New Bush Neighbor In Dallas: I'm Afraid "The Whole Neighborhood Is Going To Be A Target"

As was reported this week, George Bush has bought a new house in a wealthy part of Dallas, called Preston Hollow, to live in after he leaves office. Preston Hollow homeowners are used to having well-known neighbors; the area is already home to Dallas Mavericks' owner Marc Cuban and former presidential candidate Ross Perot. And while many of the Bushes' new neighbors seem perfectly happy and excited to welcome the former first couple, a few of them, reports the Wall Street Journal, have some significant reservations:

The impending presence of a former President is ratcheting up security fears. "I am afraid with all the negative press the president has been getting, the whole neighborhood is going to be a target," said a woman, who wouldn't give her name. She carried her King Charles spaniel Friday past the Bushes' new abode.

But Raw Story reports that the area had some issues long before Bush made it his new home.

Until 2000, the neighborhood association's covenant said only white people were allowed to live there, though an exception was made for servants. The document, enacted in 1956, reads:

"Said property shall be used and occupied by white persons only except these covenants shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of different race or nationality in the employ of a tenant."

Comments

[icemilkcoffee]

People don't realize how shockingly racist this country used to be. This sort of neighborhood ordinances are very, very common all over the US of A. And not just in the South neither. Lots of neighborhood in California used to have racial segregation on the books.

[nodadchad]

Denton is much cooler than Austin duh.

[monsal]

The important thing to keep in mind is that this clown is finally moving out of the White House, let him move to the deepest arm-pit of hell for all we care! Don't forget to say your goodbyes to Dubya at http://goodbye.us/, tell him what you really think!

[Delphine]

Amen to that. And a sanitized stepford neighborhood is as close to hell as I can figure, barring prison.

[drcrank]

Racial issues aside, his choice of location smacks of the elitism and isolationism that has been the mark of his entire presidency.

[thinklib]

Where do you think he'd live, in a trailer park?

Of course he'll live in a wealthy, elitist, isolationist neighborhood, just like Obama's neighborhood in Chicago.

[Hegemoneyhoney]

Can someone explain why the Bush family collectively bought some 6,000 acres (I think it was - maybe more) in Paraguay recently?

[AHMatron]

You all are so out of order here. Especially PoliSci2008, when you graduate, maybe you can fix everything. This stupid covenant was on the books until 2000. There are probably some like it in your own cities, but they've just been ignored so long, you don't even realize that they are there. There are plenty of nice, rich black people that live in that part of town. Now, I'm not from Dallas and I don't like Dallas or Bush. But I do know about old crap that's still on the books. You still can't "ride a horse at full gallop" down Main Street in my home town.

[Delphine]

Listen to yourself: "Plenty of nice, rich black people" live there? What about middle class folks of any race?

[anattendentlord]

What do you expect? Dallas is a major city and like any other major city, it has its wealthy districts, its working-class districts, and everything in between. When a neighborhood has a good reputation, it costs more to live there, and it becomes a "wealthy" neighborhood. It's not an issue of prejudice, it's one of economics. Supply and demand. Dallas is most likely as socioeconomically divided as any other part of the country. Unfortunately, real estate prices will dictate what "class" the neighborhood serves, whether we like it or not.

[concernvoter]

Oops, Bush is running the people out of the neighborhood. I hope they want be a target. Bush should have moved out in the country with no other houses around.

[inorbit]

Austin should secede from the rest of Texas.

Oh, wait - it's the capitol!

Nevermind.

[DrBillo]

What a wonderful bunch of phoney Christians in the neighborhood--bush fits right in!!

[thinklib]

Ignorance.

I live in the neighborhood. I have black, Jewish, gay, asian, and many other different kinds of neighbors. It's a majority conservative area, but believe me, there were plenty of Obama signs in the yard during the campaign.

The thing the neighbors have in common isn't religion. It's money.

[smk2538]

Money is the root of all evil, haven't you heard?

[11907281]

Bush is moving to a r@cist Neighborhood in Texas, I am SOOOOOO shocked. And if you say it changed in 2000, that was about 44 years too late, it also indicated the mindset of the people who would want to live there.

[JDHART]

Don't see how a HOA's rules can supercede the Constitution. Texas is still under American law, right? Sounds as if they deserve Bush.

[Ravyn]

Wouldn't it be poetic justice if his moving in did drive down the property values.

[AmazingChicken]

Doubtful. More likely, we hear in a few years that the neighborhood association PAID them to move in, to a) raise values and b) obtain improved security.

[SantaFeStars]

As far as Obama winning several counties in Texas, I would venture to say that most of these votes came from non-Texan natives. I've met more than my share of native Texans and they would not vote for a Black man. They are about as bigoted as you can get and so proud of it!

[GoogleMaster]

The folks here in Austin at least loved Obama when he came. His lakeside rally was so huge that footage of that event begins Obama's infamous Super Bowl commercial. The rest of Red-Texas I can't vouch for. They sure love GW and Sarah and America and the flag though. Dubya will fit right into his new Dallas fortress.

[ProudTXDem]

I wish people wouldn't generalize! I am a native Texan, as is my sister, my husband, my sister-in-law, my niece, my nephew, etc. and we ALL voted for Obama. We have all voted for many Black men and women over our lifetimes. Not everyone in Texas is a bigot. You have just run into many ignorant, and probably wealthy, Texans who may not have been natives!!!! I'm assuming you are in New Mexico, and I have to say that when we were there this fall I was wearing my Obama button and I did not have one single person say to me that they weren't voting for him. They ALL hated McCain. It would be cool to live somewhere where everyone is progressive, but I can't right now. But please, do not lump me in with all the ignorant "Texans". Oh, and some of us have been waiting for Bush to be out of office for 8 years now. Like the Dixie Chick said, he makes me ashamed to be from Texas.

[anattendentlord]

I am a native Texan. In fact, I spent half of my life in the district Bush is now moving into, within a five mile radius of his house. I voted "for a Black man." So did my entire extended family, about 75% of the students who could vote at my school. And yes, 55% of Texans voted for John McCain... but that means 45% didn't. And I'm doubting that all 45% were these "non-Texans" you seem to think they were.

[tommytoons]

Please Bush move to your new home now, do America a really big favor since your so concerned about America, move out of 1600 Penn. Ave, TODAY....I'm sure the white folk in Preston whom I'm willing to bet are Republicans will greet you with open arms. After 8 years of your crap its time for you to bid all of us adieu!!!!

[davidinaustin]

http://crawfordmovie.com

[hestercentral]

Bush lived in Preston Hollow before he became governor of Texas, in a sense, he is just moving back to the old neighborhood. People are drawn to Preston Hollow because the lots are large and secluded and there is very little traffic. Preston Hollow is not in the 75205 zip code to the south (where Dick Cheney lived), which during the campaign had the highest political donations to Bush/Cheney per capita in the country. Preston Hollow is home to all kinds of people including one of Dallas's most prominent Democratic fundraiser­s/leaders, Fred Baron, Ray Nasher, as well as former Dallas Mayor and Democrat Laura Miller.