Black male asks: Least racist choice between Newport, Irvine or HB? (Los Angeles: apartments, condo)

[Thirsty]

I am a black male law student in OC for a summer internship. I'm deciding on a place to stay. I have three options and I'd like to choose one by the end of the day.

My three choices are:

1) Newport: A small room in a medium-sized house, one block from the beach (~40th & Balboa), but two stories, so I can actually see the water from the living room.

2) Irvine: A large room in Dartmouth apartments across from UCI.

3) HB: A medium-sized room in a medium-sized condo conversion, about 3 miles from the water (~Beach & Yorktown).

If you had asked me the three places I'd least like to live in OC, I would name these three cities, but it just so happens that these are my only realistic options.

I lived in OC till I was 15 and I went to UCI as an undergrad, so I have some familiarity with racism in this county.

Newport: I've been called a ****** in Newport more times than my pride cares to recall. I stopped partying there in college because of it. I was afraid I'd end up in jail for fighting some drunk white kid.

Irvine: I was pulled over in Irvine over 30 times in one school year. It was a running joke in college. Most incidents involved searching my car. Not one ticket resulted from these stops, though.

Once I was at a party that police were trying to break up. They arrested me and me only, even though I was not rowdy or violent (I was taught by my mother to be extremely polite and differential to police, in order to avoid the possibility of being injured or killed by them). They probably selected me because I was the tallest person there, had my hair in braids at the time, am black, and was wearing baggy clothing. They handcuffed me and then shoved me to the ground face-first ...hard enough to break the cellphone in my pocket! I didn't think that was necessary.

Huntington: My aunt was gang-raped and beaten by a gang of skinheads here in the 90s. I've heard there are still skinheads in the area.

I stopped by a bar there earlier this week. I was in the bar for less than one minute before a group of white guys at a pool table started a loud conversation about how they love calling black people "*****s" and then daring them to do something. They bragged about having beaten someone up for it. I drank one beer and left.


So, I'm curious: Where do you think I should live? I don't feel comfortable AT ALL in Irvine, but reading the archives suggests that past-posters feel it's actually the most minority-friendly of the three. HB isn't a bad choice, but it's the most boring house of the three. I'd like to live in Newport and look at the ocean while I eat dinner every night, but I feel like I'll be the only black person for miles. I'm not very dark, but I'm not white, and I'm afraid I'll stand out in a negative way. I'd like to live somewhere where I can just live my life and not have to worry about being stared at or treated poorly because I am a young black male.

Thoughts?

[Mr. Fantastic]

First off, I'm sorry that you encountered that. I'm a mizrahic Jew and I've been fortunate enough not to encounter the racism here in OC.

I lived in Irvine, and go to Newport a lot. I feel like Laguna Beach, and Dana Point are far more liberal than any of the cities you mentioned. Westminster is also fairly diverse with a large Vietnamese and Latino population.

I think the best thing you can do is reduce your "radar signature". Don't wear any clothing that could be perceived as "gangsta", act like you're going about your business, act like a professional, and definitely stay away from the house parties.

Unfortunately, that's the most you can do until some people become more open minded.

[californio sur]

Thirsty

I don't normally read\ post on the Orange county forum but your thread's title caught my eye. It was painful reading your comments\ experiences and the impulse is to ask why do you stay in Orange county? But it is not simply a matter of just moving to another county, like Los Angeles where I live. Sadly, even LA county has racists though probably a fraction of what one would encounter in Orange county, the most conservative urban county in California. I am reminded by what Bill Maher says: "Not all Republicans are racist but if a person is racist they are very likely Republican." So a black man living in Orange county is more likely to experience racism than any other California county outside the rural\ farm regions.

Having said that, I have also experienced racism and I live in metro Los Angeles. Being Hispanic in a county that is heavily Latino is no guarantee that Anglos will not treat me poorly. Also being Puerto Rican means I look like a light-skinned black man. My older brother wears his hair in braids and gets a fair amount of racist attention. Most of my negative experiences have been with the police even in Pasadena, a city that considers itself liberal.

But getting back to your question. Given the choices you list, my hunch is that you would be safer in Irvine since it has a large university and is considered more liberal than most Orange county cities. Your experience with the police in Irvine is very disturbing and you might want to file a complaint. Are you familiar with the Southern Poverty Law Center? They are an organization that monitors racism all over the nation and very likely have an office in Los Angeles. Also, someone at the university could help you deal with police harassment and put pressure on the local police department.

I know that there are punks in Huntington Beach, a place I swim\ body surf at on occasion. I'm not old enough to go into bars yet but I have encountered white boys who think Latinos should not use the beach, telling me to go to LA where I belong! I won't go anywhere and I make that clear to them.

Hopefully you will have a peaceful summer, bro!

[Thirsty]

Thanks, Mr. Fantastic. Sounds like good advice, particularly with regard to clothing. I'd prefer to be able to wear whatever I want, but it's just not worth the hassle sometimes. Sucks that I can't just wear a fitted cap and t-shirt without being a gang member, though!

I was leaning towards Newport, but I guess staying away from house parties will be tough to do in that area.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this? I really need to make a decision!

[Reivax]

I grew up in Newport Beach, and always found it disgusting how blatant people are with their racism. I'm white, and it always blew my mind how people would say things that basically assumed I was as bigoted as they were. I'm sorry that you had to suffer that horrible scene in the bar that you describe.

But anyway, I would say the peninsula is where you want to be, you can bike everywhere and get some exercise.

Hell with Irvine, not because the police are racist but because it's Boring with a capital B.

[Dub D]

My buddy is half white/ half black and lives in LA county. He has been in several fights due to that and him shaving his head...not with a Bic but with no clips. He has never had any issues when we go down to Orange County.

From what I've been told, HBPD has really cleaned up the city over the last few years. Alot of the gangs have moved to Fountain Valley instead.

Personally, I'd go with the property you like the most. All three cities are nice cities. Irvine from what I know is much more boring compared to the other two.

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by Dub D

My buddy is half white/ half black and lives in LA county. He has been in several fights due to that and him shaving his head...not with a Bic but with no clips. He has never had any issues when we go down to Orange County.

From what I've been told, HBPD has really cleaned up the city over the last few years. Alot of the gangs have moved to Fountain Valley instead.

Personally, I'd go with the property you like the most. All three cities are nice cities. Irvine from what I know is much more boring compared to the other two.

There are still a number of surfer gangs\ thugs in Huntington Beach but much of it is fueled by not wanting out-of-town surfers using HB [but that occurs at all Southern California beach cities esp Ventura county]. I don't board surf so have basically been left alone except at the Wedge in Newport Beach.

[Rodukes]

Damn man you have a complicated situation there. My advise is to leave that hell bound state of California and come to New York. NOBODY here will bother you. Why would you want to live around racist pigs anyway. They're such losers. Everybody has to be like them or you would be considered an outsider. They're evil people who don't care about people's emotions. Trust me, i'm muslim and i've had my share of racism. I can't even walk in a mall with my wife because these racism pigs stare.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Thirsty

I have some familiarity with racism in this county.

I've been called a ****** in Newport more times than my pride cares to recall.

I was pulled over in Irvine over 30 times in one school year.

They arrested me and me only,

My aunt was gang-raped and beaten by a gang of skinheads here in the 90s.

a group of white guys at a pool table started a loud conversation about how they love calling black people "*****s" and then daring them to do something.

They bragged about having beaten someone up for it.


Thoughts?

Reminds me of the movie "Billy Jack" or the old "Kung Fu" tv show: one bad white guy after another.

Hard to believe all this happened.

[Mach50]

I have never seen racism like there is in Newport Beach, it is down right sickening. So stay away from there, HB and Irvine are not much better. I'd recommend the area around South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa or even Irvine Spectrum...at least there you will find people from all over so folks are a little more tolerant.

Overall I feel bad for any Hispanic or Black person in OC, especially those who want to be treated with respect...because it generally won't happen.

Originally Posted by Charles

Reminds me of the movie "Billy Jack" or the old "Kung Fu" tv show: one bad white guy after another.

Hard to believe all this happened.

Not to me it isn't...most racist county I have ever lived in.