“Some of my best friends are Black, Hispanic, Asian, Immigrants, or Gay, so how could anyone ever accuse me of being a bigot or racist?“
A recently released national study claims that a person will hear that historically and notoriously bigoted and racist statement in Trenton, NJ, than anywhere else in New Jersey!! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! According to the website World Population Review https://worldpopulationreview.com/the city of Trenton-with a population of about 91,000–and roughly only 8,500 of those residents being White and the remainder, African-American, Hispanic or something else–is the 12th most racist city in the country! Really?
The website used a variety of statistics, including geographics, algorithms, household income, unemployment rates, homeownership rates, entrepreneurship, educational levels, and data from other sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and educational levels, in determining the disturbing list.
I was deeply troubled by the findings for a few reasons. First, as someone who grew up near and hung out in Trenton back in the day, I don’t recall experiencing any blatant racism. And as a journalist that has covered and written extensively about business, politics, and crime in Trenton for more than 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in other places where racial injustice was far more pervasive and palpable.
In an even stranger twist, the list ranked the cities of Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa, as the most racist city in the country. Ouch again! As someone who lived and went to college in Iowa, albeit nearly 40 years ago, the twin cities of Waterloo and Cedar Falls were and still are the two most culturally diverse cities in the entire state of Iowa–in other words, that is where most of the people of color live in the Hawkeye state!
At any rate, I reviewed the report, smirked, chuckled, and then laughed out loud LOL!. Amazingly, not one state or city in the top 15 of the list was in the South. When I think of historically racist towns and states, I think about places like Harrison, AR, Jackson, MS, or Shelby County, Ala. Somehow, Trenton, NJ, Waterloo, IA, or Milwaukee, WI–which ranked as the second most racist city in the country– don’t come to mind.
Editor’s note, 5/22/23, 2:32 pm: An additional link has been added to the story to clarify how the list of “Most Racist Cities in America 2023” was determined by WorldPopulationReview.com
I’m amazed as well Trenton is my home I’ve seen it deteriorate from the inside out , when it was bustling with factories. You could walk anywhere (as long as it wasn’t let’s just say except one lil section) and not get shot at or robbed just to doing it. It’s sad kids don’t play outside because people are doing target practice at innocent people . Yes we have our issues but not compared to the racism in other states where you’re always suspect. Just sad our youth are being targeted as well. Break them down and there goes the future for Hope.
I live in Trenton born and raised here. I am black, I have a college education and I own a home. I DO NOT know where you got your statics from but I do know that you can make statics say whatever you want them to say. I learned this in my statics class.
I also want to tell you that I am not an anomaly; I know many just like me. I would also like to say I worked in Edison, NJ for a while and I know that the people who live there are extremely racist. I say do your due diligence when writing a story with such damaging effects. Trenton already has a bad reputation for things that happen more frequently in the surrounding suburbs-Lawrence, Ewing, Hamilton. And according to the USPS these suburbs are actually listed as Trenton. So do your research before screwing this garbage.
Thank you for your comment. I just reported the statistics highlighted in the link listed in the story. Additionally, Trentonian columnist LA Parker also reported a similar story earlier this month. While I thought the story was “interesting,” I made it quite clear in my column that I did not agree with the report about the city of Trenton.
Glenn Townes…you practice responsible Journalism..
I enjoy reading your columns ..
you are doing yourself an injustice for even mentioning that Race-Baiting , hate mongering ‘Sad Sack’ Parker’ in your answer..
I stopped buying/ reading the Trentonian years ago because of his constant vituperative swipes on Caucasians..
Thank you for your comment and reading my columns. I only referred to Parker in my answer because I occasionally read his columns when I’m in Trenton and pick up the Trentonian.
Precisely Narvis.. but then the writer goes on to say ‘Well LA Parker wrote a similar article’
I have no respect for LA Parker..he has a chip on his shoulder so big.. and all the times he has screwed up.. he blames others, never himself..
The Ugly Truth
Racism to the Left, Racism to the Right, this buggyperson is every where you look.
Just like you could find statistics nowadays to justify any twisted perspective, racism could be found everywhere you care to find it.
Therefore, the child that cried “racism” (instead of wolf) was left to be eaten by the racist actions of the real wolf simply because of the previous false narratives of this foolish child.
We have created a callus society because of the defuncted crybabies winning Grammy Awards. So, the average non social media influencer could be fired and mistreated by a racially motivated supervisor, boss, landlord, cop, but everyone will think twice before coming to their defense because they have been burnt by Sharpen, Jessie and Smollett.
It’s time to stop throwing such a charged up word in your daily conversation because one day you may need it to defend you against a real and present danger.
PLEASE!!! YOU CAN’T BLAME WHITE PEOPLE THIS TIME!! NO WHITE PEOPLE LIVE IN TRENTON ANYMORE!! 8,500 MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO!! MORE LIKE A 100
Nothing in the south….you got to be kidding me
Unbelievable. Algorithmic is used to target the geographical areas of color, as well as the Justice system, in sentencing of color. Trenton has deteriorated yes, however their residential count includes the entire Mercer county area.
Do your own research, for real truth. VIRGINIA SHOULD BE #1
Categorizing the city of Trenton among the racist cities in our country without cities down south is just laughable. If I may ask, how did you come to this conclusion about this multicultural city?
Thank you for your comment. The social commentary is based on statistics that were recently released. The link to view the study is highlighted 2 or 3 times in the editorial. I clearly explained how and why I disagreed and disputed the findings about the city of Trenton, despite what one of the columnists for the city’s daily newspaper reported in a similar story about the same topic earlier this month.
It’s odd to see Trenton come up at all. I’m white living in Trenton almost all of my life and I’ve found that the whites are more racist towards me than any other race. I’ve been accepted and I’ve accepted just the same when it comes to the diverse cultures we have here. Just not as accepted in the surrounding areas. My friends tell me it’s because I’m the wrong shade of white lmao….well then Im glad that I am. I’ve met and know better human beings because of that. Trenton may not be a fairy tale place that everyone wants to come to, but once you’re here you see why the people who live here still love it for better or worse.
Trenton City is a racist sanctuary city. Not whites against all others, not gender biased, but illegal immigrants are given free passes when violating laws and ordinances while blacks and whites are held accountable. In Trenton, illegal immigrants are not even called illegals, yet they rent homes without social security numbers, get jobs without green cards or social security cards, buy cars and drive without drivers’ licenses, credit histories and insurance, they do not have to register their vehicles in NJ even though they have been living in NJ for years, commit crimes without being locked up. Litter, piss and sh*t in public and on private property, have farm animals in their back yards, drink while driving, even when pulled over by the Police, are never ticketed or cars confiscated. They get Welfare, but fathers live in the home and do not pay back the money their families receive. There are no Child Support Sweeps or Drunk Driving Check Points in the area where most reside. Police Officers who are not Hispanic barely patrol the areas where they commit offenses (stabbing incidents, soliciting prostitutes, loud music, dumping trash on the curb every day of the week, double parking, parking near hydrants and corners, riding motorized bikes in the park while children are playing, etc)
So if this is what the article meant by calling Trenton racist. I agree!
just for the record.. this is how Townes ‘butters his bread’ he throws out these sleazy, biased , non researched ‘click bait’ articles and we all ‘knee jerk’ respond ..
he is a an opportunist. and loves to stir the Racist pot
I know this post will be put in ‘moderation’ by him and never given a view..
but that’s OK with me..
I’ll just post it on Trenton Orbit..
😊