How can someone be born and raised in the DC area yet still be racist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say one would have had plenty of positive and negative interactions with people of all shades, creeds, races in this region.

Honest question, how can someone still have such views when the area is so diverse?

Unfortunate realization: virtually 99% of all crime in DC is committed by youngish black males. I returned here after college fully woke and somewhat strident about it, but over the last many years, I've reached the point where I can't reconcile the progressive dogma with the realty of DC's crime statistics. And I really have no patience left for street criminals and shooters.

I don't think noticing this makes me racist, but I'm sure others disagree.

This. It is the elephant in the room. Most people DO notice this and they know it.

Anyone with half a brain has a serious issue with police brutality and systemic racism. BUT most people also are well aware that AAs are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in this country. Where are the people marching about black on black crime? Yes, I get that the police are held to a higher standard or should be than the average person. But people still can't ignore the criminal activity and lack of agency. I can assure you this is what the "silent majority" thinks. Why would most people want to support a movement that in their eyes represents violence and crime?

And you still won't ask Why? That's the problem. By not caring about the fact that an entire system has created a hopeless and depressed situation for a segment of a population, you're showing that the people don't matter to you. Its just another excuse to further cast off an entire group of people as inherently violent. And, oh by the way -ever think that what you're looking at is the percentage of people arrested for crime and not the percentage that's committing it? If over-policing is one of the problems, look at why Blacks are actually arrested more than Whites. Its a proven fact that White people commit just as much crime as Black people, wherever you live. But taking statistics without the perspective of the entire population of the area is just disingenuous and a way to fit the narrative that you've created.

You’re framing the problem as though 100% of the cause of black criminality and violence stems from historical and current structural inequalities in the system and frankly that’s dishonest and strips every black person of their agency. I don’t think anybody who is paying attention doubts that these structural barriers exist, but there is zero interest in discussing much less addressing the immense cultural problems that also contribute to the insanely high black on black crime rate. The PP highlighted the need for police reforms so she’s an ally on that front. Your focus on parsing statistics at the margin while ignoring the enduring vastness of the problem is the sort of indifference that causes fatigue amongst allies on the broader racial inequity issue.

Well said. Thank you for taking the time to explain this nuance.

If we allow Black people the "agency" to have a criminal element just as every other race or group has a criminal element, then this is not a "cultural" thing. Humans have criminal elements and Black people are not immune to that. If you add a depressed condition generated by structural inequities on top of that element, you end up with a higher crime rate. The problem with calling this a "cultural" situation is that you're implying that Black people are inherently more violent, despite their circumstances and that is not true. If the crime was a part of the culture, why doesn't the same phenomenon of Black on Black crime occur in wealthy Black neighborhoods? It doesn't and I know because I've lived in several.

Because wealthy black people don’t share the same culture as inner city gang members. That basically proves the point that it IS culture and not skin color.

Street crime is committed by poor people. We just don’t have a large population of poor white people in DC so therefor black people get arrested more often. Go to podunk Nevada and the crime will be poor white drug addicts. I avoid white redneck meth heads just like I avoid gang culture black people.

I think the structural inequalities focus around income more than race and if we were serious about addressing the reality of our situation then we would be fighting systemic poverty rather than the nebulous concept of systemic racism. I truly believe that focusing on race allows the 1% to keep us all fighting against each other so that poor white people and poor black people never join forces to confront the real enemy which is extreme wealth regardless of race. Classic divide and conquer. White and Black people in poverty need to get past skin color and unite in opposition to our oligarchy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say one would have had plenty of positive and negative interactions with people of all shades, creeds, races in this region.

Honest question, how can someone still have such views when the area is so diverse?

Unfortunate realization: virtually 99% of all crime in DC is committed by youngish black males. I returned here after college fully woke and somewhat strident about it, but over the last many years, I've reached the point where I can't reconcile the progressive dogma with the realty of DC's crime statistics. And I really have no patience left for street criminals and shooters.

I don't think noticing this makes me racist, but I'm sure others disagree.

Similar experience here. I took many hours of critical race theory and civil rights law in college, but living in DC has led me to some uncomfortable realizations. There honestly are some differences between urban Black culture and the predominant culture that make it hard for the two to coexist. I’m not saying either is right or wrong, just that they’re different and they sometimes clash.

Similar view here as well. I

Anyone care to elaborate on the bolded above? I suspect the answer isn't very PC.

Not PP, but here is one example. If a white man came into my (mostly) white neighborhood and shot a couple of people including a child during a neighborhood bbq, I can tell you that EVERYONE would assist in help, capture and punishment of said criminal.
When that same scenario happens in reverse; black man, black neighborhood, black victims the “culture “ is to defend the murderer and stay silent.

"Snitches get stitches" also there is a culture that says "There are too many black men in prison and we don't want another black man in prison regardless of the offenses."

[Anonymous]

I mean, I wasn't racist until I lived in DC for many years. Why would you think exposure to DC reduces racism rather than increasing it? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the prevalence of racism against white people in the DMV?

Racism, prejudice and bias are three different things.

Only as of the last 5-10 years when the term “racism” was redefined to only apply to white people. I grew up here in DC and it’s common to experience anti-white hatred.

I reject the revised definition of racism. Nevertheless, an accurate, alternative description is indeed “anti-white hatred,” here in the DMV area. I also found this prevalent in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, I wasn't racist until I lived in DC for many years. Why would you think exposure to DC reduces racism rather than increasing it? Just curious.

Being born and raised in D.C. is a different experience than coming to the city later. The experience for a native Washingtonian is being asked in this post. At one point D.C. was an even moreso predominately Black city more so than it is today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, I wasn't racist until I lived in DC for many years. Why would you think exposure to DC reduces racism rather than increasing it? Just curious.

Being born and raised in D.C. is a different experience than coming to the city later. The experience for a native Washingtonian is being asked in this post. At one point D.C. was an even moreso predominately Black city more so than it is today.

That means that probably the city is less racist today than it's ever been.

Remember that crazy racist Mayor for Life...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say one would have had plenty of positive and negative interactions with people of all shades, creeds, races in this region.

Honest question, how can someone still have such views when the area is so diverse?

Unfortunate realization: virtually 99% of all crime in DC is committed by youngish black males. I returned here after college fully woke and somewhat strident about it, but over the last many years, I've reached the point where I can't reconcile the progressive dogma with the realty of DC's crime statistics. And I really have no patience left for street criminals and shooters.

I don't think noticing this makes me racist, but I'm sure others disagree.

This. It is the elephant in the room. Most people DO notice this and they know it.

Anyone with half a brain has a serious issue with police brutality and systemic racism. BUT most people also are well aware that AAs are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in this country. Where are the people marching about black on black crime? Yes, I get that the police are held to a higher standard or should be than the average person. But people still can't ignore the criminal activity and lack of agency. I can assure you this is what the "silent majority" thinks. Why would most people want to support a movement that in their eyes represents violence and crime?

And you still won't ask Why? That's the problem. By not caring about the fact that an entire system has created a hopeless and depressed situation for a segment of a population, you're showing that the people don't matter to you. Its just another excuse to further cast off an entire group of people as inherently violent. And, oh by the way -ever think that what you're looking at is the percentage of people arrested for crime and not the percentage that's committing it? If over-policing is one of the problems, look at why Blacks are actually arrested more than Whites. Its a proven fact that White people commit just as much crime as Black people, wherever you live. But taking statistics without the perspective of the entire population of the area is just disingenuous and a way to fit the narrative that you've created.

You’re framing the problem as though 100% of the cause of black criminality and violence stems from historical and current structural inequalities in the system and frankly that’s dishonest and strips every black person of their agency. I don’t think anybody who is paying attention doubts that these structural barriers exist, but there is zero interest in discussing much less addressing the immense cultural problems that also contribute to the insanely high black on black crime rate. The PP highlighted the need for police reforms so she’s an ally on that front. Your focus on parsing statistics at the margin while ignoring the enduring vastness of the problem is the sort of indifference that causes fatigue amongst allies on the broader racial inequity issue.

Well said. Thank you for taking the time to explain this nuance.

If we allow Black people the "agency" to have a criminal element just as every other race or group has a criminal element, then this is not a "cultural" thing. Humans have criminal elements and Black people are not immune to that. If you add a depressed condition generated by structural inequities on top of that element, you end up with a higher crime rate. The problem with calling this a "cultural" situation is that you're implying that Black people are inherently more violent, despite their circumstances and that is not true. If the crime was a part of the culture, why doesn't the same phenomenon of Black on Black crime occur in wealthy Black neighborhoods? It doesn't and I know because I've lived in several.

Generally speaking, crime doesn’t occur in more affluent areas the way it does in low income areas. And, media coverage focuses on urban areas where minorities are represented rather than rural areas where whites comprise more of the low income and criminal stats.

See how this is more of a class/socioeconomics thing than a true race issue?

Nobody is afraid of their black neighbors in Potomac or McLean. Most people aren’t interested in living in or driving through low income areas. Some/many affluent people don’t want poor kids of any color bused into their schools, but they don’t have an issue if the family can afford the million dollar home in the W school pyramid (because, again, nobody is worried about affluent people regardless of skin color).

I don’t understand why people aren’t acknowledging this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, I wasn't racist until I lived in DC for many years. Why would you think exposure to DC reduces racism rather than increasing it? Just curious.

Being born and raised in D.C. is a different experience than coming to the city later. The experience for a native Washingtonian is being asked in this post. At one point D.C. was an even moreso predominately Black city more so than it is today.

I hear what you’re saying, and I agree.

Having been born and raised in the dc metro area, I didn’t grow up in a white bubble. I always lived with, went to school with, and worked with people of all races, religions, etc.

I was shocked when a colleague from another part of the country asked me if my kids went to integrated schools. Um, yes. The public schools are very diverse here...but I now realize that’s not the case in the rest of the country. Another person lamented the lack of diversity in her area for our sector; I explained that wasn’t the case at all in my area. Again: the dc metro area is ahead of the curve.

I think the real dividing line is class. I have lots in common with the people in my neighborhood regardless of their skin color. I don’t have much in common with a single mom of 3 on welfare with a GED regardless of the color of her skin (noting most people on food stamps are white when you look at National stats).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say one would have had plenty of positive and negative interactions with people of all shades, creeds, races in this region.

Honest question, how can someone still have such views when the area is so diverse?

Unfortunate realization: virtually 99% of all crime in DC is committed by youngish black males. I returned here after college fully woke and somewhat strident about it, but over the last many years, I've reached the point where I can't reconcile the progressive dogma with the realty of DC's crime statistics. And I really have no patience left for street criminals and shooters.

I don't think noticing this makes me racist, but I'm sure others disagree.

This. It is the elephant in the room. Most people DO notice this and they know it.

Anyone with half a brain has a serious issue with police brutality and systemic racism. BUT most people also are well aware that AAs are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in this country. Where are the people marching about black on black crime? Yes, I get that the police are held to a higher standard or should be than the average person. But people still can't ignore the criminal activity and lack of agency. I can assure you this is what the "silent majority" thinks. Why would most people want to support a movement that in their eyes represents violence and crime?

And you still won't ask Why? That's the problem. By not caring about the fact that an entire system has created a hopeless and depressed situation for a segment of a population, you're showing that the people don't matter to you. Its just another excuse to further cast off an entire group of people as inherently violent. And, oh by the way -ever think that what you're looking at is the percentage of people arrested for crime and not the percentage that's committing it? If over-policing is one of the problems, look at why Blacks are actually arrested more than Whites. Its a proven fact that White people commit just as much crime as Black people, wherever you live. But taking statistics without the perspective of the entire population of the area is just disingenuous and a way to fit the narrative that you've created.

You’re framing the problem as though 100% of the cause of black criminality and violence stems from historical and current structural inequalities in the system and frankly that’s dishonest and strips every black person of their agency. I don’t think anybody who is paying attention doubts that these structural barriers exist, but there is zero interest in discussing much less addressing the immense cultural problems that also contribute to the insanely high black on black crime rate. The PP highlighted the need for police reforms so she’s an ally on that front. Your focus on parsing statistics at the margin while ignoring the enduring vastness of the problem is the sort of indifference that causes fatigue amongst allies on the broader racial inequity issue.

Well said. Thank you for taking the time to explain this nuance.

If we allow Black people the "agency" to have a criminal element just as every other race or group has a criminal element, then this is not a "cultural" thing. Humans have criminal elements and Black people are not immune to that. If you add a depressed condition generated by structural inequities on top of that element, you end up with a higher crime rate. The problem with calling this a "cultural" situation is that you're implying that Black people are inherently more violent, despite their circumstances and that is not true. If the crime was a part of the culture, why doesn't the same phenomenon of Black on Black crime occur in wealthy Black neighborhoods? It doesn't and I know because I've lived in several.

Generally speaking, crime doesn’t occur in more affluent areas the way it does in low income areas. And, media coverage focuses on urban areas where minorities are represented rather than rural areas where whites comprise more of the low income and criminal stats.

See how this is more of a class/socioeconomics thing than a true race issue?

Nobody is afraid of their black neighbors in Potomac or McLean. Most people aren’t interested in living in or driving through low income areas. Some/many affluent people don’t want poor kids of any color bused into their schools, but they don’t have an issue if the family can afford the million dollar home in the W school pyramid (because, again, nobody is worried about affluent people regardless of skin color).

I don’t understand why people aren’t acknowledging this?

Because it does not fit into a 10-second sound bite and requires critical thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, I wasn't racist until I lived in DC for many years. Why would you think exposure to DC reduces racism rather than increasing it? Just curious.

Being born and raised in D.C. is a different experience than coming to the city later. The experience for a native Washingtonian is being asked in this post. At one point D.C. was an even moreso predominately Black city more so than it is today.

That means that probably the city is less racist today than it's ever been.

Remember that crazy racist Mayor for Life...

How is Marion Berry running a predominately Black City any more racist than Donald Trump running a predominantly White Nation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say one would have had plenty of positive and negative interactions with people of all shades, creeds, races in this region.

Honest question, how can someone still have such views when the area is so diverse?

Unfortunate realization: virtually 99% of all crime in DC is committed by youngish black males. I returned here after college fully woke and somewhat strident about it, but over the last many years, I've reached the point where I can't reconcile the progressive dogma with the realty of DC's crime statistics. And I really have no patience left for street criminals and shooters.

I don't think noticing this makes me racist, but I'm sure others disagree.

Similar experience here. I took many hours of critical race theory and civil rights law in college, but living in DC has led me to some uncomfortable realizations. There honestly are some differences between urban Black culture and the predominant culture that make it hard for the two to coexist. I’m not saying either is right or wrong, just that they’re different and they sometimes clash.

Similar view here as well. I

Anyone care to elaborate on the bolded above? I suspect the answer isn't very PC.

Not PP, but here is one example. If a white man came into my (mostly) white neighborhood and shot a couple of people including a child during a neighborhood bbq, I can tell you that EVERYONE would assist in help, capture and punishment of said criminal.
When that same scenario happens in reverse; black man, black neighborhood, black victims the “culture “ is to defend the murderer and stay silent.

"Snitches get stitches" also there is a culture that says "There are too many black men in prison and we don't want another black man in prison regardless of the offenses."

I was on two DC juries that "hung" because a couple of middle-aged black women (who were mostly tuned out, btw) refused to convict very guilty people for that reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, I wasn't racist until I lived in DC for many years. Why would you think exposure to DC reduces racism rather than increasing it? Just curious.

Being born and raised in D.C. is a different experience than coming to the city later. The experience for a native Washingtonian is being asked in this post. At one point D.C. was an even moreso predominately Black city more so than it is today.

That means that probably the city is less racist today than it's ever been.

Remember that crazy racist Mayor for Life...

How is Marion Berry running a predominately Black City any more racist than Donald Trump running a predominantly White Nation?

Who ever said that Trump isn’t racist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say one would have had plenty of positive and negative interactions with people of all shades, creeds, races in this region.

Honest question, how can someone still have such views when the area is so diverse?

I a white woman. I grew up in the inner city of Kansas City, Missouri.

D.C. was segregated to me with only two races, black and white.

In other cities, there are more working class families from all different backgrounds and races who got along with each other. Think "King of Queens" where the husbands were both UPS drivers, white couple best friends with the black couple.

Other cities aren't reminded daily of the history of slavery, with Mount Vernon and it's slave quarters. The history is more about labor unions, workers vs. management.

D.C. isn't really diverse of people from different backgrounds and ethnicities who have been U S. citizens for generations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say one would have had plenty of positive and negative interactions with people of all shades, creeds, races in this region.

Honest question, how can someone still have such views when the area is so diverse?

I a white woman. I grew up in the inner city of Kansas City, Missouri.

D.C. was segregated to me with only two races, black and white.

In other cities, there are more working class families from all different backgrounds and races who got along with each other. Think "King of Queens" where the husbands were both UPS drivers, white couple best friends with the black couple.

Other cities aren't reminded daily of the history of slavery, with Mount Vernon and it's slave quarters. The history is more about labor unions, workers vs. management.

D.C. isn't really diverse of people from different backgrounds and ethnicities who have been U S. citizens for generations.

DC metro area is way way more diverse than KC any day. I have no idea where you came up with that BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say one would have had plenty of positive and negative interactions with people of all shades, creeds, races in this region.

Honest question, how can someone still have such views when the area is so diverse?

Unfortunate realization: virtually 99% of all crime in DC is committed by youngish black males. I returned here after college fully woke and somewhat strident about it, but over the last many years, I've reached the point where I can't reconcile the progressive dogma with the realty of DC's crime statistics. And I really have no patience left for street criminals and shooters.

I don't think noticing this makes me racist, but I'm sure others disagree.

This. It is the elephant in the room. Most people DO notice this and they know it.

Anyone with half a brain has a serious issue with police brutality and systemic racism. BUT most people also are well aware that AAs are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in this country. Where are the people marching about black on black crime? Yes, I get that the police are held to a higher standard or should be than the average person. But people still can't ignore the criminal activity and lack of agency. I can assure you this is what the "silent majority" thinks. Why would most people want to support a movement that in their eyes represents violence and crime?

And you still won't ask Why? That's the problem. By not caring about the fact that an entire system has created a hopeless and depressed situation for a segment of a population, you're showing that the people don't matter to you. Its just another excuse to further cast off an entire group of people as inherently violent. And, oh by the way -ever think that what you're looking at is the percentage of people arrested for crime and not the percentage that's committing it? If over-policing is one of the problems, look at why Blacks are actually arrested more than Whites. Its a proven fact that White people commit just as much crime as Black people, wherever you live. But taking statistics without the perspective of the entire population of the area is just disingenuous and a way to fit the narrative that you've created.

You’re framing the problem as though 100% of the cause of black criminality and violence stems from historical and current structural inequalities in the system and frankly that’s dishonest and strips every black person of their agency. I don’t think anybody who is paying attention doubts that these structural barriers exist, but there is zero interest in discussing much less addressing the immense cultural problems that also contribute to the insanely high black on black crime rate. The PP highlighted the need for police reforms so she’s an ally on that front. Your focus on parsing statistics at the margin while ignoring the enduring vastness of the problem is the sort of indifference that causes fatigue amongst allies on the broader racial inequity issue.

Well said. Thank you for taking the time to explain this nuance.

If we allow Black people the "agency" to have a criminal element just as every other race or group has a criminal element, then this is not a "cultural" thing. Humans have criminal elements and Black people are not immune to that. If you add a depressed condition generated by structural inequities on top of that element, you end up with a higher crime rate. The problem with calling this a "cultural" situation is that you're implying that Black people are inherently more violent, despite their circumstances and that is not true. If the crime was a part of the culture, why doesn't the same phenomenon of Black on Black crime occur in wealthy Black neighborhoods? It doesn't and I know because I've lived in several.

Generally speaking, crime doesn’t occur in more affluent areas the way it does in low income areas. And, media coverage focuses on urban areas where minorities are represented rather than rural areas where whites comprise more of the low income and criminal stats.

See how this is more of a class/socioeconomics thing than a true race issue?

Nobody is afraid of their black neighbors in Potomac or McLean. Most people aren’t interested in living in or driving through low income areas. Some/many affluent people don’t want poor kids of any color bused into their schools, but they don’t have an issue if the family can afford the million dollar home in the W school pyramid (because, again, nobody is worried about affluent people regardless of skin color).

I don’t understand why people aren’t acknowledging this?

Because it does not fit into a 10-second sound bite and requires critical thinking.

Not true. Wealthy families will be the first to move when they feel the neighborhood is becoming too diverse. I’ve heard it first hand as someone who lived in McLean as a SA and Black family.