Is raleigh a good place for AA's (Durham: apartment complex, renting)

[VickiR]

I am all about the freedom to live where you want to live and with whom you want to live.

However, being a Realtor, Fair Housing prevents me from discussing race. So, if I have a client who says to me...I want to live where other AA's live. I must advise them that I cannot discuss race. Of course, the reality is that I don't know where "all other AA's live" BUT...are there areas that seem predominately one race? Of course.

I'm not against someone of one race wanting to live in close proximately to others that are of the same race. We are people. We want to be comfortable. However, Fair Housing rules are THE LAW and therefore, must be obeyed.

Another pet peeve of mine is that I don't agree that it is ok for someone to ask for a neighborhood that has African Americans in it but it isn't ok to ask if there are Caucasions in it. Reverse discrimination? Again...I think it is ok to ask (although Fair Housing says no) but it should be ok for EVERYONE to ask, not just minorities.

Vicki

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by VickiR

I am all about the freedom to live where you want to live and with whom you want to live.

However, being a Realtor, Fair Housing prevents me from discussing race. So, if I have a client who says to me...I want to live where other AA's live. I must advise them that I cannot discuss race. Of course, the reality is that I don't know where "all other AA's live" BUT...are there areas that seem predominately one race? Of course.

I'm not against someone of one race wanting to live in close proximately to others that are of the same race. We are people. We want to be comfortable. However, Fair Housing rules are THE LAW and therefore, must be obeyed.

Another pet peeve of mine is that I don't agree that it is ok for someone to ask for a neighborhood that has African Americans in it but it isn't ok to ask if there are Caucasions in it. Reverse discrimination? Again...I think it is ok to ask (although Fair Housing says no) but it should be ok for EVERYONE to ask, not just minorities.

Vicki

Vicki,
It is OK for them to ask.
Just not OK for you or me to answer...

[beckycat]

So, did we ever come to conclusion what the OP meant AA stands for?

[goat1of2]

Those of us who thought AA meant Alcoholics Anonymous (myself included) are saying more about ourselves and our families/friends than maybe we'd like to! Obviously, many of us have dealt with addictive personalities or our minds wouldn't tend in that direction!

That said, if indeed the OP means "black", then he/she might try Durham which, last I knew, was roughly 40% black, 30% hispanic, and 30% white. And no, I don't bother with trying to figure out what the currently PC terms are for those. You know what I mean and I mean no harm!

[DanielleNC]

Originally Posted by goat1of2

Those of us who thought AA meant Alcoholics Anonymous (myself included) are saying more about ourselves and our families/friends than maybe we'd like to! Obviously, many of us have dealt with addictive personalities or our minds wouldn't tend in that direction!

That said, if indeed the OP means "black", then he/she might try Durham which, last I knew, was roughly 40% black, 30% hispanic, and 30% white. And no, I don't bother with trying to figure out what the currently PC terms are for those. You know what I mean and I mean no harm!

Oh wow, where did you get those numbers? It's roughly half white/black and a growing Hispanic population.

Here are city-data's numbers:



Races in Durham:

• Black (43.8%)
• White Non-Hispanic (42.4%)
• Hispanic (8.6%)
• Other race (4.7%)
• Two or more races (1.9%)
• Asian Indian (1.3%)
• Chinese (1.1%)
• American Indian (0.8%)

Also, do a search for AA. You will see most results will pop up with Alcoholics Anonymous.

[goat1of2]

Thanks for posting the official numbers. I believe that I got my figures from an article (a couple years ago) which was also attempting to count the many illegals living in Durham.

[DanielleNC]

Originally Posted by goat1of2

Thanks for posting the official numbers. I believe that I got my figures from an article (a couple years ago) which was also attempting to count the many illegals living in Durham.

Yeah, I would say that article was way off base. The Hispanic population is growing, but isn't near 30% yet. And Durham being 30% white was way off too.

[CaliBoy]

Originally Posted by starla

I think people on this board like to go a little overboard in pretending to not be racist or prejudiced. What they're trying to say is "I never would have guessed AA meant African American. Because I see people as people. Not as members of a race. Therefore, I thought of alcoholics and secretaries first." (Except for the raging bigots who automatically thought you were talking about Asians, of course.)

My conclusion is that you might be projecting, starla. There was never a need to use AA to signify African American without it being spelled out initially. True, it could have referred to so many things at first glance. However, referring to those who initially thought AA referred to Asian Americans as bigots was ignorant at best. Insulting was a definite.

However, what you failed to acknowledge is that those who do pretend or tolerate their own racially or prejudicially based views are those who are at least trying to overcome them. Even if your assertion that people on this board are pretending not be racist or prejudiced was wished as fact, would you prefer they continue on this path and outwardly continue such beliefs. It starts somewhere. And pretending becomes tolerance becomes acceptance becomes normalcy. Your statement, beliefs and alleged projections only stalls or sends backward strides we are making to focus on the individual and not on the race.

Originally Posted by starla

Really, I think non-AAs should quit responding to these threads. That would be like me responding to a "Is Raleigh a good place for retirees?" thread. I mean, I see old people around, and they seem happy enough, and hell, there are even a few in my neighborhood. But fact is I've never gone looking for retiree-friendly places and events here, much less anywhere else I could compare it to.

And what you are trying to assert is that if a person does not belong to a particular group they should not have a voice or response pertaining to any group outside of their own demographic or personal first hand interest? Come on, Starla, do I really need to explain how this idea is terribly segregated and narrow minded?

The OP posted a thread entitled "Is raleigh a good place for AA's" while expressing disappointment in what he perceived to be true. Regardless, I the question is a fair one for many reasons including that some African American individuals have a concern about racial makeup in communities they wish to reside. However, on countless occasions, questions from people of differing races have received flak for posing questions about where their own racial makeup dominates demographically if it appears they are interested in mainly residing in a community built primarily of that makeup. If someone posted a question from the other end of the spectrum and asked if Raleigh is a good place for CA (Caucasian American's), I doubt it would be received with a grand reception (and it has not). Seems unproductive to give anyone flak for personal preferences, but such flak also seems to indicate (to me) that communities across the nation are more and more resistant to racial biased and are embracing diversity.

Really, I don't see that people gave the OP much flack for posing a question about Raleigh being a good place for African American's as much as the OP posting a question with a potentially confusing common acronym. That does not make them closet bigots. It simply means we have numerous thinkers of varying educational exposure who will address any and all aspects of a posed question. Posing a question with such an acronym was poor, especially from someone who is presumed to be well educated based on their profession.

Nonetheless, I think a lot of good information was generously provided. And this thread is another reminder that the triangle is not made up of a bunch of thoughtless country bumpkins but of a well educated and insightful group of intelligent interested citizens who will certainly call a person out if they do not think much before they type. Doesn't mean I always like everything I write to be picked apart, but I have learned much from such pickings as well. Even if many are not a part of my demographic or interest circle.

[skaternum]

Originally Posted by chuckreis

But what do I know, I am just a raging bigot.

At least you're just a raging bigot. I, apparently, am a retard who can't use context to figure things out.

[BurntHombre]

Plus you're harboring secret racism in your heart. The more you protest you're not a racist, the more it proves you are!