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If people don't like the whiteness of NH/VT/ME, they should not move there. I think the only people that find the whiteness of this region to be a problem are 1) people who want, and want their children to experience, non-Eurowhite cultures; and 2) businesses who want to attract more people, both skilled and unskilled, for employees. However, if companies want to attract more diversity to that area, they should make it more appealing for minorities to move there.
However, I personally would like to see SOME areas where traditional New England culture is still respected-- and where better than New England? It seems that such areas are now limited to mostly rural and semi-rural areas. (But liberals should not worry because, imo, in 50 years or so, such culture will just be mainly a notation in history books.)
Btw, I lived in Maine from 2004-2007 when my kids were in elementary school, and their December winter holiday program, even back then and in rural Maine, was not called a Christmas program. It featured the kids singing songs from many cultures but NOT such songs as "Away in the Manger". The closest to it being a white holiday program was one song that was something like "Jingle Bells", and the only Christian song was a black gospel song about Baby Jesus. Btw, I don't recall hearing even one complaint about that, so I think the idea of most New Englanders being a bunch of racists is simply not true.
Last edited by katharsis; 07-31-2018 at 05:37 PM..
I have no problem with New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine being 95% White or higher. The percentage of Whites in those areas is not the concern. If I decide to move to VT, NH, or Maine, the biggest concern is how I would be treated. I understand I would stick in in a place like New Hampshire or Maine. I know I would stick out in Vermont. I know how to cut my own hair, so finding a place to get my hair cut won't be a concern of mine. I like lobster, and other kinds of seafood that are enjoyed in Maine. Hiking, kayaking, the great outdoors, I would love to do such things. I've gone kayaking before and I loved it. I occasionally go hiking, and I love snow. There are many things I could do for fun in Maine. If it snows, I'll buy some snowshoes. I'll make a sled. What is the most important thing, and this is if I go anywhere, is how I will be treated. Sticking out like a sore thumb does attract alot of curiosity and attention.
I have no problem with New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine being 95% White or higher. The percentage of Whites in those areas is not the concern. If I decide to move to VT, NH, or Maine, the biggest concern is how I would be treated. I understand I would stick in in a place like New Hampshire or Maine. I know I would stick out in Vermont. I know how to cut my own hair, so finding a place to get my hair cut won't be a concern of mine. I like lobster, and other kinds of seafood that are enjoyed in Maine. Hiking, kayaking, the great outdoors, I would love to do such things. I've gone kayaking before and I loved it. I occasionally go hiking, and I love snow. There are many things I could do for fun in Maine. If it snows, I'll buy some snowshoes. I'll make a sled. What is the most important thing, and this is if I go anywhere, is how I will be treated. Sticking out like a sore thumb does attract alot of curiosity and attention.
Ok, well, I lived there long enough to know that no one would care. The NYSlimes calling Maine "too white" doesn't mean that the NYSlimes even understands Maine or the people who live there.
Maine is the "live and let live" state, and the people actually believe that to their very core. They don't bother you, they leave you alone, and that's how they like it.
So would you be treated poorly there? NO! And no, no one is going to treat you like a trinket or pepper you with questions because you're not a white person. They. Don't. Care.
What Mainers care about is WHO you are, not what you look like. I know a lot of people say that all over this country, but in Maine, that's actually how it is: WHO you are is ALL that matters. (Meaning your behaviors, your attitudes, etc.)
Ok, well, I lived there long enough to know that no one would care. The NYSlimes calling Maine "too white" doesn't mean that the NYSlimes even understands Maine or the people who live there.
Maine is the "live and let live" state, and the people actually believe that to their very core. They don't bother you, they leave you alone, and that's how they like it.
So would you be treated poorly there? NO! And no, no one is going to treat you like a trinket or pepper you with questions because you're not a white person. They. Don't. Care.
What Mainers care about is WHO you are, not what you look like. I know a lot of people say that all over this country, but in Maine, that's actually how it is: WHO you are is ALL that matters. (Meaning your behaviors, your attitudes, etc.)
Well said, and how you described Maine is how I have long described rural/small town Vermont to people who were contemplating moving here.
I have no problem with New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine being 95% White or higher. The percentage of Whites in those areas is not the concern. If I decide to move to VT, NH, or Maine, the biggest concern is how I would be treated. I understand I would stick in in a place like New Hampshire or Maine. I know I would stick out in Vermont. I know how to cut my own hair, so finding a place to get my hair cut won't be a concern of mine. I like lobster, and other kinds of seafood that are enjoyed in Maine. Hiking, kayaking, the great outdoors, I would love to do such things. I've gone kayaking before and I loved it. I occasionally go hiking, and I love snow. There are many things I could do for fun in Maine. If it snows, I'll buy some snowshoes. I'll make a sled. What is the most important thing, and this is if I go anywhere, is how I will be treated. Sticking out like a sore thumb does attract alot of curiosity and attention.
Speaking as a black person who has spent quite a bit of time in Vermont and parts of NH and Maine, I can almost entirely assure you that you’ll be fine. I’m not saying that the area is void of racists (is there any place that is?), but people are right in that it’s a “live and let live” type of mentality. I would move to VT (specifically Montpelier) I’m a heart beat except: 1) I never learned how to drive; 2) poor employment opportunities; 3) surprisingly higher-than-expected cost of living (especially in Burlington, which I suppose is due to the college). The ungodly cold, I can handle (I’ve been chuckling nonstop at all these “Black people don’t like the cold” responses when nearly all of my relatives immigrated to either Boston or Montreal from the Caribbean. Many of them are out heee complaining about this hot and humid summer the East has been having). I’d much rather live in Maine/VT/NH than in Georgia/Florida/Texas—I don’t function well when the temps go above 85 and I refuse to spend an entire season stuck indoors in front of an AC. Having said that, I’m not a “typical” black person in that I love the outdoors (I’m the rare one who loves camping and hiking) and enjoy hobbies that typically don’t feature many POC (I’ve only met two other POC LARPers who were not Asian). I’m used to be “the only” and it doesn’t bother me so long as it doesn’t bother anyone else.
Anyways, POCs do exist and live in these states without issue. If anyone has ever given me a curious stare, it’s most likely because I have crazy hair (last time I was in VT, I had purple and neon green fake locs).
eevee, I agree on the blacks and cold thing. It is perhaps true that most blacks don't like the cold, but then most whites don't like it either. We who live here and who prefer the cold to the heat down south are the exceptions to the norm no matter our color, white, black, burgundy, or chartreuse. For the record I don't even know what color chartreuse is. It just sounded good and I was pleased I could spell it.
Some here have commented on virtue signalling and I would say there is some truth to that. For the first few years we lived in our current town, I thought there was one of those traditionally black colleges in a nearby town. Why did I think that? I never had cause to go to that college or even drive past it and I didn't know anyone associated with it. All I knew was what I saw in the local newspaper. When there is a photo of students moving in, it is always a black kid. When there is a graduation photo, it is always a black kid. When there is a photo of a sports event, it is always a black kid. When there is a casual photo shot on campus, it is always a black kid. Turns out the school is majority white.
The editor of that paper is very far left and I'm guessing always featuring just the black kids makes him feel better about himself. I will add that whereas Burlington & its surrounding communities are very much Bernieland, Vermont is otherwise mostly moderates to the left of center and in lesser numbers moderates to the right of center. Most people are not far left and do not feel the need to virtue signal, but some of them are definitely out there.
I have no problem with New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine being 95% White or higher. The percentage of Whites in those areas is not the concern. If I decide to move to VT, NH, or Maine, the biggest concern is how I would be treated. I understand I would stick in in a place like New Hampshire or Maine. I know I would stick out in Vermont. I know how to cut my own hair, so finding a place to get my hair cut won't be a concern of mine. I like lobster, and other kinds of seafood that are enjoyed in Maine. Hiking, kayaking, the great outdoors, I would love to do such things. I've gone kayaking before and I loved it. I occasionally go hiking, and I love snow. There are many things I could do for fun in Maine. If it snows, I'll buy some snowshoes. I'll make a sled. What is the most important thing, and this is if I go anywhere, is how I will be treated. Sticking out like a sore thumb does attract alot of curiosity and attention.
As someone of Chinese descent, I assure you that if you were to visit or live in NH, you would be treated NORMALLY, just like any white person there. People would accept you in a neutral way, and not make any big deal of it. You would NOT be shunned or treated poorly, but you would not be given any red carpet welcoming treatment either.
In my town, the only time I've ever seen another Asian person was at the Chinese restaurant one town over, and perhaps once a month, my husband sees another Asian family shopping at the Hannafords grocery store. It doesn't bother me. Otherwise, I find other NH people very approachable and friendly, even though we aren't church people (and in a small town, everyone knows each other and what church they go to).
Northern NE had textile and paper mills, but those jobs were already taken by European and Canadian immigrants. There was plenty of diversity among those groups.
Diversity, in its current form, has pretty much been dumbed down to melanin and genital differences. That's it.
Originally Posted by Sharks With Lasers; From the article, I don't think they're expecting the culture of northern New England to change. I think they want things like housing and businesses that might have more "ethnic" options.
I still want to know what "ethnic housing" is. It sounds a bit ominous.
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