Least Racist Cities for Medical School

[Irish Football]

You really go to Notre Dame?

Let's just say I have A LOT to do with the university.

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[BioBeaver]

Let's just say I have A LOT to do with the university.

Duuuuuude I wanna go there so bad! It sucks that it's like $50k a year though

 

[LizzyM]

Hoosiers are the best.

Read Notre Dame Vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan by Todd Tucker. There is a long tradition of racism in Indiana. Maybe it is less now, or perhaps you are in a protected South Bend bubble, but historically, it has not been great.

There are predominately white, affluent areas both urban and suburban where blacks, especially black men, are going to be treated with suspicion and expressions of fear. (We saw on display recently a man in Florida who paused from his plans for the evening, called the police and got out of his vehicle to confront a young, black male walking through the gated community.) Whites may not realize it happens to black people but blacks will know it is happening and how it adds to the stress of daily life. I think that it tends to happen most often in areas where blacks are not a common sight. The Upper East Side of New York would be one of those areas whereas many other areas of NYC are not. Same goes for many other cities and suburbs. Not to say it is right but I can confirm that what Dbate is saying is the reality for black men in some areas.

 

[Irish Football]

or perhaps you are in a protected South Bend bubble,

Guess again. I've lived in many places, including NYC by the way.

 

[Greedo]

sorry dude, but aggression does not equal racism; nor does hospitality equal less racism.
You may think they're being racist, when in fact, they are being defensive (rude, hostile, etc.). For all you know, that person who was "racist" towards you has a black girlfriend or friend since childhood.

More than any other city in America, New York throws everyone together into a pot and forces them to coexist and live together. Ironically, the population density contributes to antisocial behavior.

So many people are telling the OP that his experiences are invalid. Do you really think that it's impossible that he experienced racism, or that your interpretation of what happened to him is more valid than his interpretation?

And it's possible to be racist/sexist/xenophobic etc even if you have a black best friend or friends who are women or parents who are immigrants, in fact it happens all the time. Have you heard of the implicit bias? Racism affects our lives all the time, whether it's explicit or just something people keep to themselves.

 

[docelh]

Do you really think that it's impossible that he experienced racism, or that your interpretation of what happened to him is more valid than his interpretation?

Of course, it's possible, but he hasn't exactly described what happened. He has implied that it may be due to the lack of hospitality (or the opposite of it, i.e., aggression), and that is what I was addressing.

If he wants to provide more detail, so be it. For the record, I have experienced aggression in New York City from people of a different race, but I didn't ascribe it as racism or reverse racism. In this regard, I'm sharing my perspective.

And Dbate, I'd be leery of taking other people's recommendations about where you'd feel comfortable. It's something you can really only answer for yourself. What works for someone else may not work for you. For example, the Portland comments. I've lived there, and it's true it's mostly white and everyone there is eager to get along or maybe too eager to get along with all non-white folks. You may or may not feel like it's pandering, while someone else may not.

 

[Dbate]

Read Notre Dame Vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan by Todd Tucker. There is a long tradition of racism in Indiana. Maybe it is less now, or perhaps you are in a protected South Bend bubble, but historically, it has not been great.

There are predominately white, affluent areas both urban and suburban where blacks, especially black men, are going to be treated with suspicion and expressions of fear. (We saw on display recently a man in Florida who paused from his plans for the evening, called the police and got out of his vehicle to confront a young, black male walking through the gated community.) Whites may not realize it happens to black people but blacks will know it is happening and how it adds to the stress of daily life. I think that it tends to happen most often in areas where blacks are not a common sight. The Upper East Side of New York would be one of those areas whereas many other areas of NYC are not. Same goes for many other cities and suburbs. Not to say it is right but I can confirm that what Dbate is saying is the reality for black men in some areas.

So many people are telling the OP that his experiences are invalid. Do you really think that it's impossible that he experienced racism, or that your interpretation of what happened to him is more valid than his interpretation?

And it's possible to be racist/sexist/xenophobic etc even if you have a black best friend or friends who are women or parents who are immigrants, in fact it happens all the time. Have you heard of the implicit bias? Racism affects our lives all the time, whether it's explicit or just something people keep to themselves.

Thanks to both of you.

In all honesty, I find it difficult to talk about racist encounters that I experience in real life because the first thing that happens is that someone who is not a black male immediately tells me that I didn't experience racism.

They then often times try to rationalize the experience away (ex. New Yorkers are rude, etc). But when it happens often enough and you can literally see the fear people have of black men in their eyes, you know it is based on race.

It makes me feel good to know that not all people are this way and I really appreciate the fact that both of you understand.

 

[LizzyM]

Guess again. I've lived in many places, including NYC by the way.

Same here...

What I meant by the South Bend bubble is that South Bend is a lovely town and I could imagine that it might be more color-blind than other areas of Indiana that are not home to a big private university with a top-flight sports program that tends to attract huge crowds to its events.

 

[Dbate]

Of course, it's possible, but he hasn't exactly described what happened. He has implied that it may be due to the lack of hospitality (or the opposite of it, i.e., aggression), and that is what I was addressing.

If he wants to provide more detail, so be it. For the record, I have experienced aggression in New York City from people of a different race, but I didn't ascribe it as racism or reverse racism. In this regard, I'm sharing my perspective.

And Dbate, I'd be leery of taking other people's recommendations about where you'd feel comfortable. It's something you can really only answer for yourself. What works for someone else may not work for you. For example, the Portland comments. I've lived there, and it's true it's mostly white and everyone there is eager to get along or maybe too eager to get along with all non-white folks. You may or may not feel like it's pandering, while someone else may not.

I'm not interested in trying to convince people that I "legitimately" experienced racism.

If people want to believe that there is no racism in the world and that every black person who complains about racism is simply making it up, then that is their choice. I don't care either way.

I wanted recommendations on the Least Racist cities to go to medical school.

So far nearly all of Cali and Atlanta are near the top of the pile.

 

[docelh]

I'm not interested in trying to convince people that I "legitimately" experienced racism.

If you want to believe that there is no racism in the world and that every black person who complains about racism is simply making it up, then that is your choice. I don't care either way.

I wanted recommendations on the Least Racist cities to go to medical school.

So far nearly all of Cali and Atlanta are near the top of the pile.

No one needs convincing, but you were just vague while accusing an entire metropolitan area of being racist. I'm not going to debate against strawman arguments (bolded), but I do respect your lack of comfort in describing unpleasant situations. Signing out on this one.

 

[LizzyM]

May I suggest looking at the data?

http://www.city-data.com/zips/10021.html

You can get demographic information about every zip code in the US. I would suggest that in zip codes with high SES and low proportion of black residents is going to be less friendly to black males than poorer and more diverse neighborhoods. The medical school may be welcoming to URM students but the residents and shopkeepers may not be.

For example, 10021, the zip code for the UES, has an annual adjusted gross income of $288K, median home values of $1.7 million and about 1,100 blacks in a population of 28,000. Those are white people who are going to be clutching their purses when a black guy walks down the street.

Medical schools in poorer, more diverse neighborhoods may have local residents who aren't as wigged out by the sight of a black guy.

As for the rest of you who are reading this thread, prejudice and racial profiling are real. Rich or poor, blacks, particularly black men, are treated differently in subtle ways than other racial groups. It isn't right but it is a fact that I've heard from adcom members and other faculty members who are black.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

So many people are telling the OP that his experiences are invalid. Do you really think that it's impossible that he experienced racism, or that your interpretation of what happened to him is more valid than his interpretation?

And it's possible to be racist/sexist/xenophobic etc even if you have a black best friend or friends who are women or parents who are immigrants, in fact it happens all the time. Have you heard of the implicit bias? Racism affects our lives all the time, whether it's explicit or just something people keep to themselves.

He hasn't even said what happened. For all we know one racist person ruined NYC for OP

They then often times try to rationalize the experience away (ex. New Yorkers are rude, etc). But when it happens often enough and you can literally see the fear people have of black men in their eyes, you know it is based on race.

So just by looking at people's eyes you know they fear you because you are Black?

 

[Euxox]

In all honesty, I find it difficult to talk about racist encounters that I experience in real life because the first thing that happens is that someone who is not a black male immediately tells me that I didn't experience racism.

I don't doubt that you've had encounters with racism in New York, and I'm sorry that you've had to deal with that. I'm just asking you not to discount an entire city of 8 million or an entire region of the country of nearly a hundred million (the north) based on the actions of a few dozen to a few hundred people. Generalizations over populations that large never hold.

 

[Flashfan]

Biobeaver and Irish Football, I live in Indiana, and that is where my gf has been attacked, my friends at college have been called coons and people make squinty eyes to my best friends. I live in NW Indiana, go to school in western Indiana and have had incidents in Indianapolis. So where exactly is it not racist?

There have been very public racial incidents in Bloomington, West Lafayette and Valparaiso in the last few years, including acts of physical violence.

(I still love Indiana, but it the racism is mind blowing to me). I also live in Northern California and never saw and heard the ignorant things that I hear daily since moving here.

If you look at the makeup of Indiana, the racism seems to come from segregation. AA and Hispanics live in little pockets of the state so the average farm boy has never really talked or lived with a person of color. That doesn't make them racist, but often ignorant of cultural differences.

 

[g8orlife]

apparently steer clear of sanford, florida... HEY OOOO

 

[wcombs]

I was seriously going to say go to New York and stay out of the south. Shows how much I know :x

 

[The Bunk]

I don't know why people keep saying Dbate hasn't said what is happening. He said that white ladies flinch on the streets and security guards follow him through stores. That's reasonably specific and it's terrible. As a white lady who lives in NYC, I'm glad he shared this experience with us because, even though I don't think I've ever treated someone the way he's been treated, it's certainly something for me be more aware of.

So basically, thanks Dbate and I'm sorry you have to put up with this. You should come hang out on the West Side with the cool people.

 

[KnuxNole]

I wouldn't discredit Dbate's experiences. These kinds of things do happen, and can cause unease with people. NYC is a huge diverse metro city, and perhaps reaching out to people, and exploring the city more can result in not feeling uncomfortable. After all, if you are gonna be there for a year, you need to make the best of it

IIRC, there was a WWYD episode about black shoppers being followed and kicked out of an upper class clothes store in NYC...

 

[alpinism]

1. There are racists everywhere. There is no magic fairy tale land somewhere in the U.S. just waiting for you where everyone will be like OMG a black man! I love black people! Here's some lemonade and cookies for you while you shop. Also, please have sex with my daughter as well and give us some beautiful inter-racial babies. You need to learn to ignore it or grow some thicker skin.

2. Just because one neighborhood in NYC has a few white people who are scared of a black man does not mean the whole city is racist. You chose to live in one of the richest and whitest neighborhoods in NYC. Maybe if you spent some time in Harlem or Brooklyn you might feel better.

3. What you are describing is more a function of being an extreme minority in a social setting than anything else (the UES is about 2% african americans). Yes, it's essentially racist for them to fear you and watch you closely, but this commonly happens anywhere in the world where people aren't used to seeing someone who doesn't look like them on a regular basis.

4. If you've ever spent some time outside of the US/Europe you'll actually see some real nasty racism. And I'm not talking about people giving you the evil eye or crossing the street when you walk past. You won't have to worry about being followed, they'll just beat and rob you for being in the "wrong" neighborhood. America is by no means perfect, but even the UES is way better much of the world.

4. If it bothers you that much use some common sense and apply to schools in neighborhoods with a higher percentage of minorities and african americans. The more diverse a neighborhood, the better.

 

[Dbate]

Your entire post in unnecessarily hostile and unhelpful.

1. There are racists everywhere. There is no magic fairy tale land somewhere in the U.S. just waiting for you where everyone will be like OMG a black man! I love black people! Here's some lemonade and cookies for you while you shop. Also, please have sex with my daughter as well and give us some beautiful inter-racial babies. You need to learn to ignore it or grow some thicker skin.

What are you talking about? I don't want anyone to be nice to me, I just don't want them to treat me any differently than they would anyone else.

And that interracial baby **** is weird as f*ck. I don't know where you came up with that. Maybe you have some ****old problems you need to work out.

2. Just because one neighborhood in NYC has a few white people who are scared of a black man does not mean the whole city is racist. You chose to live in one of the richest and whitest neighborhoods in NYC. Maybe if you spent some time in Harlem or Brooklyn you might feel better.

No. I chose to live in a safe area commensurate to my income level. I apologize that I didn't realize that this area was for white people only.

From my prior experiences in the south, a high percentage of white people didn't equal racist, so sorry that I didn't make that assumption about the Upper East Side.

. What you are describing is more a function of being an extreme minority in a social setting than anything else (the UES is about 2% african americans). Yes, it's essentially racist for them to fear you and watch you closely, but this commonly happens anywhere in the world where people aren't used to seeing someone who doesn't look like them on a regular basis.

Just become something is common doesn't make it right.

4. If you've ever spent some time outside of the US/Europe you'll actually see some real nasty racism. And I'm not talking about people giving you the evil eye or crossing the street when you walk past. You won't have to worry about being followed, they'll just beat and rob you for being in the "wrong" neighborhood. America is by no means perfect, but even the UES is way better much of the world.

So your argument is that I should appreciate the discrimination I face because it could be worse?

Thanks, now let me go appreciate the fact that I'm not getting lynched. :rolls eyes:

4. If it bothers you that much use some common sense and apply to schools in neighborhoods with a higher percentage of minorities and african americans. The more diverse a neighborhood, the better.

Yes, racism does bother me that much.

And looking at the raw percent of minorities in a city doesn't mean anything in determining how racist a city is.

Mississippi has some of the highest percent of blacks and I doubt it is a racial utopia.

 

[Dbate]

I don't know why people keep saying Dbate hasn't said what is happening. He said that white ladies flinch on the streets and security guards follow him through stores. That's reasonably specific and it's terrible. As a white lady who lives in NYC, I'm glad he shared this experience with us because, even though I don't think I've ever treated someone the way he's been treated, it's certainly something for me be more aware of.

So basically, thanks Dbate and I'm sorry you have to put up with this. You should come hang out on the West Side with the cool people.

Thanks too. I think the real benefit of talking about things like this is that people can share experiences that others may not be aware of.

And I really appreciate it when others can understand and sympathize with a situation different from their own.

 

[BiologyNerd]

Dbate the racial thing is constantly on the minds of URMs. This might be from my own personal experience, but dressing up in a button up and slacks help a lot. I think it gets people to look at you with a different view. People seem more open to talk to a URM when dressed well, but then when you do actually talk to people you realize they will always have perceptions on the kind of person you are regardless. Like in Missouri, for example, because I am a URM I must be a liberal. I am a moderate, but that's besides the point. I don't like the assumption that I am a certain way. Where as I feel for ORMs that the sliding scale starts at a more neutral zone.

The assumptions that some ORMs take on URMS lead to a lot of stress for URMs. I've thought about how it manifests in behavior a lot, but after all that I realized that there is not much I can do about them. I'm still annoyed, but mother always told me to smile. When you smile, regardless if people looking at you seem contentious or amicable, you always win. That, and I try not to bother myself with what I think is going on in other peoples minds. Sometimes, its nice to have your wild card (medical student) hidden as well. I just play the game as the rules are currently set.

 

[deleted307836]

My knowledge about this is mainly secondhand, but I think DC ranks lower on the list of more "racist" cities, and there are certainly plenty of schools in that area.

 

[BioBeaver]

I think the whole dressing well advice is good.

I'm not saying only URM's should dress nicely, I think anyone who wears a suit will be treated with more respect than someone wearing baggy jeans and a t-shirt. Maybe the OP should try it out as a little social experiment and report back to us.

 

[Loveless]

Just wanted to say that yes, everyone's skin color affects how they perceive the world because our skin color affects the way the world treats us. If people are hostile to you because of your skin color, then you're going to think the world is a hostile place. If people think you're harmless because of your skin color, then you'll think the world is a friendly and accepting place. Both are true, it just depends on who you are.

OP, I'm sorry to hear about your experience living in NYC.

I see your point, but I'm also Jewish by heritage. I've experienced my fare share of prejudice ire from people of my own skin color, so it's not like being white has somehow made me immune from this feeling, even though prejudice feelings towards Jews is nothing like that towards, well, real URMs. It also doesn't mean I'm blind to the interactions I see between ethnicities. I've stood next to AAs who thought it was okay to call whites crackers, and I've had friends who thought it was okay to call AAs the n-word because it was "between whites".

Contrary to what NontradCA seems to think, I also understand that tolerance is not the same as equality. I have seen this kind of preference at my very own college, where a good 75% of the professors I've had have been white. However, my aunt's bosses are hispanic, the owner of my cousin's business is hispanic, and I've had plenty of hispanic bosses myself, so my point is, LA is not the same as other cities, even if it's not a perfect utopia either. I'm proud of my city and its diversity, and I find it insulting that other people (especially from our own angelenos!) would discourage others from seeking spots in our prestigious medical schools just because they're URM. As a representative of this city (at least of SFV and downtown LA), I'd like to firmly state that from my point of view, this is a great city for all URMs to get their medical education in, and hispanics will especially feel at home here. Take that with a grain of salt because I'm white if you want.

At the end of the day, you can either think people are inherently good and let them prove to you otherwise, or you can think people are inherently bad and miss out on a lot of awesome things and places in life.

 

[alpinism]

Your entire post in unnecessarily hostile and unhelpful.

You mean like this thread?

What are you talking about? I don't want anyone to be nice to me, I just don't want them to treat me any differently than they would anyone else.

Unfortunately, you'll find people who will treat you differently anywhere you go. I'm not going to sugar coat it for you and tell you everything will be alright.

No. I chose to live in a safe area commensurate to my income level. I apologize that I didn't realize that this area was for white people only.

No one ever said that. In fact I said the opposite, that you should just ignore it.

From my prior experiences in the south, a high percentage of white people didn't equal racist, so sorry that I didn't make that assumption about the Upper East Side.

The vast majority of people who have spent time in both the south and north find the north to be much less racist and more accepting. The problem people are having with your posts is that you are generalizing racism to all of NYC and comparing 1 neighborhood to an entire region (the south). The point is that racist people in the south are used to seeing african americans all the time and aren't surprised or scared by them (which doesn't mean they're any less racist).

Just become something is common doesn't make it right.

Of course it's not right. But you need to deal w/ it and not try to run away.

So your argument is that I should appreciate the discrimination I face because it could be worse?

I'm saying that there are many different types of racism and some forms are more severe than others. Its not something to appreciate, just something to give you some perspective before you start labeling entire cities are racist and choosing medical schools based on "least racist cites."


And looking at the raw percent of minorities in a city doesn't mean anything in determining how racist a city is.

See my above comments.

Here's some helpful advice: Don't let the feelings of a few random strangers dictate where you live or go to school.

 

[Drelizab]

 

[Drelizab]

Here's some helpful advice: Don't let the feelings of a few random strangers dictate where you live or go to school.

You're bound to encounter racism anywhere in the world. Not everyone is going to be nice about it eithier. That's just not how the world works.

 

[TheLadyVanishes]

I agree with what Ellie Arroway said about the PNW. Seattle and Portland, tend to have a lot of well-intentioned liberal whites. However, neither city has a large black population compared to cities in the South or East Coast, and they are both among the least diverse major cities in the US. You might hear some statements offensive out of ignorance, but it's unlikely to meet aggressive racism. That being said, both of them have police departments that are not well-regarded for their approach to race relations.

I wouldn't say California's a paragon of race relations either. LA and the Bay Area are very segregated and there are areas where you will stick out like a sore thumb if you are a different race/ethnic group. Also, a lot of black people who live there are very poor and I don't think there's a black middle class like there is in other parts of the country.

Also - and flame me for this if you must - a lot of the 1st generation Asians in California are openly racist towards black people and make comments about not wanting to go near black neighborhoods or black people because of crime etc. I am not black but when I have criticized them for being racist, they will push back at me and really, they don't think there is anything wrong with what they said! It is mostly older people, but I have sadly seen this attitude among the young as well. The Americanized 2nd generations and beyond might have more a more progressive outlook.

 

[BioBeaver]

I've heard that about Asians as well. I think in China especially, the government drills into their heads that Asians are the highest developed of humans, with people of African descent being the least developed. It definitely carries over in 1st gen immigrants from Asia.

 

[aspiringdoc09]

Here's some helpful advice: Don't let the feelings of a few random strangers dictate where you live or go to school.

As an AA female from MS I can agree with him. I have only had one minor experience and I'm sure it is different for males and females. Trust me, I hear my dad tell my brothers all the time; however, you need to get a tougher skin and realize that people will not always treat you well. Welcome to the real world! Please don't choose to attend certain schools based on one isolated experience. The truth of the matter is you will deal with this issue for the rest of your life and most likely all the way up the ladder. You will be miserable if you let it dictate your life. I, for one, prefer those people who tell me to my face instead of the bigots who pretend to like me. The wise has a saying, "Kill them with kindness!" Try not to let ignorance get to you. Gain some psychological strength and let it roll off your shoulders. Good luck and sorry you are having this experience because you seem like a real nice guy!

 

[Aeterna]

Yes, racism does bother me that much.

And looking at the raw percent of minorities in a city doesn't mean anything in determining how racist a city is.

Mississippi has some of the highest percent of blacks and I doubt it is a racial utopia.

I was avoiding writing another post in this thread, but after the above response, I can't help it.

You're absolutely right that minority and diversity statistics within a region don't determine if that area is "racist". However, what's worse than using these statistics is creating a thread on these forums and determining your medical school choice based on hearsay and the personal experiences of random users. As an example, NarmerGuy, the moderator who earlier in the thread wrote an excellent post about racism in general, also described his experiences within the various corners of the United States. I've also done quite a bit of traveling myself, yet I've had quite the opposite experiences that he has had. In the end, there is no accurate way to determine the amount of racist individuals within a certain area and attempting to do so is foolish. Furthermore, declaring an entire city or region as "racist" may be one of the most absurd generalizations I've ever read.

If you finally manage to enroll within a medical college, you most likely will encounter racism in some form or another. I'm sure you'll find people who look at your skin color and conclude that the only possible way you managed to matriculate was because of minority status. After an encounter with these individuals (and others that you will face later in life), will you declare the entire institution racist? Will you run and try to find another medical school?

Just my two cents. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you'll choose a school that makes you feel at home as opposed to one that's labeled as "not racist" by a couple of members within this community.

 

[jr93]

Same here...

What I meant by the South Bend bubble is that South Bend is a lovely town and I could imagine that it might be more color-blind than other areas of Indiana that are not home to a big private university with a top-flight sports program that tends to attract huge crowds to its events.

South Bend bubble? Outside of Notre Dame, South Bend is actually pretty trashy. Get a mile off campus and there are bums walking around the streets all over the place. It's not like you should be scared in South Bend if you're from out of town but it's certainly not the most delightful place. I'll take Indianapolis and Lafayette any day over South Bend. Lafayette is actually a great place if you ignore the odd smells every once in a while.

 

[loungebunny]

x

 

[Dbate]

I think the whole dressing well advice is good.

I'm not saying only URM's should dress nicely, I think anyone who wears a suit will be treated with more respect than someone wearing baggy jeans and a t-shirt. Maybe the OP should try it out as a little social experiment and report back to us.

When I dress nicely, the racism I am describing mostly doesn't happen. It is when I am just wearing a T-Shirt and shorts.

I don't think I should have to go through life wearing button downs though.

 

[Ashley1989]

Come up to Alaska, it's actually not too bad up here

 

[dbeast]

Let's just say I have ALOT to do with the university.

Fixed it for ya.

At first I thought this was a total troll thread, but everybody here has to realize that some of your patients *will* be racist. That's just how it goes. Choosing a location in hopes of minimizing those interactions is totally valid. UCSF or OHSU get my votes since both SF and Portland have relatively young populations, and I'd at least like to imagine that racism is on its way out with the old folks. Have you considered any of the historically black colleges?

 

[PM504]

apparently steer clear of sanford, florida... HEY OOOO

That's not funny.

 

[aledwards93]

OP, no matter what city you go to there WILL be areas that have some level of racism... The fact that you happened to have your first experience in NYC at a predominantly white "bubble" does not mean that you should condemn the entire city... NYC is the biggest melting pot in the country.. you can find very racist areas but at the same time, there are parts that are probably the most DIVERSE and ACCEPTING areas in the country.

I would not let this experience affect your med school preference, because if you look around in any city, you will find areas that are racist. NYC is HUGE.

 

[KnuxNole]

OP, no matter what city you go to there WILL be areas that have some level of racism... The fact that you happened to have your first experience in NYC at a predominantly white "bubble" does not mean that you should condemn the entire city... NYC is the biggest melting pot in the country.. you can find very racist areas but at the same time, there are parts that are probably the most DIVERSE and ACCEPTING areas in the country.

I would not let this experience affect your med school preference, because if you look around in any city, you will find areas that are racist. NYC is HUGE.

This. Maybe the Upper East Side isn't the best crowd for you. Try the other neighborhoods, maybe find African american community centers, etc. etc.

 

[yehhhboiii]

I agree with what Ellie Arroway said about the PNW. Seattle and Portland, tend to have a lot of well-intentioned liberal whites. However, neither city has a large black population compared to cities in the South or East Coast, and they are both among the least diverse major cities in the US. You might hear some statements offensive out of ignorance, but it's unlikely to meet aggressive racism. That being said, both of them have police departments that are not well-regarded for their approach to race relations.

I wouldn't say California's a paragon of race relations either. LA and the Bay Area are very segregated and there are areas where you will stick out like a sore thumb if you are a different race/ethnic group. Also, a lot of black people who live there are very poor and I don't think there's a black middle class like there is in other parts of the country.

Also - and flame me for this if you must - a lot of the 1st generation Asians in California are openly racist towards black people and make comments about not wanting to go near black neighborhoods or black people because of crime etc. I am not black but when I have criticized them for being racist, they will push back at me and really, they don't think there is anything wrong with what they said! It is mostly older people, but I have sadly seen this attitude among the young as well. The Americanized 2nd generations and beyond might have more a more progressive outlook.

i take it that you are white and don't live in a black neighborhood

 

[TheLadyVanishes]

i take it that you are white and don't live in a black neighborhood

I don't see how my social or personal history affects what I have observed. Others living in the same geographic areas may have had different experiences (different town in Bay or LA area) and it is likely they may have insights that I do not.

Comments from several other posters implied that racism is minimal in California, which, given my experiences, I do not agree with at all. Particularly since OP is an African-American male, he might get a rude awakening if he goes to school in CA and comes across the attitudes towards black people that I have encountered among Asians here.

I apologize if this is off topic and do not want to bring myself into this discussion at all.

 

[yehhhboiii]

Because who you are colors your experience. Being white, you have no idea what it feels like to be discriminated against. For you, your experiences are never about race. For everyone else, it is. If you were asian, you would have had the relevant experiences that prejudice you against blacks. If you ever worked in retail, you know that black males make up the vast majority of thieves. If you lived in new york, you would see that the most purse snatching and ipod stealing is committed by blacks. The reactionary behaviors that you are so quick to judge didn't appear in a vacuum.

 

[Dbate]

Because who you are colors your experience. Being white, you have no idea what it feels like to be discriminated against. For you, your experiences are never about race. For everyone else, it is. If you were asian, you would have had the relevant experiences that prejudice you against blacks. If you ever worked in retail, you know that black males make up the vast majority of thieves. If you lived in new york, you would see that the most purse snatching and ipod stealing is committed by blacks. The reactionary behaviors that you are so quick to judge didn't appear in a vacuum.

I was going to write a long reply to this, but then I realized the minds of racists never change.

Racism only ends when people who carry racists opinions die. And the next generation doesn't form racist beliefs to replace them.


Oh, and the fact that your opinion doesn't matter.

 

[HopefulSlav]

apparently steer clear of sanford, florida... HEY OOOO

Central Florida isn't part of the south. Thanks for playing.

 

[yehhhboiii]

I was going to write a long reply to this, but then I realized the minds of racists never change.

Racism only ends when people who carry racists opinions die. And the next generation doesn't form racist beliefs to replace them.


Oh, and the fact that your opinion doesn't matter.

racist opinions and beliefs don't come from nowhere. even jesse jackson said, "There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery. Then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.... After all we have been through. Just to think we can't walk down our own streets, how humiliating."

 

[ur2l8]

I've grown up all my life in the Deep South. Everyone knows the north is actually a hell of a lot more racist. Stay Southern...it's much better down here anyway. I've been the NYC...couldn't take it (and I'm not black, just literally couldn't take it)

 

[SunsFun]

I was going to write a long reply to this, but then I realized the minds of racists never change.

Racism only ends when people who carry racists opinions die. And the next generation doesn't form racist beliefs to replace them.


Oh, and the fact that your opinion doesn't matter.

Quoting statistic doesn't necessarily make him racist. Answering the question "why" in a certain way would. Saying black people are convicted more often than white people on average is not racist. Racist would be claiming it is so due to their genetic makeup/culture.

 

[bigDee]

Very interesting thread man I've neve even considered this. It honestly makes me want to go to NYC just to experience it myself. But if what your saying is true then I agree I wouldn't want to live there either.

 

[jr93]

Poverty causes crime most of the time. The are more minorities in poverty by percentage than whites. There's your reason. When entire races are oppressed for hundreds of years and good education and jobs are kept away from people, it takes a while to catch up. Many people's parents my age grew up without the right to vote or go to equal schools yet people expect their kids to just jump right up to upper middle class. That's a little ridiculous. The minorities that have succeeded and raised their kids in schools that don't suck and have food on the table every night have similar success rates to middle class white kids. Middle class black people aren't out committing crazy amounts of crimes. The problem is that if the middle class black person who has a great job and big house walks down the street wearing a basketball jersey, assumptions will automatically be made by many people. NPR did a story about why black parents often make their kids dress up almost everywhere they go because it seems to be one of the few ways to reduce the amount of judgement you get from others in public.