Tired of People Stereotyping Hispanic Neighborhoods (Los Angeles, Inglewood: gated community, gangs, safe)

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by 7elephant7

given the official name of the country, United States of America

The term American, then, would likely be seen as simply a convenient abbreviation of the name of the country, not necessarily an attempt to delegitimize other countries' claim to it. One refers to names of countries far more than entire continents.

[Harrier]

I'm not sure any one is trying to deligitamize a South American person by limiting "American" in refence to citizens of the USA. It just doesn't make sense to call yourself an American in 2011 if you were born and live in say Bolivia. During the 16th Century - the entire North and South American landmass was referred to as America or "The New World". As the European civilizations began to uproot the indigenous civilisations and develop their political and geographical identities the continent became identified by it's political subdivisions. After the Latin American revolutions I suppose the resulting states could have included "America" in their name but they didn't - which is why we have Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Venezuela etc...

The United States made "America" a promnent part of it's name and univeral usage makes calling one an American mean someone from the USA. No offense to South America - it is just the reality of speech usage and connotation.

[7elephant7]

I understand completely that it's the reality of speech usage and connotation. But that's just an export of the USA to the entire world, and let's agree on this, the export of US culture is enormous on the entire world. I am only saying that I'd like that NOT to be the case; it's not a complaint to the US citizens, but to the fact that over the history they imposed that name to the world. Also, if you still want it to be that way, then talk to all the other countries and change the name of the continent, but I guess you wouldn't succeed on this.

And this isn't just something about South America; even Canada, aren't they in the american continent as well? No one calls a Canadian guy "American".

[Vicman]

Yes, I understand that not all Hispanic neighborhoods conform to the "barrio" stereotypes. In Houston the larger East End community has several nicely kept subdivisions that are majority Hispanic. The East End has Houston's power base for Hispanic politics.

[Vicman]

Sometimes, stuff happens.

The US sets trends for the English language, since English is de facto the country's language. English speaking countries in other areas all adopt "America"/"American" too. It's the trend for English.

If we were speaking Spanish, it would be different. MUCH different.

Originally Posted by 7elephant7

I understand completely that it's the reality of speech usage and connotation. But that's just an export of the USA to the entire world, and let's agree on this, the export of US culture is enormous on the entire world. I am only saying that I'd like that NOT to be the case; it's not a complaint to the US citizens, but to the fact that over the history they imposed that name to the world. Also, if you still want it to be that way, then talk to all the other countries and change the name of the continent, but I guess you wouldn't succeed on this.

And this isn't just something about South America; even Canada, aren't they in the american continent as well? No one calls a Canadian guy "American".

[plplouise]

Originally Posted by hogwatch

I am Hispanic and used to live in Los Angeles. The one thing that really got my skin crawling of anger when I lived there was when people generalized neighborhoods by their ethnic make up especially neighborhoods who have a predominantly Hispanic population. I understand when people say South Central Los Angeles, Huntington Park, parts of South Gate, Bell, all predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods, are bad areas because they are relatively speaking. But when people say Downey, Montebello, Whittier, the San Gabriel Valley are ghetto-I think they might be thinking that any neighborhood that is predominantly Hispanic is ghetto or "bad"--when that is not the case with these neighborhoods. Many Hispanic accountants, lawyers, teachers, firefighters, police officers, and business owners live in these areas. I can even say some folks label predominantly African American neighborhoods like Baldwin Hills as ghetto when it is clearly not one. From my experience most folks that label these neighborhoods as "bad" happened to be "white." White people seem to think that the only good areas in Los Angeles have to be predominantly "white" to be considered a good/decent neighborhood-which is not true. Most white people are afraid of walking in brown and black neighborhoods that are middle class so they just simply label it a ghetto due to that fear. If I am wrong about this please correct me. Thanks

As a side note-My wife and I both make over 150k a year and are already set for retirement at the age of 38. We both have college degrees. I have several friends that are Hispanic and earn similar salaries/or businesses living throughout all these predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods. The reason I reveal this is so the reader will not think I am some "cholo" who lives with 10 other people in a 1 bedroom apartment.

Well, you are wrong about this and maybe you need to look inward at your own prejudices. Maybe Every "White" person doesn't think what you think they do and maybe you are being a bit too sensitive and need to look at the truth of what's really going on in the world and ask why are these PEOPLE thinking this about these PEOPLE and give each person you meet the benefit of the doubt and find a way to empathize with all parties instead of reinforcing the white person as a homogenous group of of irrational boogeyman attitude that doesn't not allow for actual productive discourse and instead just provided with a way of feeling superior and collecting others who feel that way so you can all feel superior and claim a common enemy.

[plplouise]

"In response to your second paragraph. The main difference between Irish immigrants and Mexican immigrants is that most Irish are white and most Mexicans are brown. An Irish once Americanized can say he is white and be mainstreamed. A brown Mexican can not no matter how hard he fights to be mainstreamed. I can say in the census form and to anybody who asks me that I am white and they would laugh at me or think I am joking. Its harder for me to be mainstreamed because of this. An Irish person can say he is white and not reveal his Irish heritage. Unfortunately for me--my heritage in a sense is branded as my skin color. What race am I? I am Spainard mixed with American Indian Blood. Am I white? Can I be considered white? What is my racial category?

In response to your first paragraph. You are saying that we don't see ourselves more as individuals as if we have a choice. WE DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS. Culturally we are classified as a group and whatever some Mexican does will have a reflection on me despite me doing all the right things. Like I said I nor Mexicans, nor blacks created this system. As for the reporting crimes. I was raised in South Central Los Angeles and I can only speak from experience growing up there that people do call the cops when a crime happens. My immigrant parents called the cops whenever there was always something suspicious going on. Neighbors would always watch out for each other and call the cops if necessary if a probable crime was taking place. My father once stood up to 3 gangbangers who tried to steal a bike from a neighborhood kid. In rough areas the neighborhood fathers and mothers always act to protect. And crime is also exaggerated in the media. Crime has actually been in decline for the past two decades all over Los Angeles. The problem now is since the majority of residents are "Hispanic" most of the faces in the news are going to be "hispanic"--causing panics towards "hispanics."

The second safest city in America, El Paso, is 80 percent Hispanic. This is just an example to counter any generalizations that majority Hispanic places are ridden with crime and decay. :"

You again generalize when referring to Whites. I am sorry but I cannot let you continue with this bullying. WHITES doesn't really refer to anyone, does it? You refer to a power structure you feel so wronged by even though you enjoy a wayyy better than I or any of my white friends do. What are YOU so angry about? You live in a world where money runs everything and the myth of a White power structure is so damaging and perverse and untrue. There is a Monied power structure that contains many White, yes, but as well, ... Africans, Jewish People, MANY Saudis, Egyptians, Asian folks, Germans, South Americans, Russians, People from EVERYWHERE who are rich and have capitalized on the lands and resources of the people for their own personal and familial gain. For the gain of their particular gang. Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Africans, people from the world over have been exploiting and bullying their people and the peoples of surrounding nations since humans existed and to blame everything on Whites only is just plain prejudiced and racist and you just really need to learn to care as much about White people as you do other races. You need to quit being so racitst and start thinking of solutions for ALL people instead of whining about why these Imaginary white people in your head are so racist. In the end that is YOUR voice in your own head saying what you THINK about yourself! It's called internalized racism and it may be worth a look-see, my friend.

[AngusHsu]

Curious to know which area you moved to...

[rob3gdd]

It really has nothing to do with race in particular, more like illegal immigrants (trust me i lived in south la) who come and turn perfectly good homes and apartment buildings into impoverish dirty nasty slums. thats the problem and whith poverty, comes the high crime rate. It really has nothing to do with your skin, but i would say financial level. Working class communities, no matter the race, are usually pleasant to live in. For example, i live in valley village and on corteen street between Burbank and magnolia, the apartment buildings aren't that fancy. But however, there are allot of Jewish people who live there and the streets are clean, graffiti free, peaceful. All the apartment buildings have green grass and plants. So its just the problem with the illegals in my opinion, not your race. Its always illegals from particular regions that cause the problems.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by rob3gdd

It really has nothing to do with race in particular, more like illegal immigrants (trust me i lived in south la) who come and turn perfectly good homes and apartment buildings into impoverish dirty nasty slums. thats the problem and whith poverty, comes the high crime rate. It really has nothing to do with your skin, but i would say financial level. Working class communities, no matter the race, are usually pleasant to live in. For example, i live in valley village and on corteen street between Burbank and magnolia, the apartment buildings aren't that fancy. But however, there are allot of Jewish people who live there and the streets are clean, graffiti free, peaceful. All the apartment buildings have green grass and plants. So its just the problem with the illegals in my opinion, not your race. Its always illegals from particular regions that cause the problems.

South Los Angeles had MUCH higher crime 20 years ago....BEFORE the "invasion" of illegal immigrants to south LA.