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You say you are a professional, Hispanic female who dresses very sharp, even to go to the grocery store. And that people watch you suspiciously, as you said.
Ever think that may they watch you because...you are dressed sharp and look nice? Charleston is a laid back, touristy beach city. People at the Mt P whole foods are usually in casual clothes, and many are in gym clothes coming from the nearby gyms. So, if you are dressed in "sharp" professional attire, and are an attractive female....well, I'd look your way too.
If you are LOOKING for signs of racism, you can find things that make you think it is there.
And the reason the crowds downtown are so white...is that so many of our black and Hispanic neighbors just choose to go elsewhere, to the nightlife in North Charleston or bars in more rural areas. They maybe don't wanna pay $10 to park their car, or pay twice as much for the same beer they can get in Summerville. Lots of white people make that same choice.
I'm a mixed race Charlestonian, moved here 17 years ago. The Charleston you describe is foreign to me.
You say you are a professional, Hispanic female who dresses very sharp, even to go to the grocery store. And that people watch you suspiciously, as you said.
Ever think that may they watch you because...you are dressed sharp and look nice?
If you are LOOKING for signs of racism, you can find things that make you think it is there.
I'm a mixed race Charlestonian, moved here 17 years ago. The Charleston you describe is foreign to me.
I wasn't expecting any other answer. People that have been living here for a long time seem to "not see things the same way". It is almost like they live in some sort of illusion! I am completely capable of distinguishing a positive look from a negative look. The fact of the matter is that the culture and mentality in the real Charleston is not as wonderful as people expose here. And why would I look for signs of racism? If there are things that make you feel like there is racism then there are things. I am not creating them. I came from a city that's very diverse and progressive where people don't act like they do in Charleston and I am thankful to God I am moving soon! Charleston is pretty, but it's the people who make it really NOT as special.
BTW the look I got from the lady at Whole Foods was the "I am watching you, don't take my purse" look. She was not admiring my attire to tell you the truth!
I have lived in Charleston for 2 years and I have to tell you, it has been the worse experience of my life. When we started considering transferring here and looking for feedback about the Charleston area, every single person who we knew visited the area (as tourists) had pretty good things to say about "the touristic areas". Once we moved the story turned into a shocking reality. I am Hispanic and my husband is Black and I agree with the previous statement that most opposition comes from African American as well as white women. There is A LOT of jealousy and ignorance in this place and it comes from both whites and blacks. If you are a professional who is also a minority GET ready, you are not going to have it easy. I frequently shop at Whole Foods in Mt. Pleasant and I remember one time when this white older lady started following me with her eyes as I passed by her shopping cart, which happened to have her purse in it...and I always dress very professional and classy! Even going to the supermarket is drama even if you are always well dressed and look sharp! Everything about this place is backward, the culture, the mentality and how the government does things, EVERYTHING! There is NOT diversity in the public sector either, you will find that all managers in stores are white. Is like going back in time to the 1970-1980. I call it the "quiet racism".
The only "positive" I have experienced about the area is that there is a fair amount of traffic if you compare it with other bigger cities, houses are "cheap" (only in the rural areas), it is quiet here and there is a lot of outdoor activities you can do like fishing, hunting, etc. (you know the country stuff) There are a couple festivals that happen every year and some worth visiting county parks.
Night life....the best night life here is called hanging out in bars, mostly downtown Charleston. Honestly, I went there a couple times and I could not see a single Black or Hispanic person among the crowd. Even if you try to ignore the fact that you are the "weird thing" among the crowd, people make an effort to remind you. You get a lot of looks....I always wondered if in their minds they were asking...what are you doing here? Once you do the bars, the beaches (which are not appealing if you have seen prettier), shopping, go to the movies and walk downtown you have done mostly all there is to do.
Most outsiders I met who stated that love Charleston are white. Probably the people answering questions here are also white. They really don't understand what I am talking about since they are not in my skin. So...please do not get mislead by this forum. There is a group of people here that dedicate their time to counterfeit every single negative comment other people post about the Charleston area. Just read after my comment and you will see what I am talking about!
I've lived in Charleston for a little over three years now, and I will agree, that there are some racist people down here. Whether its intentional or just unconscious (learned) behavior, it still exists. Even if "race" as a concept were completely eliminated, there would be something else people would be bigoted toward one another about. The Middle East and Africa are great examples of this phenomenon.
In the case of the old lady at Whole Foods, its entirely possible she was eyeing you up because of the color of your skin. The only thing I can say to that is there are old racist people on every side of the coin, and just because they exist, doesn't mean the area is racist or backwards or there is a "quiet racism" in the area as a whole.
Something else to keep in mind, is there are several cognitive and unconscious biases that make us perceive things that aren't actually occurring. Every single human is guilty of some kind of unknown bias, its how we're wired.
You also can't beat demographics...if you have 60% white, 35% black (almost three times the national average btw), and all other groups make up the rest, you ARE going to be the "odd one out". However, just because you are, doesn't mean that anyone is being racist toward you by taking notice. I can tell you though, that if I go into a place where I'm the minority in the room, there's definitely a subconscious "feeling" of being out of place. Its just human nature to feel that way IMHO.
The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
Racism consists in setting a preference for one race over another.
[SIZE=3]Superficially, this meaning seems to be straightforward, simple, and accurate. On careful examination however, it proves to be inadequate because of the need to deal with historical, social, and moral context in dealing with the term "racism." [/SIZE]
So...to sum it up Leo, you want to twist the meaning to serve your own view of it? Hmmmmmm, and so it starts...well, before you do, remember this....
This would be a wonderful opportunity to pause for a moment and give thanks for the great contributions of the Black community to our society. Their peaceful and generous nature make them ideal neighbors, lending testimony to their exceptional family values and parenting skills unrivaled by any other culture. Their commitment to academic excellence enriches our schools and serves as an example to all who hope to achieve prominence as a people. Real estate values are fueled by the mix of African Americans into an area due to their caring and respectful nature of these communities, an example of all they have achieved through their enthusiasm for self improvement by hard work and a self-reliant can-do nature. And we certainly must not forget their abhorrence for crime and their dedication to observing the law. Without their industrious and creative drive, we would be poorer as a nation.
You know, historically speaking and all....let's don't forget these factors.....keeping it reallllllll......
This thread reminds me a lot of that scummy strip club thread Yac closed last month. It just keeps stirring up negativity and bringing out the trash in people. Might be time to lock it down.
I was in a situation with other white females (I'm white) who felt that a person of color that interacted with them gave them some kind of attitude. I didn't feel it, didn't know what they were talking about. It became obvious to me that we all have preconceived ideas and emotions that impact how we may see a situation. These ladies were anticipating an attitude (yes I would have defined them as racist in this situation) and got what they were looking for.
Me -- I was dumbfounded, didn't understand at all what they were talking about or how they felt. It was an eye opener for me.
If you are a person of color, perhaps your immediate reaction is to assume that an interaction with someone else is racist rather than just what happens in the day...or perhaps the situation was misread.
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