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 amazed at all the talk about race,I am African American and served 20 years in the US Military along with plenty other people of color past,present and future. We served to protect all people of this country and many have laid down their life so many can have the life they live, like living in River Ranch.The state of LA is known for many things great, but race relations isn't one of them. There are still many people who fly the US flag that really don't deserve to do so .(
I amazed at all the talk about race,I am African American and served 20 years in the US Military along with plenty other people of color past,present and future. We served to protect all people of this country and many have laid down their life so many can have the life they live, like living in River Ranch.The state of LA is known for many things great, but race relations isn't one of them. There are still many people who fly the US flag that really don't deserve to do so .(
I wholeheartedly agree with your post.
My experience: I a Cajun, born and raised in SE Texas. I served in the Army from '68-'76, served in Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan, my last duty station was Fort Polk, LA.
If Americans could get rid of the race issue, things would be a whole lot better.
I've been in the upper Midwest for 20 years. Prejudices are heavy here. All one has to do is turn on the radio and listen to the "conservative" view. It blares on the AM radio 24/7. Subtly racist and overtly anti-feminist. Throw a little homophobia in for good measure. It's rabid here. Lot's of diehard true-believer wingnuts. However, when you confront them with their prejudices and racism, the usually back down.
I'm a Southern white Cajun American living here. Immediately, I was looked down upon and insulted for my Southern speech and heritage by my white coworkers. I've worked numerous jobs in contruction. The most friendliest people I've met and worked with were African Americans who migrated here from during the 60s and 70s for work. They have always treated me well. Why? I guess they learned that being prejudiced is not the way to to and knew what I was in for. Live and learn.
I plan to retire in Louisiana. This forum has given me more insight into the Lafayette community. I'm glad for all the posts.
I try to get along with others. I've been an outsider since I came home from Vietnam in '71. I've felt that way in most places I've lived. An outsider. Something I live with.
If others see that as wrong, welcome strangers into your life.
The new person you meet may bring more meaning and pleasure to your life. He/she is a human being just like yourself. Treat them as such and your life may be more meaningful. Besides, they may have much more experience to offer you if you ever need advice.
I'll fit into my niche with the friends I choose, some will be white, some will be black, some will be yellow and some brown. I'm sure I'll be viewed by some mental giants as another outsider invading his community, just like here, trying to "change" the place.
WE ARE ALL AMERICANS AND WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. TRY TO GET ALONG AND SHOW SOME RESPECT. IT WILL BENEFIT US ALL .
Navy2003, thanks for your service, sir, and it has been a pleasure to meet you.
I wholeheartedly agree with your post.
My experience: I a Cajun, born and raised in SE Texas. I served in the Army from '68-'76, served in Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan, my last duty station was Fort Polk, LA.
If Americans could get rid of the race issue, things would be a whole lot better.
I've been in the upper Midwest for 20 years. Prejudices are heavy here. All one has to do is turn on the radio and listen to the "conservative" view. It blares on the AM radio 24/7. Subtly racist and overtly anti-feminist. Throw a little homophobia in for good measure. It's rabid here. Lot's of diehard true-believer wingnuts. However, when you confront them with their prejudices and racism, the usually back down.
I'm a Southern white Cajun American living here. Immediately, I was looked down upon and insulted for my Southern speech and heritage by my white coworkers. I've worked numerous jobs in contruction. The most friendliest people I've met and worked with were African Americans who migrated here from during the 60s and 70s for work. They have always treated me well. Why? I guess they learned that being prejudiced is not the way to to and knew what I was in for. Live and learn.
I plan to retire in Louisiana. This forum has given me more insight into the Lafayette community. I'm glad for all the posts.
I try to get along with others. I've been an outsider since I came home from Vietnam in '71. I've felt that way in most places I've lived. An outsider. Something I live with.
If others see that as wrong, welcome strangers into your life.
The new person you meet may bring more meaning and pleasure to your life. He/she is a human being just like yourself. Treat them as such and your life may be more meaningful. Besides, they may have much more experience to offer you if you ever need advice.
I'll fit into my niche with the friends I choose, some will be white, some will be black, some will be yellow and some brown. I'm sure I'll be viewed by some mental giants as another outsider invading his community, just like here, trying to "change" the place.
WE ARE ALL AMERICANS AND WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. TRY TO GET ALONG AND SHOW SOME RESPECT. IT WILL BENEFIT US ALL .
Navy2003, thanks for your service, sir, and it has been a pleasure to meet you.
the problem is not the civilized african americans, it is the ones who are trashy, violent, destructive, selfish, and who actually glorify the ghetto lifestyle. These people are an embarrassment to their race and are the main reason those prejudices exist. unfortunately some people are not merely prejudiced towards the ghetto trashbags, but ALL african americans, and thats where it becomes a race issue instead of a prejudice towards poor character.
I truly am sorry that skippy has had bad experiences in Lafayette.
I feel that it is important to note however that not all experiences are the equal.
I grew up in a very small town about 45 minutes from Lafayette, graduated high school in 2003, went to a technical college in Opelousas, moved to the Lafayette area in 2006, and currently reside in Breaux Bridge.
I state this because I can provide honest experiences on any of these areas and would love to do so. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding Saint Landry Parish, Lafayette Parish, or Saint Martin Parish. I can also provide general knowledge on Louisiana as a whole.
Back to the point of this post.
Not all white people in Lafayette are afraid of things they don't understand. With that said, I am white and currently in an interracial relationship with a beautiful black creole woman (she made sure i typed it that way, haha. :-)). We are both from Saint Landry Parish (Opelousas for her and Port Barre for me), which is a very rural area compared to Lafayette.
I say this because I think skippy is being a little prejudicial and stereotying the entire area. We are from an area considered to be backwards and full of racial tension; while some of this is true - my point is that NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME.
There are racist here, sure, but there are also racist in his beloved Los Angeles. I can say, from an interracial relationship standpoint, that we have NOT experienced any sort of OVERT racism or WHITE FLIGHT.
Granted, we do get some funny looks at times, but I attribute that more to curiosity than to hatred or ill-will. Another important note would be that more black people give us funny looks than whites, but thats just my personal observation.
My main point is that I think the original author would be just fine in river ranch (my girlfriend used to work at the apartment complexes there) and Lafayette as a whole. This area has so much to offer culture wise. Open up and enjoy my friends.
There is racism in Lafayette. Who are you kidding. If you don't admit it you are part of the problem.
It isn't as bad as Baton Rouge, but Lafayette is a racist town. Get real.
Just cause it isn't good PR doesn't mean it isn't true.
I've never even been to River Ranch. We used to hunt around there when I was a kid.
That is the last time I spent any amount of time in Yuppietown Ranch.
At my former place of employment: If a white person asks to use our restroom in back, you can say yes. If a black person asks, I was supposed to say."No, we have no public toilets." I disobeyed, and I was forced to clean the bathroom after that "dirty N-------r." I was not in the janitorial services. I was a manager.
Where is this store? It's been on West Congress for 20 years, highly reputable, owner is pillar of the community.
______________
Siitting in a bar, two black guys come in and rack up the balls on the pool table. The people at the bar start grumbling about the "darkness" of the crowd, and some actually LEAVE. The guy next to me goes on and on about these guys, saying they are casing the joint and looking for cameras and alarms. I say ONE THING ONLY, "They are JUST PEOPLE, man, shut up already." I get told to get my ass back to California with the other N-Lovers. To this day, I see that guy all over the place, and I refuse to acknowlege him.
____________________
Another night club, different night. I am alone. A drink arrives via the bartender, who points out that a black guy at the bar sent it over. I look over and say, Thanks~ and I noticeThe WHOLE PLACE is looking at me. The bartender asks me if I want to drink it (huh? I've never been asked that before ), I said well of course. Eveeryone who was anywhere near me that was talking to me ups and moves away from me like I have some sort of contagious disease. I was so upset by the ordeal, I left. I didn't want to spend my money in a place like that, and I never went back.
_____________________
Lady I know who worked in a plant. She was black. She was called Buckwheat to her face every day. No one even knows her real name. When she died, no one could send flowers because no one knew her real name to find funeral home was handling the arrangements.
_____________________
And that is just a HANDFUL. I never, ever saw anything like that in LA, California. We never ever used the N-word. I only heard that kind of talk on TV. Racial issues do exist there, but they are NOT socially acceptable as they are here. That is my perspective, as someone who was not raised in this culture and who sees it for what it is. Like I said, people here don't like to admit it, and certainly won't stand up against it. It is often completely socially acceptable.
Skippydoo
I live in LC and thankfully I havent had much direct racism towards me. Sure, I've had the occasional "store stalker" you know the white sells associate that follows you in Dillards. But I havent had any of the racial prejuiced thrown at me in bars that you have witnessed.
There is racism in Lafayette. Who are you kidding. If you don't admit it you are part of the problem.
It isn't as bad as Baton Rouge, but Lafayette is a racist town. Get real.
Just cause it isn't good PR doesn't mean it isn't true.
I've never even been to River Ranch. We used to hunt around there when I was a kid.
That is the last time I spent any amount of time in Yuppietown Ranch.
Put it this way concerning River Ranch............I don't even drive thru the place because the car I'm driving is 10 years old right now, and although it doesn't even have a scratch on it and looks essentially as it did the day it came from the show room, it is NOT a new Mercedes or Beemer so the few times I did dare to drive thru the place I was starred at by all the residents and followed by their security patrols. It gave me the creeps and I am a white middle aged woman! When we moved here from the east coast back in 1981 I will say there was a lot of prejudice here, we were shunned by our neighbors when our black friends from back east came and stayed with us, that was a long time ago and things have gotten much better over the years since we came here. Our developement over the years has become very mixed and everybody gets along and is there to help out a neighbor even tho we all don't hang out with each other, we do watch out for each other and our children and the neighbors property.
Put it this way concerning River Ranch............I don't even drive thru the place because the car I'm driving is 10 years old right now, and although it doesn't even have a scratch on it and looks essentially as it did the day it came from the show room, it is NOT a new Mercedes or Beemer so the few times I did dare to drive thru the place I was starred at by all the residents and followed by their security patrols. It gave me the creeps and I am a white middle aged woman! When we moved here from the east coast back in 1981 I will say there was a lot of prejudice here, we were shunned by our neighbors when our black friends from back east came and stayed with us, that was a long time ago and things have gotten much better over the years since we came here. Our developement over the years has become very mixed and everybody gets along and is there to help out a neighbor even tho we all don't hang out with each other, we do watch out for each other and our children and the neighbors property.
I drive my beat up pickup truck through River Ranch pretty much every day on my way to work. Nobody really stares at me unlesS Im blasting Jpop music or something. Ive seen all kinds of vehicles going down that corridor because its a really convenient throughfare across the city.
I guess I should have been a little more specific and said it is no problem if I drive along Camellia Blvd or other main thoughfare in RR, but if I dare to drive thru the side streets I tend to get the stares from the residents. As an over 50 woman the chances of me having loud blaring music of any kind are kind of slim so the only thing I can think of is it is my car that doesn't quite come up to their standards, as I said it is now 10 years old and although in really nice condition I don't think too many residents of RR drive a low priced economy car too often.
I have lived here my entire 30 years of life and have never experienced such outright and blatant racism that skippydoo has described. I am well traveled and somewhat educated. I've definitely seen "the world." I have a feeling someone may be twisting the truth a bit. Honestly, Lafayette is a highly tolerant place with a lot of accepted racial mixing. Half of my family are in open interracial relationships. I've never experienced anything like the things that you have described and I have lived here A LOT longer than you. I have a feeling you may have EMBELLISHED some of the fairytales you have woven. Lafayette is one of the most advanced, tolerant, artistic, family oriented places in the ENTIRE state. You are obviously hanging out with the wrong crowds and need to get out and meet some of the better citizens of this town and stay out of that scum filled Graham Central Station. Half of those people haven't even finished elementary school.
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.
I agree with you, sir.
Not all experiences are the equal
