Sort of a delicate question about racism. (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: home, neighborhood)

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

New England isn't exactly a bastion of racial equality either. While outward racism is certainly less socially acceptable, let us remember that quite a few of the country's most violent race riots occurred in Boston. I would venture to say that older Yinzers are simply saying what older New Englanders are thinking. Older is a key word, given that as society has become more integrated over the years, race-related issues, while certainly still problematic, are definitely becoming less severe with time.

Admittedly true. As I said, I actually think the former kind of racism is actually probably more damaging, because it's the sort that led to white flight, leads suburbs to avoid building affordable housing, etc. There may be a lot less actual bigotry behind it, but it's far more damaging to black people as a whole than some off-color jokes.

That said, it does still have a nasty tilt in some places. I think it was just last year a black family bought a house in Lincoln Place, and someone burned it down.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

If you ignore the yinzers, though, as I do, then Pittsburgh is a phenomenal place in which to reside.

Don't you see something a little screwy with saying "Pittsburgh's not racist at all, excluding the quintessential local Pittsburghers, whom I ignore." Makes you come across as a fan of extreme gentrification.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Don't you see something a little screwy with saying "Pittsburgh's not racist at all, excluding the quintessential local Pittsburghers, whom I ignore." Makes you come across as a fan of extreme gentrification.

I've been attacked and condemned several times in the past on this sub-forum for my admitted dislike of "yinzers" who perpetuate negative stereotypes about our fair city through their boorish public behavior and subtle (yet stinging) bigotry/racism. I'll stand by my comments. If that means I'm a proponent of "extreme gentrification", as you call it, then so be it. The sooner those who spread hatred become overpowered, the better.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I've been attacked and condemned several times in the past on this sub-forum for my admitted dislike of "yinzers" who perpetuate negative stereotypes about our fair city through their boorish public behavior and subtle (yet stinging) bigotry/racism. I'll stand by my comments. If that means I'm a proponent of "extreme gentrification", as you call it, then so be it. The sooner those who spread hatred become overpowered, the better.

If you take Yinzer to simply mean, older, less-educated multi-generational Pittsburghers with blue-collar pedigrees, I would say the racist offenders comprise a comparatively small subset of this class. I've had a lot of positive experiences with these folks, and I'm sure the bad apples you've had run-ins with wouldn't take very kindly to preppy, Jewy, intellectual, left-of-center aspiring young professional types either.

[Brewhahaha]

Yinzers are racists? Talk about stereotyping geez.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Brewhahaha

Yinzers are racists? Talk about stereotyping geez.

Speaking personally, I didn't say yinzers were racist. I said, there's a type of racism in Pittsburgh which is common among yinzers, which is identifiable by openly saying very racist things, but generally not taking it any further.

In contrast, a lot of the upper-middle class people who are the children/grandchildren of white flighters have the more stereotypical racism common across America: the "never say the n word, but I'll move to the next town out if more than a dozen black families more here" sort. Even though there is often no racial malice behind this, it's probably a lot more damaging to the lives of black people in Pittsburgh than getting the cold shoulder from their neighbor three rowhouses down.

[hinsey86]

Pittsburgh is much more segregated than I was used to..coming from the south. I was immersed in the AA community when I first moved here and the segregation was evident much more so than anywhere I have lived. ( most of my life was spent below the Mason Dixon line). I got a lot of insight into impact of long term institutional racism on the area. But I must say overall in my personal experiences 30 something's and below....never heard any racists term used. Middle age folks ( in general some underlying racism but nothing overt). Older folks...a lot. But overall I would say my experience here has been positive.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I've never heard the "N" word used here by someone who wasn't African-American.

I have, and often enough and in public places, to have been taken aback a few times. The most surprising was sitting behind some suits at PNC Park when they started dropping N bombs.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I've also not heard the "F" word used here by someone who wasn't gay.

Even more common than the N word, especially around un/undereducated whites and hispanics. Haven't personally heard it used by blacks though.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

If you're looking for a safe predominantly-white suburb where people still tend to be more open-minded and progressive you can probably look at Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, and Bethel Park, for starters. Probably nearby Dormont, too, albeit I'm not as familiar with Dormont.

Upper St. Clair is hardly progressive. IMO, Dormont appears to be attracting a lot of young folks not born here, particularly from the West Coast. Mt. Lebo is somewhat more cosmopolitan - a decent number of folks not born in the USA, still predominately white, but far more open-minded than its neighbor to the south. I can't speak for BP, although from personal experience it seems somewhat more conservative than Mt. Lebo or Dormont.

[I_Like_Spam]

Pittsburgh has always had a fair number of jagoffs that will shoot their mouths off with racial epithets, but for the largest part they are polite enough not to do so in mixed company.

Also, ethnic humor has been a mainstay in the region for the last 100 or more years, as the area is the home to scores of different ethnic groups.

[toosie]

Originally Posted by chef.sunny22

I know Philly is not like this (as closed minded) but what about Pittsburgh and the suburbs?

Originally Posted by chef.sunny22

I'm the first to admit I want to live in a mostly white suburb only because that is where I feel most comfortable but I don't have a problem with anyone as long as they are law abiding.

Taking these comments in conjunction, if you don't think Philly is racist, then I doubt you'll find Pittsburgh to be racist. It's a fairly segregated city, IMO. There are plenty of people here who tend to say the wrong thing (often unwittingly) but those same people still do the right thing, if ykwim.

[Stolberg]

White people in Harrisburg are racist but white people in Seattle don't care if you're black?
Harrisburg is 52% black, Seattle 2% black.

Hutus and Tutsis, Sunni and Shia, Irishmen and Ulstermen; they're all individuals but is the ethnic conflict in their countries just about individual prejudice? No. There are centuries worth of group
dynamics and group conflicts that define and determine the situation. Same with Pennsylvania,
the black/white history goes back to the 1600s.