The new "White Flight"

[ZYX]

http://www.newgeography.com/content/001110-the-white-city

I came across this article a few minutes ago. It points out a very ironic occurrence that I think many people have never even realized, I know I hadn't.

I encourage you all to read it and post your opinions/thoughts.

Edited to add that I don't believe that this is the same kind of white flight that occurred in the past, and that I don't believe the residents of Portland, Seattle, etc. are racist. It just struck me as being ironic and something worth researching.

[sauerkraut]

I dunno if it's really a race issue- IMO it's more of a crime issue. People flee from where crime is really bad to safer neighborhoods and the safer areas are in the 'burbs. Detroit is a good example it was at one time a nice city back in the 1920's. Then in 1967 they had massive race riots and people fled to the suburbs, as time went on crime in Detroit skyrocked and more people fled the city for the 'burbs. Today Detroit is really bad. Google street maps show the decay all over the city. Detroit is forced to bulldoze thousands of vacant homes and buildings. Detroit's story is one grim tale. I grew up in Warren, Michigan a Detroit 'burb.

[dbacks fan]

I dunno if it's really a race issue- IMO it's more of a crime issue. People flee from where crime is really bad to safer neighborhoods and the safer areas are in the 'burbs. Detroit is a good example it was at one time a nice city back in the 1920's. Then in 1967 they had massive race riots and people fled to the suburbs, as time went on crime in Detroit skyrocked and more people fled the city for the 'burbs. Today Detroit is really bad. Google street maps show the decay all over the city. Detroit is forced to bulldoze thousands of vacant homes and buildings. Detroit's story is one grim tale. I grew up in Warren, Michigan a Detroit 'burb.

Thanks captain obvious. Go have a horseburger.

[Hoss]

Thanks captain obvious. Go have a horseburger.

Guess it's been a while since he's been to the library...

[dbacks fan]

Guess it's been a while since he's been to the library...

Or watched tv, or actually read anything here. He seems really happy that Spirit Casino is going to move the trail along Riverside.

[DTowner]

I think describing it as "white flight" is misleading because comparing the racial make up of places like Portland to national racial statistics is a bit misleading.  I suspect Oregon as a state is and has been well below national averages for African-Americans and many other minorities.  Comparing Portland's racial make now to 10, 20, 40 years ago would be more interesting and informative.

Nonetheless, the article makes some interesting points about the effort to attract the creative class with respect to it resulting in near homogeneous whiteness and its inherent inconsistency with its purported progressive ideals.  Spend some time in Chelsea/West Village/Greenwich Village/SoHo in NYC and in Williamsburg in Brooklyn and it is striking how incredibly white those places are.  Part of it is likely economic (those areas are expensive to live in and, since minorities do worse economically, they are underrepresented), but some of it may be the whole "hipster" cultural appeal.  The word "hip" is about the only thing "hip hop" and "hipster" cultural seem to have in common.

[redpeace]

I dunno if it's really a race issue- IMO it's more of a crime issue. People flee from where crime is really bad to safer neighborhoods and the safer areas are in the 'burbs. Detroit is a good example it was at one time a nice city back in the 1920's. Then in 1967 they had massive race riots and people fled to the suburbs, as time went on crime in Detroit skyrocked and more people fled the city for the 'burbs. Today Detroit is really bad. Google street maps show the decay all over the city. Detroit is forced to bulldoze thousands of vacant homes and buildings. Detroit's story is one grim tale. I grew up in Warren, Michigan a Detroit 'burb.

If you rob them they will go.

[carltonplace]

I think describing it as "white flight" is misleading because comparing the racial make up of places like Portland to national racial statistics is a bit misleading.  I suspect Oregon as a state is and has been well below national averages for African-Americans and many other minorities.  Comparing Portland's racial make now to 10, 20, 40 years ago would be more interesting and informative.

Nonetheless, the article makes some interesting points about the effort to attract the creative class with respect to it resulting in near homogeneous whiteness and its inherent inconsistency with its purported progressive ideals.  Spend some time in Chelsea/West Village/Greenwich Village/SoHo in NYC and in Williamsburg in Brooklyn and it is striking how incredibly white those places are.  Part of it is likely economic (those areas are expensive to live in and, since minorities do worse economically, they are underrepresented), but some of it may be the whole "hipster" cultural appeal.  The word "hip" is about the only thing "hip hop" and "hipster" cultural seem to have in common.

I noticed that there isn't a great amount of racial diversity in the Northwest in places that I've visited (Seattle, Spokane and Creve Coure etc).

[dbacksfan 2.0]

I noticed that there isn't a great amount of racial diversity in the Northwest in places that I've visited (Seattle, Spokane and Creve Coure etc).

If you visit and stay in predominant whitebread west Portland I can see this. Portland is a bit more diverse than you think.

http://www.portlandonline.com/portlandplan/index.cfm?c=52257&a=288623

[heironymouspasparagus]

I noticed that there isn't a great amount of racial diversity in the Northwest in places that I've visited (Seattle, Spokane and Creve Coure etc).

Creve Coeur?  There is one in St. Louis area....


Coeur D'Alene maybe?  Beautiful setting.  Very white.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Seattle

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cityplanning/populationdemographics/aboutseattle/raceethnicity/default.htm

Coeur d’Alene

http://data.spokesman.com/census/2010/idaho/cities/coeur-dalene-id/

St. Louis

http://www.city-data.com/races/races-St.-Louis-Missouri.html

http://www.city-data.com/city/St.-Louis-Missouri.html

Vancouver, British Columbia

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/File:Visible_Minorities_of_Vancouver.png

Spokane

http://spokane.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm

So, Spokane and Coeur d’Alene are the whitest places. They are rural, agricultural cities. What do you expect?

[heironymouspasparagus]

Seattle

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cityplanning/populationdemographics/aboutseattle/raceethnicity/default.htm

Coeur d’Alene

http://data.spokesman.com/census/2010/idaho/cities/coeur-dalene-id/

St. Louis

http://www.city-data.com/races/races-St.-Louis-Missouri.html

http://www.city-data.com/city/St.-Louis-Missouri.html

Vancouver, British Columbia

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/File:Visible_Minorities_of_Vancouver.png

Spokane

http://spokane.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm

So, Spokane and Coeur d’Alene are the whitest places. They are rural, agricultural cities. What do you expect?

St. Louis proper has dropped like a rock....not as bad as Detroit, but definitely declining.  With a zillion little (big) towns around getting built up.  A lot like Tulsa area....not the dropping - the build up of little towns around.