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Portland has a black population in the SINGLE DIGITS. That's why there wasn't white flight. Look around. The Pacific Northwest has virtually no blacks. It's kind of hard for white flight to take place when non-whites aren't moving in.
While Portland is only about 8% Black, when Blacks came in high numbers during and after WW2, there was White Flight from NE Portland, where the Black community is concentrated. Heck, they even have a high school(Jefferson) that is 66% Black. So, there are areas of high Black concentration in Portland.
USA - Interracial crime at a glance and Statistics (http://www.racismeantiblanc.bizland.com/005/06-02.htm - broken link)
That site is way off as 86% of Whites and 94% of Blacks from 1976-2005 were victimized by people of the same race. You can get that from the Bureau of Justice website. Interracial crime is the exception and even when it happens, race is not necessarily the motive, For example, in my area, all of the interracial crime, both ways and directly and indirectly, have been due to illegal drugs. So, there are other factors to consider in regards to interracial crime. Bureau of Justice Statistics Homicide Trends in the United States: Trends the racial composition of homicides table (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/tables/ovracetab.htm - broken link)
Bureau of Justice Statistics Homicide trends in the U.S.: Trends by race (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/race.htm - broken link)
I would rather live in a crowded urban center than in urban sprawl. It works for my personal benefits. At least cities are more walkable than a sprawling mess and transit options are usually better than in the suburban sprawl. IN the city, I get stared at less than I do in the suburbs. For some reason, I feel like I am treated a little better in the city than in some suburban areas. Other suburban areas are cool, but the city is where I function best. I don't have a car and for that reason, the city is best for me. As a single person, why do I care if I have a backyard? If I want some open spaces, I can go to the park.
As for the most dangerous cities being populated by blacks, well, I'm black and you don't see me going out and killing people. Furthermore, those same cities populated by large black populations, well, those same cities also have high poverty rates and high jobless rates. I have seen other posts by you and I know you are only saying this because you don't like black people, nor do you wish to know any, whether they be criminals or good decent people like the people I go to college with. And what about the everyday black people who have to deal with the crime in their own neighborhoods? I hardly see anyone express concern for them. I know what I see on the news. Most of what I see is black people committing crime. Do I ever hear that most of the crime committed by blacks is often against blacks. Statistically, most crimes are intraracial, not interracial.
What people also forget is that cities with high Black populations also have affluent or middle class areas that are highly Black. Even in Detroit, there are areas like Sherwood Forest, Indian Village, the University District, Old English Village, Palmer Woods and a few others that rival any suburb in that area. There are actually noticeable amounts of whites in these areas too.
Maybe people to look at their lifestyle in terms of crime too.
What you just said might be the case. With that said, while many people did vote for Obama, the over all view of African-Americans as a whole is still very negative. Until that changes, the issues of race and its consequences will not be truly solved.
True, as people seem to forget that other factors helped Obama like: the previous administration, the win in Iowa: which in turn made people, including Blacks want to know more about this guy, the fact he was representing Illinois: which neighbors Iowa and in turn could have been a vote for the "local" guy that caused a chain reaction, sexism to a degree towards Hilary Clinton, many people decided not to vote in this past presidential election and some other reasons that people have to think about.
I think people's general vision of Blacks, including some Blacks themselves needs to change for race to diminish. Part of the problem is that people have a limited knowledge of Blacks in terms of history, education and many other factors. Here's a good site that shows some honest things about Black folks in the US: African American Population Demographics
Great points and I would add that the blocking of Black veterans of WW2 to also get a piece of the suburban pie caused a stereotypical view of what the suburbs were at the time too.
Not to mention restrictive covenant laws in which white suburbanites deliberately, and were legally protected, to block Blacks from entering these new developments.
A lot of institutional racism takes place through realty, but it's not just within the hands of the powers that be, white homeowners have had a voice as well and have used it mightily to further their racist thinking.
Overall, I think of racism as a cycle. It involves folks in power creating it for their own advantage, then stoking fear amongst the masses, who then support powers who side with those fears, and then it helps create the poor conditions of those being discriminated against, which then perpetuates the stereotypes that were created by racism, and the cycle repeats through generations.
Slowly but steadily, I think racism will no longer be as impactful, but I stress slowly. When the reality of blacks change and they get enough power to change the perception of them, I think racism can be minimized. There will probably always be those who harbor negative feelings, but I think (hope) overall it won't be as impacting on everybody's lives.
Dude you only see what you want to, that much is painfully obvious. Your carely crafted Lee Atwater/Rush Limbaugh/Southern Strategy worldview won't hold any water here. Give it a rest, will ya?
I could care less what you think of my supposed "worldview." You do not even know me - this is an online forum, and you need to stop pretending/wanting that it is not. These are typed words, on a computer - not a verbal conversation. You need to remember that or try to force yourself to accept it.
As for giving my opinion on an issue a rest, I will not. Who do you think you are to tell me I am not entitled to my opinion on a subject?
Since we know each other sooo well, you should tone down your Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson/"Always the Victim" worldview. Its becoming a bit outdated.
What people also forget is that cities with high Black populations also have affluent or middle class areas that are highly Black. Even in Detroit, there are areas like Sherwood Forest, Indian Village, the University District, Old English Village, Palmer Woods and a few others that rival any suburb in that area. There are actually noticeable amounts of whites in these areas too.
Maybe people to look at their lifestyle in terms of crime too.
Same goes for Atlanta. At the south part of the city, there is alot of poverty and crime(and it spills into the neighboring suburbs such as in Clayton County). Go further north or west and you will find affluent African-Americans.
Not to mention restrictive covenant laws in which white suburbanites deliberately, and were legally protected, to block Blacks from entering these new developments.
A lot of institutional racism takes place through realty, but it's not just within the hands of the powers that be, white homeowners have had a voice as well and have used it mightily to further their racist thinking.
Overall, I think of racism as a cycle. It involves folks in power creating it for their own advantage, then stoking fear amongst the masses, who then support powers who side with those fears, and then it helps create the poor conditions of those being discriminated against, which then perpetuates the stereotypes that were created by racism, and the cycle repeats through generations.
Slowly but steadily, I think racism will no longer be as impactful, but I stress slowly. When the reality of blacks change and they get enough power to change the perception of them, I think racism can be minimized. There will probably always be those who harbor negative feelings, but I think (hope) overall it won't be as impacting on everybody's lives.
Racism is a pathology of control. It is about controlling people and resources. Europeans never referred to themselves as white until the colonial days of the USA. Why did the concept of race arise? African slaves and indentured European servants got together and encited rebellion. The elites of colonial America were afraid of these people who were basically peasants, landless and broke. You couldn't kill them all because the point of being an elite was to have someone do all the work for you, to be a person of leisure. They convinced European servants that their "whiteness" was more important than their economic status. They were put on slave patrols, given a little bit of land, were allowed to testify in court. Well, the "racism" worked and the it played out over and over through history. This is part of the reason no slave rebellion was successful in the USA. The use of "whiteness" was a trick, and a pathology of control. People who were in control(economically and politically) were afraid of not being in control, so they invented a pathology of control, racism.
That pathology of control manifested itself as another pathology of control, restrictive covenants, blockbusting, redlining. It was a way to control who moved where, who could live where, a way to keep people divided.
Location: Originally from Cali relocated to Inman Park/Old 4th Ward/Westside Atlanta
987 posts, read 3,911,846 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte
Racism is a pathology of control. It is about controlling people and resources. Europeans never referred to themselves as white until the colonial days of the USA. Why did the concept of race arise? African slaves and indentured European servants got together and encited rebellion. The elites of colonial America were afraid of these people who were basically peasants, landless and broke. You couldn't kill them all because the point of being an elite was to have someone do all the work for you, to be a person of leisure. They convinced European servants that their "whiteness" was more important than their economic status. They were put on slave patrols, given a little bit of land, were allowed to testify in court. Well, the "racism" worked and the it played out over and over through history. This is part of the reason no slave rebellion was successful in the USA. The use of "whiteness" was a trick, and a pathology of control. People who were in control(economically and politically) were afraid of not being in control, so they invented a pathology of control, racism.
That pathology of control manifested itself as another pathology of control, restrictive covenants, blockbusting, redlining. It was a way to control who moved where, who could live where, a way to keep people divided.
Excellent point Pirate...the facts you pointed out are indeed the root of racism and how it's played out since the colonial days... That mindset that was set then has carried over to this day. I didn't want to go that deep on them here but I'm glad you made that point. Most of the usual suspect of narrow-minded bigots on this site probably wouldn't understand. Those are the facts and it continues on to this day and in their minds they know it's true.
True, as people seem to forget that other factors helped Obama like: the previous administration, the win in Iowa: which in turn made people, including Blacks want to know more about this guy, the fact he was representing Illinois: which neighbors Iowa and in turn could have been a vote for the "local" guy that caused a chain reaction, sexism to a degree towards Hilary Clinton, many people decided not to vote in this past presidential election and some other reasons that people have to think about.
I think people's general vision of Blacks, including some Blacks themselves needs to change for race to diminish. Part of the problem is that people have a limited knowledge of Blacks in terms of history, education and many other factors. Here's a good site that shows some honest things about Black folks in the US: African American Population Demographics
I looked at a map of the election from 2008. The states with the relatively low African-American populations(Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon) voted for Obama. Many of the states that voted for McCain, strangely enough, had the some of the highest African-American populations(Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,South Carolina, Texas(Texas also has one of the largest Hispanic populations and is a majority-minority state).
According to my father, the states that practiced slavery the worst were often the states that vote Republican today(at least east of the Mississippi river, the West is a different story). I think many people who may have not liked African-Americans could relate to Obama and felt comfortable with him. He touched on the issues, but didn't mention race. He didn't want to come off as "angry", even as John McCain was making attacks at him. He basically made McCain look like an idiot for the most part. Even if some people didn't like black people, they liked Obama. In some places, like West Virginia, some people admitted that because Obama was black, they would not vote for him. Personally, when someone criticises Obama, I don't know if it is a legitimate reason involving politics, or if that person doesn't like the idea of an African-American president and isn't gutsy enough to admit it.
I liked the link about the truth about African-Americans. It tells me much has been done, but much more needs to be done.
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