Saturday, September 11, 2010

Is it All Right in the All White?

I went to a 100% white town up in Northern Ontario called B---- and I felt as if someone was going to get out of their pickup truck and shoot me with their shotgun. I elicited trucks to stop and people to snap their necks staring as I ambled down the main town road while perusing a farmer's market. The cheese was delicious, by the way. I wasn't uncomfortable because I had spent many years living in a 99% white suburb and going to a school where I am 1 out of 2 black persons. But coming from the city it is a huge culture shock to see every Tim Horton's cashier White as a lily instead of a recently landed immigrant or pimple-faced teen. 

I want to know if people of minority races and biracial people feel comfortable in lily-white communities and town? How about in Sedalia, MO? Is there any Black people there and how do you guys feel? Well, I mean, there is 4.95% of a Black population there and an 88% White population there so I guess there are some people. Is there any city more lily-white than Sedalia? What about in Florida?

Spencer, Tennessee is 99.02% White and 0.13%. Yes, they beat out Sedalia. I'm not saying these counties or towns SHOULDN'T be white-dominant. Why not? I just wonder how other races feel stepping into these towns like West Pittston, Pennsylvania which is 99.2% white. I am not jealous the towns are predominantly white. I don't think these are cultural hubs full of anything interesting, but if these people are interested in living amongst their own because of fear of other nationalities and races, let them live out their days in reclusion.

For me, to have to spend a month in 99.3% white Cameron Park, Texas would scare the living shit out of me. I would constantly feel fear for my life. I guess it's different here in Canada. People might stare but nobody wishes you harm. In the South however, in all-white counties, who knows? I wonder the mind frame and views of the residents. How do they feel about Black people? Would they like them for a neighbour? How about Latinos? Chinese? Pakistani? Portuguese? Maybe the question is, who really wants to find out? 

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