Whites Moving Into Black Neighborhoods? (Pittsburgh: to buy, to live in, vs.)
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Devout Urbanist, I'm guessing you're referring to me as the white dude getting picked on, so I want to just add that I, personally, don't view that as racism. I'm not a big fan of invoking the "black on white" racism idea in general.
Also, for what it's worth, I wasn't gentrifying, hahaha. I was super poor.
Devout Urbanist, I'm guessing you're referring to me as the white dude getting picked on, so I want to just add that I, personally, don't view that as racism. I'm not a big fan of invoking the "black on white" racism idea in general.
Also, for what it's worth, I wasn't gentrifying, hahaha. I was super poor.
I know you weren't calling it racism. I can tell from your post that you approached living there with what I would consider the appropriate lens. It's other people in this thread who seem eager to promote the ridiculous idea that "black on white" racism is a serious social problem or at the root of black-white race relations in Pittsburgh.
I don't think that was the original intent of the OP either. I know it sounds like a stupid question, but white liberals are pretty susceptible to white guilt, and they don't want to be that awful person that none of the neighbors like because they're gentrifying the area or are where they aren't supposed to be or whatever. People fret about stuff, based on stuff they don't understand because they aren't exposed to it, what are you gonna do.
I don't know that I'd call a little street harassment a serious problem but I know there are a lot of people who are more tightly wound than Captain Pittsburgh is, who let things get to them, and they could stew over that kind of thing for days. I have seen it happen. I don't think anybody's saying all or most people in a given neighborhood are going to harass people like that, but all it takes is one to ruin some people's day.
Honestly, my take on racism in Pittsburgh is that it's not necessarily more prevalent than anywhere else, just more overt. And that goes for both white-on-black racism and black-on-white racism. The fact that it's more overt makes people perceive it as more prevalent, though.
Here in Georgia, it's a bit different. Black people and white people generally make nice at work or in public, but people's opinions come out in private. Of course, given the large black population in Georgia, making nice in public is more necessary on both sides in order to keep everything relatively peaceable.
From my experience, black people in Georgia are generally much friendlier than black people in Pittsburgh. I've never been threatened by any black people down here the way I had many times in Pittsburgh. And for what it's worth, the Asian people I know here have all mentioned that racism against them has been worse from black people than it has from white people.
At least corporate Pittsburgh has gotten on board with recruiting black professionals. That's a significant step in improving race relations in Pittsburgh, at least between black people and white people.
Racism only matters if it impacts your daily life. Job and housing dicrimination = racism. Higher interest rates do to race = racism. Inadequate schools in black communites = racism. Getting the hell beat out of you by a cop that assumes your a criminal do to your appearace = racism. Hiring black people for certain positions within your company = racism.
Calling a white person a whitey as he walks down the street is not the same. Hell, if I walked down the street and was called a ******....I could care less. Bigoted comments have no impact on my pockets or quality of life. There is a big difference here.
How exactly are black people discriminating against white people in Pittsburgh? Are you suggesting that a few knuckleheads poking fun at white people who gentrify black neighborhoods is tantamount to racially motivated police brutality, the apparently widespread refusal to hire black workers, and denying hard-working black people adequate housing?
Are you suggesting that being threatened is all in good fun? I had two black guys impede me from going where I was trying to go just to threaten me for having the nerve to dance with some black girls at a social event.
"You need to stay away from our girls."
"I wasn't aware that either of you were dating them."
"We're not."
"Well then they're not your girls."
"That's not the point, retard. You got no business with them."
"They approached me."
"If we see you freakin' them black girls again, we're taking matters into our own hands, *****."
Ironically, less than a year later they were both dating white girls. So they could date white girls, but they had a problem with me dancing with black girls? That's some hypocritical bull****, as far as I'm concerned, especially since the girls approached me.
And that's just the most flagrant example of the hostility I've gotten from black Pittsburghers. There were times I couldn't even make small talk without being told to shut the **** up. That happened multiple times from multiple people, and I did nothing to deserve it either. It doesn't have to be police brutality or redlining in order to be goddamn ignorant. I actually had my well-being threatened once over a couple of black guys' racial hangups. Don't you dare trivialize that.
For that matter, my brother and his fiancee were damn near killed at a bar in Braddock Hills by a couple of black punks who decided to shoot up the place and rob it. After he grabbed his fiancee and hit the floor, a couple of bullet holes formed in the base of the bar less than a foot above his head. I'm sure my brother deserved that for trying to have a good time and minding his own business.
Plain and simple, my brother and I have never done **** to any black people, but black people have sure done **** to us, at least in Pittsburgh. At least some of the black women were friendly, like the ladies who danced with me. Too bad virtually every black guy I knew had a chip on his shoulder. Overall, the black people I've met in Georgia have been much friendlier, much more approachable and much less hostile.
Last edited by Craziaskowboi; 05-09-2013 at 01:02 PM..
Are you suggesting that being threatened is all in good fun? I had two black guys impede me from going where I was trying to go just to threaten me for having the nerve to dance with some black girls at a social event.
"You need to stay away from our girls."
"I wasn't aware that either of you were dating them."
"We're not."
"Well then they're not your girls."
"That's not the point, retard. You got no business with them."
"They approached me."
"If we see you freakin' them black girls again, we're taking matters into our own hands, *****."
Ironically, less than a year later they were both dating white girls. So they could date white girls, but they had a problem with me dancing with black girls? That's some hypocritical bull****, as far as I'm concerned, especially since the girls approached me.
And that's just the most flagrant example of the hostility I've gotten from black Pittsburghers. There were times I couldn't even make small talk without being told to shut the **** up. That happened multiple times from multiple people, and I did nothing to deserve it either. It doesn't have to be police brutality or redlining in order to be goddamn ignorant. I actually had my well-being threatened once over a couple of black guys' racial hangups. Don't you dare trivialize that.
For that matter, my brother and his fiancee were damn near killed at a bar in Braddock Hills by a couple of black punks who decided to shoot up the place and rob it. After he grabbed his fiancee and hit the floor, a couple of bullet holes formed in the base of the bar less than a foot above his head. I'm sure my brother deserved that for trying to have a good time and minding his own business.
Plain and simple, my brother and I have never done **** to any black people, but black people have sure done **** to us, at least in Pittsburgh. At least some of the black women were friendly, like the ladies who danced with me. Too bad virtually every black guy I knew had a chip on his shoulder. Overall, the black people I've met in Georgia have been much friendlier, much more approachable and much less hostile.
My mother always told me that If a person finds trouble everywhere they go.....They should look at themselves.
I dont think a couple of black punks shooting up a bar with the intention of robbery has anything to do with race. it has everything to do with fast money. Many black bars have been shot up and robbed by black punks and i would not call this racism.
Not sure of the quality of black people you associate with. I associate with some very nice black people who really dont mind white people in the least.
My mother always told me that If a person finds trouble everywhere they go.....They should look at themselves.
I dont think a couple of black punks shooting up a bar with the intention of robbery has anything to do with race. it has everything to do with fast money. Many black bars have been shot up and robbed by black punks and i would not call this racism.
Not sure of the quality of black people you associate with. I associate with some very nice black people who really dont mind white people in the least.
I was never looking for trouble or doing anything I wasn't supposed to be doing. I never made any racist or otherwise nasty remarks either; in fact, I always did my best to be friendly, regardless of a person's color.
Honestly, if you want to live in a grittier neighborhood, like those two were at the time, you are going to get junk every now and then just because that's how grittier neighborhoods are. If you're the only white guy around, it'll be "hey whiteboy" just because. If you're black, you'll still get the junk it will just have a different reason attached to it.
On the same note, SCR would even catch some flack in a gritty white neighborhood. And not just due to sexual orientation. When you live in a gritty area, at least a few people are bound to be plain crummy to be around.
On the same note, SCR would even catch some flack in a gritty white neighborhood. And not just due to sexual orientation. When you live in a gritty area, at least a few people are bound to be plain crummy to be around.
Yeah, I catch flak from other white guys and I'm not gay. Sometimes people are just confrontational jerks, especially if they think you are inconveniencing them. You never know why someone will single you out. I know a guy who is 6'6" and a pretty fit 275 pounds and goes to bars quite a bit - not youthful type college bars, but the kind that have pool leagues - and often times people will try and get a fight going with him, just to try and prove something. Not even just in 'gritty areas', but people can be jerks anywhere; maybe sometimes they are racist.
I wouldn't really care about the ethnic composition of a neighborhood - look at the houses, see how people maintain them and their yards, see if it's a quiet street, if people are parking their cars along both sides and creating an annoying driving situation, etc. But maybe some people don't want a quiet street and they like the crowded feel of cars packed into a narrow street. Whatever factors are important to you.
Also, legalize drugs. Much crime is fueled by illegal drugs; think about how relatively crime free we'd be if people weren't burglarizing for drug money or shooting each other up over black market conflicts that can't be take to court. Getting drug and drug related arrest record pretty much sinks chances of building up any kind of real resume. Think how much better off those Central American countries with murder rates many times higher than anywhere in the U.S. would be.
Calling a white person a whitey as he walks down the street is not the same. There is a big difference here.
So just to clarify your position you don't think it's racist for African-Americans to call Caucasians disparaging remarks, yet it's racist for Caucasians to call African-Americans disparaging remarks?
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