If you are black, you might want to look elsewhere
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11/16/2007
I have lived in Milwaukee my entire life. I am a 37 year old, black male, I work in commercial real estate sales and leasing. First, I won't say that the whites in milwaukee are racist or that the blacks are racist, I will say though that race relations are horrible. I go out to eat alot and there are a couple of really nice hotels downtown that have bar/ restaurants inside. I typically sit at the bar and very often there is an out of town guest sitting at the bar as well. I can always tell if the person is from Milwaukee. If they are from Milwaukee, I dont exist. If they are from someplace else they strike a conversation. This has happened more times than I can count.
I am the kind of person that will talk to anyone, I notice that the whites in Milwaukee are uncomfortable with that. Very often they dont know what to say or how to react to a professional black man having a casual conversation with them. I now just say hello and move on. About Milwaukee and crime, I live in Milwaukee on the northside, in an older mostly jewish neighborhood. THere is alot of crime in Milwaukee, but most of the crime in Milwaukee is not random. It is mostly drug related crimes, domestic family crimes and that kind of thing. I have never been robbed, shot at, my house has never been broken into. I just dont have drug dealer friends or the kind of people that are up to no good. I definately wouldnt suggest for anyone to move to the worst side of town and not expect for something bad to happen. If you label yourself as a victim, trust me you will soon be one.
Most of the places that I goto (restaurants/bars) I am the only black person their. THis is because for the most part blacks dont go where whites go and vice-versa. Now dont get me wrong, there are a few exceptions, but only a few. To me, a huge factor to the enjoyment of going any place is your interaction with the other people there; because of the race issue, that enjoyment is non-existent.
If you notice most of the reviews here state that Milwaukee is bad, dont move to Milwaukee. This is because the many of the white people that are writing reviews for the most part are getting there info about milwaukee from the 10 oclock news. They dont have any real knowledge of Milwaukee. To alot of them Milwaukee is where the black people live and you dont want to be there.
If you are black dont move here, go someplace else (send me an email and I will tell you why). Though it is a beautiful city, even more beautiful if you are white!
Willie | Milwaukee, WI