Is Utah Racist?? (West Jordan: credit, college, living in)

[coolcats]

Originally Posted by HappyHopeful2007

You are very aware of the different kinds of racism since you felt the need to specify that you are not very dark and have a white last name. You know that in a racist environment dark skin and names/attributes which are black are less accepted. I think you are hoping Utah is not too racist for who you are. Utah has a black population of 1%. It is a racist state but the very few black people who live in Utah deal with the racism as trade off for low cost of living, low crime, and nature. Salt Lake City being gay-friendly does not cancel out the city/state's racism against blacks and other brown minorities. A lot of the white gays in Salt Lake are racist. Sure, you'll find it tolerable, maybe, enjoyable living here, especially since, as you say, you are not that dark and have a white last name.

You post with an air of authority. To help me assess your credibility, I would appreciate the following questions:

1) What is your experience studying the racism problem in general?
2) What is your personal experience with racism in Utah in particular?
3) Where do you live now, and how much experience do you have with the state of Utah?
4) What other states do you consider racist?

Thank you.

[HappyHopeful2007]

Your family's story is very moving. Unfortunately, a lot of what your family dealt with is still happening today in Utah. People deny it but to thatem I always say, if Ytahns woke up tomorrow and Utah went from 1% to 50% black Utahn would move to Montana.

Originally Posted by army_wife

Things ARE different now. 30, or even 50 years ago (when my inter-racially mixed parents first moved to Utah) things were very different. Our house was vandalized multiple times, my sisters were routinely beat-up, after an accident involving my skull being cracked open when I was 4, our neighbors refused to help get me to a hospital. It was pretty damned bad, all because my mother was white & my dad wasn't and we were non-mormons to boot.

Of course, that was then & this is now. My memories & perhaps your mothers are of a very different place than you'll find now. While not too many African Americans live in Utah, the number of other minorities is increasing every day. Most people, based on the way things are now, will almost think my prejudice story was made-up because of how easy-going Utah now seems (it is all true though). My father used to say Utah was the furthest West of any of the Southern States--but like the South it's turned largely tolerant.

It is a snow-boarder, skier, kayaker, white-water rafter, biker, hiker, camper, rock-climber, beer maker's wet dream. Not to mention how culturated Salt Lake City is. Utahns rarely realize what treasures they have in the Opera, Ballet, Symphony, Capitol Theatre, Ririe Woodbury Modern Dance, Salt Lake Acting Co., and all of the various cultural events and activities and theatres that are very affordable there.

I was shocked to discover that after seeing THE Bolshoi in Moscow, I honestly preferred Utah's own Ballet West!! And the only place I've ever been able to see Mikhail Barishnakov perform was in SLC.

It's even starting to develop its own night life scene with the clubs in SLC and especially in Park City. Not to mention those at the ski resorts too. There's lots to do and tons of cool people to do it with.

So please, think it over. There are tons of incredible things about Utah and it really is a "Pretty Great Place." Keep in mind though that the Salt Lake Valley is the most racially mixed/integrated and non-mormon part of Utah (as someone pointed out, particularly near the U of U campus) and so you might start there...

Best of luck to you!

[SergeantL]

Originally Posted by coolcats

You post with an air of authority. To help me assess your credibility, I would appreciate the following questions:

1) What is your experience studying the racism problem in general?
2) What is your personal experience with racism in Utah in particular?
3) Where do you live now, and how much experience do you have with the state of Utah?
4) What other states do you consider racist?

Thank you.

Maybe he slept at a Holiday Inn last night.

[coolcats]

Originally Posted by HappyHopeful2007

Your family's story is very moving. Unfortunately, a lot of what your family dealt with is still happening today in Utah. People deny it but to thatem I always say, if Ytahns woke up tomorrow and Utah went from 1% to 50% black Utahn would move to Montana.

The problem with psuedo-authorities, such as yourself, is when someone confronts them with a personal experience that contradicts your current theory-en-vogue, you discount it without offering any actual evidence for why you are correct. In fact, you still haven't answered my questions above. You continually making these accusation without any evidence to support your claims.

[HappyHopeful2007]

This board is for sharing opinions. Everyone who writes on the board is an (author)ity of their own opinion and entitled to it. With the hardships that blacks may face in states/cities/environments which are 99% white, a fair and honest warning is compassionate. That is why people inquire about racism before making a move. They want to avoid the hurt, inconvenience, and disappointment racism has caused their lives.

You have not "confronted" me with any personal experience or evidence, only tantrums and insults. Your anger, defensiveness, and denial in response to my stating that Utah and the Mormon church have a racism problem speaks volumes. I stated that I am speaking from personal experience in observing racism toward the black and brown people in Utah.

I'd like to know what have you done to educate yourself and young people in Utah about what racism is and how to end it in Utah?

This board is not about challenging. It is about sharing views and opinions. My opinion is that Utah and the Mormon church have a past and present problem of racism. I am sharing with the board some racist quotes from the book of Mormon:

And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them." (2 Nephi 5:21, emphasis added)

O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God. Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness..." (Jacob 3:8-9).

"their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites... and they were numbered among the Nephites, and were called Nephites." (3 Nephi 2:15-16).

[Calibelle]

Originally Posted by HappyHopeful2007

This board is for sharing opinions. Everyone who writes on the board is an (author)ity of their own opinion and entitled to it. With the hardships that blacks may face in states/cities/environments which are 99% white, a fair and honest warning is compassionate. That is why people inquire about racism before making a move. They want to avoid the hurt, inconvenience, and disappointment racism has caused their lives.

You have not "confronted" me with any personal experience or evidence, only tantrums and insults. Your anger, defensiveness, and denial in response to my stating that Utah and the Mormon church have a racism problem speaks volumes. I stated that I am speaking from personal experience in observing racism toward the black and brown people in Utah.

I'd like to know what have you done to educate yourself and young people in Utah about what racism is and how to end it in Utah?

This board is not about challenging. It is about sharing views and opinions. My opinion is that Utah and the Mormon church have a past and present problem of racism. I am sharing with the board some racist quotes from the book of Mormon:

And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them." (2 Nephi 5:21, emphasis added)

O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God. Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness..." (Jacob 3:8-9).

"their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites... and they were numbered among the Nephites, and were called Nephites." (3 Nephi 2:15-16).

If you want to talk about Utah.... you are in the right place. As soon as you bring scripture into the mix, your post then belongs in the religion forum. That is all we are trying to say. Your opinions and views are welcome, just post in the correct place, okay?

[motoxcoma]

Utah's not really racist... there are religous cliques though.. and they tend to rate on how much you pay in tithing. And your status in their gossip meetings during the week (release society meetings)

[cottonwood2420]

I don't think Utah is very rascist.

[taggit]

Let me start this out by saying what kind of a person I am. I poke fun at everything, including things that shouldn't be laughed at. I find humor in everything. So racist jokes are funny to me. All jokes are. I go for the shock value, and tend to say things that will produce the most extreme reaction in my friends and family. Of course, I do hold back when necessary. I'm not totally out of control or anything.

That said, I am astounded at the amount of racism and superiority the whites here feel toward hispanics. Of course it's taboo to be racist about blacks, but it seems like they don't even consider it racism when it's directed at Mexicans.

I haven't seen any kind of face-to-face racism, but there is an excessive amount of behind-the-back mocking. Mexicans are the prime target. It disgusts me. These people are no better or worse than white people, and yet because they are of a lower working class, and a lot of times don't have the amount of education the rest of the state does, they are thought of as something less than human.

I love SLC, and the diversity it holds. But the degree of racism toward hispanics is offensive even to ME. And it comes equally from Mormons and non-Mormons, in case you were wondering. It seems the trend here is to think less of hispanics and at the same time pretend to be concerned with equal rights.

Am I missing something??

[dreameyes]

Originally Posted by taggit

Let me start this out by saying what kind of a person I am. I poke fun at everything, including things that shouldn't be laughed at. I find humor in everything. So racist jokes are funny to me. All jokes are. I go for the shock value, and tend to say things that will produce the most extreme reaction in my friends and family. Of course, I do hold back when necessary. I'm not totally out of control or anything.

That said, I am astounded at the amount of racism and superiority the whites here feel toward hispanics. Of course it's taboo to be racist about blacks, but it seems like they don't even consider it racism when it's directed at Mexicans.

I haven't seen any kind of face-to-face racism, but there is an excessive amount of behind-the-back mocking. Mexicans are the prime target. It disgusts me. These people are no better or worse than white people, and yet because they are of a lower working class, and a lot of times don't have the amount of education the rest of the state does, they are thought of as something less than human.

I love SLC, and the diversity it holds. But the degree of racism toward hispanics is offensive even to ME. And it comes equally from Mormons and non-Mormons, in case you were wondering. It seems the trend here is to think less of hispanics and at the same time pretend to be concerned with equal rights.

Am I missing something??

I just had to say something here. I don't know about other people but for me it has nothing to do with the color of their skin or their ethnicity. It is their behavior that distinguishes them.