Ethnic neighborhoods

[Paladin D]

If you know about them (or grew up in one), you would know that in many cities (especially major ones) there are neighborhoods that are assumed to be of a specific ethnic group. For example, Italian neighborhood, Polish neighborhood, German, Irish, Chinese etc.

The main question to all this is: Should or should not ethnic groupings be encouraged? As in, encouraging Italians to live in one area, Polish in another, etc? Or should it even be discouraged?


[b]EDIT:[/b] I guess one positive side-affect of having a large ethnic group in one area, it gives it a more distinctive sub-culture in a city (not to mention the food).

Edited November 22, 2004 by Paladin D

[Kilroy the Ninja]

hmmmm, that's a hard one. On one hand, nobody should be forced to live specifically in one area only, on the other hand, it makes finding whatever food you're in the mood for pretty easy.... JUST KIDDING!

It's hard to say... I live in a mostly African-American neighborhood. So I'm the minority.

[Paladin D]

[quote name='Kilroy the Ninja' date='Nov 22 2004, 04:30 PM'] hmmmm, that's a hard one. On one hand, nobody should be forced to live specifically in one area only, on the other hand, it makes finding whatever food you're in the mood for pretty easy.... JUST KIDDING!

It's hard to say... I live in a mostly African-American neighborhood. So I'm the minority. [/quote]
[b]"Encouraged"[/b], not forcing.

[Azriel]

I think people in a culture/background naturally gravitate toward each other ... on the other hand, sometimes groupings like this are forced because of economic reasons, and/or stupidity(ie "white flight")

I grew up in a predominately African-American Neighborhood that was previous to 1970 or so - predominately White.

I don't know if it should be discouraged - but I don't think it should necessarily be encouraged either.

[Azriel]

[quote name='Paladin D' date='Nov 22 2004, 03:33 PM'] [b]"Encouraged"[/b], not forcing. [/quote]
Encouraged almost sounds worse ...

cut to scene:

[i]Dude with a Funny White Sheet: "We highly encourage you folks to leave".
[/i]

[Balthazor]

I don't see a big problem with it. Here we have the second wave of immigration has hit, so we have a Hmong neigborhood and a Latino neighborhood. It is cool because it preserves some aspects of a culture, there are asian and latino food markets in those areas.

Then if you look at the older patterns of imigration there is a Polish church and a Dutch church in town. The neighborhoods had thier own parishes, in which they were able to keep certain parts of their cultre they might not have been able to hold onto.

For example in the little Polish town back home, they have a Polsih parish were the Babcias still make Panczki every fat tuesday, and where they still serve up Czarnina (duck blood soup) at thier church dinners.

They should be allowed to live in ethnic neighborhoods definately....not forced but allowed.

[homeschoolmom]

depends on who's doing the encouraging...

government? Racist citizens who don't wanna mix? Or others of that ethnicity who encourage family and friends to live nearby to preserve their culture?

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Paladin D' date='Nov 22 2004, 05:28 PM'] If you know about them (or grew up in one), you would know that in many cities (especially major ones) there are neighborhoods that are assumed to be of a specific ethnic group. For example, Italian neighborhood, Polish neighborhood, German, Irish, Chinese etc.

The main question to all this is: Should or should not ethnic groupings be encouraged? As in, encouraging Italians to live in one area, Polish in another, etc? Or should it even be discouraged?


[b]EDIT:[/b] I guess one positive side-affect of having a large ethnic group in one area, it gives it a more distinctive sub-culture in a city (not to mention the food). [/quote]
As long as people choose to live there, and not coerced to live there, it is fine.