How racist are residents of Ft. Lauderdale? Are there a lot of rednecks? (Miami: sales, crimes)

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by vr2

As a young guy, I've had the exact opposite experience. Having been raised in CA and moving here in my mid teens, I'd absolutely, 100% NEVER raise a child in South Florida. I've experienced the differences. I was so much more numb and open to racial differences when I lived in CA, but the racial tension, violence, and problems associated here was like a punch in the face.

Not sure what part of California you lived in ... but the racial tension , violence and problems in the California that I lived in for four years were just as bad if not worse than South Florida ... I would probably not raise a child in Southern California either . South Florida and Southern California share many , many problems ranging from the economy to illegal immigration to gang violence to a real estate rut and even natural disasters ... that said I like both places ... but to claim that there is more racial tension in one than the other is false as they both fail to make the grade in that area .

[vr2]

Originally Posted by Rock Newman

Not sure what part of California you lived in ... but the racial tension , violence and problems in the California that I lived in for four years were just as bad if not worse than South Florida ... I would probably not raise a child in Southern California either . South Florida and Southern California share many , many problems ranging from the economy to illegal immigration to gang violence to a real estate rut and even natural disasters ... that said I like both places ... but to claim that there is more racial tension in one than the other is false as they both fail to make the grade in that area .

What the heck part of southern CA were you in? Compton?

I grew up in Irvine. It has the lowest violent crime rate among all cities in the United States and was ranked the 4th best place to live. Go look up the demographics and do the math. I would raise kids there in a heartbeat, and I very well may move back there when I do I have kids.

There are huge sprawling areas of Southern CA that are lightyears away (and better) than South Florida with very little problems similar to what we have here. The developed area of South Florida is very compacted, so the closest you can get to an Irvine is maybe somewhere like Weston or Parkland, but still nowhere near the same.

[sofla951]

^haha now I know why you like Weston and areas like it so much. Irvine and most of south Orange County are really pretty new built up in the past 10-15 years. Hell I have friends from LA who said they used to consider that area the boonies when they were growing up. Also for every nice area there are bad ones.........you can go miles through nice areas and then miles through rough areas. The area from USC to Inglewood is not pretty while you can go down Wilshire and think Los Angeles is paradise. Besides south Orange County which is one of the newest and wealthiest areas in all of California I don't see how LA is that different from South Florida with respect to good and bad areas besides it being 3 times as large in population.

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by vr2

What the heck part of southern CA were you in? Compton?

I grew up in Irvine. It has the lowest violent crime rate among all cities in the United States and was ranked the 4th best place to live. Go look up the demographics and do the math. I would raise kids there in a heartbeat, and I very well may move back there when I do I have kids.

There are huge sprawling areas of Southern CA that are lightyears away (and better) than South Florida with very little problems similar to what we have here. The developed area of South Florida is very compacted, so the closest you can get to an Irvine is maybe somewhere like Weston or Parkland, but still nowhere near the same.

Yeah ... I lived in Compton ... it was great . On a serious note you must have grown up in Southern CA many years ago , because although I still like it , the area is not the same quality of life bastion that it was as recently as ten years ago ... it shares many of the same ills as South Fla .. yeah lived in Compton , then Inglewood , then finally upgraded to Santa Ana where did you live in South Fla ... Liberty City , Overtown or Carol City ?

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by sofla951

^haha now I know why you like Weston and areas like it so much. Irvine and most of south Orange County are really pretty new built up in the past 10-15 years. Hell I have friends from LA who said they used to consider that area the boonies when they were growing up. Also for every nice area there are bad ones.........you can go miles through nice areas and then miles through rough areas. The area from USC to Inglewood is not pretty while you can go down Wilshire and think Los Angeles is paradise. Besides south Orange County which is one of the newest and wealthiest areas in all of California I don't see how LA is that different from South Florida with respect to good and bad areas besides it being 3 times as large in population.

Good post .... and yes Irvine is lovely and a nice place to live and an oasis compared to much of current Southern CA . Drive in Coral Gables , Pine Crest , Las Olas or Key Biscayne and you would think much of South Florida was a paradise

[crisan]

Originally Posted by vr2

I should rephrase, show me ONE school where black students make up the highest percentage. Cypress and Flanagan are almost all white and hispanic (flanagan is a B school, not an A school)... and West Broward doesn't show any demographics on that site.

Moderator cut: Diverse means a mixture of race & culture. It is not a euphemism for Black.

James S. Hunt Elementary
45% black
Student Teacher Ratio James S. Hunt Elementary School - Coral Springs, Florida - FL

"A" school for 7 years
FCAT School Grades - Elementary

The main reason for this was the change in leadership. She made the school a safe haven for her students. It took guts and thick skin but she got it there.

[vr2]

Originally Posted by sofla951

^haha now I know why you like Weston and areas like it so much. Irvine and most of south Orange County are really pretty new built up in the past 10-15 years. Hell I have friends from LA who said they used to consider that area the boonies when they were growing up. Also for every nice area there are bad ones.........you can go miles through nice areas and then miles through rough areas. The area from USC to Inglewood is not pretty while you can go down Wilshire and think Los Angeles is paradise. Besides south Orange County which is one of the newest and wealthiest areas in all of California I don't see how LA is that different from South Florida with respect to good and bad areas besides it being 3 times as large in population.

Still missing the point, I think you guys purposely do this. There are a few decent areas off Wilshire, and yes I would say LA is much more like South Florida, where good parts and bad parts are generally very close to each other. And that's the point I'm trying to make. While you can compare LA to South Florida, much of Orange County, especially South/West is a great place with no seedy neighborhoods for miles and miles. Whereas here you have a nice neighborhood then cross the street and you are in the hood.

I still have friends in Irvine, Mission Viejo, and Laguna Hills. I used to play football down that way as well, there is NOWHERE in South Florida comparable as far as sprawling areas of quality homes and people.

I wouldn't raise kids in South Florida when there are so many better places all over the country.

[sk071077]

Originally Posted by vr2

What the heck part of southern CA were you in? Compton?

I grew up in Irvine. It has the lowest violent crime rate among all cities in the United States and was ranked the 4th best place to live. Go look up the demographics and do the math. I would raise kids there in a heartbeat, and I very well may move back there when I do I have kids.

It sounds like a lovely place. Good luck with your baby making. I'm routing for you!

[sofla951]

Originally Posted by vr2

Still missing the point, I think you guys purposely do this. There are a few decent areas off Wilshire, and yes I would say LA is much more like South Florida, where good parts and bad parts are generally very close to each other. And that's the point I'm trying to make. While you can compare LA to South Florida, much of Orange County, especially South/West is a great place with no seedy neighborhoods for miles and miles. Whereas here you have a nice neighborhood then cross the street and you are in the hood.

I still have friends in Irvine, Mission Viejo, and Laguna Hills. I used to play football down that way as well, there is NOWHERE in South Florida comparable as far as sprawling areas of quality homes and people.

I wouldn't raise kids in South Florida when there are so many better places all over the country.

^That's because they are new and hardly anyone lived there fifteen-twenty years ago.... Also south florida sprawls but not as much as Southern California, especially east to west which at points in SFL is only five miles wide. Due to this geographic feature and the fact that some parts of the East are usually older and rougher than the West you're going to be closer to rough areas than some parts of Southern California. Instead of a East/West difference Orange county is North/South. South Orange County is on the outskirts of LA...... I would consider it akin to Jupiter, Wellington, and western Palm Beach County. Palm Beach County in the 2000 census actually had a higher per capita income than Orange County.

[K-oh]

Originally Posted by fauve

I see what you're trying to say, but where you lose me is when you try to make the point that working class black neighborhoods like East Miramar are necessarily bad. Yes, YOU might not feel comfortable, but there are many people, white, brown and black who have no issues with working class blacks or a neighborhood like East Miramar. In fact, they may have issues with working class whites because that's where they feel the most discrimination coming from.

My point is, you can't generalize your feelings and brand an entire city of homeowners because there are a few rough shopping centers, etc. The same can be said for any working class white or hispanic neighborhood, yet I doubt I would hear you saying, 'that's an all white neighborhood' in a disparaging way - you'd say there are some rough patches, etc. Just try to hear yourself as someone else would and try to imagine if it would be offensive if you were that race or culture.

Great post.