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I recently spent a week in Erie, PA. It has a metro area population of about 200,000 but basically everyone is White (with a very small Black population). Because this is a message board and I do not have to be politically correct, I can say what I feel. I felt all warm and fuzzy in a place with basically no immigrants. I enjoyed being in a place with few LEGAL and Illegal Immigrants.
I understand the need for immigrants in our country and the many advantages they bring to our society. These are practical intellectual arguments and facts. Emotionally though, I felt a warm fuzzy feeling being in a place (Erie) where nearly everyone spoke English and looked like me. I also enjoyed seeing High School and College aged Black and White kids doing retail jobs and working in restaurants. I thought the service was better in the stores in Erie and people seemed to have less barriers between them. The whole week took me back to my youth growing up in a town with no ethnic diversity.
Now I am back home in Annandale VA where half of the population is immigrants. I find service at the stores here to be poor because of cultural and language differences and things tough for white school kids to get a part time retail job. But I see an expanding economy and population here in NVA, all due to immigrants.
But I have to say that being in Erie did take me back to the good old days.
I live in one of the most diverse zip codes in the country and my wife is a non white immigrant to this country, but I get what you're saying. I've traveled and lived through much of Asia and N. America and I've seen the dynamics of how race, ethnicity and religion operate in our lives. I love the diversity of where I live now, but I understand that we can't simply yell at people who wish to be with their own. Even in my own very diverse neighborhood of immigrants, I see the divisions of the East Asians in one section, the South Asians in another, and the Hispanics in another area. It's human nature to a degree.
I embrace multi-culturalism as much as I can, but even when I lived in Asia I sometimes longed for "my own people." I didn't want to have to explain how to place baseball again to a Malaysian asking about my Red Sox shirt. Sometimes being around our own people (could be race, religion or nationality) gives us a certain familiarity or comfort that help us to feel safe in our environment. It's true that sometimes people from other cultures have different ways of dealing with situations and that can frustrate those of us who are used to doing things one way. I get it.
I would never want to force you to accept every immigrant who comes to the country, but I do encourage you to meet as many immigrants and non Americans as you can. There is so much to learn from those who come from other places and there is so much YOU can teach them.
One of the problems in regards to animosity is that far too many Hispanics think their ethnic group should be above our immigration laws and rewarded for breaking them. Then they call anyone who doesn't agree with them a racist among other nasty unwarranted labels. If they stood up for the rule of law, the best interests of this country and ditched that tribal mentality there would be far less animosity.
Oldglory .You sir have given an excellent answer and I wish I could rep you more often.Every time a very good reason as to why we need to curtail the illegals IMMEDIATELY the pro illegal anti american fools will try to counter with the race card....and avoid addressing the issues.
I would never hire a illegal even it is saved me money. If I was so desperate and hired a illegal, I would pay them the same wage as a legal citizen. I get so frustrated with cheap skates hiring illegals to save money.
I would never hire a illegal even it is saved me money. If I was so desperate and hired a illegal, I would pay them the same wage as a legal citizen. I get so frustrated with cheap skates hiring illegals to save money.
I will never allow a company to have workers on my property unless there is an agreement that verified identification will be shown at my request for anyone who appears to have english as a second language. Its my house ,my money and MY right. I encourage all good american citizens to do the same.
I will never allow a company to have workers on my property unless there is an agreement that verified identification will be shown at my request for anyone who appears to have english as a second language. Its my house ,my money and MY right. I encourage all good american citizens to do the same.
In all fairness though just because someone is Hispanic that doesn't necessarily make them an illegal. Most Hispanic-Americans are bi-lingual and many speak fluent English (even though many seem to choose
Spanish over English most of the time for conversation). That's why I don't know if one is an illegal or not because both groups are all speaking in Spanish wherever I go. It's rare when I hear a Hispanic speaking English out in public but I know they can because I have heard them switch to English with ease when they had to.
Hey, if Mayor Nagen can call New Orleans the "Chocolate City" and not get in trouble for it, then we can call Erie the "Vanilla City."
It is ture that most people feel the most comfortable around people who look and act like themselves. Variety is the spice of life, as the saying goes, but not all options are necessarily good or equal. People should have the freedom to choose their neighbors the same way they choose their husbands and wives - without being labeled as racist for expressing a preference.
Let me say this, i get annoyed when people make this comment. You have the right to live wherever you want, for whatever reason. If you feel you can only associate yourself around other white people, that is your choice, but i have the right to label you a racist if I choose so.
P.S i know this post was made 6 years and this person doesn't visit the site anymore.
Someone said that Erie was flooded with immigrants. Hardly a flood, more like a trickle. According to the latest census 89% of the people are white and 94% of the people speak English at home and only 3.9% are foreign born. All figures closer to America is the 1960s and far less diverse than the majority of cities in America. Click on link for more information on beautiful Erie PA.
Let me say this, i get annoyed when people make this comment. You have the right to live wherever you want, for whatever reason. If you feel you can only associate yourself around other white people, that is your choice, but i have the right to label you a racist if I choose so.
P.S i know this post was made 6 years and this person doesn't visit the site anymore.
You're giving Nagin a pass then because he's a "Black" dude?
You're giving Nagin a pass then because he's a "Black" dude?
there is nothing wrong with calling a city vanilla city. What i'm simply saying is, if you choose to live mostly white people because you only want to associate yourself with white people, that is fine, its your preference. I have the right to call you a racist.
there is nothing wrong with calling a city vanilla city. What i'm simply saying is, if you choose to live mostly white people because you only want to associate yourself with white people, that is fine, its your preference. I have the right to call you a racist.
Turn it around and I could call you a "racist" for wanting to live with mostly Black people assuming you ARE "Black"? Sheesh!
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Erie is mostly American born
