[THE FAILURES OF] INTEGRATION: How Race and Class Are Undermining the American Dream

Rating:
Summary: I WANT MORE!!!!!
Review: As an Urban Studies and Public Policy major, many of the concepts in Cashin's book came to life for me. I believe that Cashin's book gives detailed explantion on the various structural problems in the housing market and in the school systems. This is an excellent book for any reader.

Rating:
Summary: All People Should Read This to Open their Eyes to Reality!
Review: I'm an upper-middle class white male who, for many years, has been seeking to eradicate all lingering propensities towards any measure of prejudicial perception. In meeting many open minded people, much knowledge has been transferred to help project an educated perspective on this whole issue. But, nothing has pulled the wool from over my eyes better than Sheryll Cashion's powerful, honest, and multi-dimensional analysis of separatist realities in this country.

She is quite gifted as an author, objective conveyer of the truth, and true servant of human rights. She has produced the most insightful and informative piece of literature I've ever read on this topic. Her factual analysis is so obviously evidenced through a simple personal examination of our very own communities, living conditions, institutions, and social interaction tendencies. An unfettered open mind has the most amount to gain from this book. However, because her analysis is so factually based, anyone could gain unique insight into an unpleasant and unfair aspect of our society, irregardless of their own views.

I grew up in Charles County, Maryland, and what Sheryll Cashion articulates, constitutes a disturbing, but all too accurate reality. As the human race, we all coexist in some relative physical proximity, but for all intensive purposes, our personal lives and residential existence are far from embellishing an integration mind set. Whether consciously or subconsciously, as a whole, we really have migrated towards a separatist society in far too many areas. My hope is that generations growing up in modern times will see the ugly truth of historical conditions, and become tomorrow's advocates for true integration and freedoms we hold dear. This book helps provide an accurate background of why our society has become separate, but also explains the avenue of mitigation moving forward.

Though I could never truly know what it is like to grow up black and/or poor, it's painful to learn imposed prejudicial policies, and how they can significant affect the quality of life for any race that is subject to such conditions. It's so easy to be a majority of those who enjoy benefits of race from birth, and not see the other side of the coin. This is wrong, but until we gain related knowledge, how do we know any better sometimes? Read this book and it will fuel the fire of a realistic perception against racism.

I firmly believe we are all in control of our own destinies with individual accountability. But racist indoctrination is simply TOO obvious to dismiss in being an atrociously detrimental force contributing to hardships incurred by black (and other minority) races. It's one thing to have the same opportunities with equal rights, but when life starts with such a disadvantage, the realization of success is tougher. Accountability of the individual is always important. However, when the playing field is not level, it's harder (though not impossible) to achieve the desired measure of success one seeks.

Everyone, independent of race, should read this book to gain critical understanding of how racial discrimination impacts many seemingly unrelated aspects of life. I say this to because, as is said in this book, not only does racism severely impact the race it's imposed upon, but, proliferation has immediate and long-term negative implications on culture and society at large. Thank you for writing this Sheryll. You are one of the few authors to remain relatively neutral in your analysis of this huge problem, yet promote an honest and important view point. My eyes are wide open now, and as a white male not completely understanding how it feels to be the victim in these circumstances, you certainly have the universal truth serum!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: Some of you may wonder why I, being a white Brit with conservative political beliefs, should be interested in a book about racial issues in America. It's quite simple, really - Britain, like America, is a multi-racial society in which the different races sometimes have difficulty relating to each other and this is a good way to understand some of what black people think of whites and how the differences can be overcome. While there are differences between Britain and America, there are also plenty of similarities. I do not agree with everything here but I never expected to. To be honest, the book is far better -and more constructive - than I dared hope.

Sheryll Cashin, the author, is clearly a highly intelligent lady who has done a lot of research for this book. She presents her case well and it is, at times, uncomfortable reading for white readers, just as I expected, though it is also clear that she recognizes that progress needs the co-operation of the white community, so she is careful in her use of language. Furthermore, she acknowledges that black people have some of the same faults. In this way, she can reasonably hope to win support for her case from at least some white people. She presents a lot of facts as well as opinions presented as facts.

One of the opinions that are presented as fact is fundamental to her philosophy. This is a forecast that the white majority will disappear this century in America and that by 2100 whites will only make up forty percent of the population - still the largest ethnic group but not a majority. This forecast may prove to be accurate but it may not. By persistently stating it as a fact rather than a forecast, Sheryll damages her case slightly.

Sheryll mainly focuses on housing although schools are also given a fair bit of coverage. She scarcely mentions business or cultural situations. Furthermore, she only looks at what is happening in America. It would have been useful to compare the American experience with what is happening in Europe, where there is also a white majority, and with Africa, where there is a black majority.

Sheryll complains that white people like to live in areas that are predominately white, yet acknowledges that black people like to live in areas that are predominately black. She wants us all to live amongst each other - no white areas, no black areas (actually, she concedes that a few enclaves might be OK, even useful) - but explains why she won't be an integration pioneer (her term for a black person going to live in a white area). All this explains why areas that somehow manage to become mixed generally don't stay mixed - eventually one race becomes a minority and moves out unless there is a strong sense of community.

Sheryll does, however, draw one clear distinction, claiming that black people are accustomed to (and therefore comfortable) being a minority among whites, yet white people are uncomfortable being in a minority among blacks. This may well be true (at least for some whites), but this is where research in Africa would have been useful - it would have revealed whether it is a white problem or a majority race problem. I will say that the only time I was in a white minority was on a training course. It lasted several weeks but although I was surprised at first (it was a new experience for me), I quickly got used to it and I never had any problems with any of the black people I met there - indeed, some of them were wonderful.

Sheryll's wish for all areas to be mixed (which she concedes is a Utopian ideal) might be attainable in the long term but she acknowledges that it could not be imposed - it must be achieved by persuasion. My instinct is that this will be easier to achieve by focusing on schools and work first. If whites and blacks get used to each other in these aspects of life, then eventually they will be happier to live amongst each other. This may take a couple of generations or more. Sheryll is clearly of the opinion that housing is central and points to local action in various places that have yielded results.

However, what makes Sheryll's solution completely unworkable is that she wants to break down all class barriers, inextricably linking class, wealth and race. She does not like the concept of people living in the best area they can afford, thus creating exclusive areas that are thereby out of the range of most people. Unfortunately for Sheryll, this type of segregation has existed from the earliest days of civilization as we recognize it, even in single-race communities, and I can't see that it's never going to change. Linking class issues with race issues undermines her case totally.

Despite my misgivings, this book is compulsive reading and everybody can learn a lot from it. If your political beliefs are similar to Sheryll's, you may yearn for her proposed solution, but even if you're a white conservative like me, it is useful to get a glimpse of the black perspective on racial issues.

Regardless of your racial group or political beliefs, I have no hesitation in recommending this book.

Rating:
Summary: Whiny
Review: This book should be required reading for anyone who wants to ever buy a house and/or send kids to school in America.

Rating:
Summary: Whiny
Review: This is a whiny book. The author rails against whites who moved to the suburbs or placed their children in private schools and against blacks who did the same. She seems to long for some sort of state run utopia where we are all forced to live side by side and forced to smile and like it or else.

No thanks.

In the wake of the aniversary of Brown v. Board of Education several silly books like this were published. All, and this one especially failed to grasp what Brown was about. It wasn't that black people need to be near whites or that we can't live without them in our neighborhoods or schools. Brown was about the chance to go out and meet opportunity. We are free to go to school where we want. The national guard doesn't have to be activated in order to get black chidren into a shchool anymore. We are free to live where we want. We are free to socialize with whomever we want. I'd hardly call that integration's failure. The book and the author don't make their cases.

Rating:
Summary: Describing the Costs of "Voluntary" Segregation
Review: You don't need to read this book to know that the United States remains a highly segregated nation, especially its African-American citizens. What will probably shock you is to learn how hard it is to find a neighborhood where the population is reasonably integrated. Professor Cashin lives in such a neighborhood and helps the rest of to see what we are missing in our not very integrated neighborhoods.

Naturally, I expected the book to outline the problems that African-Americans face as a result such as poorer educations, fewer job opportunities, more exposure to crime and few cultural choices. And of course the book correctly spells out those problems. The book also describes that there are economic burdens for even middle class African-Americans because their neighborhoods are often close to poor African-American neighborhoods . . . and the costs spill over. There is a remarkable discussion of Washington, D.C. and its suburbs that makes all of these details tangible.

What makes this a remarkable book that adds new fuel to the debate in favor of integration is that Professor Cashin makes a compelling argument that those who are not African-Americans are paying a high economic price for living apart. These costs include higher real estate prices, longer commutes, higher prices for basic goods and services and higher taxes to pay for the social ills that follow from African-American poverty. In addition, families pay a higher cost by having parents and children be apart for more hours in the day.

Professor Cashin points out that a central flaw in the way we all live our lives is to seek out the very best neighborhoods to raise our children in . . . a natural instinct among all parents. In pursuing that instinct, we often fail to look at the alternatives such as living in a good neighborhood where our cost of living will be 1/3 less so that one parent doesn't have to work. We also miss the chance for our children to become better prepared for the multicultural world that lies ahead.

Professor Cashin has done her homework, and she makes a number of novel suggestions for how to overcome our bias towards living in segregated communities.

The only weakness I found in the work was her extreme emphasis on parents and their young children. The last time I looked, fewer than 10 percent of all U.S. households had two parents and children under 18 in them. Clearly, looking out for children isn't the only reason people live in segregated areas. I think part of the missing argument is how much more profitable it is to prepare for retirement by owning a home in a sought-after community.

But I know lots of people who want to move into more interesting areas after their children are grown. They would seem like good candidates to look into the benefits of living in integrated neighborhoods.

School funding is a national shame. That problem needs to be overcome. All children need to have the chance to develop their talents in safe schools and neighborhoods. We are making a huge mistake if we don't fix this problem.

Rating:
Summary: Describing the Costs of "Voluntary" Segregation
Review: You don't need to read this book to know that the United States remains a highly segregated nation, especially its African-American citizens. What will probably shock you is to learn how hard it is to find a neighborhood where the population is reasonably integrated. Professor Cashin lives in such a neighborhood and helps the rest of to see what we are missing in our not very integrated neighborhoods.

Naturally, I expected the book to outline the problems that African-Americans face as a result such as poorer educations, fewer job opportunities, more exposure to crime and few cultural choices. And of course the book correctly spells out those problems. The book also describes that there are economic burdens for even middle class African-Americans because their neighborhoods are often close to poor African-American neighborhoods . . . and the costs spill over. There is a remarkable discussion of Washington, D.C. and its suburbs that makes all of these details tangible.

What makes this a remarkable book that adds new fuel to the debate in favor of integration is that Professor Cashin makes a compelling argument that those who are not African-Americans are paying a high economic price for living apart. These costs include higher real estate prices, longer commutes, higher prices for basic goods and services and higher taxes to pay for the social ills that follow from African-American poverty. In addition, families pay a higher cost by having parents and children be apart for more hours in the day.

Professor Cashin points out that a central flaw in the way we all live our lives is to seek out the very best neighborhoods to raise our children in . . . a natural instinct among all parents. In pursuing that instinct, we often fail to look at the alternatives such as living in a good neighborhood where our cost of living will be 1/3 less so that one parent doesn't have to work. We also miss the chance for our children to become better prepared for the multicultural world that lies ahead.

Professor Cashin has done her homework, and she makes a number of novel suggestions for how to overcome our bias towards living in segregated communities.

The only weakness I found in the work was her extreme emphasis on parents and their young children. The last time I looked, fewer than 10 percent of all U.S. households had two parents and children under 18 in them. Clearly, looking out for children isn't the only reason people live in segregated areas. I think part of the missing argument is how much more profitable it is to prepare for retirement by owning a home in a sought-after community.

But I know lots of people who want to move into more interesting areas after their children are grown. They would seem like good candidates to look into the benefits of living in integrated neighborhoods.

School funding is a national shame. That problem needs to be overcome. All children need to have the chance to develop their talents in safe schools and neighborhoods. We are making a huge mistake if we don't fix this problem.