"Real life" for African Americans in Washington State

[dicecobb]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

In the first place, I was simply drawing a comparison between sitting on buses based on my experience. I didn't really stop and think about it until I found myself in a similar position. In the second, I sat down plenty of times next to people who were black, white, or whatever color, and didn't give a rip about that, and I sure didn't huff anyone's hair. In the third, I'm not here to mount a racial defense of Seattle's overall climate (I last lived there in 1997), and to single me out as if I were isn't real fair on your part. In the fourth, you're attaching way too much to a stupid political label that doesn't even really mean anything but a voting faction. Any fool knows that prejudice and bigotry exist across domestic political voting lines.

And in the fifth, for an example from my own history, I'm someone who used to babysit for the only black family in a tiny Washington town (happened to be our neighbors). One day I caught two of them trying to use their mom's makeup to paint themselves white. I headed for the yard faucet with a child under each arm, made them hose that crap off their faces, and firmly told them never to be ashamed of who they were. No, I don't want a medal for it; I'm just telling you so that you realize a little about this 'white lying to myself' you have judged rather quickly. Of the three, one is now a professor at Cornell; one an EE at Intel; one a nurse in the Portland area. Proud to know them, and proud of what they have achieved on their own merits. So, frankly, you can take your anger and tone directed toward me (who was never in a position to hire or not hire you) and shove them, because I'm not your enemy and I don't have that coming.

Sorry. I don't think you're my enemy and didn't intend to single you out. I'm happy for your neighbors kids.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by dicecobb

Sorry. I don't think you're my enemy and didn't intend to single you out. I'm happy for your neighbors kids.

Thanks, I appreciate that. And I'm happy for them too. Hakim lived on the Dean's List at my alma mater. It's weird to thing of playing King of the Mountain with a laughing little child and then to think of that same child as an Ivy League professor.

As for discrimination, I don't doubt your experience (and I'm sorry as hell you went through it) nor do I think it's atypical. It's worth considering whether it results from ignorance or malice, though I'm not sure the end result is any less painful if it's the former. My take on it is that most people are more easily led than they want to believe. When one spends part of your growing up in early adulthood in environments that do not have a given ethnicity in numbers, most of one's perceptions may be formed by media impressions. Media have reasons to show extreme examples, because reporting on (for example) the considerable and content black middle class of Washington D.C. isn't exciting news. Gang violence is. People look at the prison demographics, and instead of asking why--the way I would ask it is "why did we develop this black male drug gulag?", they have perceptions. So you end up with crap like people locking their cars, edging away, and otherwise acting like being black and male = dangerous.

People have not, of course, stopped to ask themselves that maybe this perception is more the cause than the result of the serious disparity in incarceration (and all other law-related activities that impact blacks disproportionately just for showing up). Put another way, while I still think the sitting on the bus is mostly subconscious (though I'm sure in some cases it's malicious), I'm not saying that it doesn't hurt, nor that it isn't part of the root problem. The root problem is that if someone keeps being looked at like an enemy, treated like an enemy, watched like an enemy, it's very difficult to go up to that person and tell him that those are his friends, or for him to feel a connected part of the social whole. It's not credible, and he'll reject it based on his life evidence. I'm not trying to compare my experience to yours, but I have experienced that myself with the police over my lifetime. I got treated like an enemy enough by them that I decided they generally weren't my friends, nor here for my benefit. So if that happens to me, who look enough like a white country redneck that one co-worker actually once told me she was surprised I wasn't a racist because I looked like one, it's pretty easy to imagine black Americans feeling much more so.

It's completely unfair that black Americans are in this situation, and I'm coming to believe that while fundamentally racist, affirmative action is a form of acceptable racism (not a phrase I'm fond of) because as long as (for example) white Seattleites get their perceptions of black people from watching cop shows about NYC and LA, and from blasted rap lyrics heavy on violent and misogynistic themes, there remains a permanent automatic disadvantage that society created and needs to overcome.

[beenhereandthere]

I'm black myself and I haven't heard a racial slur towards me or any of my friends, by accident, etc, that's derogatory towards blacks, in 15 years.

[dicecobb]

Originally Posted by beenhereandthere

I'm black myself and I haven't heard a racial slur towards me or any of my friends, by accident, etc, that's derogatory towards blacks, in 15 years.

Great but that's NOT reality for many blacks in WA. Black families in Maple Valley say they've experienced ugly racism and Tahoma High students recently wore Confederate Flags to school. Because of last year's historic voting, WA has a golden opportunity to show the U.S. how enjoyable life is if we simply do what's right. Instead, there have been multiple hate crimes in Seattle this year and discrimination is very much alive in WA. Several HR departments I've interacted with are mostly white and female. Are you really so naive to think their prejudices aren't a factor in who they bring in? A white woman refused to shake my hand during an interview in SODO. Ugly broad. I'm qualified and want a good paying job in Seattle but my skin color won't let me. Why do think Seattle's black households earn $34K less than whites? Cause we black and lazy? Feels like Seattle wants to keep blacks poor.

[vgeezy]

Originally Posted by yescandycan

I am an African American single mother of a thirteen year old (in April, 2011) young man. For some reason, I have had a huge desire to live in Washington State since I graduated from High School nearly thirty years ago. Finally, I may have my chance since I am a recent (rather sizable) lottery winner! And I need help. I've done some research of the PNW on the internet, but I still have no idea where to live. I prefer a smaller community relatively close to the ocean. Key points: I love nature and I love open spaces! And I don't mind rain.

My primary concern is (obviously) how welcoming the people are overall to African Americans. My son and I are decent, God-fearing Christians, and I have taught him to see "people" not their color. My second concern would be the school districts. Which city in my preferred demographic area has the best? Of course I could look this up on the internet, but I don't want statistics and numbers; I want to hear from real people. And last, even though I don't have to worry about money, I am not lavish. I don't need a huge mini-mansion on a hill. I just want a decent home in a relatively safe community where my son and I and our two dogs can live happily, so what area of town should we consider? We are hoping to travel to Washington in the Spring and will check out all of your suggestions.

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated! We are very excited!

I know this is an old thread.....Wanted to know if you moved to Washington State/Seattle area how do you like it? I am considering a move there as well. I am AA.

[satchseven]

i could care less as long as folks do not bother me black or white do not like me? good stay away and we good!!!!

[blktoptrvl]

Black Man.

I found that in the PNW - in general - nobody seems to care if you are black, white, brown, yellow, or blue. Rich, poor, fat, skinny, straight or gay.

I lived in Bellingham and found the people there to be the nicest of all the states I have been in (47) so far.

[kbt1766]

OP- I hope you don't burn through that lotto money like a lot of winners are said to do. Did you win enough so you can live off the interest and not touch the principal?