Unfortunately I think the co-worker may have been making a true observation rather than simply displaying her ignorance.
The point she hit on is that in most places there is still a lot of segregation. What she may have been commenting on is the possibility that this area is an area with lower property values, a less affluent area. What she saw as the cause though, may have been the effect.
In my neighborhood,for example, property values have risen (I could no longer afford to purchase my house if I had to do it today). I've also noticed is that the neighborhood is becoming more white (the neighborhood had a better mix than most in the city all along, but is predominently latin American). Take this to mean whatever you will, but more expensive neighborhoods to the west of mine have a large majority white population--this is in a city that is probably 75% black.
We can easily write off the co-workers assertion as overt racism (and it pretty much is that), but we can't deny her observation that , in most cases, you can tell something about the state of a neighborhood by those living there.
Fortunately there are places (particularly in the south) where the trend is being bucked (affluent communities with mostly minority populations). Unfortunately, the sad fact of the matter is that in the U.S. today blacks and other minority groups are still as a whole economically less advantaged than their white counterparts.
This, topic is interesting, what I'd like to know is how people view this in relation to gentrification. I know that philosophically I have issues with gentrification. On the other hand as a home owner I have to ask myself if I would mind it so much if a Starbucks went up on the main drag in my neighborhood (especially since I fully expect not to live in my present home the rest of my life--I refer of course to resale value).
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Originally posted by pete-rock
