Racial unity in DC is a joke

[Anonymous]

After reading the WaPo survey ofFenty, I am more convinced that racial harmony or unity is a joke. It is not enough that the races are practically divided by a park and a river, but the families that live west of the river and east of the park are still divided within their own communities. I can think of only three subdivisions in this city that are not racially segregated: Brookland, Columbia Heights and true Capital Hill (not Capital Hill continuously extended). The DCPS schools speak volumes. But the WaPo poll was most interesting and showed exactly how racially divided the city truly is. The Black population have no trust in Fenty. The other families of color are borderline distrustful of Fenty, but Fenty has not lost them all. However, the White citenzry of the District is still holding on fast to Fenty, albeit the support in this community has also dipped somewhat. I guess in 2010, I would have hoped that in a city purported to be so diverse and open, it is discouraging to see that the city is really so truly divided by race. That means that we are not really talking to each other. We go to work and work with each other. We ride the trains and buses together and no one has to worry about moving to the back of the bus. However, we are not communicating with each other. What is it about Fenty that White people love. Alternatively, what is it about Fenty that Black people despise. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

Not that I disagree with your basic statement but I'm a white person who can't stand Fenty. (And I voted for him -- something I regret now.) But I was surprised at the extent to which white people generally approve of him. I didn't expect it to be so lopsided!

[Anonymous]

I'm white, and from a mixed neighborhood -- one of quite a few in north DC, east of the park, that OP did not mention (Takoma and Shepherd Park, for example). I voted for AF for Council, but not for Mayor. Although I like him personally, his closeness with developers and autocratic style are fatal flaws in a Mayor.

[Anonymous]

I am white and live in Ward 3 and pray someone will run who can defeat Fenty. He and Rhee are a huge disappointment.

[jsteele]

Crestwood is also racially mixed. Since it's Fenty's neighborhood, he is fairly popular here. However, I'm white and would welcome a credible challenger to the mayor and have neighbors of both races who have similar views.

[Anonymous]

OP don't be discouraged. As a native Washingtonian I can tell you DC is WAAAAY more integrated than it used to be. But the fact remains that black and white people in this city lead very different lives and in many cases have very different priorities. And polls like this really underscore those differences. So for example a white person that lives in ward 3 may only really be concerned with trash pick up and efficient city services, while a black person in Ward 8 may be concerned about crime and public schools. So everyone is judging Fenty through their own cultural/environmental lens, as they should. I guess for me I don't see that the poll results mean we should give up on racial harmony. We need to find the common ground and build from there. And we did find common ground in Fenty! I mean how incredible was it that he won all of the precincts - IMHO he threw it all away - he could have been the unifying force - that's what's sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP don't be discouraged. As a native Washingtonian I can tell you DC is WAAAAY more integrated than it used to be. But the fact remains that black and white people in this city lead very different lives and in many cases have very different priorities. And polls like this really underscore those differences. So for example a white person that lives in ward 3 may only really be concerned with trash pick up and efficient city services, while a black person in Ward 8 may be concerned about crime and public schools. So everyone is judging Fenty through their own cultural/environmental lens, as they should. I guess for me I don't see that the poll results mean we should give up on racial harmony. We need to find the common ground and build from there. And we did find common ground in Fenty! I mean how incredible was it that he won all of the precincts - IMHO he threw it all away - he could have been the unifying force - that's what's sad.

I'd like to give a loud second to the above. I see the divide you mention between those who are service-oriented and those who are crime-oriented, but it is not racial as much as geographic. Those around Kennedy Street for example, white or black, are extremely crime-oriented. Being a mile and a half or two miles north, my neighbors, white and black, are probably more service-oriented, although we do have crime problems. Sometimes local issues get very contentious, but I'm happy to say that the divisions are not generally along racial lines.

Statistical differences between the races can have so many explanations that I don't think they say much about how any single African American might differ from her white neighbor.

[Anonymous]

I agree with 12:48. DC has come a long way. The schools and many neighborhoods are way more integrated than they used to be, although it's true we still have some way to go. But it is heartening to see young parents staying in the city and trying to improve the schools. In my opinion, that's one reason the schools are improving, although Rhee may be getting the credit. 20 years ago, you would never find white kids attending schools like Thompson, Cooke, and others. So I think things are getting better. As for Fenty, I was very happy at his widespread support when he won, and now I don't know anyone who supports him. He has squandered a real opportunity here.

[Anonymous]

Did I miss something, or was race the only criterion used as a category for comparison in either yesterday's Fenty article or today's Rhee article. In choosing to compare blacks vs whites but not, for example, men vs women, the Post invites racial division.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did I miss something, or was race the only criterion used as a category for comparison in either yesterday's Fenty article or today's Rhee article. In choosing to compare blacks vs whites but not, for example, men vs women, the Post invites racial division.

what sells more papers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did I miss something, or was race the only criterion used as a category for comparison in either yesterday's Fenty article or today's Rhee article. In choosing to compare blacks vs whites but not, for example, men vs women, the Post invites racial division.

what sells more papers?

Well, I'm guessing that there wasn't a significant difference between women's and men's opinions or they would have reported it. I'm betting the racial divide just jumped off the page at them. Speaking as a researcher, the differences in opinions based on race were striking. If that were my project and I didn't report information like that, I would not be doing my job.

But if you are suggesting that there are other strong differences they failed (or chose not) to report, that's a good question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did I miss something, or was race the only criterion used as a category for comparison in either yesterday's Fenty article or today's Rhee article. In choosing to compare blacks vs whites but not, for example, men vs women, the Post invites racial division.

what sells more papers?

Well, I'm guessing that there wasn't a significant difference between women's and men's opinions or they would have reported it. I'm betting the racial divide just jumped off the page at them. Speaking as a researcher, the differences in opinions based on race were striking. If that were my project and I didn't report information like that, I would not be doing my job.

But if you are suggesting that there are other strong differences they failed (or chose not) to report, that's a good question.

Good points. But the questions did not write themselves; someone chose to put in a question about race. Do you think they included gender, age, and income, as well. If not, why not? If so, and there were no significant differences along those lines, I would think that deserves a mention, rather than leaving it to us to guess that anything unmentioned was not worth mentioning.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Good points. But the questions did not write themselves; someone chose to put in a question about race. Do you think they included gender, age, and income, as well. If not, why not? If so, and there were no significant differences along those lines, I would think that deserves a mention, rather than leaving it to us to guess that anything unmentioned was not worth mentioning.

I've been called by various pollsters recently and they always ask about gender, income, education level, etc.

The apparent racial divide involving Fenty is striking in that in the Democratic primary Fenty was the anti-establishment candidate. He was the grassroots guy who wore holes in his shoes. Linda Cropp was the establishment candidate whose strength should have been among affluent voters. Fenty was holding events in Ward 8 and talking about representing the entire city rather than just downtown. Unfortunately, Fenty did a 180 degree turn even before the general election was held. He sold out to the developers and immediately showed that his priorities were pleasing the wealthy and getting his daily dose of exercise (not necessarily in that order). The Cropp voters must have been pleasantly surprised, while Fenty's affluent backers were probably also generally happy. But, the less well off must have felt a strong sense of betrayal. The racial realities of the city transform those economic divisions into racial ones as well. But, I'd wager that the division is more one of social class than race.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:... The racial realities of the city transform those economic divisions into racial ones as well. But, I'd wager that the division is more one of social class than race.

I'll join you in that bet. It is probably a better way to make the point I was attempting to get at, that we fall too easily into using race as an explanation. The statistical correlation of race with this or that may be true, but sometimes statistical truth can be misleading.