Question about racism in Minnesota.... (Minneapolis, St. Paul: crime, felon, schools)

[Auntie Bob]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I don't think civilization was ever "civilized" in the sense that you are describing. The difference is that we have the media to remind about it each day, no matter where you live, you are never far from something bad. I digress.

I am beginning to realize that MN is not paradise. I just hold it to a higher standard because the state of GA and my experiences in it have been a bit of a dissapointment. In reality GA and MN have problems like everywhere else.

MN certainly does have problems, I won't argue that. I think there are more in the larger cities but, that's only because any time you have a larger concentration of people, you are bound to have more problems.

I do think things are changing too though. When I was kid I grew up in the country. We had locks on our doors but, no one ever knew where the keys were because, we never locked the doors. You never had to hunt for your car keys either because, they were always in the ignition.

I do lock my doors now but, I think that's due more to the fact that I'm an older female living alone than it is to any real prospect of danger.

The media definitely plays a part on how we feel about things today but, they can still only report on things that actually happen. So, in cities like the one where I live, there wouldn't be much to report.
Of course, I think that the country as a whole has become more afraid of things. Whether that's logical because of circumstances, I don't know.

MN is a like two entirely different places. You have the metro area and outstate. One is very foreign to the other. I don't think I could function in the metro area and I'm pretty sure no one from there would be happy to live where I do. Perhaps there's a happy medium in the state somewhere, I'm not sure.

[Psycmeistr]

Racism schmasism...

There's absolutely no need for racism. IMO, it is only kept alive by the multiculturalism "community" who insist on focusing on that which divides vs. that which unites.

As far as I'm concerned, skin color, shape of eyes, etc., are so superficial. What matters is what is within, not what is without.

[SkiiGal132]

I don't think there is much racism here, but there isn't a lot of diversity either. People here are much more reserved than if you have previously lived on the East Coast (which is where I'm from). I have found it hard to fit in.

[spartanic]

Originally Posted by sydniesmommy

My husband and I are an interracial couple. We have two children and plan to have a lot more. We have been thinking a lot about moving out to Minnesota, but we've heard that there is a lot of racism there. Are there any places in Minnesota where there is very little racism, without it being "ghetto"? The state sounds so perfect for us besides the racism issue, so we'd hate to not be able to move there.

Thanks

Why worry so much about racism? The Twin Cities is full of different ethnic groups and different types of lifestyles.

[my54ford]

let me tell you a story, Rochester has a very large Somilian population.Directly across the street from my office is a Hala Fala meat market where many of these folks gather. I get the exact same hate filed stares I got when I was in Somilia and they had guns. Hate works both ways but it's not always nasty ole whitey that throws it up.....

[100%Michigan]

When mentioning ghetto, where you looking for the word poverty?
(Many where I live have simply used the word ghetto, a respond would be... what does the word ghetto mean?) I dont recall seeing it in the dictionary, never looked for it because I suppose it wasnt such a accurate word in that way. I thought it was a slang word, or some sort.

[ebitdadada]

Originally Posted by sydniesmommy

My husband and I are an interracial couple. We have two children and plan to have a lot more. We have been thinking a lot about moving out to Minnesota, but we've heard that there is a lot of racism there. Are there any places in Minnesota where there is very little racism, without it being "ghetto"? The state sounds so perfect for us besides the racism issue, so we'd hate to not be able to move there.

Thanks

I've lived in seven states, pretty much spread across the US. One of those states was Minnesota (lived in Minneapolis for 2 years). I'm pretty much completely flabergasted by the statement that Minnesota has a reputation for being racist. Minneapolis is actually rediculusly progresive / unracist.

As far as finding a place where there is very little racism, I'd go ahead & try the whole Twin Cities area (lived there). Also the Fargo-Moorehead area would have very little racism as I understand it.

Not particularily familiar with the rest of the state - Maybe that's where the racism reputation comes from? - Not thinking it's true but being I the two parts of Minnesota I know about are remarkably unracist, under the assumption that Minnesota has a racist reputation, I've got to assume there's somewhere in Minnesota that's very racist. Duluth? Rochester? I'm confused .

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by ebitdadada

Not particularily familiar with the rest of the state - Maybe that's where the racism reputation comes from? - Not thinking it's true but being I the two parts of Minnesota I know about are remarkably unracist, under the assumption that Minnesota has a racist reputation, I've got to assume there's somewhere in Minnesota that's very racist. Duluth? Rochester? I'm confused .

I suspect that some outsiders from urban areas are confusing "racism" with the surprised, suspicious, and/or curious reaction that some isolated-small-town residents will give just about any outsider or stranger.

The fact that some of those people might never have seen anyone with dark brown skin in their lives might enhance the reaction, I don't know.

However, I *can* imagine the effect that a typical group of noisy urban Atlanta teens (black or white) would have if they stopped for gas and snacks at a gas station in a typical small MN town, and I suspect the stereo blasting strange music, along with the kids wearing very different clothes and using different language and mannerisms, etc., would make the whole scene an "event" for some of the locals, especially the older ones who aren't into cable TV or the internet.

It has nothing to do with the folks in MN being backwards -- I suspect a group of farmers driving through parts of the Atlanta metro and talking about hockey or soybean prices would draw a similar reaction. Although the MN folks would be far more likely to be robbed by the locals in Atlanta, I think.

[MIKE FROM MINNESOTA]

My next door neighbor is Black and his wife is Asian, my neighbor two doors down is Cambodian, my neighbor behind me is black and his wife is white...we all get along pretty well. I live in Burnsville which is a middle class kind of neighborhood. Haven't seen anyone burning any crosses...my kids have had friends of all races....not an issue...that I see. Once in a while the black kids from Somalia have been a problem at the high school but it is more of a relgious issue and not race....some of the Muslim kids get kind of ornery once in a while but I have noticed them getting friendlier to people the longer they live here....suburban or urban Minnesota would be best....in rural Minnesota there are few blacks at all and my guess is you may or may not run into racism but you might feel pretty lonely in a small town...and your kids might have a harder time...but even that seems to be changing

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by MIKE FROM MINNESOTA

My next door neighbor is Black and his wife is Asian, my neighbor two doors down is Cambodian, my neighbor behind me is black and his wife is white...we all get along pretty well. I live in Burnsville which is a middle class kind of neighborhood. Haven't seen anyone burning any crosses...my kids have had friends of all races....not an issue...that I see. Once in a while the black kids from Somalia have been a problem at the high school but it is more of a relgious issue and not race....some of the Muslim kids get kind of ornery once in a while but I have noticed them getting friendlier to people the longer they live here....suburban or urban Minnesota would be best....in rural Minnesota there are few blacks at all and my guess is you may or may not run into racism but you might feel pretty lonely in a small town...and your kids might have a harder time...but even that seems to be changing

According to your post, that is the neighborhood that you live in. There are places like that in Minnesota. This is what I see. There is diversity, there are places where racial tensions aren't that high and where people get along fine regardless of race or color. With all of that said, there is also prejudice here. For anyone who asks about racism in MN, this is my answer: There is racism here. No denying it. The difference I see is that MN has not gotten a reputation for it, and I think it's location so far north and relatively little media attention for having a large city makes MN seem like it's achieved some "perfection" status. Other places like Boston, Birmingham, and Los Angeles have gotten bad reputations because there has been alot of media attention. There is a reason Birmingham was called "Bombingham". The 1970's riots in Boston over school busing, the '65 and '92 riots in LA. Minnesota has sort of a "nice" reputation and therefore, you don't here much about Minnesota(until something like the bridge collapse occurs) outside of Minnesota. Minnesota isn't perfect, but I don't think it is the worst either.