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I find it interesting that while Asians as a group seem to be about the best behaved, in terms of lower crime, and higher education, they are least represented in governmental positions of decison making. They, especially males, are basicly absent from American tv and movies, with the exception of 'superstars' like Jackie Chan. In America we tend to view then as weak or somewhat impotent, which is not highly respected in our macho culture. Even when an Asian reaches a high position, such as Genreal Shinseki, he was totally disrespected when he was summarily fired for uttering a comment that Rumsfeld disagreed with. There is a lot we could learn from their work ethic, but I don't think we are that interested. Let's just turn the channel to 'American Idol', shall we?
In all fairness: is being highly visible in society a recipe for success?
Another 'minority'; African born/raised 'Blacks' and their US born children who came here on their own free will are also extremely successful as a group----------President Obama is a textbook example (father was Kenyan).
Australia racial attitudes are indeed different than theirs: any dark skinned non Aborigine/Negro person is referred to as a 'Wog'---------which would count most Aussies of Mexican heritage as well as Italians, Arabs and so on.
"Wog" isn't quite as negative of a term in Australia as it is in Great Britain (in America it's primarily used by Scientologists to describe non-Scientologists - I read L. Ron Hubbard originally wanted to use the N-word to describe non-Scientologists). People call themselves "wogs" all the time.
Italian-Australians and Greek-Australians have fit into Australian society as well as they've fit into US society. The prejudices there TODAY seem to involve obviously nonwhite people - whether it be Aborigines, East and South Asians, Arabs, or Africans. Granted the view of Southern Europeans was more negative many years ago just as attitudes towards Southern Europeans in the US and Canada were once far more negative.
Don't think there are too many Mexican-Australians, and how they'd be regarded would depend on their skin color. Australia in the early 20th century did have a Prime Minister of Latin American heritage, Chris Watson - at a time when the US didn't have any white Latinos in high office let alone nonwhite Latinos. I would think white Latinos, whether Mexican or otherwise, wouldn't experience prejudice if they could speak English. Nonwhite Latinos would be a different story. As I said above, Australia still does have white ghettos which are practically nonexistent in the 21st century US - and residents of ghettos are more likely to be prejudiced whatever their skin color.
"Wog" isn't quite as negative of a term in Australia as it is in Great Britain (in America it's primarily used by Scientologists to describe non-Scientologists - I read L. Ron Hubbard originally wanted to use the N-word to describe non-Scientologists). People call themselves "wogs" all the time.
Italian-Australians and Greek-Australians have fit into Australian society as well as they've fit into US society. The prejudices there TODAY seem to involve obviously nonwhite people - whether it be Aborigines, East and South Asians, Arabs, or Africans. Granted the view of Southern Europeans was more negative many years ago just as attitudes towards Southern Europeans in the US and Canada were once far more negative.
Don't think there are too many Mexican-Australians, and how they'd be regarded would depend on their skin color. Australia in the early 20th century did have a Prime Minister of Latin American heritage, Chris Watson - at a time when the US didn't have any white Latinos in high office let alone nonwhite Latinos. I would think white Latinos, whether Mexican or otherwise, wouldn't experience prejudice if they could speak English. Nonwhite Latinos would be a different story. As I said above, Australia still does have white ghettos which are practically nonexistent in the 21st century US - and residents of ghettos are more likely to be prejudiced whatever their skin color.
Soo not true....
Appalachia, many areas in the south, etc....
Soo not true....
Appalachia, many areas in the south, etc....
Good catch.
The main reason we do not have many similar 'Anglo' ghettos here in the West is due to the illegals undercutting the former's wages. Hell: even the blue collar Blacks are saying 'screw it' and heading back to the American South now that Jim Crow is all but dead.
Soo not true....
Appalachia, many areas in the south, etc....
I was referring more to urban ghettos. I am very well aware the US has plenty of white rural ghettos in all regions and some white suburban ghettos. As recently as the '90s there were white urban ghettos in Northeastern cities (and if one goes back to the '70s and before there were MANY white slums in the Northeast and Great Lakes cities) but those either got gentrified or experienced racial/ethnic changes. IIRC Chicago still has one and I read the only majority white neighborhood in Detroit is just as poor as the black neighborhoods that surround it, but other than that they're just about gone. I think Cleveland and Buffalo may still have white urban ghettos but I'm not sure. However Australia still has white urban ghettos to a much greater degree than has existed in the US since the '70s.
My wife is Philippino of Chinese decent, her grandparents immigrating to Manila many years ago. She went to Chinese schools when she was young and her family could afford it. They fell on tough times when she was 13 and she had to go to work in the family store. She worked that job 16 hours a day seven days a week for the next 13 years. Finally at the age of 26 she had a blow out argumnent with her father and left finding a decent job and supporting herself. Skip ahead 7 years and shes pregnant with my daughter and im going to school on a NAFTA grant for computer networking. Deep into a Tech math class we were studying complex fractions and I got hung up on a really tough problem. After a while I got pissed an threw the book in the corner cursing a little and sat in front of the TV. 20 minutes later she came to me with the solution to the problem. My freakin jaw hit the floor. I immediately went down and applied for a pell grant so she could begin college. First she had to get a GED which she did as fast as it could be done. Over the next four years she went to a state University pulling donw straight As 4.0 GPA in Accounting graduating Summ *** Laude.
When my daughter was 4 years old my wife had the summer off and taught her how to read. Prior to that summer she had spent alot of time teaching her the ABCs with magnets on the refridgerator from the time she was like 3. She always cooks a big dinner and instead of wasting the time idle in the kitchen she would go to the fridge and drill my daughter on letters words etc.. That summer was her last in college and she didnt have any classes so she spent an entire month laying on the couch with my daughter teaching her how to pronounce every letter and sounding out words as they read throough many childrens books she got from the library. My little girl is now the pre school prodigy. A week into pre school most of the teachers in her school came to her room one day to watch this little girl read at a level they thought was impossible for a kid her age. I constantly get compliments about her reading abilities although I try to down play it because I dont think they want to create a gap between her and her classmates, I mean its only pre school.
Anyway this experience has been real positive for her and she's turned into a little soak looking for challenges wherever she turns. This will be something my wife and I will have to maintain but I am impressed with the quick start my wife has given my daughter and son in their Academics. I see many American children who do well with their children and who are also academically successful. Im just glad my wife comes from a culture that places a value on education and to see it manifest so profoundly in my family.
East Asians (chinese/japanse/korean) have been successful as have Indians. Of course, one reason for Chinese and Indian success is a combination of being highly educated when they came to this country as well as a reverence for education. Second generation kids tend to grow up in middle or upper middle class households and taught the importance of going to college etc.
Laos, Cambodians and Vietnamese immigrants have been less successful probably because more came as uneducated refugees, hence they start with fewer resources. Also, many parents may not understand or know how to navigate the pathway towards academic success. That is true for any household regardless of culture.
The simple truth is highly educated families are more likely to end up with highly educated children. Children from less educated families are also less likely to see academic success. But a respect for education and hard work will help kids surpass those circumstantial hardships. Hence, the most successful immigrants have been those that stress education.
East Asians (chinese/japanse/korean) have been successful as have Indians. Of course, one reason for Chinese and Indian success is a combination of being highly educated when they came to this country as well as a reverence for education. Second generation kids tend to grow up in middle or upper middle class households and taught the importance of going to college etc.
Laos, Cambodians and Vietnamese immigrants have been less successful probably because more came as uneducated refugees, hence they start with fewer resources. Also, many parents may not understand or know how to navigate the pathway towards academic success. That is true for any household regardless of culture.
The simple truth is highly educated families are more likely to end up with highly educated children. Children from less educated families are also less likely to see academic success. But a respect for education and hard work will help kids surpass those circumstantial hardships. Hence, the most successful immigrants have been those that stress education.
And the irony is that E Indians and Chinese living in their ancestral countries are not successful as a group---------Mexico blows both nations away in per capita income.
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