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Having lived in both Northeastern and Northwestern NJ, I have to agree with some earlier posts and tell you that you are better off avoiding Sussex, Warren, and the outer parts of Morris County. These areas are not racially diverse at all, and arguably not accepting of racial diversity as well. It is my personal opinion and my experience that you would feel more welcome anywhere west of Sussex and Warren Counties. I felt serious culture shock when I moved from Northeastern to Northwestern NJ. I am of Spanish descent (the only distinguishing feature that would proclaim this fact was my former last name) and I will just say that I was certainly different and treated as such by many members of the community where I lived, including people in various positions of authority.
I wish you and your family the best of luck in your search and a warm welcome wherever you end up.
Thus, even though statistically speaking there are double the number of poor whites on Welfare in America than blacks (please see current Census Bureau data), the high concentrations of black poor in large cities allows people to make comments like the one above: "It's very interesting how intristically linked the crime/poverty debate and the race issue actually are.
What's the problem with this stat?
Watch Brick City about Newark on cable. They show a sleepover orientation for freshmen boys at a Newark HS and the teacher gives all the 14-15 year olds a pep talk about staying on the straight & narrow and avoiding the streets. Then he asks the group of about 40-50 "how many of you have a father figure at home?" and only about 3-4 boys raise their hands. That's a major problem. It wasn't always like that in the black community but it's endemic now for 30-40 years and that's why nothing has really changed. Moreso than "racism" or any other factor IMO.
We have. We've given billions upon billions - if not trillions - to education in poor areas. And it has failed. We've bankrupted our state and driven out the middle class by blowing state budgets on poor school districts.
I'm sorry, but this isn't the responsibility of white people anymore. Communities, families and individuals have to deal with their own cultures, values and biases. No money will help poor children become educated if they grow up without fathers around, hate authority in school and in law enforcement and think that crime, drugs and gangs are acceptable facts of life. Their parents need to teach them that - not me.
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Again, in reference to the above mentioned quote: Only 25% of ALL African Americans are in poverty or on welfare-an astounding feat to have accomplished in just about 35 years considering 350+ earlier years of insanely evil and somehow justified discrimination, murder, subhuman treatment, rape and violence. (Please feel free to visit Census Bureau data regarding poverty.)
Additionally, I and most other blacks don't need your help (The help isn't yours or white people's exclusively to give anyway since I paid a significant amount of taxes to contribute to helping others myself.) Most of those billions you reference when to help poor white people.
Welfare is not the solution to everything either, and I realize this, as not having to work for your family breeds a psychological content with such behavior--in all poor people - whites, blacks, and Latinos alike. Yet, the divide between the haves and have nots is growing since entities like the Chamber of Commerce and the Republican party endorse policies that allow businesses to outsource American jobs overseas WITHOUT PENALTY instead of investing in the suburban AND urban workforce. People--poor and otherwise--have less opportunity. Why work for minimum wage if you will lose child care or food stamps and no longer be able to care for your children? Would you?
The simple fact of the matter is that socially constructed racism stemming from slavery has had repercussions that will last permanently and will result in America's continuous and rapid decline unless we all realize that we will all have to help each other and work with the federal government in order to eradicate the remnants of racism (unfair social and employment advantages, educational disparity, unequal prosecution and sentencing for identical crimes i.e. white cocaine and black crack drug trafficking). The investment should have been made willingly immediately after the abolishment of slavery and Reconstruction should have never been ceased. Had it been followed through upon, many of the blacks who are now renters or in poverty would be homeowners because they would have had some sort of legacy of wealth (as whites have had for 400 years) that would have been passed down for at least the last 150 years. Everything the ones of us who are slavery survivors have accumulated has been done so with great sacrifice and in most instances, with much harder work to overcome unwarranted obstacles than what many less educated, less articulate non-minorities had had to deal with to achieve comparable success.
Additionally, most of the poor are working poor and are not criminals. They try hard to overcome their own limited sights and the limitations imposed upon them by people who express views like yours. Their problem is exacerbated by the presence of drug and gang activity that represents a dangerous but still small group within this population segment. Our view of all poor should not be shaped by the ones who make it the local news.
The bottom line is that most nations in the global economy now--Asia certainly and Europe as well, as demonstrated via the EU--think collectively and they work collectively to solve economic issues--the stronger segments of the populations absorbing and helping to improve the lot of the weaker segments. Americans, though, think so individualistically that it makes us arrogant and islands to ourselves. Guess what--this is our culture--jointly created and jointly improved. We should all realize this and realize it soon, so we can build a better future for all of us and our children.
Watch Brick City about Newark on cable. They show a sleepover orientation for freshmen boys at a Newark HS and the teacher gives all the 14-15 year olds a pep talk about staying on the straight & narrow and avoiding the streets. Then he asks the group of about 40-50 "how many of you have a father figure at home?" and only about 3-4 boys raise their hands. That's a major problem. It wasn't always like that in the black community but it's endemic now for 30-40 years and that's why nothing has really changed. Moreso than "racism" or any other factor IMO.
Yet even this stems from the fact that through the late 1800s black families were unwillingly separated via slave auctions and men had no monetary and consequently psychological responsibility for their families. Cultural affinities good and bad are passed on over time. They can be overcome but it takes a great deal of effort. Couple this with the fact that a large percentage of young, child rearing age black men are in jail for first time offenses that many whites get passes for (simple drug possession, most often of marijuana? come on--you could have arrested nearly all the frat boys at my primarily white southern top-tier undergraduate state school on any given day Thurs.-Sun.)
Yet even this stems from the fact that through the late 1800s black families were unwillingly separated via slave auctions and men had no monetary and consequently psychological responsibility for their families. Cultural affinities good and bad are passed on over time. They can be overcome but it takes a great deal of effort. Couple this with the fact that a large percentage of young, child rearing age black men are in jail for first time offenses that many whites get passes for (simple drug possession, most often of marijuana? come on--you could have arrested nearly all the frat boys at my primarily white southern top-tier undergraduate state school on any given day Thurs.-Sun.)
That might be part of it. And the ridiculous concept of dissing can be traced to white people in the south sticking up for their offended sensibilities 150 years ago. But in 2011 they don't settle slights, real or perceived, with a modern "duel" like A.A. men do. It also doesn't make sense to be shooting each other over sneakers and gold chains, but what do I know?
I have mixed children. I recommend: Montclair, So. Orange. Maplewood, Metuchen, So. Plainfield, Iselin (Indian), North Plainfield, and Union (though I'm not all that familiar with Union.)
Montclair, Maplewood, South Orange, West Orange, Union, and Westfield are all good choices, as are the Plainfields. I would avoid anything in Morris County outside of Morristown, and anything in Bergen County outside of Englewood, Teaneck, and Hackensack.
If you want to gauge the racial acceptance of a wealthy town in NJ, look at how it voted in the 2008 election. More diverse and diversity-friendly places tend to have voted Democratic (Maplewood, Montclair, etc.) while places that might have veiled racism issues vote staunchly Republican (Randolph, Mountain Lakes, etc.). As unfortunate as this is, it is true.
Montclair, Maplewood, South Orange, West Orange, Union, and Westfield are all good choices, as are the Plainfields. I would avoid anything in Morris County outside of Morristown, and anything in Bergen County outside of Englewood, Teaneck, and Hackensack.
If you want to gauge the racial acceptance of a wealthy town in NJ, look at how it voted in the 2008 election. More diverse and diversity-friendly places tend to have voted Democratic (Maplewood, Montclair, etc.) while places that might have veiled racism issues vote staunchly Republican (Randolph, Mountain Lakes, etc.). As unfortunate as this is, it is true.
Wow, for someone taling about racial acceptance, you sure see things in black & white. Your "truth" is nearly as narrow-minded as any prejudice.
HalfFull, I am just stating a trend I have observed growing up in New Jersey. I am not implying that Republicans are racist and Democrats are not, in fact I have seen just the opposite be true in some places. But as far as suburban New Jersey goes, the more diversity-welcoming places tend to vote more Democratic. I'm not making a blanket statement about individuals, but can you name a location in New Jersey that actively welcomes diversity that also regularly votes Republican?
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