Thread: White Privilege

Originally Posted by Howie

So I’ll go balls out and ask, are you familiar with the term – white flight?

No I've never heard of that term before. What is it?

Originally Posted by Howie

I think becasue of the environment that I grew up in that this gives me a close perspective on some of what is being said.

Would you mind sharing more of that perspective?

Originally Posted by Jeff777

No I've never heard of that term before. What is it?

It's quite sad really. Many know this as The Urban sprawl, the uncontrolled spread of urban development into neighboring regions. Racially it is often referred to as white flight. The movement of mostly whites into more rural regions.
As with most or all big cities here in the US, the majority of the inner city population is of minority. Particularly black. Given the situation the inner cities become run down and riddled with crime. In time the area begins to widen and it eventually gets run down and the neighborhoods become slums. The inner city grows. This has been perceived by whites as “what the blacks do” As the expansion of the black neighborhood expands, the white population moves further out.

Would you mind sharing more of that perspective?

I live in a locality that lets me see the extremes of both ends. I live close to a populace that has a very high-income ratio. Working for that community, I often see the negativity that is generated by what has been the reoccurring theme. Yet on the other hand I too live close enough to the inner city of Cleveland to see the "slums" so to speak.
So it is (to me) hard to argue that the inner city population is not the cause of the expansion of the run down neighborhoods. But is is also very difficult to try an address an issue like this with out being labeled a racist.
So in return the issue is swept under the rug.

Growing up outside of the inner cities most all of the communities that I have been surrounded by becomes racial in one sense or another whether they like to admit it or not.
I think what has been failed to be seen is that any given race having been put in the same situation would in most cases end up in the same scenario. That is hard to say. That is the argument of – A product of the environment.

Originally Posted by Howie

It's quite sad really. Many know this as The Urban sprawl, the uncontrolled spread of urban development into neighboring regions. Racially it is often referred to as white flight. The movement of mostly whites into more rural regions.
As with most or all big cities here in the US, the majority of the inner city population is of minority. Particularly black. Given the situation the inner cities become run down and riddled with crime. In time the area begins to widen and it eventually gets run down and the neighborhoods become slums. The inner city grows. This has been perceived by whites as “what the blacks do” As the expansion of the black neighborhood expands, the white population moves further out.

Ah I see. Inner cities are notorious for crime, drugs, and prostitution. Why anyone would want to stay to not be perceived as racist and avoid the "White flight" term is beyond me. Hell I'd be on a U-Haul faster than most. But I do understand what you are saying. And now that you have explained it, I have heard this term before...but not very often.

Originally Posted by Howie

I live in a locality that lets me see the extremes of both ends. I live close to a populace that has a very high-income ratio. Working for that community, I often see the negativity that is generated by what has been the reoccurring theme. Yet on the other hand I too live close enough to the inner city of Cleveland to see the "slums" so to speak.
So it is (to me) hard to argue that the inner city population is not the cause of the expansion of the run down neighborhoods. But is is also very difficult to try an address an issue like this with out being labeled a racist.
So in return the issue is swept under the rug.

In my opinion, that's the problem. People don't want to be seen as "racist" and therefore let city eyesores continue to grow. It sort of comes off as if people like stewing in their own garbage without doing anything about it and complaining when someone wants to do something. And by garbage, I mean value dropping neighborhoods/cities.

Originally Posted by Howie

Growing up outside of the inner cities most all of the communities that I have been surrounded by becomes racial in one sense or another whether they like to admit it or not.
I think what has been failed to be seen is that any given race having been put in the same situation would in most cases end up in the same scenario. That is hard to say. That is the argument of – A product of the environment.

True...however I've heard this argument and I think it has some truth to it, albeit small truth. I think the people who largely use it do so as a cop out for why they are where they currently are in life or why they don't have as much as John Doe living two doors down. In America, we have free public libraries. Anyone, who wants anything can first learn "freely" how to obtain it, then they can go get it...I have little patience for people who blame others for why they are where they are.

1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
57 percent of new books are not read to completion.
(Source: Jerold Jenkins, www.JenkinsGroupInc.com)

The above stats aren't exclusive to inner cities, they do trouble me though.