When Blacks Get Their American Dream ‘Burb On

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The WSJ reports that, for the first time, ‘black’ cities like DC and Atlanta are losing their historic black populations to the suburbs. News, certainly. But why they gotta turn it into a big ol’ drama?

The only difference between this and white flight is that blacks are running toward something (supposed peace and tranquility) and not away from something (coloreds). We’d a done it sooner but for the economic discrimination that kept us from affording to join those stupid commuters with their ‘bowling alone’ anomie. And, oh, y’all killing us for trying.

Now, we get our American Dream ‘burb on—and we media types can’t just report already dramatic news. It’s gotta be a race war.

Here’s the WSJ’s sub hed:

For the First Time in Decades, Cities’ Black Populations Lose Ground, Stirring Clashes Over Class, Culture and Even Ice Cream.

Heavens! Formerly black churches are courting newly gentrifying whites rather than, oh, I dunno, closing. White candidates have a shot at winning ‘black’ mayoralties and municipalities are flinging up jazz spots all over town, knowing that Negroes can’t resist a hot sax anymore than Paris Hilton can resist a camera. Race war!

Why can’t news about blacks just be that—news about blacks? White folks: Everything ain’t about y’all all the time.

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Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And the essential ingredient that makes all this possible? Readers like you.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to devote the time and resources to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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