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I don't intend to start a fight here, but I am inquiring on this to see what others think. I have grown up(at least in my teen years) thinking the South was the worst place for race relations. I hear from some people that the South is the worst. I hear from others that the North is worse. I end up settling with the fact that both regions have the same issue, just in different ways.
I was later told this about race relations(this is what I was told): I was told that in the South the prevailing mentality of some if that there is a "We can get along, but know your place. Don't get out of place and we'll be fine mentality" and in the North the prevailing mentality among some was more "You can make more money than me, be more educated or even have a bigger house, but I would rather not live next door to you". I was even told that Dr. King may have quoted this. I figured this might have summed up race relations, but I always figured each case is different. What do you think?
Well, to be honest with you, I moved here and found race relations in Birmingham better than Chicago or Cleveland. I was genuinely surprised and gratified. Now, it's not Kumbaya by a long shot, but it's a heck of a lot more harmonious.
Well, to be honest with you, I moved here and found race relations in Birmingham better than Chicago or Cleveland. I was genuinely surprised and gratified. Now, it's not Kumbaya by a long shot, but it's a heck of a lot more harmonious.
For some reason I know some people who have lived in Alabama who say that race relations are not that good there. I have only been through Alabama so I have no experience.
Here's my opinion. You could take ten different people. Put them all in the same neighborhood in the South then move them all to the same neighborhood in the North and you would get ten totally different opinions on this subject.
It's one of those things people have such different experiences and point of views on they just can't seem to agree.
Me personally. I think both North and South have their plus' and minuses and which one you are most comfortable with has alot to do with what you are used to.
O.K. Granted this was wayyy back in 1987.
I went to Daytona for spring break and when a buddy of mine and I were driving on the beach we picked up a couple of cute blonde girls who were from "Tinniseeee".
As we were driving across the sand a couple of black fellas walked in front of the car and we had to stop short. It was mildly annoying, but then again we were on a beach.
One of these cute girls blurts out "F-cking ni--ers!".
We dropped them off soon afterwards.
Racism is more subtle in northern states and more overt in the south. The scenario that TomDot has offered rarely occurs in northern states. In New England and NY and most northeastern states, people are usually quicker to express an opinion about ANYTHING than most other areas of the country but they bite their tongue and hold their opinion until they are in a private setting if the issue is racial in nature.
Racism is more subtle in northern states and more overt in the south. The scenario that TomDot has offered rarely occurs in northern states. In New England and NY and most northeastern states, people are usually quicker to express an opinion about ANYTHING than most other areas of the country but they bite their tongue and hold their opinion until they are in a private setting if the issue is racial in nature.
Heck, the scenario TomDot rarely occurs in the Southern states either. Honest to goodness, in my 15 years living in Birmingham, I've heard the N-word exactly once.
Racism is more subtle in northern states and more overt in the south. The scenario that TomDot has offered rarely occurs in northern states. In New England and NY and most northeastern states, people are usually quicker to express an opinion about ANYTHING than most other areas of the country but they bite their tongue and hold their opinion until they are in a private setting if the issue is racial in nature.
I'm not too sure about that. On a recent visit to Cleveland, I was frankly shocked by hearing the N-word from a few people I had just met - and they were gay guys.
Having grown up in the Chicago area, I used to hear it a lot as a kid. When I go back to visit, I'll still occasionally hear a negative statement.
In my time spent in Texas, rarely did I ever hear the N-word.
I'm not too sure about that. On a recent visit to Cleveland, I was frankly shocked by hearing the N-word from a few people I had just met - and they were gay guys.
Having grown up in the Chicago area, I used to hear it a lot as a kid. When I go back to visit, I'll still occasionally hear a negative statement.
In my time spent in Texas, rarely did I ever hear the N-word.
That's been my experience, too. If anything, I've found that your average Southerner is far more civil than the average Northerner.
I've based my message on discussions I've had with black people from the south that relocated to Connecticut and other northern regions such as Minnesota and Wisconsin. In the Northeast, if someone is racist they will not vocalize it unless they are in private company where it is not likely their views will be heard or seen by many.
Cleveland is Midwestern and it does not surprise me at the overtness being displayed. I've seen the same thing here in Kansas City too.
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