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Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,766,887 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Fairfaxian
I can't say this is for every place that has been gentrified, but it's definitely the case for where I am.
In my consistent observations, every single time I venture out into these "gentrified" places, the feeling of unease from whites and "acceptable minorities" always conjures up in subtle ways. Whether through their uninviting looks, grabbing their purse instantly, or a person squeezing the hand of their BF/GF, the subtle racist observations I've made have been consistent. As for the cliques that are usually apparent in gentrified places, whether it's the hip/trendy coffee shop, a live play at a local theater, or just almost any group home, the only groups of individuals I see are whites with a sprinkle of Asians and Indians.
From reading the past thread "Celebrating Diversity and white liberals," that pretty much sums up the observations I've seen of the hypocrisy I've noticed with the people who have move to places that were gentrified from slums where most minorities were beforehand. The real pathetic part is that the Latinos and Blacks whose skin color is the only thing that "ethnic" about them get the same - if not worse treatment - than the lower class and stereotypical members of their race from these "liberal" gentrification dwellers. I'm not defending the people who lived there beforehand (they've made their own kind of hellholes, but that's for another thread), but I thought most forms of segregation and prejudice were in the form of "classism" instead "racism" as many people especially liberals like to proclaim. I know there are many people who are still racist in this country, but many of them tend to move AWAY from minorities, NOT to them! I don't really care anymore of "if this occurs" because people ARE waking up to smell the coffee. I just want some answers!
I'm also finding an ironic observations to this as well, at least for the metropolitan area I live in: There are places that still have the crowd of liberal/yuppie/hipster people who would seem fit to abide in a gentrified neighborhood but live in places where minorities, especially poor minorities, have never been a significant part of the population. But in these places, I ALWAYS notice a LOT MORE racial integration and affability between everyone and a LOT LESS racial segregation and strife in general. If anyone wants to tell me how this works as well, feel free to.
Those people are not racist. They are snobs. Which is just as bad. It is like that school where Obama's kids go. They don't mind if his black kids are there but if the kids of a regular working person tried to go there, they would make sure it didn't happen.
I can't say this is for every place that has been gentrified, but it's definitely the case for where I am.
In my consistent observations, every single time I venture out into these "gentrified" places, the feeling of unease from whites and "acceptable minorities" always conjures up in subtle ways. Whether through their uninviting looks, grabbing their purse instantly, or a person squeezing the hand of their BF/GF, the subtle racist observations I've made have been consistent. As for the cliques that are usually apparent in gentrified places, whether it's the hip/trendy coffee shop, a live play at a local theater, or just almost any group home, the only groups of individuals I see are whites with a sprinkle of Asians and Indians.
From reading the past thread "Celebrating Diversity and white liberals," that pretty much sums up the observations I've seen of the hypocrisy I've noticed with the people who have move to places that were gentrified from slums where most minorities were beforehand. The real pathetic part is that the Latinos and Blacks whose skin color is the only thing that "ethnic" about them get the same - if not worse treatment - than the lower class and stereotypical members of their race from these "liberal" gentrification dwellers. I'm not defending the people who lived there beforehand (they've made their own kind of hellholes, but that's for another thread), but I thought most forms of segregation and prejudice were in the form of "classism" instead "racism" as many people especially liberals like to proclaim. I know there are many people who are still racist in this country, but many of them tend to move AWAY from minorities, NOT to them! I don't really care anymore of "if this occurs" because people ARE waking up to smell the coffee. I just want some answers!
I'm also finding an ironic observations to this as well, at least for the metropolitan area I live in: There are places that still have the crowd of liberal/yuppie/hipster people who would seem fit to abide in a gentrified neighborhood but live in places where minorities, especially poor minorities, have never been a significant part of the population. But in these places, I ALWAYS notice a LOT MORE racial integration and affability between everyone and a LOT LESS racial segregation and strife in general. If anyone wants to tell me how this works as well, feel free to.
Must suck to know you'll never live in the right side of the tracks.
The PBS documentary Flag Wars is a great example of just how ruthless (and yes, racist) the White gay community can be when they have decided to gentrify an area.
I learned when I was a young man, wealth accepts wealth...
I was raised thinking dont step on the back of your neighbor to reach above him...the Liberal thinking is we are all in the same boat...The Man is keeping us down. Help the causes of my brother and he will recipricate.
I soon learned thats a bunch of crap...In my business dealings, I had so many wealthy gay folk that treated me with total patronazation and disrespect. Later I found out about the Log Cabin group...all made sense.
Must suck to know you'll never live in the right side of the tracks.
If the neo-liberals have their way or if I don't get out of the Northeast. Fortunately, this covert racism coated in "preaching diversity/multiculturalism" isn't spreading everywhere. In fact, I would love to see how cities that attract more moderate/conservative young people treat minorities who are academically/financially on equal footing with the majority. It would probably blow the "liberal style diversity" farce act out of the water.
having lived in and around DC for a total of about nine years and seeing the new developments in other large metro areas like this, I agree with the OP. It is there. It is visible. It isn't hyper-sensitivity. I hate to say this, but I find it funny in a dark kind of way.
Also, the later point he made about the low - middle income range is spot on. I lived in a neighborhood that was about half latino and half white/black/asian and observed same. Everyone got along even though it was an area with $500K 1BR condos next to a row of old shotgun houses next to a few high and mid-rise apartments ranging in rent from public housing/low to upper-middle income. Contrast that to the burbs and/or gentrified areas and you quickly see that the "shared struggle" to comfortably live and enjoy life seems to begin to erase the bias so clearly obvious in the upper income areas.
Of course, when you get into the areas where the struggle to live and enjoy life becomes too great, you get the "predator / prey" bias relationships.
If you are nouveau riche and move into a spot like that, they pick up on it easily. If you're not used to having money, you stick out like a sore thumb.
The OP is asking a question about Why Gentrified places attract the most racist whites/Asians?
Kind of rude considering I was responding to YOUR POST
Quote:
I have yet to find anyone person (save on very expressive one) that gave a crap if the person next door was white, brown, red, blue or green with tentacles popping out
I know this thread is almost a year old, but this crap is bothering me more and more everyday. It just doesn't make sense how you have multiple yuppie/hipster/preppy people who move to impoverished places and yet have the biggest disdain for those of the "wrong pigment," even.....no, ESPECIALLY if they're just as well dressed, educated, and "professional" as you.
It also bothers me that this seems to be the only group that dominates the 20-something scene within the area I'm living in. (Wel, either that or the "Thugged Out" or "Glam Rap" crowds, and I've been more than socially banished from my own ethnic group). What's sad is that I recall having many more choices of social cliques and hierarchies in friggin high school.
I mean, where are the chill and laid back crowds like the punk skaters, goths, and the sort of crowds and people who can transcend people from other races backgrounds. WTF happens afterward? Do they move to cities that reflect their personality? Do they sell out and become yuppies/preppies/hipsters? Or does that simply disappear? All that seems to remain in the 20s are the annoying try-hard wannabe hoodlums, snob elitist intellectuals (different than people who are smart yet humble about it), and annoying trendfollowi....I mean "trendsetting" yuppies!
And as for where I live, the cliques are all race-based, no if, ands, or buts about it, despite how DC talks about its liberalness. Try to cross racial boundaries and it's a freaking felony. Damn, I see more racial integration among the 30-60 Maryland and Northern VA suburbanites. My goodness the hypocrisy!
I know this is a year old, but 2 pages, really? I thought racist white and Asian yuppies/hipster/preppies moving closer to poor Blacks and Latinos was a national epidemic, not just a "DC thing."
I live in an area which was considered 'down and out' at one time even though it still had a large core group of very wealthy (white) old money types who supported and sent their kids to the public schools with a lot of poor and lower-middle class people (mostly minority). Now we we are one of the most popular neighborhoods on the planet and lots of people are lining up to get in here - prices have gone up and many teardowns and new mcmansionish homes on the edges.
There is a tendency among the new people to be a bit snobby, spendy and standoffish to the natives. Most of them would never consider sending their kids to a public school, even though they are nationally ranked. They won't even step inside a campus to investigate. A lot of it is that they do know that the schools have a lot of minorities. They seem shocked when they encounter an intelligent, successful person with darker skin and no accent.
I've noticed the worst ones are in the new homes. They usually drive posh and flashy cars, while the old money folks laugh at them behind their backs. Now that would really hurt their feelings if they knew that - wouldn't it?
Why do you think they're moving in to GENTRIFIED neighborhoods? What does the word "GENTRIFIED" mean? The benefactors of gentrification move into formerly poor neighborhoods because they're under the impression that they're not poor anymore. They associate anyone who looks like the former residents (and by "looks like" I mean the same skin color) with the former reputation of the neighborhood so they're scared of you. The type of people that gentrification generally attracts are sheltered suburban kids who made enough $ to live comfortably in the city. Most suburban kids and kids in general are scared ****less of what they've never seen before but heard the whole world about. Depending on where you are, that includes blacks.
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