Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I live in the California Bay Area. I'm REALLY sick and tired of all this traffic, of housing prices that are out of reach, of city government's hands constantly in my pockets (you get a ticket for EVERYTHING here ... you literally have to pay to stop driving your car because there are parking meters and metermaids everywhere, jay walking tickets, cars towed because of street cleaning, constantly rising bridge tolls ... etc...)
I'm 52 and I don't have to have a lot of excitement. I want to grow a garden and spend the rest of my time reading, writing, and working on art and business projects. I've worked most of my life in the Social Service trenches so I've given more than my "pound of flesh" to others. Now I just want to chill. The idea of "quiet" makes me drool at the mouth.
I am African American, degreed, down-to-earth guy who was worked as a professional... so while I yearn to be a "Country Boy" ... I worry that I may not ... um ... "fit in" everywhere. I don't want to change anybody's reality ... I just want a small house on about 5 acres of land to live quietly.
I love to hear suggestions about a small town/rural area that this "fed up city boy" could live in.
Dear F. Guidry ~
I echo nearly everything you've said! My exodus would be from Southern California. As a native Californian, I'm ready for... well, something new. We have a few relatives currently residing in Georgia but they either have small children, are professionally employed or have lived in same area for years. I would like a fresh perspective from a "soon to be senior citizen" point of view. I plan to retire early (at 50). My husband is retired already. We too want peace and quiet, maybe just 1/2 acre (or less) and a safe, beautiful place to live out our "golden" years where we can be comfortable and fit in. We're accustomed to a somewhat diverse area. I would love to hear what your research has gleaned so far. I am just beginning to compile information. Thanks in advance!
God knows there's a particular person who's going to answer this once I do and just go nutty about the reply, but here goes anyway...
Frederick,
Ok, there will always be exceptions to the rule, and there will always be people who accept everyone here from all nationalities and sing, "We are the World" while holding hands. The rest of the time...
It depends on where you live. Remember, Atlanta is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. It has added over 2 million people to the metro area in just 20 years. Approximately 55,000+ people move to the Atlanta area each year, so pretty much half of all of North Georgia is dominated by Atlanta (and it will only continue to grow from there). Any place in North Georgia that is "country" will not remain that way much longer. You can now live as far out as 50 miles from Atlanta and still encounter "Atlanta traffic".
I have said this before, and been judged by it, but I will repeat it as it's true. I have worked with and had black neighbors who were from Colorado and California in the past. All of them very literally called Atlanta "ghetto" to me - details you'll have to just fill in for yourself, but they were apparently very unpleased with the black community here. In the last ten years, all of them have left Atlanta, and really, the South as a whole. I've only kept in contact with one out of this group to this date, but they moved to Washington state just outside of Bellevue, and called it the "anti-Atlanta" and LOVE it.
Ok, so you go to the sticks East, West, or South of the city. This is "The South", remember. If you move to a predominately white Southern town, they're either going to accept you as a neighbor, burn a cross in your yard, or, everyone on the street will put "for sale" signs up the moment you move in. There is little way to predict which rural area will react in either/or way, as I've heard of some nice places (I thought) reacting very badly to people of other races moving in, and I've heard of places I was sure were hicky, accepting folks with no problem.
In terms of "multi-cultural yet rual" areas, there aren't a ton in the South. The areas around Asheville, NC however, I've been told, are very diverse. Asheville itself is a smaller very artsy-craftsy city and pretty diverse, so I would think that area is a decent pick considering you want to get into art in your retirement. Outside of Savannah, GA., is also somewhat diverse, with a larger black community... fine so long as you don't have kids, as the Savannah school system is ranked pretty bad, and again, I've heard some comments from black people from other areas of the country regarding the deep South culture that aren't glowing - but according to someone else who frequents the board, I'm not allowed to say these things, so I won't. You can ask around perhaps among your peers and maybe get some feedback.
Atlanta does not have a ghetto black culture. There are many black people like that but they are only lil Jon wannabes. There are many many professional black people in the area. Our metro is one of the top metros for African Americans to climb the corporate ladder. There are many upper class black neighborhoods and there are many towns even outside of the metro taht have been integrated and will accept you with open arms. I will agreew with Greg that some areas are still kind of unaccepting but why would you wanna live that far out anyway? I would suggest Newnan, Fayetteville, Griffin, Carrollton. These are mainly exurban towns. You can go a little further out from the town and have country, although it's a safe bet that it will be developed soon. All of these towns are on the southside which has a larger black population. I live in Newnan and I think it's very integrated. We have several Indian families and ironically.. a black family from California in our neighborhood. There are your standard black and white churches and black and white areas of town, but most of life in Newnan is very integrated, Although, Greg is the one who made this all about segregation. You may not even care about that. But if you do, I hope that restored more confidence in this potential move. The metro area is not perfect in terms if integration and accepting people, but overall I think it's pretty good.
I think it's misleading to tell someone from California that "so and so area is very integrated.."
In my experience, when comparing SC, GA, AL, MS, etc. to a place like California, even the most integrated place here is segregated by their standards.
If you're referring to my post, I assure you I didn't sugar coat it and tell them that everything was hunky dory. There is still racism in the south, but there is in California too. And when you consider that metro Atlanta is 1/3 black and the state is 28% black, we pretty much have to integrate
Hey... folks ... I'm 52. I've traveled extensively ... and um ... all the stuff you mentioned above? Well, THAT'S why I want to get the heck AS FAR AWAY from urban centers as possible. Yeah, I know that "heaven" doesn't exist anywhere down here ... but ...
(NOTE: I posted this same question on some of the other state boards ... but only you Georgia folks had the desire and courage... to "talk." (((smile))) Before I start ... may I add that the replies above feel like a microcosm of our American dilemma ... regardless of state... and that each of you should feel proud of something within to that allows you to speak up? The issues...
1.) Racism (as in, "Wrestling with"...)
2.) Crime
3.) CLASS
4.) Alienation...
5.) Networking
I think Tavis Smiley (I'm not a huge fan but the guy is smart) recently remarked that our (blacks) networking skills have decreased because of sensitivity to racism and the way it keeps blacks and whites trapped in corners... hence, we aren't always told the truth.
Don't sugar coat if for me. California is a long way from heaven... and all this "PC" crap that used to be here kept me and a lot of others drunk for a long time. I had to do "geographics" ... eventually landing in Atlanta about 25 years ago. Life was so hard that the place FORCED me to do some growing up. Nobody babied me. Those sons and daughters of former share croppers and sons and daughters of former rank came together and kicked my butt with enough practicality and yes... love (the kind of "love" that says, you can kill yourself, but you're not going to eat here doing it) ... well ... suffice it to say, that I haven't felt the need for a drink in 22 years ... and that's thanks to Tough Lovin' Georgia telling me some hard truths about myself.
So "AtlantaGreg" ... thank you. I'm sure there you don't have a halo floating around your head ... but **** it... YOU COMMUNICATE your truth! (That's one of the reasons this nation is wrestling with alienation so much ... people can't talk to each other ... too much judging and shaming (((smile)))
But again ... I'm weary. I really appreciate tdiddy0027's comment too. But no need to sugar coat it. What's happened to urban culture ... to youth ... well ... I'm in Oakland/Berkeley. All this killing, drugs and crime. Sorry, but there's no way to pretty this internalized oppression up. Too late to point fingers. I fear it's going to take at least a couple of more generations before things start to change. They're locking up 2 million people each year here in "California." Those people keep getting out and teaching sociopathic tricks to the rest of da hood. Divide and conquer? So what ... I just want a quiet place to write and make art. I've spent over 15 years in the mental health/substance abuse trenches. (spit) I've given my pound of flesh ... and it's the Human Condition... we're ALL hurting folks. (And most of us are too proud to embrace the cure... each other ... so I just want about 5 acres of land, and a little cheap house... maybe a couple of dogs... and one of those **** Cheney shotguns near the door. I ain't looking to run for mayor. I just want to ... avoid one of those ... um ... CrOsses being burnt on MY lawn.
I'll do a google search on those towns everyone mentioned ... but I really think it's time to come out of cities and get grounded again.
God bless, and feel free to say WHATEVER you want to in reply.
Frederick -
my .02 - You'll do fine in any small town in the south. The truly, literally racist white people (i.e. cross burners) are extremely rare, at least in my neck of the woods. Rare enough so that they're very serious outcasts among white people. You'll surely see subversive racism.. i.e. assumptions about you because you're black.
And while it's not right for you to face that, it looks to me like you're well equipped to deal with that sort of mindset. The important thing is that you're not naive about 'the way things are'. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with 'the way things are', or at least how they've changed in 25 years since you've been here.
Don't get it twisted, Black people are quite accustomed to the decades old phenomenon known as "white flight". Amazing, really, when you consider we only make-up 13% of the U.S. population. Anyway, I think the issue is not so much whether someone will burn a cross in my yard or if I will be accepted with open arms as it is relocating to an area where a certain standard of living can be resumed and maintained... minus the congestion, traffic, over population, smog, etc. we experience now. I'm certainly not looking for a so-called ghetto, barrio, Jerry Springer guests, boondock, drug-ridden, College Town, or PWT atmosphere. Nor am I trying to have tea parties or sleepovers with the neighbors. While no one wants to feel like an outcast or hermit, adaptation is somewhat a state of mind. When you're an "empty-nester" (almost) and 50 years old (almost), it's all about balance. I've found that if people are educated, employed, travel the world, attend church, have family ties, are fairly social or a combination of even a few of these, they tend to fit the realm of what most of us consider "normalcy" and therefore, can reside harmoniously within a community. So, to beat the horse some more, I just want to be able to drive to the grocery and back within a 30 minute period, take a walk at dusk, go on vacation and come back with my home intact, sit on the porch and read a book, plant flowers, watch the rain, go to the theater occasionally.... just breath.... peacefully.
Bless you, Tdiddy0027! You have shed light. The four cities you mentioned, along with McDonough, have been suggested to me before and are on my list!
P.S. California has it's share of Lil' Jon "hard out here for a pimp" wannabees too! LOL ~
That's true what anonymous said. The idea that the south is a racists haven full of hate and segragation and bigotry and cross burning is also kind of a stereotype. Sure there's racism here but there is all over as well. And ultra racists are very few and far between and the Klan is not well respected at all around here either.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My Sentiments Exactly!
I'll take less than perfect
