New and White to New York City- is it odd to be a minority? (Mexico: unemployed, high school)
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Back home in Erie PA, which is 90% white with very few immigrants, I always wondered what it was like to be someone of color or ESL. Basically on the side of the town that I lived in nearly everyone was white. But when I visit friends in Queens New York I am shocked how out of sorts I feel walking down the street in a city where pretty much everyone is from somewhere else.
No, this is not a racist troll post complaining about dark skinned people. Instead, I am curious what other people who are white and came from communities whose population is mostly white and fifth generation American, feel living in New York City where they are the minority. How does it make you feel?
Honest answers now, and please... no political correctness, or racist posts either.
as someone who's fifth generation NYers (on a few sides) I never thought about it till I started looking at demographics later.
I grew up in a Jewish community and never actually cared one way or another on where anyone else came from.
....................... With this in mind, why can't I be honest and say that I feel more comfortable with other White People who were born in America and speak English as their first language and share many of similar cultural traits of multi generational Americans? And are overwelmed by NYC. If someone comes to New York from Bolivia, a country that does not have a lot of cultural and ethnic diversity (JUST LIKE MY HOMETOWN OF ERIE PA), wouldn't they feel overwhelmed with living in New York City where hundreds of languages are spoken in the street, and search out other Bolivians to be with? And miss the familar people like back home?
Are you scared of non-white people born in America who speak English as their first (and sometimes only) language and share the American culture too? Or did you not realize that they exist?
Seriously OP, if you screen name is a true indication of your current status, being white is the least of your problems.
I never said New York City is bad because American Born Whites are a minority, just that it is a culture shock for people who grew up in a town like Erie.
If you grew up in a town like I did and moved to NYC, did the nature of the huge immigrant population and large number of languages spoken on the street impact you?
Dont worry with these folks. Many of them sing "we are the world" and then devine subtle subtexts to communicate their insecurity about being in environments where they are either not the majority, or not in control. Their reaction to you is out of a defensiveness as to admit that there is merit in your question is to admit that racism against non whites or foreigners exists today. These types will have one believe that it doesnt, probably never did to a great degree, and that anyone who thinks otherwise is "injecting race into everything."
A more truthful response came from Harlem Resident who admits that there are issues ON ALL sides, but that one can usually avoid it, or find ways of adjusting to it (employment based discrimination). Its not PC to show bias in NYC, but that doesnt mean that it doesnt exist.
And there does exist a sufficiently large group of people who do embrace difference...but to pretend a sif they arent also many who dont is foolish.
Most whites have never been in situations where they are a minority and/or their "cultural" norms dont call the shots.
Your question is a legitimate one.
Indeed a Harlem landlord (black American of West Indian descent) has no problem in renting to whites. He does ask questions to gauge whether the person has had multi racial/cultural environments. He just got too tired of folks from the hinterlands freaking out when they realized that the world outside their door was not what they knew from back home, and then trying to break the lease, forcing him to have to go find a new tenant.
In case any doubt the legitimacy of your question they ought to do a survey to find out how many white sin NYC put themselves in situations,other than in the subway, where they are the minority,and where they must adjust to others. Oh yes they will claim to be comfortable with black people, but how do they feel if they go to a party where every one else is black and where the vibes might be different from what it would be among whites, and where people dont feel compelled to make adjustments to them, as indeed blacks often have to in white controlled spaces.....and I refer to NONGHETTO blacks.
The truly multi cultural types tend not to be the norm...even given NYCs diversity,though many here will pretend otherwise.
Indeed not too long ago a NYC BORN white AMERICAN male was describing mild levels of discrimination he receives from suburban white, or others from less diverse communities because, growing up around non whites, he has a NONGHETTO style which is not considered that of a mainstream suburban white male. He was also attacked.
Ior they assume that all majority non-white neighborhoods are bad places to live - you hear this kind of thing all the time.
Yes some of them have been known to give the impression that Pelham Pkway near WP Road is safe and that the area north of Allerton Ave and east of Boston Rd is a hell hole.
Clearly race is the big motivator for that when we consider the number of crimines that have occurred in and around Pelham Houses for this year (way more than around Eastchester Houses) and that the 47th precinct is having quite a few problems there. Robberies and gunshots are on the increase in that area south of Allerton, west of Williamsbridge and north of Pelham Pkway. The area was always notorious for car break ins. Indeed there has also been an increase in muggings in the area immediately south of this as well.
With this in mind, why can't I be honest and say that I feel more comfortable with other White People who were born in America and speak English as their first language and share many of similar cultural traits of multi generational Americans? ?
Dfont worry. Many here think like you do but were they to admit it publicly they will then need to admit that these attitudes do suggest that in employment situations, usually under the control of whites, people will prefer to hire those who they are more comfortable with, suggesting that those who are different will possibly have a harder time.
I have laughed and laughed at all the politically correct talk on this thread. Everyone knows that most people will divide up and interact mostly with people who are most like themselves and because everyone is so different in NYC, the city does not work as well as a homogeneous place like Erie where most people are English as a first language and speak the same language culturally and socially and just feel more comfortable with each other.
I have laughed and laughed at all the politically correct talk on this thread. Everyone knows that most people will divide up and interact mostly with people who are most like themselves and because everyone is so different in NYC, the city does not work as well as a homogeneous place like Erie where most people are English as a first language and speak the same language culturally and socially and just feel more comfortable with each other.
I am black and I actually lived in a largely-black part of the city for 5 years and didn't like it much. I find that I actually PREFER more diversity and enjoy having different cultures around me. Getting influenced by other cultures makes you a more knowledgeable person. I think too much of one culture gets to be boring when it's the only thing you interact with. Because of this, if I'm alone at a convention I won't just walk up to a black person because I'm black too. I'll walk up to people who look like they want to talk because THAT'S what matters to me.
Everyone doesn't think like you so don't lump all human beings together.
This whole thread makes me want to vomit and is the exact reason I left Ohio.
Ohiogirl22, so many of your posts display much anger. Could it be that on a subconscious or even on a conscious level that you actually relate more to the OP than you would care to even admit to yourself? You may suffer from Oikophobia?
Quote:
Oikophobia is fear of the familiar: "the disposition, in any conflict, to side with 'them' against 'us', and the felt need to denigrate the customs, culture and institutions that are identifiably 'ours.' " British philosopher Roger Scruton
You can not help where you were born and raised but you will never truly move forward until you accept who you were (are?) and let go of your anger. You are in a unique position to "teach" the OP rather than despise him. I base this "ONLY" on the OP's very first original post and not the rhetoric that followed because these type of threads do have a way of spiraling out of control and off topic.
Ohiogirl22, so many of your posts display much anger. Could it be that on a subconscious or even on a conscious level that you actually relate more to the OP than you would care to even admit to yourself? You may suffer from Oikophobia?
You can not help where you were born and raised but you will never truly move forward until you accept who you were (are?) and let go of your anger. You are in a unique position to "teach" the OP rather than despise him. I base this "ONLY" on the OP's very first original post and not the rhetoric that followed because these type of threads do have a way of spiraling out of control and off topic.
Very well put. I was thinking the same thing.
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