Cleaning Up My Image: Can Tulsa Help? (live, pine)

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by OwassoDiane

Wow! And welcome to our fair city, LL! With an attitude like your's, you will go FAR here or in whatever other city is lucky enough to have you as one of their citizens.

And Goodpasture, I'm with Synopsis. Your words were truly words of wisdom that will resound in the heart of LL for many years. I am a better person after having read both your's and LL's posts.

Right on!

OwassoDiane, I'd like to welcome you to city-data.com! Thanks for posting, and please do stick around.

[SinCity]

My black boyfriend recently joined me in OK even though his requested head count of blacks in my small town was zero!! We've since learned from the wife of an interracial couple that there are 4 black people in Grove. We seldom get a second look and his experience with people in this area has all been good. Unlike the deep south, there is no automatic assumption he is uneducated, poor or criminally inclined.

A black frind of mine from the hood in dallas lived in a small mining town in norther NV where there are very few blacks. He moves around in his job a lot so he experiences a lot of different places, and his hood language definitely stands out. He's such a likable and socail person though, it's part of his charm and isn't something he has any need or inclination to change.

I personally think that if someone from the hood wants to ever leave the hood, they must relaocate to a place where people have little or no experience with it! Otherwise, you're only moving to a new hood! As for the language though, it can hinder a lot more than one might realize. (Ever seen the Orah show about the black man in prison who had to learn to talk and walk to enter the corporate world??!! It DOES matter!)

So, I think your choice of Tulsa is a great one and with your outgoing positive attitude, you are likely to have another whole new world open up to you. You'll get no negative feedback from me concerning Oklahoma, racism in this state, and especially nothing negative about the beautiful city of Tulsa which somehow maintains a wonderful country/small town flavor feeling despite the population.

[hubris]

Well, just my two cents: I do not think you will a have a direct problem.
However, I have moved with people from the working class sectors and in the white-collar sectors and I think that the legacy of the race riots is still here.
I think you will see this in the superficiality of some people; one of the recent Tulsa Opera performances is an example.
Well, I will leave it at that.

[SinCity]

Hubris, interesting comment and I'd truly appreciate some detail about the Tulsa Opera performances you flag as an example if you're so inclined. The only way we can expect to decrease racism in the future is to speak openly whenever and wherever it occurs.

Do you live in Tulsa, are you black and do you think Tulsa is a good place for LL to accomplish the big step he's wanting to take considering that he doesn't want to live too far from his family in LA?

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by SinCity

Hubris, interesting comment and I'd truly appreciate some detail about the Tulsa Opera performances you flag as an example if you're so inclined. The only way we can expect to decrease racism in the future is to speak openly whenever and wherever it occurs.

Do you live in Tulsa, are you black and do you think Tulsa is a good place for LL to accomplish the big step he's wanting to take considering that he doesn't want to live too far from his family in LA?

I agree. These things need to be discussed. If there was something that was done in a manner to be offensive to blacks, it needs to be brought out and discussed. One of the things that furthers racism is the inability to communicate for fear of reprisal. Feel free to speak your mind Hubris; if you do in a tone that is not meant to inflame, we can all listen and perhaps comment.

[hubris]

Sure, what I had in mind, e.g., was that the composition of the audience at one performance was drastically different from others. Now, it occurred to me that after I read the above responses that something a bit( far) worse could have been implied from that; so I want to make it clear that Tulsa Opera is a wonderful place to spend your time (I am a season ticker holder). Rather what I have in mind is the “subtle” means that certain segments of the Tulsa distance themselves from others. This is why I think that the OP will have no direct problem here, but I do not think Tulsa is a direct town, more cloak and dagger in some respects.

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by hubris

Sure, what I had in mind, e.g., was that the composition of the audience at one performance was drastically different from others. Now, it occurred to me that after I read the above responses that something a bit( far) worse could have been implied from that; so I want to make it clear that Tulsa Opera is a wonderful place to spend your time (I am a season ticker holder). Rather what I have in mind is the “subtle” means that certain segments of the Tulsa distance themselves from others. This is why I think that the OP will have no direct problem here, but I do not think Tulsa is a direct town, more cloak and dagger in some respects.

If I read correctly, I guess what you are saying is that the audience was pretty much segregated along racial lines, voluntarily of course, but segregated as to the type of performance. That's not so unusual, even today, sadly.

I really wish the country and entire planet could get over the race issue altogether. It's a pipe dream for now but someday it will happen.

I have one question for any one person who is biased against a person of another race. What if you were in a terrible situation and a hand reached down to help you. Would it matter to you which color that hand was? I seriously doubt it.

I've had helping hands of many colors throughout my life, and I'm deeply grateful to those people and will always, always be there to help anyone regardless of color.

[Paralaw]

I hope I am doing this right (my first post).
I've read all the responses to LL's post and find them very interesting. I so much appreciated what Synopsis said about if you would care what color a hand was if you were in a terrible situation, kudos for that! I do not currently live in Tulsa, although I was born and raised there. Left 16 years ago, currently live in Pine Bluff, AR. I moved 1st to Little Rock in 1993 during Bill's 1st election race then took at job in Pine Bluff in 2000. When I first moved here I just couldn't get over the attitude and the general demeanor of the black white thing here as just "the way it is". It's something that is perpetuated through bloodlines here both black and white. But surprisingly enough the problem is not necessarily racism, better put it is a lack of love. You would think with a church on every corner there would be more spread around. Hum? Color was never an issue growing up in my family and my neighborhood in Tulsa. But it is here, and I detest it! One final note: I've traveled from Toronto to Jamaica, Alaska to Bermuda and met many wonderful people. Tulsa falls right in the middle of all of those and I've always considered Tulsa "home". So click your heels together three times Dorothy I'm coming home! I'll take the tornadoes, ice storms, and sticky summer days because there's no place like home! I'll be back just in time for Mayfest!

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by hubris

Sure, what I had in mind, e.g., was that the composition of the audience at one performance was drastically different from others. Now, it occurred to me that after I read the above responses that something a bit( far) worse could have been implied from that; so I want to make it clear that Tulsa Opera is a wonderful place to spend your time (I am a season ticker holder). Rather what I have in mind is the “subtle” means that certain segments of the Tulsa distance themselves from others. This is why I think that the OP will have no direct problem here, but I do not think Tulsa is a direct town, more cloak and dagger in some respects.

I am sorry, but I do NOT see that at all. I do not attend most "black" concerts or events. Why? I personally do not care for rap or hip hop. It has nothing what so ever to do with color. It has to do with preferences. I wear a stetson when I go out. I wear it as it was meant to be worn. I do not wear it sideways or backwards. It has nothing to do with color. It has to do with my perceived image of myself. My son on the other hand likes his hip hop and Tommy Hilfiger clothes. I like Wrangler and Real Ranch. Noting to do with anything but personal preference. Chances are you won't catch me at an opera, unless Reba or Garth is singing. Most likely you won't catch me at a sushi bar either. But you might look for me at Jamil's or Mahogany or the Spudder.........when I spend $100 on dinner, at some point there is going to be a large steak involved, and little rolls of rice with bait in the middle won't cut it. When it comes to matters of faith, I like Willie George, and I liked Asuza. None of this has to do with race. My REAL problem is when someone says "You are doing this (not doing this) because of race." I tend to get in their face. I don't like rap. I don't like pants hanging around a person's knees. I don't like ball caps on sideways or backwards.....not because it is racial, but because it looks stupid. I do real estate appraising. In the past 5 years I have had five trainees. Two were black, Two were women. One was homosexual. Three were Christian. One was Pagan. One I never bothered to find out. The Pagan was not the homosexual. They do their job, we get along fine. They don't do their job, and we part company. Presuming my tastes are a matter of racism is so totally absurd and shallow that I find myself angry that it is even considered part of the conversation.

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by Paralaw

...... I've always considered Tulsa "home". So click your heels together three times Dorothy I'm coming home! I'll take the tornadoes, ice storms, and sticky summer days because there's no place like home! I'll be back just in time for Mayfest!

Let us know when and where and we can meet at Mayfest......I'll buy the first beer. I like people that like people and like to have fun............