocke]

Not everyone will discriminate but you're likely to face some.

I think it would be less discrimination and more naivety and apprehension.

BTW, I think Washinton and Butler county would be a much more appropriate analogy with "country" than Westmoreland County. Westmoreland County close to the Allegheny County border is quite developed.

[Maaz]

Originally Posted by guylocke

I think it would be less discrimination and more naivety and apprehension.

BTW, I think Washinton and Butler county would be a much more appropriate analogy with "country" than Westmoreland County. Westmoreland County close to the Allegheny County border is quite developed.

True, but remember that Westmoreland county is quite large. I wasn't thinking about places like Murrysville or Irwin when I said that. Maybe not even so much Greensburg, but outside of Greensburg are a lot of small towns that are like that. In some cases, it is naivety and apprehension, but in other cases, it is discrimination. I guess it depends where you draw line between naivety and discrimination. Certainly it's not as bad as it is in the south. But, when you go to smaller towns (Donegal, Vandergrift, Forbes Road, Derry, Seward, Mount Pleasant, Crabtree, etc.), you're going to face nearly 100% white population. Even Latrobe is almost completely white.

[Terrynat]

Jeffselan, some people, such as myself want to be around diversity for various reasons. I, for one, as an black person have felt isolated in situations where I am the only black person. But to be honest, when I see that a neighborhood or city or town is racially diverse it makes me feel ok about being there (that is, sometimes if there is a town where everyone is white you kind of get the feeling that they don't want my kind there and that is a VERY awful feeling).

My sister has a friend whose daughter goes to school in Fox Chapel/Asipinwal area and she is very dark. The white students tease her because she is dark. God knows I don't want my child to have to go through that. I think that is why certain people want to be around racial diversity. Everyone on this forum seems to be trying to tip toe around the subject, but I think before we suggest ppl can be seen as being bigotted by wanting to be around racial diversity it is important to understand people's motives.

[Agbor]

Butler is "interesting" too...a friend of mine (black) went with a group of friends (all white) to a local resturant to get breakfast.."Interestingly" 1. When she ordered along
with everyone else,they didn't seem to have what she ordered..so she re-ordered..
2. Everyone elses food came but hers..3. When hers did come,it was last..4. and lastly
it was burnt...I find it interesting they seemed to have only made "mistakes" with her food..One of the guys who had lived in the South saw right thru what was going on..

Then you have individuals on this board who say they are glad Pittsburgh is 98%"white"because the bad areas are "black"..logically then,melanin makes people prone to criminal behaviour and non-melanin makes people prone to civil behaviour like burning
breakfasts..interesting...

[Maaz]

Originally Posted by Terrynat

Jeffselan, some people, such as myself want to be around diversity for various reasons. I, for one, as an black person have felt isolated in situations where I am the only black person. But to be honest, when I see that a neighborhood or city or town is racially diverse it makes me feel ok about being there (that is, sometimes if there is a town where everyone is white you kind of get the feeling that they don't want my kind there and that is a VERY awful feeling).

My sister has a friend whose daughter goes to school in Fox Chapel/Asipinwal area and she is very dark. The white students tease her because she is dark. God knows I don't want my child to have to go through that. I think that is why certain people want to be around racial diversity. Everyone on this forum seems to be trying to tip toe around the subject, but I think before we suggest ppl can be seen as being bigotted by wanting to be around racial diversity it is important to understand people's motives.

I can understand that. But the thing is that when there is this so-called diversity, it often creates segregation. In other words, all the blacks socialize, the Chinese socialize, the Indians socialize, the Hispanics socialize, etc., but generally stick with their own group. I would prefer if nobody cared about anyone else's race or ethnicity and just pretended that everyone was the same.

I can relate to what Terrynat said, though. I grew up in a rural area about 80 miles east of Pittsburgh. I am neither white nor black but everyone else in elementary school and middle school was white (with the exception of 1 black student who was there just a couple of years). I got picked on all the time, and I always felt that it was because I wasn't white.

Maaz

[Maaz]

Originally Posted by Agbor

Butler is "interesting" too...a friend of mine (black) went with a group of friends (all white) to a local resturant to get breakfast.."Interestingly" 1. When she ordered along
with everyone else,they didn't seem to have what she ordered..so she re-ordered..
2. Everyone elses food came but hers..3. When hers did come,it was last..4. and lastly
it was burnt...I find it interesting they seemed to have only made "mistakes" with her food..One of the guys who had lived in the South saw right thru what was going on..

Then you have individuals on this board who say they are glad Pittsburgh is 98%"white"because the bad areas are "black"..logically then,melanin makes people prone to criminal behaviour and non-melanin makes people prone to civil behaviour like burning
breakfasts..interesting...

A similar situation happened to me recently, but it was in Florida (not in any of the major cities). I was the only non-white person in the group, and the waitress repeatedly gave me the wrong food, etc. She made about 5 "mistakes" with me but none with anybody else.

As for bad areas being "black", this is common for any city. Many blacks are poor and live in the ghetto. The majority of them are *not* criminals but, unfortunately, some are and the rest of them get a bad repuation.

Maaz

[Agbor]

I guess what causes the perception is that non-white proverty is concentrated in sections and is visible because it is non-white...White proverty is spread out and
invisible and where you have proverty,you have higher crime..so crime is "concentrated"
in some areas and "spread out" in other areas...so poor white areas where crimes happen
are "invisible" and "spread-out"...You hear about shootings in Fayette county...

The black middle class neighborhoods and people are "invisible" and yes, they do exist..

[guylocke]

True, but remember that Westmoreland county is quite large. I wasn't thinking about places like Murrysville or Irwin when I said that. Maybe not even so much Greensburg, but outside of Greensburg are a lot of small towns that are like that.

True! I got ya!

[beth ann]

Originally Posted by PApisces

I know that this may not be a "PC" line of thinking, but, I am glad that Pitsburgh is 98% white. If you go to any city (on city data or any other source) all the "bad" areas that people are told to avoid are heavily populated by minorities and predominantly AA. That is just a sad reality. :-(

Just look at Pittsburgh's "bad" areas for proof: Garfield, Homewood, The Hill district, parts of Braddock, parts of Wilkinsburg.

I'm the OP....This is very true in Pgh and that is the exact reason of my concern regarding racial diversity in the Pgh suburbs (where I would most be living). Most Pghers only think of black and white and forget about many other cultures, mainly due to their lack of exposure to any other racial and international groups.

It would be a big change from where I currntly live and have raised my kids.... in a safe suburb w/ great schools and lots of diversity (Asian, Pakistani, African, French, Chinese neighbors). These minorities live in houses well over half a million dollars. So, I think it has more to do w/ education and income than just being a minority.