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I may be able to explain some of the racism you see. Vermont is a very white state. Many Vermonters have no black friends or even know one. I've known some as friends and they're just like eveyone else but with the added pressure of everyone thinking they're drug dealers.
Why? Because unfortunately, drugs are a big problem in many Vermont cities and towns and most of them are brought in by black drug dealers. A friend who works at the courts sees the same thing time after time. Considering the small percentage of blacks in Vt, they are involved in a much higher percentage of crimes. Guilty by association. Unfair? You bet. There are plenty of fine, hardworking, and educated blacks in Vt. If you happen to know one, you may be more open minded. Unfortunately, most Vermonters only know blacks from the crime photos in the paper or the out of state cars full of them cruising through town. People fear what they don't know.
I am originally from Asia, I have lived in the USA for over 13 years, I have lived in Idaho, Oregon, Georgia, Louisiana, and Michigan. I moved to Vt about 2.5 years ago and Vermont is by far the most racist state I have ever been. In the Burlington area, people are mostly fine, but I have had countless racism encounters in Milton and St Albans, where i worked and lived. I have had my turn skipped at the DMV, pharmacist who told me that she had no time for me, and U-haul people who insisted on charging me more until I went home to print out a copy of my original reservation and called U-haul headquarter etc... I can't wait to move out of this horrible state.
The Springfield DMV (which I use) has a 'Take a Number' machine. When your number appears on the monitor, it's your turn. The DMV clerks are a bit too busy to try and guess what number a person was issued. Is the DMV system different there?
How is U-Haul possibly over-charging you racist? People make errors. You didn't have the paperwork with you to prove your assertion, either.
Was it possible the pharmacist was busy? Had to get to work filling prescriptions?
Didn't know this thread was still going on. I do have a flip side of this discussion which really has no bearing. I've been caring for a down's syndrome man for the past 6 years and take him everywhere. Never once EVER has anyone at ANY age turned to stare at him. In the city? People of ALL ages made a point to make it an issue. Yes, that is going back to my earliest memory . So, true, maybe disabled people are more commonplace than persons of different descent in VT????? I guess it might be easier to accept what you are exposed to?
But, it is NEVER EVER any excuse to be rude! My top 3 Golden Mom Rules for my kid! Followed by; Never Ever Lie and Be Responsible For Your Own Actions! No more/no less
I may be able to explain some of the racism you see. Vermont is a very white state. Many Vermonters have no black friends or even know one. I've known some as friends and they're just like eveyone else but with the added pressure of everyone thinking they're drug dealers.
Why? Because unfortunately, drugs are a big problem in many Vermont cities and towns and most of them are brought in by black drug dealers. A friend who works at the courts sees the same thing time after time. Considering the small percentage of blacks in Vt, they are involved in a much higher percentage of crimes. Guilty by association. Unfair? You bet. There are plenty of fine, hardworking, and educated blacks in Vt. If you happen to know one, you may be more open minded. Unfortunately, most Vermonters only know blacks from the crime photos in the paper or the out of state cars full of them cruising through town. People fear what they don't know.
This post really bothers me because it's riddled with common misconceptions. It's mindboggling that Vermonters blame blacks for drugs. With a population that is almost 97% white, your state has one of the highest heroin addiction rates in the country. That can't be blamed on minorities. It just can't. But Vermonters do. It's sad they don't see the irony in what they're saying.
With a 600k population that's 97% white and 1/2% black, it's statistically impossible for the black population to be the cause of one of the highest heroin addiction rates in the country. I can't find quickly the actual rate for heroin, but the illicit drug addiction rate in Vermont is 11.49%. (Only DC and RI have higher rates than Vermont.) Do the math.
Not sure how much as changed in the past 10 years, but this Department of Justice intelligence report indicates the opposite regarding who is bringing the drugs:
Quote:
Local independent Caucasian dealers are the primary retail distributors of heroin in [Vermont]. These dealers commonly travel in private automobiles to purchase heroin, primarily from Dominican criminal groups in Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, and Springfield, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; and New York, New York.
And with an addiction rate that high, it's a cop-out to blame outsiders. Every state in the country has drugs coming from outside the borders. The drugs come from South America. We all have people bringing drugs over our state borders. But we all don't live in states with high addiction rates.
Maybe if the police stopped only pulling over "cars full of them," Vermont might get a handle on the drug problem. As long as Vermonters blame minorities and outsiders as the cause of the drug problem, the drug problem will continue to increase.
I'm not bashing Vermonters. I'm just bashing this particular mindset. It's illogical.
Hope, my post was intended to explain why some of the racism exists in VT. I'll agree that drugs are a big problem in VT and most addicts here are white. However, at least in the Rutland area, every major drug bust usually involves a black or group of black men and the pictures are posted in the paper. A friend in the court system plus a few in law enforcement will back me up and tell you that they come because the market is here and there's money to be made. I'm talking about drugs coming into the area, not what's being sold once it's here.
If you read my post carefully, my point is that many people don't personally know a black person. Their opinions are formed by the media. If I named some groups that you've never met personally, but have read about, you have preconceived notions already about what to expect. How many times have you heard rumors about a person or place and found it to just not be true after actually meeting them or visiting? It's no more fair to label all Vermonters racist than it is to label all blacks drug dealers. That too, is illogical.
I condemn racism, but also felt Vermonters were being labeled racist for the actions of a few.
I'll agree that drugs are a big problem in VT and most addicts here are white. However, at least in the Rutland area, every major drug bust usually involves a black or group of black men and the pictures are posted in the paper. A friend in the court system plus a few in law enforcement will back me up and tell you that they come because the market is here and there's money to be made. I'm talking about drugs coming into the area, not what's being sold once it's here.
And I'm saying that the police department and the media are being biased, which in turns portrays a view that promotes bias by the public. Statistically, blacks shouldn't be representing a larger portion of crime in the busts and media. The Justice Department report clearly says that majority of the drugs brought into the area are via white local dealers driving out of state. The police aren't catching them because of bias. They are getting getting caught more often because they are first guilty of "driving while black."
Most importantly, Vermonters need to stop blaming the drug problem on drugs being brought into the state. Drugs being brought in isn't the problem. The problem is that a larger percentage of Vermonters are users compared to other states. That's what needs to be addressed. And Vermont is such a close knit community that there is no way everyone doesn't know who is using and selling in their areas. Yet people aren't getting busted. It's probably because everyone knows everyone and they don't want to bust a friend's son.
This post really bothers me because it's riddled with common misconceptions. It's mindboggling that Vermonters blame blacks for drugs. With a population that is almost 97% white, your state has one of the highest heroin addiction rates in the country. That can't be blamed on minorities. It just can't. But Vermonters do. It's sad they don't see the irony in what they're saying.
With a 600k population that's 97% white and 1/2% black, it's statistically impossible for the black population to be the cause of one of the highest heroin addiction rates in the country. I can't find quickly the actual rate for heroin, but the illicit drug addiction rate in Vermont is 11.49%. (Only DC and RI have higher rates than Vermont.) Do the math.
Not sure how much as changed in the past 10 years, but this Department of Justice intelligence report indicates the opposite regarding who is bringing the drugs:
And with an addiction rate that high, it's a cop-out to blame outsiders. Every state in the country has drugs coming from outside the borders. The drugs come from South America. We all have people bringing drugs over our state borders. But we all don't live in states with high addiction rates.
Maybe if the police stopped only pulling over "cars full of them," Vermont might get a handle on the drug problem. As long as Vermonters blame minorities and outsiders as the cause of the drug problem, the drug problem will continue to increase.
I'm not bashing Vermonters. I'm just bashing this particular mindset. It's illogical.
Unfortunately when you have NYers such as the man in the following story, coming to VT with the sole intent of selling illegal drugs for a profit, this bad apple is going to tarnish a lot of good people because of his actions.
A New York City man is being held in a Rutland, Vt. jail on $250,000 bail.
That's because police say they caught 25-year-old Eugene White with more than 500 bags of heroin and nearly a half-pound of crack cocaine for sale.
Quote:
Post says police aren't sure how long White was in Rutland but it's common for drug dealers to come here.
"What they can sell in New York City or in some of the other areas of New York for $5 or 10 a bag they can come up here and sell for at least a three or four times higher price," says Post.
The drug dealer is from Rosedale (a section of the NYC borough of Queens -- hundreds of miles from home.) Both men are not in their home towns, but far from them, by choice, in order to sell drugs. One important thing to remember is that addicts are created, not born. Someone had to give the newbie drugs in order to get them hooked. This isn't which came first -- the chicken or the egg.
It's great that dealers are being busted and some of the drugs taken off the street. It's just unfortunate that the faces of the dealers who are busted aren't white. The media can't change their skin tone.
ALL communities need to beat back the scourge of drugs -- whether it be the streets of Queens and Brooklyn or a street in Rutland. White or black -- it doesn't matter.
And I'm saying that the police department and the media are being biased, which in turns portrays a view that promotes bias by the public. Statistically, blacks shouldn't be representing a larger portion of crime in the busts and media. The Justice Department report clearly says that majority of the drugs brought into the area are via white local dealers driving out of state. The police aren't catching them because of bias. They are getting getting caught more often because they are first guilty of "driving while black."
Most importantly, Vermonters need to stop blaming the drug problem on drugs being brought into the state. Drugs being brought in isn't the problem. The problem is that a larger percentage of Vermonters are users compared to other states. That's what needs to be addressed. And Vermont is such a close knit community that there is no way everyone doesn't know who is using and selling in their areas. Yet people aren't getting busted. It's probably because everyone knows everyone and they don't want to bust a friend's son.
Just an example of our local media's description of a rape suspect at large:
Male: 25-30 years old; 5'8"-6'; thin, a beard, wearing a red hoodie.
How helpful is that? Is he white, Asian, Hispanic, black, Indian, native American? If race is inserted in the description -- is that bias?
Previously I posted of two men who were arrested for dealing drugs -- one upstate NY, the other in Rutland. In both cases they were busted in a residence or hotel AFTER search warrants were obtained. How is that biased?
I found another story about an arrest which occurred after a DUI stop. Should police let impaired drivers go if their skin color isn't the same as the trooper's?
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