Why is Boston a "white" city? (Dudley: sales, credit)

[charleschap]

Was this in Charlestown or South Boston? Hard to believe it would happen anywhere else in this day and age.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by cwilli6477

A friend of mine told me about this discussion and I just had to chime in. Let me tell you a little story about the racism of Boston.

One day last year my husband came home and told me that his company was transferring him to Boston, MA. I was excited and a little bit weary, I have to admit. Hearing so many horrible stories about racism, etc. I figured everyone has an opinion and put all of those stories out of my head. Even as my neighbors questioned a move to Boston I put on a happy face and prepared for the move. My husband's company offered to put us in a corporate apartment but I wanted my sons to have more space. So we started looking for homes to rent in Boston. Since the relocation was only temporary, about a year or two, we decided not to buy. We looked at several homes in and around Boston.

We finally found a home we liked in a neighborhood that I thought would be good for my sons. When we first went to see the house the owners were nice, we chatted about the neighborhood, etc. During a conversation the wife made a comment about "keeping the neighborhood in the family". I found this to be an interesting comment that caused a slight flutter in my stomach. I decided that I was probably being overly sensitive and stopped my wayward thoughts. Later at dinner I told my husband about the comment, he was not in the room when the wife and I talked, he too thought it a strange comment. We decided that we would take our two children with us when we signed the lease.

Three days later we met with the owners, with our children, to sign the lease. When we walked into the house the bright smile on the husband's face slid like a mudslide and the dance began. The owner told us he had another couple apply for the house at the last minute and that he had to give them serious consideration. My realtor was as surprised as we were and shared as much. The owner told us he would get back in touch with us. After about a week I called the owner and asked what happened. After some back and forth the owner told me he just could not rent his home to us because his neighbors would not understand. He also said the neighborhood would not be good for my children. While I was glad for his honesty, I was shocked!

You see my husband and I are the white parents of two beautiful little boys we adopted three years ago. Our beautiful little boys are black and a neighborhood in Boston did not want them. Shame on them!

In closing, please do not tell this mother about racism in Boston. I lived it first hand and will never forget it!

Oh and yes, I am new to the website so please keep any prejudicial comments about new users to yourself.

That sounds like horrible experience and I'm sorry it happened. I hope you don't consider this question to be "prejudicial," but I'm curious as to how in the last year you went from married mother of 2 adopted boys to single 48 year old woman with no children? I ask because I just saw this post in the Atlanta forum and it seems things have changed drastically for you over the past year.

Originally Posted by cwilli6477

Hello Everyone,

I'm a 48yo single woman, no children, moving to Atlanta with my mother. Because I don't know that much about Atlanta I'm planning on renting a home the first year or two, this will give me time to get to know the areas before I purchase a home.

Any advice on areas I should look into for rentals? I would prefer to live as close to downtown Atlanta as possible without living in downtown. Is Kirkwood a good option for a single 48yo?

Many, many thanks in advance for your help!

[McSyddy]

Originally Posted by lrfox

That sounds like horrible experience and I'm sorry it happened. I hope you don't consider this question to be "prejudicial," but I'm curious as to how in the last year you went from married mother of 2 adopted boys to single 48 year old woman with no children? I ask because I just saw this post in the Atlanta forum and it seems things have changed drastically for you over the past year.

ay ya ya

[TAM88]

Originally Posted by lrfox

That sounds like horrible experience and I'm sorry it happened. I hope you don't consider this question to be "prejudicial," but I'm curious as to how in the last year you went from married mother of 2 adopted boys to single 48 year old woman with no children? I ask because I just saw this post in the Atlanta forum and it seems things have changed drastically for you over the past year.

Looks like this person just got caught in a nice lie.....makes you wonder if their post is some made up story???

[miu]

Originally Posted by Phillyprincess64

I had a great time in Vermont, the people were kind, gracious and treated me no different from anyone else. While you will not find a lot of diversity in Vermont, you will find some of the nicest people there. Beautiful state, beautiful people.

So... for you, as long as the people around you are nice, then any lack of diversity really doesn't affect you negatively?? And if you are fine with Vermont's lack of diversity, then why burden Boston with your concerns of racial representation? Anyway, I think that you are judging Boston far too harshly when you are so lenient with Vermont's lack of diversity. After all, why don't you make a thread in the Vermont forum wondering why it's so white?

Personally, I have never ever considered Boston a bastion of whiteness. I do think that we have a great representation of all ethnicities, cultures and spiritualities in the Boston area. And just because half of Boston isn't black like Altanta, doesn't mean that we are unreasonably white or racist. Again, blacks make up only 12% of the overall US population.

I am very happy with living in Boston. I don't think that I will ever move to another state. It's not about the colour of the residents' skins that's important, it's how they are inside and act. What I do like about Boston is how smart, intellectual and straightforward the population is.

And as to Boston not being welcoming of blacks, well if you read other threads in this forum, you will see that some people think that Bostonians are not welcoming of any newcomers. We are crowded enough in the Metro Boston area and also people seem to want to come here anyway... so there is no need to roll out the red carpet and ask strangers to move here... no matter what the colour of your skin is.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by lrfox

That sounds like horrible experience and I'm sorry it happened. I hope you don't consider this question to be "prejudicial," but I'm curious as to how in the last year you went from married mother of 2 adopted boys to single 48 year old woman with no children? I ask because I just saw this post in the Atlanta forum and it seems things have changed drastically for you over the past year.

And THIS is exactly why I am always suspicious of noobs with an apparent agenda . Just another troll looking to jump on the "Boston hates minorities" bandwagon

Hey PhillyPrincess64, you and cwilli6467 seem to have a lot in common. You both single women looking to move to a different city with your mother, both have "64" in your names, and both like bagging on Boston. What a crazy random happenstance!

[miu]

I think that the noob agenda is to try to start some white or non-black guilt going...

[charleschap]

I thought cwilli's story sounded off. There were things that just sounded made up, like the whole "keep it in the family" thing. No one tallks like that! All just a fictional account to make Boston look bad because Boston is 54% white (2010 census) instead of 36% white like Atlanta. Bottom line is a Boston is a great city for any race. The stories you hear (if they are not fabricated) are someone called me a name, or someone gave me the cold shoulder, etc. It's never a big deal. Here are three choices for you:

A) you are a minority in Boston
B) you are white in the South Bronx
C) you are white in Southeast DC

I would take Choice A any day of the week!

[miu]

Originally Posted by charleschap

I thought cwilli's story sounded off. There were things that just sounded made up, like the whole "keep it in the family" thing. No one tallks like that! All just a fictional account to make Boston look bad because Boston is 54% white (2010 census) instead of 36% white like Atlanta. Bottom line is a Boston is a great city for any race. The stories you hear (if they are not fabricated) are someone called me a name, or someone gave me the cold shoulder, etc. It's never a big deal. Here are three choices for you:

A) you are a minority in Boston
B) you are white in the South Bronx
C) you are white in Southeast DC

I would take Choice A any day of the week!

I will never understand why anyone ever posts to knock a city or place. If you don't like it, then move to where best fits your needs. But city-bashing just seems very unproductive and a waste of everyone's time.

[McSyddy]

Originally Posted by miu

I will never understand why anyone ever posts to knock a city or place. If you don't like it, then move to where best fits your needs. But city-bashing just seems very unproductive and a waste of everyone's time.

the OP posted asking why does people consider Boston a 'white' city, and people were posting is response to that not just randomnly 'city bashing'.......just because you dont agree with someone doesnt mean its unproductive or a waste of time. and you are right if someone doesnt like it, they can plan to move, but they would still have a right to post their opinion about the city. not everyone is going to have the same experiences in Boston