<p>Very fine, fair and candid posts from MomLive and Deega123.</p>
<p>Yes, the “race question” is never very far from the surface in South Carolina, for better or worse. For example, I think that Charleston or Columbia essentially maintain two separate public school districts, one virtually all African American, on one largely white. As a mature resident with no school age children, this wouldn’t affect you directly. But it does address a bit of the local culture MomLive spoke of. Of course there is progress. New U.S. Senator Tim Scott is a black man. Take note that he was appointed to the seat but his views are in line with many quite conservative SC residents. Agree or disagree, that’s undeniable progress from Strom’s days in Congress.</p>
<p>Forgot to add that you will likely never find a direct flight between Columbia and any Western, Midwest or Northeast metropolis. An elder in-law who travels frequently always has to change flights in Cincinnati or Washington DC. The good news is the flight from those two cities is brief. But your wait for a connection may be nearly unbearable. LOL.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is more racism in South Carolina than in NY. That’s mostly a projection of people from NY. For example, during the widespread integration of the public schools in the South, I don’t recall any bus loads of school children being attacked as they were during the court ordered integration of schools in South Boston. I think you’ll find plenty of racism just about everywhere. </p>
<p>BTW, the “membership” bars were a remnant of prohibition. Many towns and counties in the south were still dry well into the 1970s and later. Private “clubs” could serve alcohol.</p>
<p>“For example, during the widespread integration of the public schools in the South, I don’t recall any bus loads of school children being attacked as they were during the court ordered integration of schools in South Boston.”</p>
<p>You’re kidding, right? Attack dogs, fire hoses, church bombings, grown adults screaming insults at 6 year olds, people pouring condiments on blacks at the lunch counters (in Columbia). I don’t think any location has a claim to the “worst” racism, but the south made it pretty plan where it stood on desegregation. </p>
<p>I’m taking this all in since Columbia is one of the cities D has on her radar for colleges and we’ll be touring the south next summer. She’s specifically looking at HBCU’s for a teaching degree so I’m wondering which still "separate but (un)equal school she’ll be student teaching at.</p>
<p>There is definitely still racism here but you generally find it more prevalent among those without college educations and/or those who are from my MIL and FIL’s generation. My MIL always had a black nanny when she was a child just like in ‘The Help’ including the outside bathroom. My FIL, on the other hand, was raised on a farm and he was telling us just last night that growing up he only had two white friends. The rest of the boys were African-Americans who worked on the family farm with him. I wouldn’t consider either one of them a racist. However, my MIL’s brother rankles me all the time with his racist comments (he’s an attorney).</p>
<p>I work for the one of the largest employers in the state and I have lots of black colleagues. Times are changing. I don’t see the same racist issues with my son’s generation. There is, however, a lot of ‘self-segregation’ that goes on in schools, neighborhoods, churches and clubs.</p>
<p>And, yes, people do still wave the Confederate flag. It’s a matter of historical pride here. SC is a pleasant place to live but it is somewhat ‘backwards’, IMO.</p>
<p>Oh dear, memories of white men calling black men “boy.” You haven’t seen poverty until you’ve seen the other side of the tracks in Southern towns. Shacks. </p>
<p>But putting that aside, the one thing that always bothered me was people tend to stop and wait when they merge on highway.</p>
<p>As Sseamom and MomLive have alluded to, contemporary South Carolina can be a basket full of contradiction. But ultimately, one can find one’s comfort level if one earnestly seeks it.</p>
<p>Incidentally, right now I am reading Eugene Robinson’s (Washington Post Opinion Writer) book ‘Disintegration.’ Amidst the bad old days in SC, he does fondly remember vibrant, nuturing and healthy communities, such as Orangeburg in the 1960s-70s.</p>
<p>And yes Lergnom, there just as many motorists in the south as there are in the northeast whom clearly do not know the meaning of road signs which declare “merge ahead.” LOL.</p>
<p>That was in the 1950s. The attacks on busloads of children in South Boston were in 1976, following court-ordered busing. The large wave of school de-segregation came in the 1970s following a 1971 court decision forcing the use of busing. That wave went largely without a hitch – although the long-term response white people moving out of the cities and building new schools.</p>
<p>Anyway, I find it a bit unfair to highlight racism in the South with what happened when Massachusetts schools had forced desegregation in the 1970s.</p>
<p>Son of a Freshman Music Major from FL who happens to be Jewish, though not overly religious…first, he turned down FSU and UF, and absolutely LOVES it in Columbia! Some of it is the music thing, but he’s also made great friends of various levels and backgrounds, and it’s a very welcoming environment. Regarding the Jewish thing, he’s made it no secret - and it hasn’t impacted any friendships. USC has a Jewish fraternity and there is a Hillel house somewhere nearby, so while it certainly isn’t Brandeis, that community does exist. I think SC offers a great deal, but in the end it’s all about what the right fit is for each individual.</p>
<p>My son is in college there…Jewish, from Florida, and LOVES it! Honestly he hasn’t experience any real prejudice on campus, but it is the true south and church is an important part of people’s lives…I have come to really like Columbia, but know it’s got some seedy, crime areas like any city with a decent population in the South. The pluses far outweight the minuses, the closest thing to it is Tallahassee, FL.</p>