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You have any sources to back that up? That is a pretty large claim to make without pointing to something other than your own subjective experience.
I guess I should define what I mean by being more segregated than other cities. I mean a city that has huge, uninterrupted, segments of one race where the people within that area can live there and rarely see other races. Obviously, for whatever reason, people like living next to people who look like them. I am not referring to that concept. What I am saying about Miami in particular is that it is basically broken up into two halves: Hispanic south, black north. There aren't just pockets of a particular race, but a whole half of a city. I think that is unfortunate because that means you can live your life and never even see people from another race. Other cities have de facto segregation, but the pockets are smaller and hence people still have to interact with each other.
I will say there are some exceptions in Miami. The areas that come to mind are Cutler Bay, Coconut Grove, and beach areas. I am sure there are others, but that are just the few that come to mind.
and compare it to just about any other city in Florida. Yes, you will find clumps of one particular race together, but you will not find the areas to be as huge as they are in Miami. For instance, just look a little north in Broward and compare.
So you think folks electing to live among others of their own ethnicity, race or whatever it is they have in common with each other is necessarily "racist" and so a problem?
You can't force people to live where you think they should, in the interest of diversity- the federal government tried to do that for years with education- mandated busing of children right past their neighborhood schools to schools in neighborhoods where the majority of students were of another race/ethnic group, and we can all see how well THAT'S worked out....they spent millions on transportation, millions that could have gone towards improving the poorly performing schools, and wasted the time of the children who spent significant portions of their day being transported to far away schools all in the name of "desegregation".....
I don't think it is racist, but I think a huge impediment to overcoming racism is living among races that aren't our own.
And yes, schools needed to be desegregated. I haven't heard many people oppose this though. No, they couldn't just let the schools to continue as is. That would've perpetuated the wrong.
I don't think it is racist, but I think a huge impediment to overcoming racism is living among races that aren't our own.
And yes, schools needed to be desegregated. I haven't heard many people oppose this though. No, they couldn't just let the schools to continue as is. That would've perpetuated the wrong.
Thing is, people have the right to choose where they live, and if that is among their compatriots, or others of their own race or ethnicity, you'd be curtailing one of their basic rights if you tried to dictate where they lived so a given location would be considered "integrated" enough to pass federal criteria for integration ( acceptable percentages of each "group").
There are plenty of opportunities, IMO for different races and ethnic groups to interact with each other, in the workplace, at public events, schools and school functions, etc....
And certainly, schools, regardless of where they are located, need to be run well, and do a good job of educating the population they serve. Although busing students out of their own neighborhoods, to attend schools in areas where the population is of different races/ethnicities than their own, IMO was expensive, and wasted a lot of the students' days as sometimes the schools were 10-15 or more miles away from the students homes. If we're going to integrate schools, IMO charter and magnet schools are a more effective way to do this. This seems to have met with some success, as these schools are seen as attractive alternatives to neighborhood schools.
It would really depend on how you implement the magnet schools. There are many ways to do it wrong. Generally, it is done wrong, but I don't think we want to digress into a discussion about schools.
So really what do I need to know? I'm getting mixed answers here, is Miami a racist place or not? Is it a dangerous place or not? I've been looking around the Florida board a bit and I notice something strange about it, there seems to be a lot of hate here with people suggesting completely different states to move to instead. Those people sound like undercover real estate agents to me, trying to draw people away from Florida to wherever they live at. Sneaky business strategy. Not saying Florida doesn't have problems, all places do. But I find it hard to get an honest answer here it seems. This state board is very different from the others that I have visited.
Anyway I've been looking at the Kendall area, or Ft. Lauderdale and even possibly Jupiter. Again, this is not going to be an instant move, I'm going to take my time, save up a little more money, research the areas, and make sure I have a decent paying job BEFORE I move. I can already afford a decent place to live though with what I have saved up here, yes California is THAT expensive!
Hi, I currently live in the bay area of California (though at the moment I am visiting family in Oregon) and I need to get out of here! California, while a beautiful state with pretty nice weather, is not a very good place to live at IMO. It's very expensive here, the cost of living is outrageous, the taxes are high, we have an out-of-control Nanny State that is constantly infringing on our lives, you can't even put up a fence or install windows on your own property unless you have the states permission, they have stupid gun laws, it's just getting too much for me to bear. It's all too liberal, now I don't mind living around liberals, I respect people's opinions even if I disagree with them, I just don't like living around these liberal extremists here. They are very pushy and pretty much Communists. Florida is more conservative so it suits me, but I don't care really as long as it's not the extreme liberalism we have here on the West Coast.
I have been looking at South Florida, I have visited there before for a few months and really enjoyed it. I do have family in Florida too but they are up in the Jacksonville area and I don't like Jacksonville (I found it to be a rather racist and backwards city, no offense to JAX just my experience). I am looking at Miami-Dade, Jupiter (West Palm Beach), Ft. Lauderdale areas. Compared to where I'm at, the Cost of Living in Florida is a LOT better, and so are the taxes and the personal freedoms. The only thing that might cost more is home owners insurance but I am 24 and have no interest in buying a home yet, though car insurance may or may not be more expensive, I cannot figure out a straight answer yet. I want to find a decent paying job BEFORE I move as I understand that many Florida jobs pay lower, however I have done the math and even with minimum wage (which I don't want btw) I would still end up having more money than I make here in California on my $12 an hour. So this will not be an instant move, I will take my time to carefully research the areas and the job market.
I love Florida, even though it has a flat landscape I love the lushness and the beautiful water everywhere. I love the Caribbean cultures and atmosphere of South Florida, and the ocean breeze and the generally warm weather. The thing about me is, I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, so I need a place that is sunny. While California provides this, it's just too expensive (along with those other problems I mentioned) and seeing as how I'm fairly familiar with Florida I think it would be a great place to call home. Only downsides I can think of are Hurricanes, no family (I have good friends who live there though), and humidityr (I have lived there in June and July before and I thought it was bearable). Also crime, I need to know what parts are safe and what parts arn't, is Miami-Dade safe? I was in Coconut Grove when I was last there and found it to be alright.
Thanks for the help!
It sounds to me like you're the problem, not California. If what you said is indicative of your character, you come across as judgmental and completely out of touch with South Florida. I have heard that California is expensive, but *newsflash*! so is Miami! And New York City, and Chicago and Boston - you see, places where people want to live tend to be expensive. I assume that explains Cali's high COL - lots of people really like it there! You will encounter the same exact problems if you moved down here to South Florida - so I don't follow your flawed logic there. Furthermore, I am very skeptical to your claim that by working a minimum wage job in Miami you'll have more money than you have in California. To be living alone, in Miami, and getting paid minimum wage (because unlike progressive California, which is debating raising the minimum wage, our *conservative*! Florida legislature revels in it's poverty inducing minimum wage which is subsidized by the federal government) means that YOU WILL BE IN POVERTY HERE. Your rent, gas and food bills alone would overwhelm you. That, or you'll be living a barebones life here - so again, I think you've misunderstood the extent to which minimum wage gets you anywhere in Miami, let alone Florida.
Another point, those problems you complain about California:
In Miami, you also "need permission" before building certain additions to your house because we have hurricanes and i wouldn't appreciate if you were my neighbor and you installed some cheap dumpy fence that is going to come flying into my house with a Cat. 1. As for guns, well if you are one of the gun-nuts then i guess Florida fits the bill. We are the WORST state in the nation when it comes to gun safety. Many Floridians, across the state, feel like the have a licensee to kill if you've merely inconvenienced them, because we have these "encouraging" gun laws like stand your ground. It's sickening. It would be one of the few reasons I would move from here tbh. I am tired of seeing another shooting be it in orlando, or jacksonville or a tampa movie theater. All because someone felt arrogant and entitled to end a human life. It's sickening and savage.
On a last note, if you have "commie liberals" and the "nanny state" it sounds like you're drinking the Palin-Cruz kool-aid. That wont fly as easily in either Dade or Broward (thankfully), because much like your disparaged California, these two counties are "liberal bastions of sin and decadence!!!" woot! Perhaps you would be more suited to Palm Beach, though watch out - the commies are marching up North too apparently!!
If i came across as judgmental, oh well - i guess I can jump on the bandwagon and blame miami for it jkjk! Apologies if i did though. I've encountered people with similar attitudes and judgments, thankfully not here in Miami, and I get tired of hearing them. Imo, I think you're better suited to Kansas, Mississippi or the Dakotas or some other rural state that is more in line with you views. Much of Florida is too diverse, "liberal", and progressive for you standards - especially South Florida. Yes its beautiful down here, but like California, people appreciate the other stuff as well.
Do not move to Miami. Huge step down from the Bay Area. You will regret it. Best wishes.
I agree. I wouldn't do it West Coast Republican. I dont know about the West Coast but I do know about South FL... I was born there... I wouldn't move back if you gave me a house.
I don't think I'll regret it. The quality of life here is not very good, it's outrageously expensive, and California is essentially a welfare state. There are more people here living on welfare than working, and it's too hard to get ahead, every time you make more money they just tax you more, so in the end you didn't make anything. It's like this state hates success, it just wants everyone to get onto The Government programs. Most people who live here live with like 6 people in one really small apartment because rents are so high, I live with family but there is no way I would ever be able to buy a home here. I don't mind living around liberals, like I said earlier I respect other people's opinions, I just don't like the California liberals. The one's out here are really just communists and they're very pushy about it. It's terrible. Also I don't care about things like gay marriage or pot, those are not even on my "care list" as far as issues go.
I did not realize Miami had so much racism.....I never noticed it when I was down there but again I was on vacation. I don't want to live in a racist place. I prefer living in a tolerant community,I thought Miami was a really great city but perhaps I need to do more research to the area. Like I said, I will not be moving on a whim, I am looking and researching carefully, comparing my options. I will make sure I have a decent job lined up before I move anywhere. I love South Florida, the lush scenery, the Caribbean atmosphere, the beaches and the beautiful water canals everywhere. To me, it's amazing and why it's my first choice to move. I am also considering Dallas or Houston Texas, Arizona, or North Carolina. Though I am a city slicker and NC is a bit too rural and I hear some parts are rather backwards and racist.
I'd strongly encourage NC. I lived there as well. Asheville, Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, or maybe Greenville SC. IMO, Miami is not a nice place to live.
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Please Don't Move Here
jkjk! Apologies if i did though. I've encountered people with similar attitudes and judgments, thankfully not here in Miami, and I get tired of hearing them. Imo, I think you're better suited to Kansas, Mississippi or the Dakotas or some other rural state that is more in line with you views. Much of Florida is too diverse, "liberal", and progressive for you standards - especially South Florida. Yes its beautiful down here, but like California, people appreciate the other stuff as well.
