Meet a Black Guy

[Perd Hapley]

Corvallis, Oregon

The booths at the Saturday Corvallis Farmers Market have a wild mix of fresh produce, tasty food, plants and flowers.  But this week, a table just outside the bazaar offered something more bizarre  Meet a Black Guy.  Those who participated in the free service could chat with 21-year-old Corvallis resident Jeff Oliver, and get pictures taken with him.

Its a statement about diversity in Corvallis. Its not a very diverse place, said Oliver, a lifelong Oregonian. He hoped to promote understanding, break stereotypes and perhaps even provide a comedic moment for hundreds of people strolling along the riverfront.

Its a clever way of engaging people with dialogue about the need for more diversity in the community. It kind of caught me by surprise, said Annette Mills, who moved to Corvallis more than a year ago.

http://www.gtconnect.com/articles/2008/06/01/news/community/1loc05_blackguy.txt

Now, I like racial diversity, and I'd prefer my neighborhood have people of various backgrounds.  But why the heck do you need diversity?  How would homogeneity in a town be a problem? 

[Gewehr98]

It may not be a problem, but it can certainly create awkward moments.  I was born and raised in a (still) lily-white town, and the first real black person (other than Sanford on the TV) I saw was at the Milwaukee MEPS station.  I was captivated by a female Navy petty officer, and she caught me staring at her.  I excused myself, and told her she had the most exquisitely beautiful skin, did she do anything special...

I'm sure it creeped her out to no end.   

[41magsnub]

Same here growing up in MT, besides TV I saw maybe 3 black guys growing up until I went into the Army.  I had some negative preconceptions about black folks based on TV and what I did not expect but should have is that I was right about a certain percentage of the black folks I met.  I was wrong about a larger portion.  On average...  there were about the same percentage of "good" vs "bad" folks in each race I met in the Army.  Each race had the borderline criminals, the lazy, the over achievers, the normal folks, the smart, and the stupid.

[Perd Hapley]

My up-bringing was similar, if not as extreme.  There were two blacks in my high school class of 230-something. 

But I guess I don't see those "awkward moments" as much of a problem.  Just one of those interesting moments in this weird thing we call life. 

[Tallpine]

Culture is a much bigger divider than race, IMO

[RocketMan]

Corvallis is the home of Oregon State University.  Very lefty town.  Not too surprised at this.
Lots of diversity on campus.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

http://oregon.stateuniversity.com/

282 black folk outa 19 k

yea i bet they feel need to announce their diversity real loud

[MechAg94]

Wow.  And Texas A&M has taken some heat over the number of minorities.  Much greater minority population than that. 

I graduated high school with a number of black kids.  Most of them lived in town so I didn't see them much.  I guess that is down here though.  I often laugh a bit when northerners accuse southerners of being prejudiced when they have no one around them but their own. 

My experience fits what was said above.  Some fit the stereotypes so well you would think they would be embarrassed.  Most don't and are decent people.

[The Annoyed Man]

Same here growing up in MT, besides TV I saw maybe 3 black guys growing up until I went into the Army.  I had some negative preconceptions about black folks based on TV and what I did not expect but should have is that I was right about a certain percentage of the black folks I met.  I was wrong about a larger portion.  On average...  there were about the same percentage of "good" vs "bad" folks in each race I met in the Army.  Each race had the borderline criminals, the lazy, the over achievers, the normal folks, the smart, and the stupid.

Any trends you might notice towards being shiftless, lazy and good for nothing are generally cultural. I've never seen any evidence that any race is genetically inclined towards being a bunch of shitbags, for lack of a better term. If you drop a white family in the middle of a ghetto their youngun's are likely to grow up to be criminally stupid. If you take a black family and drop them into Beverly Hills all the daughters will inevitably get fourteen breasts implants done before they hit 60. And so on. It's mostly environmental but there are always people who break out of bad environments or get really mad and try to change their environment. Isn't that the reason we have this board and keep coming back? We could have a booth called "meet a gun nut."

[RocketMan]

http://oregon.stateuniversity.com/

282 black folk outa 19 k

yea i bet they feel need to announce their diversity real loud

Driving or walking through that town, I would've sworn the numbers were higher.  I guess I'm just not paying that much attention.

[Scout26]

It may not be a problem, but it can certainly create awkward moments.  I was born and raised in a (still) lily-white town, and the first real black person (other than Sanford on the TV) I saw was at the Milwaukee MEPS station.  I was captivated by a female Navy petty officer, and she caught me staring at her.  I excused myself, and told her she had the most exquisitely beautiful skin, did she do anything special...

I'm sure it creeped her out to no end.   

Hi, I'm Gewehr98 and I'll be your stalker today..... 

[Vodka7]

http://oregon.stateuniversity.com/

282 black folk outa 19 k

yea i bet they feel need to announce their diversity real loud

A friend of mine is black and applied to OSU.  You would not *believe* the amount of money they threw at her.  They're so desperate for diversity they're willing to pay big, big bucks for it.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

i believe it  i worked for mary washington college  arguably amongst the whitest schools in america  and the shout from the roof tops ther openmindedness and diversity. its too funny

[xavier fremboe]

Never been one for the idea that diversity is good for diversity's sake, but I'd have to say that I'd probably stop by this cat's booth, however.  Anyone who'd set up a 'Meet a Black Guy' booth in what sounds like a white bread town is probably an interesting conversationalist.  At least worth a few minutes of my time.

[Monkeyleg]

I was born in Flint, MI, where even in the 1950's the city was very integrated. My grade school was about 50/50 white and black. As I recall, the first girl I kissed was black.

Moving to a lilly-white suburb of Milwaukee was quite an adjustment. There were no blacks whatsoever. In my junior year we had an exchange student from Nigeria. His experience must have been confusing, as he was either fawningly adored or hated.

[Perd Hapley]

Never been one for the idea that diversity is good for diversity's sake, but I'd have to say that I'd probably stop by this cat's booth, however.  Anyone who'd set up a 'Meet a Black Guy' booth in what sounds like a white bread town is probably an interesting conversationalist.  At least worth a few minutes of my time.

I thought that at first.  But I'm starting to think it's more condescending than anything else.  So they live in a mostly-white town.  Does that mean they've never met a Black person before?  But, hey, I don't know the town, so...

[Regolith]

Never been one for the idea that diversity is good for diversity's sake, but I'd have to say that I'd probably stop by this cat's booth, however.  Anyone who'd set up a 'Meet a Black Guy' booth in what sounds like a white bread town is probably an interesting conversationalist.  At least worth a few minutes of my time.

I thought that at first.  But I'm starting to think it's more condescending than anything else.  So they live in a mostly-white town.  Does that mean they've never met a Black person before?  But, hey, I don't know the town, so...

My sister went to college there (as did my parents).  Half her friends were either black or latino, it seemed.  I don't think the place is quite as white bread as some are saying, but it isn't diversity land, either.

[Antibubba]

I've run into people who had never met a Jew before, which in many small towns and "hollars" is not unusual.  Their curiousity and astonishment that I look just like them has led to a few amusing moments.

[seeker_two]

Never been one for the idea that diversity is good for diversity's sake, but I'd have to say that I'd probably stop by this cat's booth, however.  Anyone who'd set up a 'Meet a Black Guy' booth in what sounds like a white bread town is probably an interesting conversationalist.  At least worth a few minutes of my time.

Heck, I'd invite him to the super-secret APS board.... 

[French G.]

No diversity makes raising bigots and ignorants too easy. Witness the "Redneck White Trash and Proud of it" t-shirt I saw yesterday. In 2004(note recent time and upcoming dated term) a realtor up here told my wife "you'll like it here, there's no mosquitoes or coloreds."  Wow.

For entertainment I used to take my wife's grandma to a Wal-mart in Hampton, VA. Not a familiar environment for someone from Minnesota farm country that got their idea of black from Al Roker doing the weather.

[Perd Hapley]

You're right.  Anyone who's "only idea of Black" is Al Roker is bound to hate them.  I don't know about the rest o' y'all, but that guy really bothers me. 

No diversity makes raising bigots and ignorants too easy.

Seriously, though, I have this theory that country folk from secluded, lily-white enclaves are less likely to be bigots, since we don't get beat up by black kids in childhood, nor do we see "ghetto" neighborhoods.  TV and Hollywood give a more balanced view of Black people than many whites are liable to see in real life. 

[Perd Hapley]

I've run into people who had never met a Jew before, which in many small towns and "hollars" is not unusual.  Their curiousity and astonishment that I look just like them has led to a few amusing moments.

You sure they're not just shocked at your hideous ugliness?   

[The Annoyed Man]

I've run into people who had never met a Jew before, which in many small towns and "hollars" is not unusual.  Their curiousity and astonishment that I look just like them has led to a few amusing moments.

Actually you don't shyte about "hollars". But as usual it is a generalization on your part. I lived just across the cypress bay from a Jewish family when I was a kid growing up in Columbia county on the border with Ga. They were part of a small community as much as I was. I even went to their place of worship once. Course I might be the exception to the rule. I was raised by a wonderful woman who happened to be black. She loved me same as her kids.

I spent some time in Michigan. Just about the most racist place I ever been too excepting New York. And that is a generalization as well. I am sure there are some fine people in both places. 

[K Frame]

I grew up in a town and went to a school that was totally white.

Across the river, in Harrisburg, blacks referred to our area as "the White Shore."


I went to Dickinson College in the 1980s. 2,200 students, and perhaps a dozen blacks if that many. Far more Asians.

[wmenorr67]

In Kindergarten and 1st grade I was one of only five white kids in the whole school.

Only two of us were "normal."  The rest were in the special education courses.