So, I went to Bethesda yesterday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Is this post really serious???? I live in the heart of Bethesda. It is so incredibly diverse. It is a sampling of the world.

Our neighborhood has all races, cultures and religions.

Now let's not get carried away now. Bethesda isn;t quite as bad as OP made it out to be but there's no way it's "so incredibly diverse" either.

This sounds right to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honey, it's your provocative tone that makes people doubt you. Your initial post made it clear you are spoiling for a fight. The antagonism and manipulation undermine the rest of your message, which has the potential to be valuable. But once your motives start to seem suspect, the rest of your message does too.

I don't have a provocative tone, you are the one reading that into what I am saying. I am not spoiling for a fight I am looking for some insight. There is no manipulation.

"But the point is, how can you justify living in a place that is so one sided."

This isn't provocative?? Either you're not very bright, or you're knowingly playing fast and loose with words here. Which only confirms peoples' suspicions about your not visiting Bethesda and using small kids to make your point, sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Is this post really serious???? I live in the heart of Bethesda. It is so incredibly diverse. It is a sampling of the world.

Our neighborhood has all races, cultures and religions.

Now let's not get carried away now. Bethesda isn;t quite as bad as OP made it out to be but there's no way it's "so incredibly diverse" either.

This sounds right to me.

I'd like to have this discussion too, because I think the previous two posters are right. But I want to have a careful discussion about why this is, including high housing costs, good public schools, and safety concerns. Race is an important issue, no doubt, but if you only view things through this one prism then you miss the complexity of real peoples' real decisions. (And no, I don't live in Bethesda.)

I.e., I'm not sure we can have this discussion with OP.

[Anonymous]

Aw, c'mon-Bethesda's pretty diverse-for Bethesda anyway.

[Anonymous]

This post sounds ridiculous. I am picturing the OP standing in the Barnes and Nobel in Bethesda, counting Asians and black people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This post sounds ridiculous. I am picturing the OP standing in the Barnes and Nobel in Bethesda, counting Asians and black people.

Or not counting, as the case may be.

[Anonymous]

But apparently she didn't do that, or she would not have come to the conclusion she did. Nobody is claiming Bethesda is a mecca of diversity, but it's better than she says.

[zumbamama]

I went to Hot Mama Fitness in Bethesda once. It was VERY diverse in there.

[Anonymous]

This entire post is ridiculous. Why are people even responding? People that live in Bethesda know it's diverse for Bethesda standards. People that don't live there have a bias. My sons daycare is in Bethesda--there are much less whites than minorities in each class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: People that live in Bethesda know it's diverse for Bethesda standards.

What does that even mean? What are Bethesda standards?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: People that live in Bethesda know it's diverse for Bethesda standards.

What does that even mean? What are Bethesda standards?

don't know exactly

But I guess it means there's little to no socioeconomic diversity. So minorities that you see in Bethesda are not "working class," which is what many associate with Silver Spring (where I live, btw).

When people discover that I live in SS, I often hear, "Aren't you afraid of gangs?" I suppose you don't see many MS13 members roaming Elm Street and eating at Cafe Deluxe. So there is often a this misconception that Silver Spring is dangerous.

I, for one, can't help but think that many who flee to Bethesda (or Clarksburg, for that matter) have an irrational fear of certain minorities, and on the "unlucky" chance that they had to visit our town, would definitely avoid one of our local Starbucks. God forbid they should share space with a construction worker who takes the bus.

Basically, people self-segregate - mainly due to fear and ignorance.

[Anonymous]

This last post isn't worth commenting on. That's all you can say about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I, for one, can't help but think that many who flee to Bethesda (or Clarksburg, for that matter) have an irrational fear of certain minorities, and on the "unlucky" chance that they had to visit our town, would definitely avoid one of our local Starbucks. God forbid they should share space with a construction worker who takes the bus.

Basically, people self-segregate - mainly due to fear and ignorance.

You are the one stereotyping here. I set out my reasons earlier for "fleeing" to Bethesda. Irrational fear of certain minorities was nothing to do with it. Real desire for higher quality of life was. You are the one who is ignorant, and I suspect somewhat envious, and I pity you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD asked me where all the brown people (like her) are. I mean, I knew Bethesda was white, but I didn't realize how WHITE it was until she pointed it out. We were downtown (for hours) and only saw one Asian man and one Asian woman, who were not together.

If you live in such a non diverse area, why? How do you justify it?

Next time your DD asks where all the brown people are go stand outside the metro stairs. You can show her the rainbow of people emerging from the ground! And do not ever take her to McLean, it is ever whiter than Bethesda!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: People that live in Bethesda know it's diverse for Bethesda standards.

What does that even mean? What are Bethesda standards?

don't know exactly

But I guess it means there's little to no socioeconomic diversity. So minorities that you see in Bethesda are not "working class," which is what many associate with Silver Spring (where I live, btw).

When people discover that I live in SS, I often hear, "Aren't you afraid of gangs?" I suppose you don't see many MS13 members roaming Elm Street and eating at Cafe Deluxe. So there is often a this misconception that Silver Spring is dangerous.

I, for one, can't help but think that many who flee to Bethesda (or Clarksburg, for that matter) have an irrational fear of certain minorities, and on the "unlucky" chance that they had to visit our town, would definitely avoid one of our local Starbucks. God forbid they should share space with a construction worker who takes the bus.

Basically, people self-segregate - mainly due to fear and ignorance.

You've exposed yourself to be someone who's never set foot in Bethesda, where McMansions are built right next to tiny 2 bedroom Cape Cods.