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Just a question, if someone posted here saying "where do all the white singles hang out, I want to connect with white singles" everyone would jump down their throat for being racist, so why is it ok to post about meeting black singles? It is my observation that the only people making a big deal about someone being black, white or orange are the minority groups. Personally I could care less what color your skin is, and same goes with pretty much everyone I know. Why not just try to connect with professionals period?
if you personally don't care about the skin color, then you shouldn't pass a judgement made by a black person who wants to hang out with other black people. He already told you to 'get over it'. Do exactly that.
i am asian and I hate Minneapolis because it's too white and too unaccepting of ethnic people. So, don't tell me and other minorities what to do and how we should behave. We want to hang out with non-whites because that's how I fee most accepted.
Last edited by sushigirlie; 09-07-2007 at 11:12 AM..
Reason: typo
This thread is actually pretty amusing because the responses are so Minnesota. If the original poster had asked this question on an East Coast thread or probably even a Chicago thread, she would have just gotten replies about where, in fact, one can meet black professionals rather than a sort of naivete masquerading as liberal enlightenment. Funny stuff.
For crying out loud, the original poster just wants to know where she can meet other black professionals. Why turn it into some treatise on race relations? Crikey, people!
From way upthread:
Even if only 1%-2% of the Mpls population is black, that's still a sizable number of people since the population is over 3 million.
You meant Minnesota, right, not Minneapolis? Obviously the black population of Minneapolis is much greater than 1-2%. But then again Minnesota's population is about 5 million, so I'm not really sure what this person is talking about.
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Moncriefjj
From way upthread:
Even if only 1%-2% of the Mpls population is black, that's still a sizable number of people since the population is over 3 million.
You meant Minnesota, right, not Minneapolis? Obviously the black population of Minneapolis is much greater than 1-2%. But then again Minnesota's population is about 5 million, so I'm not really sure what this person is talking about.
Just a guess: The Twin Cities metro area (which is sometimes inappropriately shortened to "Minneapolis", much to the chagrin of St. Paulites) contains roughly 3 million people.
But you don't work in an office of all Blacks, so it is difficult for you to speculate how you would feel. As a matter of fact there are very few places in the US where Whites are ever in the minority insofar as numbers are concerned. We are all people, but because we come from different racial backgrounds we have different experiences in the US and those different experiences can shape our cultural preferences as they might pertain to food, clothes, what we like to in our spare time, how we express ourselves verbally and non-verbally, what we like to do at parties, how we entertain, the things we talk about, and a myriad of other day to day activities in which we all engage. The best example I can give that might make sense is that although men and women are people first, men and women have different experiences in the US which explains why women sometimes understand women's intentions better than they do men and vice versa. Everyone understands although men and women spend time together, there are times when men prefer to hang out with their male friends and when women prefer to hang out with their female friends. No one thinks that there is anything wrong with this. So why is it unusual that Black people might on occasion want to seek out other Black people with whom we share a common experience? Black people--particularly Black professionals-- spend a good deal of our lives around white people. When we want to relax, it is nice just to be able to take it easy, be able to let our hair down and be ourselves around other people whose experiences as Black people in this society mirror ours.
I am considering a relo to the Twin Cities, and so I am not a native. Furthermore, I am white. But after reading this entire thread to date, I felt compelled to remind all of you what nooneknowsmyname wrote earlier in this thread (quoted above), as I believe what he/she wrote really cuts to the heart of the matter. You should read it if you have not already...
In my most humble opinion, I believe some of you should be asking yourselves whether or not you're reading more into this issue than what the original poster simply requested.
There is nothing wrong with someone wanting to be around others whom they identify with. Notice I said "identify with." This could mean anything if you think about it. Yes, it could be skin color. But that's only on the surface, if that's all you use to judge by. In all actuallity, it could also be a myriad of other things, like a shared common history, a political ideaology, your own sexual orientation, support for a sports team, similar philosophical beliefs, a common religion (and the list could go on). So I ask all of you, where is there a problem with this? From the examples I've listed, I don't think most people would have an issue. But throw in the race card, and suddenly everyone blows it all way out of proportion.
It doesn't make you judgemental/a racisit wanting to connect with others who share your cultural similarities, or parallel life experiences.
It only makes you judgemental/a racisit if you deem your own culture is superior to that of all others, especially without making a sincere attempt to connect with, interact and understand others' viewpoints, experiences and history--which could be drastically different than your own.
I am considering a relo to the Twin Cities, and so I am not a native. Furthermore, I am white. But after reading this entire thread to date, I felt compelled to remind all of you what nooneknowsmyname wrote earlier in this thread (quoted above), as I believe what he/she wrote really cuts to the heart of the matter. You should read it if you have not already...
In my most humble opinion, I believe some of you should be asking yourselves whether or not you're reading more into this issue than what the original poster simply requested.
There is nothing wrong with someone wanting to be around others whom they identify with. Notice I said "identify with." This could mean anything if you think about it. Yes, it could be skin color. But that's only on the surface, if that's all you use to judge by. In all actuallity, it could also be a myriad of other things, like a shared common history, a political ideaology, your own sexual orientation, support for a sports team, similar philosophical beliefs, a common religion (and the list could go on). So I ask all of you, where is there a problem with this? From the examples I've listed, I don't think most people would have an issue. But throw in the race card, and suddenly everyone blows it all way out of proportion.
It doesn't make you judgemental/a racisit wanting to connect with others who share your cultural similarities, or parallel life experiences.
It only makes you judgemental/a racisit if you deem your own culture is superior to that of all others, especially without making a sincere attempt to connect with, interact and understand others' viewpoints, experiences and history--which could be drastically different than your own.
See the funny thing is that if you are white and put a post up 'where can I find a place where whites hang out' you would be deemed racist, yet it is ok for blacks to segregate themselves in such a way because of their 'culture'? The whole issue I have with this is that it is ok for a 'minority' group to want to just live/work/hang out with other of the same group, but it isn't ok for the 'majority' group to do the same. I have no issue with someone wanting to find someone with similar interests, etc. I really don't care what color your skin is, however there IS a double standard here.
I totally agree with GolfGal, this type of "Where can I find black people" post is all over every city forum on citydata.com and I dont get it. If you chose to move to Minnesota knowing that the Black presence isnt great here, why not move to a place where there is more of an African American presence?? Also, I agree with what GolfGal said about most white people not really caring if a person is White or not..The problem I see with minorities here in Minnesota (African Americans,Hmong, Somalis etc) is that they never make ANY effort to approach a White person, and then they complain about not being accepted. I find most White Minnesotans to be extremely open and very accepting. Maybe the question should have been "Where do 20's & 30's singles hang out?"
See the funny thing is that if you are white and put a post up 'where can I find a place where whites hang out' you would be deemed racist, yet it is ok for blacks to segregate themselves in such a way because of their 'culture'? The whole issue I have with this is that it is ok for a 'minority' group to want to just live/work/hang out with other of the same group, but it isn't ok for the 'majority' group to do the same. I have no issue with someone wanting to find someone with similar interests, etc. I really don't care what color your skin is, however there IS a double standard here.
You make a valid point here, GolfGal. Yes, I believe that if a caucasian posted a request that asked for places to hang out at where other caucasians are, that this would indeed be read as a racist statement by most people.
However, I think we should keep this all in perspective, and look at the issue from a larger context. I mean what are the chances of a caucasian asking this question to begin with? (This is of course setting aside some caucasians who are indeed racisit, and who do not want to intermingle with others they view are not like them). Personally, I believe that most white people would not even think about asking this question (not out of what the potential racial undertones may be, which you have accurately suggested--but because I think the question would really never cross most caucasians minds). Why? Because for the majority of places white people go, they are around other white people. So I believe it's a matter of simple demographics.
In short, I don't think the original poster's question was racisit, nor should it have been interpreted as such. And because caucasians are in the majority, caucasians should appreciate the fact that for some people who are not caucasian, they would like to meet and engage others who share their similar backgrounds, culture, history, etc. Furthermore, asking to meet others like yourself does not automatically lable you a segregationsit. Again, we must keep in mind the larger perspective here.
And to quote Moncriefjj: For crying out loud, the original poster just wants to know where she can meet other black professionals. Why turn it into some treatise on race relations? Crikey, people!
I think this pretty much sums up where we have taken this discussion...
You make a valid point here, GolfGal. Yes, I believe that if a caucasian posted a request that asked for places to hang out at where other caucasians are, that this would indeed be read as a racist statement by most people.
However, I think we should keep this all in perspective, and look at the issue from a larger context. I mean what are the chances of a caucasian asking this question to begin with? (This is of course setting aside some caucasians who are indeed racisit, and who do not want to intermingle with others they view are not like them). Personally, I believe that most white people would not even think about asking this question (not out of what the potential racial undertones may be, which you have accurately suggested--but because I think the question would really never cross most caucasians minds). Why? Because for the majority of places white people go, they are around other white people. So I believe it's a matter of simple demographics.
In short, I don't think the original poster's question was racisit, nor should it have been interpreted as such. And because caucasians are in the majority, caucasians should appreciate the fact that for some people who are not caucasian, they would like to meet and engage others who share their similar backgrounds, culture, history, etc. Furthermore, asking to meet others like yourself does not automatically lable you a segregationsit. Again, we must keep in mind the larger perspective here.
And to quote Moncriefjj: For crying out loud, the original poster just wants to know where she can meet other black professionals. Why turn it into some treatise on race relations? Crikey, people!
I think this pretty much sums up where we have taken this discussion...
What I often think about is "where can I hang out and be 'truly accepted' and not just tolerated regardless of race"?
[have no issue with someone wanting to find someone with similar interests, etc. I really don't care what color your skin is, however there IS a double standard here.
Of course there's a double standard. I'm sure a white person who were new to say, Hong Kong, and asked where the American or British community was, I think y'all would understand that. It's just that white people don't know how it feels for minorities to feel lonely in that way, not to mention that you never know who approves of you or really likes you. Racism still exists folks and it wasn't the blacks who invented it.
.I know I will likely have to hit the city to connect with other Black professionals...I just don't know where to go![/quote]
There is a very small black middle class in the Twin Cities. There are organizations, though, as one person said the NAACP. But it is not like the black popuation of Washington DC Chicago, Atlanta simply because there are few American blacks (as opposed to Somali or Ethiopians) in the Twin Cities by comparison.
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