Is racial diversity the key to having better race relations? (downturn, solution)
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Location: Where ocean meets up with the naked land.
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It has been scientifically proven over and over again that integration within public schools is a benefit to students from all socio-economic and racial backgrounds. I think this whole "race" vs "race" issue needs to calm down within the United States. When I speak of diversity, I truly mean diversity. So, having all minorities living in a neighborhood with no White people seems to still not be truly diverse to me. This won't only help alleviate racial animosity, it will also make people more open minded about different cultures, themselves and the people around them.
One key is common sense.
Realization that all are members of the Human race.
Also dissolution of the pervasive 'us versus them' mentality.
Tertiary , but not terminally , stop referring to themselves as 'white , black' , et al.
Last time I looked into a mirror , my complexion didn't congrue with the color of the tires on my car. Funny thing about it , if anyone saw someone who really was stark white or jet black , they'd likely defecate cinderblocks.
I would wager that most neighborhoods that are predominately Black are not that way because of personal relocation choices. This is probably also true of any other predominately one group area with the exception of foreign language affinities. In addition many of these predominately "minority" segregated communities are lower income and lacking services, all resulting from intentional realty/financial investment manipulation for the benefit of some OTHER ruling community.
If we some day accomplish truly non discriminating lending, renting, mortgaging practices we will see fewer segregated communities as a result.
Location: Where ocean meets up with the naked land.
324 posts, read 572,799 times
Reputation: 193
Quote:
Originally Posted by tcrackly
I would wager that most neighborhoods that are predominately Black are not that way because of personal relocation choices. This is probably also true of any other predominately one group area with the exception of foreign language affinities. In addition many of these predominately "minority" segregated communities are lower income and lacking services, all resulting from intentional realty/financial investment manipulation for the benefit of some OTHER ruling community.
If we some day accomplish truly non discriminating lending, renting, mortgaging practices we will see fewer segregated communities as a result.
EXACTLY! Many people assume that people choose where they want to live. I don't think they realize that discrimination into the renting and mortgaging process, as you had said earlier. It was said that a real estate agent will usually only show Black families homes in predominately Black areas. They won't even consider showing a Black family a home in a predominately White neighborhood. This happens with other minorities as well.
EXACTLY! Many people assume that people choose where they want to live. I don't think they realize that discrimination into the renting and mortgaging process, as you had said earlier. It was said that a real estate agent will usually only show Black families homes in predominately Black areas. They won't even consider showing a Black family a home in a predominately White neighborhood. This happens with other minorities as well.
That may have been true at one time - and that even fairly recently - but I don't think that's true anymore.
What Realtor doesn't want to sell a house, especially in this current economic downturn? If I'm a Realtor, I don't give a crap what color your skin is. If you want to buy a house, and have the mortgage loan pre-approved, I'll show you and sell you any house I can!
That said, I'm a white guy living in an overwhelmingly black neighborhood in a predominantly black area of Omaha. I have had nothing but good experiences with any and all of my neighbors, regardless of their skin color. The manager & assistant manager of my bank are both black women, and they're great.
My personal experience leads me to believe that a LOT of racial prejudices & issues boil down to a lack of familiarity with people of other races. This leads to ignorance-based fear. And while we can talk about it all we want, the only antidote to this fear is familiarity. I am extremely comfortable living where we do. I love it! In fact, I really don't often think about the fact that we are one of extremely few white families in this area. It's just what it is. It's home. And this is a good thing.
If there were no racial diversity, you wouldn't need better race relations.
Racial diversity creates the need for better race relations. But there will never be, because it is human nature to favor insiders. Always has been and always will be.
That may have been true at one time - and that even fairly recently - but I don't think that's true anymore.
What Realtor doesn't want to sell a house, especially in this current economic downturn? If I'm a Realtor, I don't give a crap what color your skin is. If you want to buy a house, and have the mortgage loan pre-approved, I'll show you and sell you any house I can!
That said, I'm a white guy living in an overwhelmingly black neighborhood in a predominantly black area of Omaha. I have had nothing but good experiences with any and all of my neighbors, regardless of their skin color. The manager & assistant manager of my bank are both black women, and they're great.
My personal experience leads me to believe that a LOT of racial prejudices & issues boil down to a lack of familiarity with people of other races. This leads to ignorance-based fear. And while we can talk about it all we want, the only antidote to this fear is familiarity. I am extremely comfortable living where we do. I love it! In fact, I really don't often think about the fact that we are one of extremely few white families in this area. It's just what it is. It's home. And this is a good thing.
You're right on that note,too! I can count many of my schoolmates from years ago that never ventured out of the old neighborhood. Many times they assume what "other" people are like and just avoid them. I will always thank my parents for having no fear to expose us to new people and experiences.
After all these years of living, the idea of better race relations has diminished to almost nothing. I look at it this way--Both my parents were black. The majority of my family has been black, therefore, I am black. I experience life as a black individual--not as a white person, not Indian, Hispanic, Middle-Eastern, etc. No matter how many predominately white schools or neighborhoods I live in, I will remain BLACK. And that's fine with me. I was always against forced busing and all that other interracial mixing crap anyhow. I think we're all better off identifying with our own races, but not to the extreme of wanting to exterminate the other race just because we don't like their culture, skin color, or hair texture. For me, getting along has much to do with letting people be with their own.
After all these years of living, the idea of better race relations has diminished to almost nothing. I look at it this way--Both my parents were black. The majority of my family has been black, therefore, I am black. I experience life as a black individual--not as a white person, not Indian, Hispanic, Middle-Eastern, etc. No matter how many predominately white schools or neighborhoods I live in, I will remain BLACK. And that's fine with me. I was always against forced busing and all that other interracial mixing crap anyhow. I think we're all better off identifying with our own races, but not to the extreme of wanting to exterminate the other race just because we don't like their culture, skin color, or hair texture. For me, getting along has much to do with letting people be with their own.
I think you're right. Getting along and peacefully co-existing does not mean that we have to be the same. It doesn't mean we have to like the same stuff. It doesn't mean we have to adopt each others' cultures or cultural tendencies. It doesn't mean that you have to try to become white, or I have to try to become black. It doesn't even mean I have to like Ocra or Collard Greens.
But it does mean that people of other races and cultures are not automatically wrong, just because they're different.
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