Has the actual number of "white people" gone down in Fairfax County in the last twenty five years? (Winchester: neighborhood, wages)

[roninsedge]

Originally Posted by Workaholic?

When I moved to Fairfax 25 years ago, most of my neighbors were white. Yes there was more ethnic diversity than back in Minnesota, but at much lower levels than today. Now in the year, 2011 MOST people I see at Tysons Corner, Fair Oaks Mall, a number of grocery stores I shop at, and in other public places, seem to be an ethnic minority. I hear so many different languages being spoken and so few blonds- like back in Minnesota.

I don't want this thread to be a discussion of the pros and cons of ethnic diversity in Northern VA, but instead an analysis of population demographics, observations and trends in the area. I would like to know what happened to the white people who used to fill the public places in Fairfax County!

Our Congressman Gerald Connelly, was talking about the changes in demographics in Northern VA and reported an interesting observation. He said that while a majority of people in the County were officially white, a good half of the white people in Fairfax County are actually immigrants from places like the Middle East, North Africa and Latin America who designate themselves white in the census. These people are much different ethnically and culturally than the white people found in most of America and have a different history and perspective than the typical 6th Generation American found in a place like Minnesota, Oklahoma or Kentucky.

Here in Fairfax County VA, I would guess only a third of the people can link their background to Western Europe. It is just so different here.

What happened to all the White People who used to be my friends, neighbors and coworkers years ago in a more demographically and culturally homogeneous Northern VA 25 years ago?

The "white people" who are natives are still here. The transient "white people" are gone. Also, the "white people" you remember from 25 years ago are older and currently yelling at kids to get off their front lawn.

Over all you are just witnessing the general population trend in the United States. I've noticed that Northern Virginia tends to be a very clear indicator of population trends across the country.

[Yankeesfan]

Originally Posted by Workaholic?

What happened to all the White People who used to be my friends, neighbors and coworkers years ago in a more demographically and culturally homogeneous Northern VA 25 years ago?

Well, you tell us. If they were your friends, neighbors, and co-workers, presumably they told you where they were going when they left. So think back, when each one left, where did he or she move to?

[FindingZen]

Without having read all of the posts or associated links, my theory is that the percentage of white residents in NOVA may have gone down but the overall number has continued to increase. On the other hand, both the number and % of ethnic minorities here has certainly increased as NOVA becomes more of a global business hub as well as home for the international political class. I would be surprised if the aggregate % of ethnic minorities is greater than 50% but the gap is surely closing.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

according to that site, FFX in 2010 was 62% white. And 15% hispanic. Who may be of any race. Assuming (whoever wants can go look it up) that almost all hispanics designate as white, that would mean 47% non hispanic white. The proportion of that that would have to be Mid eastern for hispanics and mideastern to be a majority of self designated whites is higher than is credible, IMO. I think what the congressman clearly meant is that subtracting hispanic whites, and mideasterners from the 62%, FFX is well under 50% "white".

Its also clear from that site, that the proportions of nonwhites and hispanics in FFX has been rising dramatically. I think rather faster than in the metro area as a whole. Its does not strike me as odd to be curious about what parts of the metro area have seen shifts the other way. Or, as in the case of some outer suburban jurisdictions, there has been growth in "whiter jurisdictions" that balance the numbers, even if those jurisdictions themselves have had decrease in their "white" percentage.

The 2010 census data indicates that 54.6% of the population identifies as non-Hispanic white. I have no idea how many of those individuals were born in Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Belarus, Kabul or Beirut.

As much as I love statistics and factoids, I have the sense that in a few more generations this type of data will be largely meaningless.

[sullyguy]

Originally Posted by JEB77

As much as I love statistics and factoids, I have the sense that in a few more generations this type of data will be largely meaningless.

It's already meaningless and =always= has been.

However, in a couple more generations it will be accepted as such.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by sullyguy

It's already meaningless and =always= has been.

However, in a couple more generations it will be accepted as such.

I was framing the issue rather narrowly in terms of purporting to understand local demographics in Fairfax County.

I understand that you might want to take the discussion in a different direction, but that might be better suited to a different forum. Cornel West and others might beg to disagree with the broader assertion, and I think the thread will end up getting locked if it becomes a general debate on whether we live in a color-blind society or are capable of doing so.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by JEB77

The 2010 census data indicates that 54.6% of the population identifies as non-Hispanic white. I have no idea how many of those individuals were born in Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Belarus, Kabul or Beirut.

As much as I love statistics and factoids, I have the sense that in a few more generations this type of data will be largely meaningless.

The historic pattern in the USA is that old ethnic distinctions fade in the face of A. new ethnic groups and B. The old distinction between whites and blacks Ergo, first distinctions of scots, scots irish, dutch vs english faded. Then german protestants (mostly). Than north european Catholics (Germans and Irish - see of course "How the Irish became White") In more recent years southern and eastern europeans of catholic, Jewish, and eastern orthodox faith.

Right now we see second generation asians (east, south, and southwest) struggling to fit into the mainstream culture. Complicated by changes in the very vision of the mainstream culture of the value of being "mainstream" . And (not unlike in earlier times) that struggle to adapt merging in complex ways with ideological struggles within the mainstream (as antihipsters look to asians for allies against "hipsterism", as conservative southernerners in the 1950s looked to irish and slavic catholics as allies for anticommunism, and the descendants of new england abolitionists looked to NY jews for allies in "progressivism")

The real question is when, and how, we eliminate the distinction at the core of a disproportion of our nations history - that between the descendants of people enslaved in the western hemisphere, and everyone else. While that has gone far in the time since I was a child, it still has a long, long way to go. I dont think the path is completely clear.

[sportsterjohn]

As long as newbies to the area are asking questions related to schools, demographics will be alive and well here!

[Workaholic?]

False!

An ever increasing number of Fairfax County residents who call themselves WHITE in the census are immigrants from all over the world and their children. In my experience the Greeks hang out with other Greeks, People from Egypt hang out with other people from Egypt and those from Morocco hang out with fellow countryman. The population has become balkanized and don't mix. It is not like a group of white 5th Generation Americans making new friends with a new comer to the area from Wisconsin!

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

The historic pattern in the USA is that old ethnic distinctions fade in the face of A. new ethnic groups and B. The old distinction between whites and blacks Ergo, first distinctions of scots, scots irish, dutch vs english faded. Then german protestants (mostly). Than north european Catholics (Germans and Irish - see of course "How the Irish became White") In more recent years southern and eastern europeans of catholic, Jewish, and eastern orthodox faith.

Right now we see second generation asians (east, south, and southwest) struggling to fit into the mainstream culture. Complicated by changes in the very vision of the mainstream culture of the value of being "mainstream" . And (not unlike in earlier times) that struggle to adapt merging in complex ways with ideological struggles within the mainstream (as antihipsters look to asians for allies against "hipsterism", as conservative southernerners in the 1950s looked to irish and slavic catholics as allies for anticommunism, and the descendants of new england abolitionists looked to NY jews for allies in "progressivism")

The real question is when, and how, we eliminate the distinction at the core of a disproportion of our nations history - that between the descendants of people enslaved in the western hemisphere, and everyone else. While that has gone far in the time since I was a child, it still has a long, long way to go. I dont think the path is completely clear.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Workaholic?

False!

An ever increasing number of Fairfax County residents who call themselves WHITE in the census are immigrants from all over the world and their children. In my experience the Greeks hang out with other Greeks, People from Egypt hang out with other people from Egypt and those from Morocco hang out with fellow countryman. The population has become balkanized and don't mix. It is not like a group of white 5th Generation Americans making new friends with a new comer to the area from Wisconsin!

That may be true for you, as someone who refers to "normal" whites as only people 6-generations deep from Wisconsin, North Carolina, or Ohio.

I, on the other hand, find most of the people in this region have a varied mix of friends who socialize amongst cultures.