The Spotlight Team takes on our hardest question. Like us on Facebook / globe Follow us on Twitter / bostonglobe Follow us on Google+ plus.google.com/+bostonglobe
As an Indian American, I have lived here my entire life and when they interviewed the white people, I laughed hysterically. White people in boston live in a bubble.
@Mica Rubio Northern states are far more racist than Southern States. They still self-segregate to this day. In cities like New York, Detroit, Boston, and Chicago, they have neighborhoods that are all Italian, Greek, Polish, Irish, and Russian. And they're proud of that fact. But the most racist city in the United States has to be Boston.
As a Bostonian I ain’t gonna lie Boston does have racist people but its not the racist city people from Boston will just tell you hoe they feel str8 up and sum of those are racist people but with other states people will just look at you
@@meekalyeager7120 Nope, that's not what I'm talking about. Northern CIties like New York, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia are proud of their self-deposed segregation. You can go to any of the cities and still find neighborhoods that are almost all irish, polish, greek, italian, and Russian . And in Boston come they're not speaking their mind, they're continuing racist idiology that was bred into them because of these neighborhoods.
I was born and raised in East Texas..home to the infamous Jasper killing and yet, I live in Boston now, and it is the most racist city ever for me hands down.
Really? I'm not saying it isn't racist, but I lived there for a long time, and I never understood why people thought that. Do you think black people are just treated differently, or did you see white supremacist type people there? I know a lot of people have called it racist, but I never really heard an explanation why, other than the busing thing that happened in the 70s.
@@pete6705 yeah its bad because both the north and the south is racist but the Boston is rude with it too. some racist people ask crazy questions out of no where. I was asked if I was the "mammie" of a my friends white baby because I was holding her. I've been called the N word in my face. Ive faced threats of violence in places of businesses because they didn't want to deal with a "black" person. I have been hogcalled by older white men who thought I was exotic. I've had people just throw their hands in my hair even until grabbing one of my Ethiopian's friends hair at the same time to examine both of our hair and why they are not the same. When I first came to the bean, I had friends of color from Boston. my white friends wanted to go to New Hampshire, and I approached my black friends to go. they responded, "Girl they hang people there." During the begging of all the killings, my white friends from here said to me, "I thought Dr. King fixed it for you people" so yeah its bad. Also just like red lining and the bus situation, if it is NEVER discussed, it is never rectified.
@@pete6705 so we have to address real issues like racism. Also my best friend from here, while in high school, was told by a white classmate...."I want to marry a black American wife so I can have a kid like Kobe Bryant because "you" people have good genes and your family survived slavery. I know my kids will be able to play sports." WHAT IN THE GET OUT SHIT IS THAT??? then to actually find out that Jordan Peele's movie is still considered a comedy. omg so even as a nation, racism is ALIVE because IT NEVER LEFT. Also look up a movie called Lanier. It's about the extermination of black towns by immersing them into water creating lakes. even today these lakes are all around the country including Massachusetts. if you swim to the bottom of these lakes you will actually still see the buildings, schools, churches, and even gas stations of these prominent black towns. also look up us education and how all of this was intent fully not included in the books. Good Luck with your research. look up the Trevor Noah vid on racism in Boston. Ask your friends for personal stories. Im pretty sure that they have a lot. peace
@@MadamElease that's the thing, I grew up in Mississippi where it's racist. However, white ppl from Mississippi are used to black ppl because we have a MASSIVE black population, even a few all black towns. Whites didn't ask stupid ass questions like that because we actually grew up together throughout our messed history down there lol. It's a weird thing, I actually feel respected down there as opposed to other places that have no idea about black people, some have never even interacted with us in certain parts of the country.
Go to the mall, a restaurant, Seaport, the North End, South End, Copley.. Walk through Somerville ( Davis Sq. ) Cambridge (Harvard Sq.), West Cambridge (Brattle St. area), North Cambridge (Porter Sq. area).. Oh, Walk into NOCA, a little Yuppy cafe on Rindge Ave.. Tell me how it feels to walk into that place.. Arlington, Belmont, definately can't forget Lexington, you'll probably be stopped by those cops within the first 10 mins in that place, especially after dark if somebody sees you (a black man/woman) just walking or jogging down those areas! Actually, here's one of my experiences in Arlington. I had diner with a couple co workers at a very nice Indian restaurant in Arlington Ctr. After dinner, I walked to my car in the public parking lot (rear of the restaurant). A friend and I ended up having a long conversation for about an hour. A 1st Arlington Police Suv drove by, then circled around.. 2 mins later another 2, and from there they just started circling like sharks in the ocean. We both noticed it right away! These fools were driving through the alley across from us with his spot light on the businesses ( I'm assuming they thought we were playing look out for somebody, idk), most likely hoping to catch someone in the act.. Then another one of them idiots stops in the middle if the street with his lights off, hiding partially behind some bushes ( he probably thought we couldn't see him ), and sat there watching us until we left!! While we were being watched and prayed on, the real criminals and thieves out there had the town to themselves, because these fools wanted to sit and watch 2 innocent black men who just came from dinner, have a simple, harmless and casual conversation in a parking lot. SMFH!!! But let's go back down to Newberry St. Boston.. Just look at them, make eye contact! They'll stare right into your eyes and not say shit!! No Hi, Hello, Good Morning, Good Evening, NOTHING!!! But they will stare.. If you take the initiative and greet some of them, most likely you won't get a response.. Even better, try Newton, (Chestnut Hill Mall) Brookline, Wellesley, omg Wellesley... Wayland and those area's out West. Look at the reaction of white people when you walk past them my friend! They stare like as if your not human and they watch you to see if your up to something.. But there's nothing to be disappointed about, THIS IS BOSTON!!! If your not from here, WELCOME!!!! Give it time, you'll get it. I promise you, it won't take long!!
Boston has “unspoken” racism, it’s 100% divided and that’s just the way it is. It’s literally been generations now of people born into this same environment for 60+ years
I lived in MA since 2001 and i lived in 6 different towns and i never really saw a lot of racism. I walked passed the occasional racist asshole but not in large groups.
Are you white or color folk? If you are white how can you see it unless you just happen to walk into a racist incident. And what are the chances for that?!
Yes it is but it's just covert which makes it psychologically exhausting but if you speak up your gaslighted with bs liberal facade speech. It made my trips to the south really relaxing.
I've been all over the country touring with bands. Boston deserves this reputation. Very insular culture who were discriminated against historically passing it on.
You want to see Boston's racism: take a look and read what was happening:;;;www.npr.org/2016/09/18/494442131/life-after-iconic-photo-todays-parallels-of-american-flags-role-in-racial-protes
I don't understand how Boston is "more" racist than other cities. It must be true if everyone says it, but the worst racist slurs I heard was when I was in the old Yankee stadium. My ex girlfriend's uncle in long island also had no reservation about throwing out the n word, but I don't know if that example counts since long island isn't really New York city.
While there are many racist incidents that can be verified, the claim by the Baltimore player that he was subject to racist taunts is highly suspect since no one else claimed to hear this, not his teammates, not security, not anyone in the stands.
I'm a white guy who grew up around Boston and I worked in Boston. Being white it's not my place to say it isn't racist, but I just never understood how or why people consider it racist. Did I ever hear a racist joke in Boston? Yes, but not anymore than anywhere else in the country. I know there there are some racist events in Boston's history, but in my time there I never saw something happen that I considered really racist. I definitely never saw a white person say something overtly racist to a black person. The black people there do mostly live in separate areas, so maybe that's a big part of it. But maybe black people just feel like they are treated differently, and that's the part I never saw or understood.
It’s hard to explain racism to people who largely don’t have to deal with race. There are things that Black people in America have to be cognizant of that perhaps Whites never even have to think about.
You don't live everyday as a black person 365, you only saw extremely little racist things from your peers and quickly forgot about. It's not a blip on the radar for whites. You have to really close your eyes and really think about the racial tension you can't escape, does that make sense?
@@toyotadude6771 I just moved to Boston and I have seen gangs of black teens go around and assault people. I don’t see that from whites or Asians. When 12 percent of the population commits 56 percent of the crime it is no wonder why everyone avoids black people. Perhaps black peoples have a culture problem. Perhaps it’s really blacks that are racist.
@@pete6705 I've never been to Boston, but where I live, everyone just looks at you with contempt, other diverse places like Ann Arbor, they don't eye you down. It's very noticeable
I'm from Boston. Born, raised and still live here. I think there are three things that aren't being mentioned here, that should be. Number one is that this city at one time used to be racist. I agree. But time has moved on and people have changed. Some of them have moved, and a lot have died. Number two, can anyone name me another city (or small town for that matter), that doesn't have racist people in it?And finally three, and most importantly, we all seem to be talking about "racism" here, aren't we? Well, what I'm not hearing about is "reverse racism!" Why is that? Because it's out there man, believe me. Is there anyone out there who knows the city at all? Because if you do, please answer this for me. It's after 1:00 a.m. right now. If I went out and decided to take a walk through Boston's Roxbury, Mattapan or Dorchester sections right now, what do you think the odds are that I either get bothered, beat up, robbed or even murdered just because I'm white? True Bostonians will know that I'm right. The chances are extremely high for one of these options happening to me. And it would be done by blacks because these,are their neighborhoods. So let's talk some huh?
Nah you’d be just fine lucky for you it’s called black on black crime for a reason as black people we tend to harm and kill each other more than we harm or kill yall so stop with the reverse racism I have more of a chance of being robbed or fatally hurt by my own people than you do and that’s statistically a fact
sounds like your trying to sell something. im not buying. i grew up there and wasted a great portion of my life there until i left in the middle of a lockdown cause i didn't want to die in that fuking city. everyday i wake up im thankful i left. everyday i wake up happy to be alive. but saying that a light switch was flipped on and that place magically changed overnight... No, i don't believe that. i don't have to go back there to know that fuking city will never change. that place is a diseased infested bigoted hellhole. oh and this is the real kicker, people think Bostonian's are liberals. They may vote liberal, but it's for show. white Bostonian hide their racism very well they are very conservative people. i know this because i know how they think. i don't look black and they were always asking me what i was because they were afraid to start telling me their ignorant fuking jokes if they thought i was full black. and everyone of them is a comedian.
