Have you heard about the book “Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America”?
Here’s the background: Between 2007 and 2009, Rich Benjamin, who is an African-American, traveled on a 26,909-mile journey throughout the heart of white America, some of the fastest growing and “whitest” locales in our nation. (We are one of the whitest counties in the state but not fast growing — and our demographics are changing).
“By 2042, whites will no longer be the American majority,” Benjamin observes. “A related, less reported trend is that as people of color, especially immigrant populations, increase in cities and suburbs, more and more whites are living in small towns and exurban areas that are predominately, even extremely, white.”
No California cities made the list, because of the “white flight” from the Golden State, according to Benjamin (and callers into NPR, which aired the segment here this week).
The list is here.
“One of the startling things I’ve come upon is that this country is as segregated, residentially and educationally, as it was in 1970,” according to Benjamin.
The book is a little sensational, to be sure, but it raises some important questions about our present and future that we should think and talk about.
Here’s a video. It’s worth taking the time to listen to:
I really don’t see any problem with this concept at all. I think we could use more direct, ironic, humorous and uninhibited ways to discuss race in America.
Here is one of my favorite web sites:
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/
It is indeed true that my fellow white people are much more fond of Bob Marly than my black friends are.
Its just true, its not a stereotype, its not a stereotype!