Really now? I'm intrigued. Tell me more.
Apparently a lot of black New Yorkers, particularly those in Queens, are moving South because of our low real estate prices, economic opportunities and soured racial relations. According to the article,
"About 17 percent of the African-Americans who moved to the South from other states in the past decade came from New York, far more than from any other state, according to census data. Of the 44,474 who left New York State in 2009, more than half, or 22,508, went to the South, according to a study conducted by the sociology department of Queens College for The New York Times."Really now? Economic opportunities? Because the last time I checked, the counties around my hometown had some of the highest unemployment rates in the state (almost 2% higher than New York I might add). And this mass exodus from New York is targeting North Carolina, Florida, Virginia and Georgia. Interesting.
My other favorite part of the article was this catchy little line --
“My grandmother’s generation left the South and came to the North to escape segregation and racism,” she [Ms. Wilkins] said. “Now, I am going back because New York has become like the old South in its racial attitudes.”Really now? Because the last time I checked (which was some time in the last month) I was informed that the South is still incredibly segregated, particularly in cities.
So essentially, everyone wants to talk about how bad the racial tension is in the South, but now the truth is coming out. The truth being that there is racial tension everywhere, ours just happens to historically pack more gusto.
Very interesting. I'm actually shocked by this article. I honestly believed that everyone still thought the South was this antebellum museum of racial tension and men wearing bed sheets.
Bless my heart, I stand corrected. Thank you New York Times.
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