Racial Diversity In Savannah (Pooler: wedding, school, to live)

[Lannie]

Originally Posted by ellie

Considering we have an African-American mayor, a racially balanced city council, and police force this statement seems to underplay the professionalism of these well-regarded individuals.

Funny :-) Our mayor is disliked by many, including the city and county police. I work with them day-in and day-out. There's HUGE dislike towards the mayor by many city leaders and law enforcement. But this isn't a political thread so I'll end it here.

Will Savannah welcome a "racially diverse" couple? Not real well, but I hope the OP will let us know how they settle in.

[maggiemay]

I am reminded of what the late comedian Lewis Grizzard used to say to those who moved down South and complained the entire time "Delta is ready when you are". Perhaps applicable here as well.

There are many ways to leave the city of Savannah, by road, by boat, and by airplane. Also, if the opportunity, leadership, and populace of Savannah is so poor, a wise person would surely leave rather than sit around complaining so much...unless that is a favorite hobby?

[mycomfortcorner]

Originally Posted by duff30329

" Racial Diversity" is a load of crap.
To me, diversity means ALL kinds of people.
Diversity, in this day and age means Blacks and only Blacks.
I preferred the old days when we accepted people of ALL ethnic persuasions, not just the darker ones.
Political correctness---please go away!!!

Did my question bother you? You seem very very angry. All I know is this: Having lived up north all of my life it's the "norm" to see interacial couples, and if anyone has a problem with it, then it's kept pretty quite. My concern at this point is that I'm not moving to a southern state where it's the "norm" for wrongful acts to be commited against couples who are not of the same race.

On any given day, you can take a walk down the mag mile in Chicago, and see many white male/black female couples. I personally don't know anything about the south, but when you come from a family where all of your relatives were born and raised in places like Alabama, and Memphis, and you listen to their horror stories about how it was "way back when" it brings about a lot of question. There's no sense in me asking any of these southern born relatives of mine about how they think life will be like in the south for a black woman and her white husband...they've already given their opinion once they found out about the move. On one hand, I feel like they're still stuck in the 20's, when they tell me that I'm going down there looking for trouble, and on the other, I believe that times really have changed.

I even had my 87 years old aunt say this to me: "Moving to Georgia? You and that white boy are gonna get lynched."



I understand that many of them grew up in a place and time when blacks were not allowed to enter through the front door of a white persons house, and that when they worked for white people they had to address thier children as sir or ma'am, and knowing this, should I throw caution to the wind?

[redangie24]

I am white and my husband in black. We have been stationed in Georgia for almost 5 years. Race is going to play a role. In warner robins (where we live) we have had some problems every now and then, but it is not all that often (that I notice anymore) and only rarely is it outright. When we visited Savannah we were treated so badly we have never returned. But there are other parts of Georgia and many just don't care. One thing though. If you look for it your going to find it. So try not to be too sensitive and it won't get to you most of the time except when it is right in your face every now and then. But it is that way with allot of things.

[turtleonarock]

I am a white, female northerner who has lived in the south for 14 years now. My sister is married to a black man and I have two absolutely beautiful bi-racial nieces. I have personally heard MANY racial comments about blacks here and have witnessed the looks of scorn that she has gotten when visiting me. In my experience, the people in the south that still have racial bias are the old-timers, not the younger generation. Although in some area it does carry over to the younger ones as well. I will never understand it, but it is there. My sister and her family just moved to a small town on the northwest side of Atlanta and so far love it there. Sure beats months in a row of snow... Anyway, I guess my point is that racial bigotry does still exist in the south and pretending that it does not is just silly, imho.

[mycomfortcorner]

Originally Posted by redangie24

I am white and my husband in black. We have been stationed in Georgia for almost 5 years. Race is going to play a role. In warner robins (where we live) we have had some problems every now and then, but it is not all that often (that I notice anymore) and only rarely is it outright. When we visited Savannah we were treated so badly we have never returned. But there are other parts of Georgia and many just don't care. One thing though. If you look for it your going to find it. So try not to be too sensitive and it won't get to you most of the time except when it is right in your face every now and then. But it is that way with allot of things.

Angie, thanks so much for your response. I am very sorry to hear that you and your husband did in fact encounter some problems. It turns my stomach to know that there are STILL people out there who will cause problems for interacial couples. How dare they! It's a slap in the face that says "screw what your heart is feeling and stick with your own kind."

[maggiemay]

I hope I haven't given the impression that racism doesn't exist. Of course it does. Everywhere. I guess I wanted to make sure that comfortcorner knew that there are plenty of people who despise that way of thinking, yes, even in Savannah.

I have a quick story to illustrate my point about finding what you expect to find. I bartended some in college. I remember one Saturday night when it was crazy busy and I was doing my thing. A girl ordered two drinks and I made them. She gave me her money and I made change and quickly put it on the bar in front of her. I did that for everyone because so many people are turned around and yakking by the time I make change and it slows the bar down if I stand and wait. Women were the worst at that. I had already moved on when she loudly stated "No. That's not acceptable!" I was startled and looked at her, deer in the headlights, not understanding. I thought she meant the drinks were wrong. Then she said "I touched your skin voluntarily, now you need to touch my skin." Her skin color never occured to me; she had the right color: green. If she had paid attention she would have seen that I performed the same way before her and after her. It's faster, period. She then pitched a very loud fit about "the racist bartender". The shame of it is that now she has a story to tell about that "racist bartender in Savannah" and that is not what was going on in my head at all. But that is what she was obviously expecting, perhaps because of her history and I can understand that. But still, I have to wonder how often she encountered "racism".

That encounter has never left my head because it left such a sad feeling inside. I'm know there are much, much worse instances of racism, but wasn't that what I encountered? She expected me to think in a disgusting fashion because I'm white. I know it is SO much more difficult on the African American side, but it is no picnic to wear the shame of your ancestors on your face either.

Also, my sister lives in Statesboro and dates an African-American man. Yes, she has suffered consqeunces in that small town, but they have an active group of friends that they care about. And, they enjoy the benefit of knowing those friends aren't small-minded people.

I'm sure there are tons of stories to illustrate the oposite point. Again, I'm not trying to say racism doesn't exist. Only that there are other people, even in "terrible" Savannah who will take you at heart-value as opposed to face-value. I'm not trying to sugarcoat what I can never obviously completely understand. Only to highlight that some people can find the hatred they expect to find anywhere if they are looking for it. Me, I think it's hard enough to succeed in life without expecting trouble.

[mycomfortcorner]

Originally Posted by maggiemay

I hope I haven't given the impression that racism doesn't exist. Of course it does. Everywhere. I guess I wanted to make sure that comfortcorner knew that there are plenty of people who despise that way of thinking, yes, even in Savannah.

I have a quick story to illustrate my point about finding what you expect to find. I bartended some in college. I remember one Saturday night when it was crazy busy and I was doing my thing. A girl ordered two drinks and I made them. She gave me her money and I made change and quickly put it on the bar in front of her. I did that for everyone because so many people are turned around and yakking by the time I make change and it slows the bar down if I stand and wait. Women were the worst at that. I had already moved on when she loudly stated "No. That's not acceptable!" I was startled and looked at her, deer in the headlights, not understanding. I thought she meant the drinks were wrong. Then she said "I touched your skin voluntarily, now you need to touch my skin." Her skin color never occured to me; she had the right color: green. If she had paid attention she would have seen that I performed the same way before her and after her. It's faster, period. She then pitched a very loud fit about "the racist bartender". The shame of it is that now she has a story to tell about that "racist bartender in Savannah" and that is not what was going on in my head at all. But that is what she was obviously expecting, perhaps because of her history and I can understand that. But still, I have to wonder how often she encountered "racism".

That encounter has never left my head because it left such a sad feeling inside. I'm know there are much, much worse instances of racism, but wasn't that what I encountered? She expected me to think in a disgusting fashion because I'm white. I know it is SO much more difficult on the African American side, but it is no picnic to wear the shame of your ancestors on your face either.

Also, my sister lives in Statesboro and dates an African-American man. Yes, she has suffered consqeunces in that small town, but they have an active group of friends that they care about. And, they enjoy the benefit of knowing those friends aren't small-minded people.

I'm sure there are tons of stories to illustrate the oposite point. Again, I'm not trying to say racism doesn't exist. Only that there are other people, even in "terrible" Savannah who will take you at heart-value as opposed to face-value. I'm not trying to sugarcoat what I can never obviously completely understand. Only to highlight that some people can find the hatred they expect to find anywhere if they are looking for it. Me, I think it's hard enough to succeed in life without expecting trouble.

My husband and I are certainly not the type of people that goes around expecting trouble, but that doesn't mean that we won't encounter it.

Thank you all for your opinions. You've been a wonderful help. Be well and take care.

[Kim91909]

We are considering moving to Savannah Georgia but I'm nervous as I do not want to deal with any racial issues.. I'm white and my husband is black

[pink caddy]

Originally Posted by Kim91909

We are considering moving to Savannah Georgia but I'm nervous as I do not want to deal with any racial issues.. I'm white and my husband is black

Are those "issues" that you are referring to any different than the "issues" you deal with on a regular basis? In other words describe "issues".