Cincinnati Racist? (Dayton, Fairfield, Kent: middle-class, transplants, apartment complexes)

[TeacherinTN]

double post

[TeacherinTN]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

I would agree with this part of what you posted.

My kids say they're "starving" when lunch was an hour late. I think the word "racist" is no less exagerated these days. What exactly is the OP refering to for Cinti? The spectrum is vast. White hoods and burning crosses or casual jokes around the coffee pot?

I cannot speak for the OP but I would think it is a general discomfort and avoidance of other races whenever possible and then possible negative attitudes when "they" are around.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by TeacherinTN

My kids say they're "starving" when lunch was an hour late. I think the word "racist" is no less exagerated these days. What exactly is the OP refering to for Cinti? The spectrum is vast. White hoods and burning crosses or casual jokes around the coffee pot?

I cannot speak for the OP but I would think it is a general discomfort and avoidance of other races whenever possible and then possible negative attitudes when "they" are around.

I'm thinking that it is an irrational bias against persons unknown on the basis of race or ethnicity. I'd like to think that my general avoidance of Islamic radicals or Nation of Islam proponents is rationally based caution as opposed to racism.

[goyguy]

Looking for "tolerance" is a realistic way of going about things, because many people who call themselves tolerant mean it in the sense of putting up with difference and being polite no matter what their true feelings are. At this level of human interaction Cincinnati is pretty much average. In general this has become more the case with American society today. Few incidents of out-and-out harassment occur; instead, the signs are more subtle. You see it more in the form of new neighbors "faking nice" rather than immediately making a panicked call to a realtor, much less perpetrating incidents, and then realizing over some years that the block is slowly "changing complexion." There are sections of the metro area where this is playing out as I type. Four examples are suburban Finneytown and Colerain Township, and the city neighborhoods of Westwood and Roselawn. In each the AA percentage of the population has gone from essentially zero in the '60's-70's to a range between substantial majority and close to 50/50. But this didn't happen "overnight," unlike some parts of town still feeling the effects of real-estate steering and blockbusting which once went on openly. And the migration isn't one-way, either, although the net number of White folks moving in is a good bit lower than that of AA's. (The well constructed and eye-catching houses easily found in the Cincinnati communities just mentioned helps with that. Some people really are all about finding an awesome home at a good price and live-and-let-live.)

The timing of this thread is interesting, because on the street where my parents still live - in "a certain snobby inner-ring suburb" - the neighbors are anxiously making nice and faking nice with the new, and only, Black family that just moved in. ("" in mockery of their reaction.) If history is any indication, though (another "token" family resided there during the '90s) there won't be any real-estate turnover beyond what would be expected. Once perceived threats to the security of the block and the stability of property values are dispelled the new folks will be accordingly "tolerated." And, to be totally fair, genuine friendships may form after all. The people who threw a welcome-to-the-neighborhood party (which is ordinarily never done on that block) might have been genuinely sincere as much as they might have been "trying too hard" to overcompensate for their issues. Even in 2015 it's not easy being a "pioneer," just awkward more than anything.

What ultimately drives the decision of any people with kids, as to where to call home, is whether they lean toward suburbia (with all that entails) and therefore want high-ranked schools as a given - or whether city living holds more appeal although you have to know how to navigate the educational system. Anybody who can be in denial about Florida's problems ("Turn thet dang music DOWN!" POW POW POW) should have no trouble finding a good community in Greater Cincinnati that's "tolerant" enough.

[TeacherinTN]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

I'm thinking that it is an irrational bias against persons unknown on the basis of race or ethnicity. I'd like to think that my general avoidance of Islamic radicals or Nation of Islam proponents is rationally based caution as opposed to racism.

I agree Wilson. It is certainly not racism to be cautious with "Islamic radicals". Luckily for me, I have not had situations where I had to avoid Islamic radicals, neo-Nazis or gang-bangers. Of course, I interact with Muslims, white and black people every day. Would I exercise caution walking into a dangerous neighborhood late at night? Yes, and I dont care what race lives there.

Racism would be avoiding/criticizing/hating an entire race based on a minority of whackos. What was I to think when one of my students who is Muslim wore a Facebook T-shirt that read, "Islam, 1 Billion people like this" to class? Was his parents terroists? Did they have disdane for Americans or want to exterminate the infedel? No, he was proud of his religion just as the Christian kids in my class are proud of theirs (WWJD T-shirts). He is a fantastic kid! Hope my kids grow up to have his character, and I am a Christian father.

[TeacherinTN]

Originally Posted by goyguy

The timing of this thread is interesting, because on the street where my parents still live - in "a certain snobby inner-ring suburb" - the neighbors are anxiously making nice and faking nice with the new, and only, Black family that just moved in. ("" in mockery of their reaction.) If history is any indication, though (another "token" family resided there during the '90s) there won't be any real-estate turnover beyond what would be expected. Once perceived threats to the security of the block and the stability of property values are dispelled the new folks will be accordingly "tolerated." And, to be totally fair, genuine friendships may form after all. The people who threw a welcome-to-the-neighborhood party (which is ordinarily never done on that block) might have been genuinely sincere as much as they might have been "trying too hard" to overcompensate for their issues. Even in 2015 it's not easy being a "pioneer," just awkward more than anything.

Would it be accurate to say that people in Cinti are aware of "race relations" enough so that they feel they must do something special for a minority group who moves into their area? I wouldn't call this racism, yet I must admit it seems odd. Like they are trying to make amends. If a black family moved into my neighborhood here in JC, no one would think twice about it. We certainly wouldn't feel pressured to "make them welcome" any more than anyone else (my subdivision is probably 1/25 black). Now, if a family moved in and the father was wearing a turbin, I would not be surprised if people felt inclined to make them welcome.

[Leahc88]

I actually fell in love with Cincinnati. I never haf a problem. But visiting a few times is different
than living there. We would love to live in a middle class suburb. The reason I
post is because I have heard certain things, and have a friend that is white and
husband is black and live in Cincinnati. They said they get stares, names, and she has got
called race trader and made fun of at work. I just don't want to feel uncomfortable to where I choose to
live and buy a home for the rest of my life.

[flashes1]

Tennessee and Florida are some of the most racist areas I've been to. A lot worse than Ohio---heck they've lynched folks in these two states in the lifetimes of a lot of posters.

[American Luxury]

Originally Posted by Leahc88

I actually fell in love with Cincinnati. I never haf a problem. But visiting a few times is different
than living there. We would love to live in a middle class suburb. The reason I
post is because I have heard certain things, and have a friend that is white and
husband is black and live in Cincinnati. They said they get stares, names, and she has got
called race trader and made fun of at work. I just don't want to feel uncomfortable to where I choose to
live and buy a home for the rest of my life.

I'm sorry your friend is treated like that, but that is a very out of the ordinary experience. Of course with that said, the closer you are to the city, the more likely you will feel comfortable.

[Leahc88]

My friend lives in Eastgate. I still am going to move to Cincinnati. Just curious.