Moving to Denver ....?'s on Racism (school, live, store)

[McGowdog]

There are a couple of families in my extended family who have adopted a child from a different race and they both live in Colorado. One of them grew up in Denver and the others live in rural eastern colorado.

Among many things that the parents might worry about, this is surely somewhere on the list. You can't control someone elses behavior. You can have faith in your Maker and pray that your own children will learn from their own mistakes and learn from their own conscience as they interact with their peers and others.

I think bigotry is like any other sin; power, control, domination, intimidation, etc. Denver didn't invent nor did they perfect sin. It existed before. It will exist for some time to come. That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger; sticks and stones, yada yada. Oldest brother kicks middle brother. Middle brother kicks youngest brother. Youngest brother kicks dog. Dog hides under coffee table. Younger brother learns how to fight. Younger brother grows up to have a chip on his shoulder. Younger brother gets therapy and grows up to be a good parent!

Regardless of my nephew and second cousin, they have and are growing up to become very well socialized, talented, and popular kids and productive members of society. Thank God for America! God Bless America! Isn't it a wonderful place? These kids did not grow up as victims or cripples. Didn't you see that movie Ray? Remember what that kid's mom instilled into him?

WHO GIVES A PH%&*% IF THEY SAY STUFF? We'll get over it. We'll pray for that sick person. Let God handle it. If they break the law in dealings with my family, we'll stand up for ourselves. If it gets dangerous, we'll let the law handle it. Don't you want to take that stance? I did.

[James9283]

Originally Posted by Rou

As a mixed child, he has had his share of the racial language and treatment, as have I...even being scolded for bring him into our society

I grew up mixed myself and my best advice to you as a parent is to make sure that the child has some long-term exposure to other mixed, bi-racial, or multi-racial people early in life. There are very few of "us" mixed people in the media or in small towns so this can be hard. This is best thing for your child because as they form their own identity in the world, they need to see that other multiracial people exist and that they should be proud of who they are. I was often forced to choose one side or the other in social groups and never felt comfortable untill I was around a diverse group of friends and other multiracial people. Trust me, this is more important than you might think becuase when an young person begins to struggle with these issues, it almost always goes into gangs, crime, and other self-destructive type behaviors.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by jcx

We are thinking about moving to denver from phx but was wondering if there is racism there? We have young children and dont want to move directly into an area that may be an issue

You won't find much racism here. I'm not gonna say that it's a multicultural paradise that is 'inclusive' or anything. Some lifestyles are not accepted.

But as far as race goes--not problem. Very open about other races.

[countryfiter]

As with any place in the world there will always be people who do not like another because of their ethnic background. Denver has many racist groups and they occasionally make themselves known especially during M.L.K. day. No place in the world will ever be totally free of racism. It doesn't really matter where ya move, your kids will eventually end up coming in contact with them. It's all just how you raise them to see others tha makes the differance. I was raised in a very racist family and I am only a conservative racist. As long as you are raising your family right it shouldn't matter where you live. Remember this isn't Alabama or Kentucky. We are truly a melting pot for ALL races.

[hello-world]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Denver is superficially tolerant and open-minded. I have been shocked, however, at some of the stuff my kids have repeated from other kids, particularly racist jokes about hispanics. My kids' high school did some survey about attitudes towards minorities and found that most people held stereotypical, if not racist attitudes towards hispanics. Interesting, the attitude towards white teenage girls was not much better.

this is pretty interesting, pittnurse. my experience has been along these lines, too (i'm not even "minority"). seems people around denver tend to just be less exposed to "differences" than can be the case near coasts or in some places abroad, for example. it's generally a more conformist kind of place in some distinct (more "surface", e.g.) ways. "eccentricity" of most any kind can just seem more "shocking" or simply avoided by people in and around denver than can be the case in many other places, in my experience. it's in the middle of america, as most of the people here are from, and those that aren't and those that are don't seem to tend to mix so much as far as i can see here. so, it seems to me that kind of exposure may have a bit to do with experiences in denver.

[nooneknowsmyname]

National
Anger at Coach Fuels Racial Divide in Rural Colorado
By DAN FROSCH
Published: June 21, 2007

The discovery of a photograph of four popular high school students giving a stiff-armed Nazi salute has intensified a bitter racial divide in La Jara, Colo.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/21/us/21racism.html?ex=1340164800&en
=df790cfa2b8716d5&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod =permalink

[MorningGlory]

I have lived in Colorado most my life. I moved to rural Pennsylvania for a few months and was HORRIFIED by the racism, use of the N word, etc. Actually got told real Americans were "all white", so I guess if Denver was racist I probably would not have been so offended! It was so disgusting that I moved back after a couple months. Seriously I have never heard anybody talk that way in Denver like they did in PA, and MANY of them did, it was accepted. So no I would say Denver is less racist than most but there is always a jerk wherever you live, you just have to ignore them

[DenverLawGal]

It's always amusing to find whites who think there is no racism, but minorities who think there is racism. Makes you wonder, huh?

[denverian]

Originally Posted by James9283

I grew up mixed myself and my best advice to you as a parent is to make sure that the child has some long-term exposure to other mixed, bi-racial, or multi-racial people early in life. There are very few of "us" mixed people in the media or in small towns so this can be hard. This is best thing for your child because as they form their own identity in the world, they need to see that other multiracial people exist and that they should be proud of who they are. I was often forced to choose one side or the other in social groups and never felt comfortable untill I was around a diverse group of friends and other multiracial people. Trust me, this is more important than you might think becuase when an young person begins to struggle with these issues, it almost always goes into gangs, crime, and other self-destructive type behaviors.

I've thought about this - we have bi-racieal (black/white) twins and it's funny how the other bi-racial couples with babies tend to gravitate toward one another in our neighborhood. I want our boys to grow up knowing there are others like them (even the President!) and not feeling odd. We also have plenty of other bi-racial children in our neighborhood, white and Hispanic/Asian/Indian, Hispanic/Asian, etc., so it seems like a great area to raise our boys.

[DenverLawGal]

Denverian: I wholeheartedly agree. As much as you can, expose them to other cultures and other different people. I kind of got screwed in that aspect, and as an adult female black woman, have often had a hard time socializing with other blacks.