Would You Live in a Neighborhood which is Predominantly African-American?

If it's a good home on good property in a good neighborhood then I have no problem living in an area that is predominantly African-American. The racial makeup of my neighbors is never a factor in my consideration of choosing where I want to live.

I would not live in a predominantly African-American neighborhood at this point in my life because I do not want to live in a neighborhood. That doesn't mean that I haven't lived in primary black neighborhoods (I have) or that the reason I don't want to go back to that is because I am racist. But I am sure many people would think that if I said "no" without qualifying my opinion.

Meathead said:

Sheesh, will anybody try to answer the question. I realize it is a loaded question as "Have you quit beating your wife yet?". Still, that's the point. Saying yes is almost certainly an unadulterated form of hypocrisy and hypocrisy is the point.

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Who gives a **** if it's white or black? Why should it even matter? What matters to me is what kinda black neighborhood it is. Is it in the projects? Or the hood? Then no! Is it in the suburbs? Then probably yes.

You think you're asking a loaded gotcha question, but in actuality it's just dumb.

no.. but not necessarily because its predominantly black..
i just dont like living in neighborhoods period.. nosey people, someone bitching about your dog or cat, music too loud, too many vehicles, etc.. neighborhoods are not for me..

Racism is still alive and well.

Gimmesometruth said:

Official? No, not officially, that was made illegal at the fed and state levels. But don't kid yourself into thinking that informal segregation, an extension of discrimination, has disappeared from US culture just because it is not legal to do so any longer.

Minorities do group together for protection and a sense of security, don't shut yourself out from finding out why.

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You explain to me why you think that "unofficially" we have segregation going on in this country, and I'll explain to you why you're wrong.

I'll live in any neighborhood that doesn't have an HOA. Which actually does provide more racially diverse places to live. As far as finding any neighborhood that is 'all black' as I believe that the OP is thinking when using the term 'predominately', those places would be hard to find now-a-days. And, I would live there too.

MaggieD said:

You explain to me why you think that "unofficially" we have segregation going on in this country, and I'll explain to you why you're wrong.

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There are a multitude of reasons why it still exists, and from your previous discussions on black "enslavement by welfare", I know where you come from on these discussions. There is little point in showing you that once again, these problems are a combination of socio-economic and discrimination issues that you refuse to accept even when I present studies and data directly to you. But I'll keep trying to show you, in spite of your entrenchment.

Some light reading, maybe you will actually look at this, this time...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/u...-in-US-Cities-Study-Finds.html?pagewanted=all

Thanks for your input. The results pretty much indicate what I suspected. Some obviously felt that the question was racist in itself and indicated that the results could only be accounted for by racism. Most would not willingly live in a predominantly black area and, with a few possible exceptions, the rest are lying. The oft-repeated "crime-not-demographics" bit was just as predictable and a decidedly thin platitude.

I think many people associate predominantly black neighborhoods with ghettos (especially in the South Eastern states). That's not to say they all are ( since I live in a nice predominantly black neighborhood) its just many people's perception.

I don't think many people would have a problem living in a neighborhood with Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Tyler Perry etc as neighbors.

Paratrooper said:

I think many people associate predominantly black neighborhoods with ghettos (especially in the South Eastern states). That's not to say they all are ( since I live in a nice predominantly black neighborhood) its just many people's perception.

I don't think many people would have a problem living in a neighborhood with Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Tyler Perry etc as neighbors.

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That's essentially the stereotype Meathead was attempting to play on in his loaded question, so nice job fleshing that out.

I think Digsbe's tale of two cities pictures pretty much answer the thread. Frankly...I dont see too many upper middle income to wealthy black folk in too big a hurry to move into economically depressed predominantly black neighborhoods. I cant speak as to their motivation but my GUESS would be that just as with white folk, if they can afford to provide better opportunities and a more healthy living environment for their families, thats what they are going to do.

Being black, I wouldn't, if it were a ghetto. Middle or upper class? No problem so long as people are decent.

Meathead said:

An article about Zimmerman jarred me into posting this poll. The question is simple. Would you live in a neighborhood which is predominantly African-American?

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Race is not in the equation when deciding where I live. I move to where I move to and if my neighbors happen to have more skin pigment then I do, it would probably be some time before I even noticed.

I'd definitely live in one. However, I'll be honest, though it's likely not a comfortable thing to say...

If I had my druther's I'd rather at this point live in a predominantly, but not entirely, white, young to middle aged, multi-generation American neighborhood rather than a predominantely african-american, asian, hispanic, european immigrant, middle aged to elderly, etc location.

Why?

I'm a weird mix of a shy and outgoing person. In genreal, I don't like to stick out. I don't like to make a scene. I prefer to blend into the crowd and in such a neighborhood as I describe at the end...I don't believe I would. At the same time, I can be a friendly neighbor and don't mind the casual friendly bantor. In general, and I think if you ask people honestly they'd agree, culture wise I've found it easier to immedietely bond in terms of a group with those who on first glance appear similar. Strangely enough I'd actually be MORE comfortable with a predominantly african-american neighborhood then some of the others because in that case I could at least likely have a higher chance of sharing a common, fluent, and easy to understand/comprehend language with all my neighbors.

Now, would I have a PROBLEM living in a predominantly African-American neighborhood or any of the others I described? Absolutely not. I currently live in one actually where I'd say hispanics and elderly are the most common groups within it that I've seen. But essentially, if I have to imagine an "everything else being equal" situation, I'd likely choose a different option. Then again, all things being equal, I'd rather live in a predominantly hot-20 something female of any color neighborhood

VanceMack said:

I think Digsbe's tale of two cities pictures pretty much answer the thread. Frankly...I dont see too many upper middle income to wealthy black folk in too big a hurry to move into economically depressed predominantly black neighborhoods. I cant speak as to their motivation but my GUESS would be that just as with white folk, if they can afford to provide better opportunities and a more healthy living environment for their families, thats what they are going to do.

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Atlanta has many very wealthy black gated communities .. $700,000 to 1.5 million.. as well as country clubs..

One of my siblings lives in a neighborhood where the houses run 3 million and there are a number of NFL types living there.

I lived in South Central Los Angeles for about 5 years in a predominantly black neighborhood....now, I moved out into a rural area of Los Angeles (primarily to have land for my horses)....my neighborhood now is a very conservative predominantly white neighborhood. I have to say that my South Central Neighborhood was MUCH more friendly, we had a much better sense of community than the neighborhood I am in now. I tried to organize a block party....5 people showed up (and I was even offering free food and beer)....

Not sure why people in different neighborhoods are more friendly than others.....given the choice, I would prefer to live in a multi-ethnic area.

In 1971, I got married and a year later we bought a home in Detroit. White folks had been moving out for a long time and it was greatly accelerated by the riots of 1967. The city had become a majority African American by the time we bought. We lived there for seven great years.

So my answer is YES.

sharon said:

Atlanta has many very wealthy black gated communities .. $700,000 to 1.5 million.. as well as country clubs..

One of my siblings lives in a neighborhood where the houses run 3 million and there are a number of NFL types living there.

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Funnily enough up here in Northern Virginia the place where the NFL types live is probably the whitest community of any of the neighboring small towns. I'd say it would be somewhat of a racist joke if not for the truth of it...but if you see a black guy in Ashburn, Virginia you probably have at least a 50/50 chance it's a Redskin.

If you see an orange guy you have a 99.9% chance that it's Mike Shanahan.

Paratrooper said:

I don't think many people would have a problem living in a neighborhood with Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Tyler Perry etc as neighbors.

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You'd live next to this guy?

sharon said:

Atlanta has many very wealthy black gated communities .. $700,000 to 1.5 million.. as well as country clubs..

One of my siblings lives in a neighborhood where the houses run 3 million and there are a number of NFL types living there.

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I have family in the Atlanta outskirts...majority black community. Again...race...irrelevant. I'm doubting very much my father in laws neighbors would relish moving into cozy Bankhead.

Zyphlin said:

Funnily enough up here in Northern Virginia the place where the NFL types live is probably the whitest community of any of the neighboring small towns. I'd say it would be somewhat of a racist joke if not for the truth of it...but if you see a black guy in Ashburn, Virginia you probably have at least a 50/50 chance it's a Redskin.

If you see an orange guy you have a 99.9% chance that it's Mike Shanahan.

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Agreed. The few black people here in Potomac are Wizards or diplomats, all the white people are the doctors/lawyers. I swear to god half the license plates read "diplomat".

VanceMack said:

I have family in the Atlanta outskirts...majority black community. Again...race...irrelevant. I'm doubting very much my father in laws neighbors would relish moving into cozy Bankhead.

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I don't know the Bankhead neighborhood.