I think Liz may be on to something when she said that it is more an issue of “majority vs. minority” than anything else. But along with this, whites have always felt as though they are the superior race. This has been the common belief and practice for centuries, and to change the minds of everyone, everywhere, so quickly would be impossible. So therefore I think that the whites may remain the “majority” for a while longer simply because they have held the power for so long. Whether this is right or not, it still seems to be the reality.
What I found particularly interesting was when one of the readings talked about a sort of “forced integration” in public housing. Since whites were moving out as the number of blacks and Puerto Ricans increased, organizations wished to try and “even out the numbers”, so to speak. To do this, one group tried offering homes to whites in mainly colored-inhabited areas, and offering homes to minorities in mainly white-inhabited areas. This did not work as well as planned. Integration cannot really be a forced entity, it just has to happen on its own. Eventually, people became comfortable and accepting enough so that there was no longer so much segregation. But to try and plan a 50/50 ratio of whites to blacks or other ethnic groups is just not the solution.
I really enjoyed the Sharman reading again this week, as it told a descriptive and personal story of one man and his experience. He was not even born in New York, yet experienced it in a very unique way. I liked the way in which Russell referenced others we had previously read about, putting the New York he now lived in into context. It was crazy to think that the luxurious apartment Russell stood in was once Lucille’s neighborhood. While it is important to move along as history progresses, I also think it is important to keep a part of that history with you. The past holds treasures that should never be forgotten.
To jump around again, I would just like to point out my confusion when reading the Pritchett chapters. There was so much controversy over the issues of public housing and racial changes, yet nothing really influential was done. Many of the groups advocating for blacks were made up mostly of whites! It is no wonder that no solid, lasting change was made! Sometimes things like these make
