Austin Racism??? (Dallas, Fort Worth, Denton: apartment, renting, unemployed)

[carissima26]

How do you think people in affluent neighborhoods would feel if their son/daughter's teacher was from the Indian subcontinent originally? Do you think this would make a difference to them?

[FueledByBlueBell]

I live in the hills of SW Austin and again, it is a non-issue. I'm not sure where some of these other posters live or the circles they travel in but as a white native texan I can tell you that there isn't anything to worry about. In fact, people in my world are very open and woudn't even notice someone else's ethnicity or religion except to find it interesting and want to learn more (if it was different from their own).

Carissima26- I think all creatures are a bit weird when around being that are different from themselves, but not necessarily in a bad way. I hate to generalize here but again, I don't see any issue here.

[artsyguy]

imo you need to avoid Austin like the black plague if you are an ethnic minority. Avoid most parts of Texas, however, I hear Houston is great for minorities. People in high up positions are racist in Austin.

[Texsez]

You really should not worry about it too much. Dallas has many muslims and many black people that hate whites. This might be a better move for you. Hope this helps.

[girlcitizen]

Originally Posted by FuledbyBlueBell

I live in the hills of SW Austin and again, it is a non-issue. I'm not sure where some of these other posters live or the circles they travel in but as a white native texan I can tell you that there isn't anything to worry about. In fact, people in my world are very open and woudn't even notice someone else's ethnicity or religion except to find it interesting and want to learn more (if it was different from their own).

Carissima26- I think all creatures are a bit weird when around being that are different from themselves, but not necessarily in a bad way. I hate to generalize here but again, I don't see any issue here.

Although I'm sure you are right, I think it's difficult for a 'non-minority' to give feedback regarding prejudice and racism. That's not to say that your opinion isn't valid - but since you don't live your day to day life as a minority, you wouldn't necessarily have the sensitivity to the issue as someone with dark skin or an accent...especially if you are a native texan. Racism isn't just about yelling names and wearing white masks - it can be very covert, very discrete and only noticeable by those it's direct to. Just my 2 cents.

[readymade]

Originally Posted by girlcitizen

Although I'm sure you are right, I think it's difficult for a 'non-minority' to give feedback regarding prejudice and racism. That's not to say that your opinion isn't valid - but since you don't live your day to day life as a minority, you wouldn't necessarily have the sensitivity to the issue as someone with dark skin or an accent...especially if you are a native texan. Racism isn't just about yelling names and wearing white masks - it can be very covert, very discrete and only noticeable by those it's direct to. Just my 2 cents.

I agree, which is why I had nothing to say on the subject. It always makes me laugh (in horror) when white people are all "oh NO! There's NO racism here!"

I mean, how on earth would you KNOW that unless you were a minority?

There is racism everywhere. Austin isn't exempt.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by girlcitizen

Although I'm sure you are right, I think it's difficult for a 'non-minority' to give feedback regarding prejudice and racism. That's not to say that your opinion isn't valid - but since you don't live your day to day life as a minority, you wouldn't necessarily have the sensitivity to the issue as someone with dark skin or an accent...especially if you are a native texan. Racism isn't just about yelling names and wearing white masks - it can be very covert, very discrete and only noticeable by those it's direct to. Just my 2 cents.

Consider that other white people will talk openly about how they feel in terms of racial beliefs with non-minorities. For instance, when my sister lived in Memphis she was horrified at how openly other whites disparaged african americans in conversation among themselves, as if it was obvious that anyone white would agree with their racist sentiments.

When I lived in the NE, a friendly acquaintance said to me, "I'm not prejudiced, I just wouldn't want my son to marry someone that was not white because I fear what kind of prejuduce their children would endure". I have a feeling that guy wasn't going to share that sentiment openly with a person of color. I mentioned to him that I thought his line of reasoning was a bit racist. He wasn't too happy with me.

At any rate, my point is that although somebody white may not experience prejudice because of the color of his skin, he or she may still be aware of the prevailing racial sentiment in an area because there is less self-editing occuring in his presence.

I agree that as a caucasion woman I could never say that I know what it is like to be discriminated on the basis of color and whether the level of it is tolerable or intolerable, because I don't and I never will. That said, I can get a sense of how race relations play out in a particular city because I live in it. Our closest friend here is AA (in fact she is the designated guardian for our son if anything happens to me and my husband so it's that close of a friendship) and I once asked her what it was like growing up in the south - she said Austin really hasn't been that bad (she has a great job and lives in an upscale community). However, she said that driving through east TX when heading to visit family in the deep south has always made her nervous.

[passionatearts]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

I have also heard, because of its rather small African-American population, that quite a few black middle class people who move to or visit Austin have the reaction, "where are all the black people"?

My best friend from Tufts University (where we went to college) is black and lived his entire life in Boston. When he came to visit me in Austin last year, he asked that exact question! He said that he felt very comfortable in Austin and didn't experience any racism, but he also said that Austin is the least diverse city he's ever traveled to. I can certainly understand his frustration, especially when you compare Austin to a more cosmopolitan city like Boston. While Austin is not that racist, I agree with my friend that Austin is lacking in diversity. Were it not for UT and large companies like Dell being here, Austin would probably be even less diverse.

[passionatearts]

Originally Posted by roverchris

Austin is the type of city that cheers its liberal thinking & diversity, and yet might be the most segregated city in Texas( for its size).

Part of the reason for the segregation is historical. In the bad old days, non-whites were forced to live in the east side of town, and I-35 was purposefully built the way it was in order to segregate the races. We're still living with the consequences of these decisions, but I think things are slowly getting better.

[FueledByBlueBell]

You could be right. I was just basing my opinion on my feelings, as I don't really think much about the topic and it doesn't occur to me to treat one race or segment of the population any different from the other. It is bizarre to me that people think about it but I guess it is a reality.