Whites become minority in Kansas county {again} (CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Sean Callebs
CNN

FINNEY COUNTY, Kansas (CNN) -- U.S. communities are changing complexion as ethnic diversity grows in the American heartland.

Though not new in California, Arizona, Texas or Florida, the change of demographics is a bit more surprising in southwest Kansas.

Finney County, Kansas, is one of six counties across the nation that became majority-minority between 2007 and 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau recently announced. The agency defines majority-minority as a county where more than half the population is made up of a group that is not single-race, non-Hispanic white.

Nearly 10 percent (309) of the nation's 3,142 counties were majority-minority as of July 1, 2008.

"Why there?" people ask Tim Cruz, former mayor of Garden City, Kansas, the largest town in Finney County. And then, "How do you all get along?"
***
more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/05/22/garden.city.kansas.minorities/index.html

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/kansas/

[glowing]

1. Isn't Kansas part of the Nafta route?

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Not that part of Kansas

That's way west. The NAFTA route is in eastern KS.

[cornermouse]

6. It's due to IBP or Tysons or whatever they call themselves now.

It's a contrived population shift. They shut down part of the Emporia plant (the kill floor) and shipped it out and the minorities who were working in it out to western Kansas.

As I understood it last I heard, the plan was to ship cattle from the feedlots in eastern Kansas out to western Kansas to be slaughtered and then ship them back to eastern Kansas to be processed thereby crossing the width of the state twice. Major waste of gas and probably increased prices in the supermarket.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. I used to live in Emporia

The workers tried to unionize that plant; it was a long hard struggle. The union lost and that plant went out of business several years later.

They used to slaughter the cattle in KC. Now they kill them closer to the ranches.

There really aren't very many feedlots in easter Kansas but you are right. They ship them west to kill them and back east to process. A ridiculous waste of resources.

[readmoreoften]

2. Oh NOES!! Just think 1,000 years ago there were no white people there either.

Just brown people.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Click on the second link. ;^) nt

[cornermouse]

7. Either you should read more often

or you should read it right the first time.

[readmoreoften]

8. Huh? Maybe you should "corner a mouse" or something.

:crazy: Or maybe you're reading something into my post that ain't there.

[cornermouse]

9. Was that not an implication that you consider

Kansans to be backwards and/or racist?

Nevertheless, the jobs they're working are dangerous, there have been several people killed in accidents in Emporia (one particularly ugly accident when the person operating the kill machine hit a helper instead). It is heavy repetitious work. The first time I ever heard of carpal tunnel was when they first came to town. It can destroy their joints. And thanks to several paycuts/pay reductions via immigrants over the years they aren't even good paying jobs any more. Not something to cheer about.

[Optical.Catalyst]

3. I hope Bush and Cheney become residents of Kansas

<>

[pipoman]

10. WTF is that supposed to mean?

[cornermouse]

11. Leavenworth Federal Prison.

[pipoman]

15. See post 14..n/t

[Optical.Catalyst]

13. Leavenworth, Kansas is the location of the United States Federal Prison

It is the prison designated to house male inmates convicted of Federal crimes. It is also the Maximum Security Prison for the United States Military.

I hope Bush goes into solitary confinement and Cheney is released into the general population.

[pipoman]

14. OK, I'm with ya now

I've even been inside of USP Leavenworth. There are actually 2 separate prisons in Leavenworth. USP Leavenworth is the Federal Prison, 2 or 3 miles east is Fort Leavenworth and the military prison. The military prison, while certainly no fun, isn't the same violent atmosphere found in civilian prisons.