So, I went to Bethesda yesterday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Bethesda and the vast -- VAST -- majority of people here are white, but I don't pass one single day without seeing people of color, including the black and asian families who live on my block. I don't believe you were in Bethesda for an entire day and saw only whites. The diverse student population of BCC alone, which traipses through downtown Bethesda for lunch during the school year, would throw that off once school starts again anyway, and that should be some indication to you of the kinds of families that are in the BCC cluster.

How many houses are on your block? If there are twenty then one house with a Black family, and one house with an Asian family, really isn't' diverse.

It's indisputable that Bethesda is mostly white. That's why I wrote "the vast -- VAST -- majority of people here are white." But the OP said she spent the entire day in downtown Bethesda and didn't see anyone that wasn't white. As someone who lives in Bethesda, I think that is

Read the original post again. "But the OP said she spent the entire day in downtown Bethesda and didn't see anyone that wasn't white." isn't a true statement.

[Anonymous]

ahh I think only 10 percent of the country is black so I am sort of sick of hearing about not being enough black people in a neighborhood. People should stop worrying about color and worry more about if they are good people.

[Anonymous]

Um, lots of people move there for the schools? I don't even live there, but to me this seems obvious. It's not always about race.

The question could be turned around, to wit, why don't more minorities move there? In all likelihood, it's because housing prices there are so high. High house prices are closely linked with good schools. But that doesn't mean the people who live in these good school districts are bad people, or that they owe you some kind of explanation for why they don't leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ahh I think only 10 percent of the country is black so I am sort of sick of hearing about not being enough black people in a neighborhood. People should stop worrying about color and worry more about if they are good people.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ahh I think only 10 percent of the country is black so I am sort of sick of hearing about not being enough black people in a neighborhood. People should stop worrying about color and worry more about if they are good people.

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

[Anonymous]

Read 21:16.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ahh I think only 10 percent of the country is black so I am sort of sick of hearing about not being enough black people in a neighborhood. People should stop worrying about color and worry more about if they are good people.

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

I really don't care, it was not diverse at all where I grew up.... I live in a very diverse place now, Arlington, and ok diversity is great, but non diversity is a non issue for me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Um, lots of people move there for the schools? I don't even live there, but to me this seems obvious. It's not always about race.

The question could be turned around, to wit, why don't more minorities move there? In all likelihood, it's because housing prices there are so high. High house prices are closely linked with good schools. But that doesn't mean the people who live in these good school districts are bad people, or that they owe you some kind of explanation for why they don't leave.

Um, yeah, well the questions could be turned around, your right. However I am asking because there are good schools in other places, and more culture and diversity. Do you not think that a child's education is only a school activity? I for one would be much happier having my child go to a school that maybe isn't as great, but live in a neighborhood where their are all sorts of different people to learn from. For me it's not all about the formal education, I would feel as if I were cheating my children if they weren't exposed to all sorts of different people and cultures.

[Anonymous]

Are people who live in SE DC bigots because few whites have moved in? Of course not. Do these people in SE DC owe an explanation to the folks in Bethesda? Of course not.

If you are sincere, then this is a good teaching moment for you and your daughter. If you do it wisely and talk about all the factors, like economics and not just race. But part of me thinks you just want to provoke people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are people who live in SE DC bigots because few whites have moved in? Of course not. Do these people in SE DC owe an explanation to the folks in Bethesda? Of course not.

If you are sincere, then this is a good teaching moment for you and your daughter. If you do it wisely and talk about all the factors, like economics and not just race. But part of me thinks you just want to provoke people.

Not provoking, just trying to understand. I never called anyone a bigot either, that was your wording. I just don't understand why someone would choose to live in an area like that. I understand the economics, but those with money don't have to choose to live in a certain neighborhood like the poor are forced to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Anacostia today and
"DD asked me where all the white people (like her) are. I mean, I knew Anacostia was black, but I didn't realize how BLACK 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. "

Do you realize now how absurd and needlessly antagonistic your original post was?

hahaha... very absurd.

[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?

So you spent all of a work day in Bethesda and noticed a lack of diversity based on race -- did you also notice that during the day it is mostly women in tennis whites and SAHMs with children? It is more diverse in terms of race and gender on a non-work day or in the evening when people who live in Bethesda get home from work.

[Anonymous]

I used to live in Colorado. Makes Bethesda look like a Benetton ad. In the DC metro area we have such a rich mix of cultures, races, etc. . . I don't see the need to complain or ask people to justify their choice of neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Ironic--just today I had lunch at an outside table at a restaurant in Bethesda and I commented to my friend at how I noticed that Bethesda truly seemed to be improving in regards to ethnic diversity, particularly AAs. I thought we (Bethesda) were moving in a better direction--we have a long ways to go but I'm liking the progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Bethesda and the vast -- VAST -- majority of people here are white, but I don't pass one single day without seeing people of color, including the black and asian families who live on my block. I don't believe you were in Bethesda for an entire day and saw only whites. The diverse student population of BCC alone, which traipses through downtown Bethesda for lunch during the school year, would throw that off once school starts again anyway, and that should be some indication to you of the kinds of families that are in the BCC cluster.

How many houses are on your block? If there are twenty then one house with a Black family, and one house with an Asian family, really isn't' diverse.

It's indisputable that Bethesda is mostly white. That's why I wrote "the vast -- VAST -- majority of people here are white." But the OP said she spent the entire day in downtown Bethesda and didn't see anyone that wasn't white. As someone who lives in Bethesda, I think that is

Read the original post again. "But the OP said she spent the entire day in downtown Bethesda and didn't see anyone that wasn't white." isn't a true statement.

OK, the original post said "We were downtown (for hours) and only saw one Asian man and one Asian woman, who were not together." I forgot about the two asians OP mentions. I sill say, this is bullshit.

I can't speak for everyone else in Bethesda, but after growing up in 'bland' Bethesda, I always said the only suburb of dc I ever wanted to live in was Takoma Park. I did live in Takoma Park -- a really shitty part, not the cute or charming part (which still has crime even though it's cute...) because I was broke and took what I could afford. I saw a teenager get the crap kicked out of him lying on the street right in front of our house while I was holding my toddler; I waited for the police to arrive while one woman held another woman at knife point kitty-corner across the street (in the front yard of some kind of half way or rehab house); I pretended nothing was happening while my DC and I walked past a policeman who drew his gun and pointed it at a group of fist-fighting teenage girls five feet away from us on our way to the crunchy-granola co-op; my next door neighbor's basement unit was robbed twice.....As a single mother, sorry, it was not what I wanted for myself or for my DC. I moved to a super cheap house in Bethesda and although sometimes cars get broken into (or so I'm told), there is just NO comparison to the level of safety here. None. I am thankful every day that as a single mother, I am living somewhere safe. Diversity or lack of diversity takes a back seat for me at this point.