If "S" is not white, they very much can focus solely on racism in their decision of where to move. Wouldn't blame them a bit. Racism is everywhere in America, but takes varying forms and degrees, and it's pretty bad here. I've heard lots of stories from Black people about not getting called back when they apply for jobs they're highly qualified for, even during alleged "full employment" periods. The hollowed-out educational system, especially in the North End, ensures poor nonwhite people stay poor, never getting the opportunities to gain qualifications for jobs to later get turned down for. The police have an unapologetically retro, head-bashing culture with not even the pretense I've seen in other cities of adopting kinder, gentler, smarter methods. And the largely complacent, well-off populace have historically looked the other way. I have to admit I was ignorant of the specifics of Minnesota racism when I moved back here a few years ago from Portland, and have been disturbed to learn that it might even be worse than in Oregon.
Don't get me wrong: there are a ton of great things about Minneapolis - on paper - and "S" mentions a number of them: great sports, great arts, great parks and recreational options, great schools IF you live in a more upscale neighborhood, great professional job market (more F500 companies per capita than anywhere else) IF you have a degree, great transportation alternatives, and maybe the best library system in the country. Housing is expensive for the midwest but still cheaper than the coasts. It's a great city for educated white people, basically, and admittedly that's what initially attracted me. But look past the sparkling lakes, the glittering skyscrapers and the Minne-Sorta-Nice, and all is not well: while there is a dedicated core (of all races) working hard to try to improve things, there's a lot of wealth in this city that is at best indifferent to the underlying suffering.
Dan |
Minneapolis, MN |
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