Racism is alive and prospering in Bartlesville (Oklahoma City, Tulsa: violent crime, home)

[gypsy2]

Very well put Goodpasture.

[Asabi]

Originally Posted by gypsy2

Thank you for this distasteful and less discussed subject. FYI: I too am white. Will be traveling cross country from east coast to west coast early spring '09. Planning extensive visit to Tulsa to view places and events related to; architecture, museums, American Indian culture, etc. Cultural diversity is a high priority to me. Will avoid Bartlesville like the plague.

Wow...Don't avoid Bartlesville. It was just one person (an ignorant one) and you'll miss Price Tower (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) and Woolaroc (the buffalo reserve). You'll probably never even see that person during your travels and there are a number of really good people in Bartlesville.

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by Asabi

You'll probably never even see that person during your travels and there are a number of really good people in Bartlesville.

You'll be more likely to get poison ivy or get copperhead snake bit than run into that kind of person there......I like Bartlesville.

[suzyq00]

Someone besides myself at last understands! I moved to Tulsa in 1990 with my then 3 year old daughter. It took only a few days for me to see the blatent segragation. Being from and living my life until then in cities such as Indianapolis and areas such as Los Angeles--Southern California; I had of course, heard of racism, knew it existed, had even heard about 'old time stories' about it from my father and grandmother. However, being I was in Oklahoma not Mississippi; I had not clue to the culture that I had moved to...........I often felt as if I were in an episode of Rod Serling's Twighlight Zone when I first moved here. The blatent segregation was the very first thing that I noticed.

Do not be fooled.....It's on both sides of the track! I am biracial but that is not something that most would detect unless I tell them due to my very fair pinkish tone skin color=====every member of my family including my black (brown father has blue eyes. I lived in the north---black side of town in the beginning as I lived with a friend of a very dear Aunt who has since passed on.

The house that I lived in was filled with cockroaches even in the refrigerator. The persons with whom I lived were honestly and openly offended when I cleaned the house! I thought that I was doing what would be construed as a favor not an offense. I bought the food that myself and my daughter ate daily and ate out whenever possible.

I went out almost daily to search for work. I dressed in a suit with hose and heals even though it was summertime and HOT!!!! I don't know that I ever felt the heat walking the 4 or 5 blocks to the bus stop and then of course walking to the business I was seeking employment with after the bus ride. I was made a very substantial (for the type of work that I did) offer of employment from a Nationally known Mental Health Hospital.........This time I decided not to call every day to find out the decision but to be (ha ha more sophisticated) and wait for their call to me..........After 3 weeks had passed I finally called........I learned that the hiring manager with whom I had interviewed had called me 3--THREE ---- times the blacks that I lived with had never given me the message.....This put me into the position of working for the state making half the wage (The mental health hospital's offer was to match my pay from California doing the same type of work!) When I never called back (due to not recieving messages----they obviously hired someone else.........When I asked my 'friend's' about the calls and missed messages everybody was deaf dumb and blind! They had denied me my employment offer based on my skin color being lighter than theirs. [mod cut] We do not use terms like that here![/mod cut] When they were confronted I was asked to leave and I took a job cleaning at the Williams Towers (I have a college education!) in order to provided for myself and my daughter.

Except for my friend whom I had met as a neighbor, I would have been homeless! I lived for about 6 weeks with she and her 2 beautiful children until I'd gotten a slightly better job but still very low pay and was able to get my own apartment.

[autotech4dallas]

Originally Posted by Profjra

In September 2008 I and my family moved to Bartlesville, a small town 40 miles north of Tulsa from Boulder CO and shortly discovered that racism is alive and prospering here. I had heard of the Tulsa race riots in the 20s but I thought this is the 21st century surely that attitude is gone. Myt family is white but after years in the cities of America we are atuned to the plight of people of color, and often recieve our own share of hatred as Jews. But I was amazed when I stopped at a local gas station and asked if they had a pay phone so I could call my wife... the clerk told me "Im sorry honey this is east bartlesville we dont need pay phones here.. they are all on the west side of town with the '******s'" I was flabbergasted... for a minute I wondered if I was in Mississippi instead of Oklahoma. I noticed a few days later as I was driving across the town that the east side had baptist and lutheran and methodist churches and the west side had an AME church... I guess in this part of the world their really are two sides to the railroad tracks.

I am sorry you have to experience that. That is perfect example of people who have no class, whatsoever. As a black man, it seems like the "n" word is more controversial that the "f" word. I hear all races of people use the "n" word and you just have to phase them out. Personally, I do not use the word because to me, it is just not proper and I know better. I also do not cuss, as well. I always try to set an example to others as a Christian and in this life, you are going to meet all kinds of people. All I say is be yourself, wherever you go and whatever you do, and you will do just fine.

[averagejoe76]

I have heard the Word used many times even by mexicans..
Dont assume its only the"White Trash" Redneck in Oklahoma.Many middle class..
Whites and other Minorities think it they just dont say it.

[autotech4dallas]

I think a lot of people say it to sound cool, I guess. But even when you think of the word, it feels like a cuss word, you know what I mean. It just does not seem right. I also do not like to hear people use racial slurs against other races of people as well.

[Annemieke Roell]

Originally Posted by gypsy2

Thank you for this distasteful and less discussed subject. FYI: I too am white. Will be traveling cross country from east coast to west coast early spring '09. Planning extensive visit to Tulsa to view places and events related to; architecture, museums, American Indian culture, etc. Cultural diversity is a high priority to me. Will avoid Bartlesville like the plague.

That is just silly. If you want to avoid every town where a racist can be found you are going to have to stay home.

[Annemieke Roell]

Originally Posted by suzyq00

Someone besides myself at last understands! I moved to Tulsa in 1990 with my then 3 year old daughter. It took only a few days for me to see the blatent segragation. Being from and living my life until then in cities such as Indianapolis and areas such as Los Angeles--Southern California; I had of course, heard of racism, knew it existed, had even heard about 'old time stories' about it from my father and grandmother. However, being I was in Oklahoma not Mississippi; I had not clue to the culture that I had moved to...........I often felt as if I were in an episode of Rod Serling's Twighlight Zone when I first moved here. The blatent segregation was the very first thing that I noticed.

Do not be fooled.....It's on both sides of the track! I am biracial but that is not something that most would detect unless I tell them due to my very fair pinkish tone skin color=====every member of my family including my black (brown father has blue eyes. I lived in the north---black side of town in the beginning as I lived with a friend of a very dear Aunt who has since passed on.

The house that I lived in was filled with cockroaches even in the refrigerator. The persons with whom I lived were honestly and openly offended when I cleaned the house! I thought that I was doing what would be construed as a favor not an offense. I bought the food that myself and my daughter ate daily and ate out whenever possible.

I went out almost daily to search for work. I dressed in a suit with hose and heals even though it was summertime and HOT!!!! I don't know that I ever felt the heat walking the 4 or 5 blocks to the bus stop and then of course walking to the business I was seeking employment with after the bus ride. I was made a very substantial (for the type of work that I did) offer of employment from a Nationally known Mental Health Hospital.........This time I decided not to call every day to find out the decision but to be (ha ha more sophisticated) and wait for their call to me..........After 3 weeks had passed I finally called........I learned that the hiring manager with whom I had interviewed had called me 3--THREE ---- times the blacks that I lived with had never given me the message.....This put me into the position of working for the state making half the wage (The mental health hospital's offer was to match my pay from California doing the same type of work!) When I never called back (due to not recieving messages----they obviously hired someone else.........When I asked my 'friend's' about the calls and missed messages everybody was deaf dumb and blind! They had denied me my employment offer based on my skin color being lighter than theirs. [mod cut] We do not use terms like that here![/mod cut] When they were confronted I was asked to leave and I took a job cleaning at the Williams Towers (I have a college education!) in order to provided for myself and my daughter.

Except for my friend whom I had met as a neighbor, I would have been homeless! I lived for about 6 weeks with she and her 2 beautiful children until I'd gotten a slightly better job but still very low pay and was able to get my own apartment.

What part of Tulsa did you move to? Sounds to me you encountered trash, not bigots.

[Xotik]

I am shocked beyond belief when I hear stories like that. I have never come across anything of the sort and I'm in a mixed raced marriage... multiracial myself. Everyone has always been so nice, I wish someone would say something racist to my face!

I'm sorry that you experienced that