Reverse Discrimination in Miami Government Jobs (Orlando, Wausau: fit in, attorney, private school)

[Synergy1]

Originally Posted by TXRyan23

What is "reverse" discrimination ?

discrimination is discrimination, the reverse would be none.

It is and most believe that there is a black white issue and the name reverse was developed and not accurate..

Great post and thanks.

[Synergy1]

Originally Posted by meiguogubaren

I think it's funny how people call Miami a "bilingual" city, yet when you enter a store, ask for a product, try to be friendly or just communicate with employees, most of the time they either ignore you completely, or just brush you off because they don't speak a lick of English, and the funniest thing of all is that even some employees who ARE bilingual will only address you in Spanish (sometimes out of spite)... and I've seen this with my own two eyes since I work in Customer Service. I find that there is a great deal of favoritism in Miami and that this "must be bilingual" thing is just a bunch of BS. I've had customers thank me about three times for using English with them. It's embarrassing!

I believe that knowing Spanish and English is good for our nation. I live and shop in South Florida and there is a supermarket near my home that employs mostly Spanish speaking employees. I speak to them in Spanish. No big deal to me but some people have problems....My friend lives in New York and she speaks Russian because she shops where mostly Russian immigrants live.

Maybe it is best to prepare ouselves to be multi lingual than to be angry...This could save you from developing ulcers....Good luck and have fun .

[Prettygyrl777]

And this thread explains exactly why although I LOVE living in Palm Beach County, I will never consider moving further south. I'm pro bilingual (and multilingual if you can pull it off) but as it stands today, if I were to apply to a job down south, I'm sure I would be passed over for a spanish or creole speaking person. It's reflective of the population that is being served. It's not discrimination.

I just recently had a conversation with a colleague about this. We noticed that most positions in our field (mental health care) are now being advertised as bilingual required instead 'preferred'. I earn a very good living with private pay clients however, when I contract and do agency work with general population clients, I'm often asked if I am bilingual or know of anyone who is. Such is life.

[meiguogubaren]

Originally Posted by Synergy1

I believe that knowing Spanish and English is good for our nation. I live and shop in South Florida and there is a supermarket near my home that employs mostly Spanish speaking employees. I speak to them in Spanish. No big deal to me but some people have problems....My friend lives in New York and she speaks Russian because she shops where mostly Russian immigrants live.

Maybe it is best to prepare ouselves to be multi lingual than to be angry...This could save you from developing ulcers....Good luck and have fun .

I couldn't agree more, however, that's just the thing, "multilingualism" works best in a place like NY because of it's multinational inhabitants and because of the many languages that are spoken. However, in Miami there is no such thing as multilingualism. Yes, we have Creole and Portuguese spoken, but they are spoken in very small areas, and most of the time, they do no not demand to be spoken to in their languages. In Miami she would have to speak Spanish if she wants some service, because apparently Spanish is the only language that actually matters.

I am multilingual, I speak Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, Italian and some others, however, I think English is a very important language to the American culture that we know and love and should be respected as such (and should become official in my opinion) to have any other language above English is disrespectful, just like in Japan, having any other language above Japanese in Japan is disrespectful to it's culture and language.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by Synergy1

I believe that knowing Spanish and English is good for our nation. I live and shop in South Florida and there is a supermarket near my home that employs mostly Spanish speaking employees. I speak to them in Spanish. No big deal to me but some people have problems....My friend lives in New York and she speaks Russian because she shops where mostly Russian immigrants live.

Maybe it is best to prepare ouselves to be multi lingual than to be angry...This could save you from developing ulcers....Good luck and have fun .

That is the problem right there. Why should we be sometimes forced to speak Spanish when they don't speak English. I'm Hispanic, I speak Spanish but I am American first and Miami is in the united states English is the language we speak. If a bunch of Americans lived in argentina, Mexico or Venezuela do you seriously think they would be ok with having sections of town with people who speak mainly English and have many people who only speak English and would look down at people who don't speak English?

Of course they wouldn't, so why should we have to put up with it. I'm fine with people speaking Spanish but if you are working in this country at a job that requires customer service and communication you should also speak ENGLISH. I am fine with the grocery store in Hialeah having only Spanish speakers no big deal. But when I am in a target or publix or a store in Aventura mall I should not be expected to speak Spanish, I should not have to suffer worse service because I don't wish to speak Spanish. I have seen it happen and have had it happen to myself. If you don't speak Spanish service can suffer. That is unexcusable and Americans from outside Miami have this problem all the time and complain about it all the time. Even in tourist areas like Miami Beach this is becoming a problem. An areas where people from all over the world come. Most people around the world speak English to get around internationally.

LA has many Hispanics I am there often and don't have problems with language in malls or chain stores, plenty of Hispanics in D.C. And I never once had this problem. It's a Miami problem and it's a big problem. Some Hispanics down here think they are owed something or that this is their city. This is no ones city in particular, it's everyone city and we are in the United States. The attitude many take on living here in the U.S. would not be tolerated in their home countries so why in the wolrld should we be completely open to the idea. I enjoy that Miami has people from around Latin America like no other city in the world but there of course has to be some negatives.

For instance being called a gringo. This has happened to me in front of me and by people who are aqqutiances in side conversations. Calling Americans gringos in AMERICA.

Again nothing wrong with bilingual, but why should only the people who don't speak Spanish have the problems because from my experience living here people who only speak Spanish and little English get jobs easier. Again I'm not talking about sedanos in Hialeah or a Cuban bakery I'm talking about national chains or places that are located in areas not completely dominated by working/lower to middle class hispanics. I understand where it would be alright but I also know where the problem is. I know many people who visit here, don't step a foot in Hialeah or kendall, stay in the tourist areas and have this problem. That is unexcusable.

[boxus]

Originally Posted by Synergy1

I believe that knowing Spanish and English is good for our nation. I live and shop in South Florida and there is a supermarket near my home that employs mostly Spanish speaking employees. I speak to them in Spanish. No big deal to me but some people have problems....My friend lives in New York and she speaks Russian because she shops where mostly Russian immigrants live.

Maybe it is best to prepare ouselves to be multi lingual than to be angry...This could save you from developing ulcers....Good luck and have fun .

"I believe that knowing Spanish and English is good for our nation."

So, everyone now needs to be fluent in two languages (two meaning Spanish and English, Lord forbid it be English and something else)? How about our incoming immigrants learn English? Or is this bilingualism a one way street, meaning only English speakers should be learning Spanish, not Spanish speakers learning English.

I know four languages, none of them Spanish, does that count? Apparently not according to you.

Just how many languages does a person need to learn? Eight? 12? 16? 22?

Where is the logic in 300 million people knowing the exact two languages, when one would do? Unless the sole purpose is to accommodate the masses of Spanish only immigrants. What about accommodating immigrants from other places? Or are those just second class immigrants now?

[boxus]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

For instance being called a gringo. This has happened to me in front of me and by people who are aqqutiances in side conversations. Calling Americans gringos in AMERICA.

I love that and the term "anglo".

[himain]

I'd love to see any of these latins get plucked out of little havana, hialeah, miami in general of where they are catered to and get dropped off in the middle of Wisconsin or something. They would never survive.

That's the beauty of speaking ENGLISH!! I can go ANYWHERE in this country and make it day to day. 80% of people living in Miami today couldn't do that because they have limited themselves to Spanish only in a fully english country.

Not to mention people from around the world in countries I've never heard of actually speak ENGLISH and half of Miami does not. How embarassing!!!

[Felix C]

Those Vietnamese/Laotian Hmongs who where plucked out of their country and placed down in Wisconsin have done well. People get ahead when they want and need to. Just like the Cubans did in the 1960s and 1970s when they were in the minority. Same later with the Nics and Colombians who were transplanted due to civil wars. etc.etc.

Foolish post there.

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by Felix C

Those Vietnamese/Laotian Hmongs who where plucked out of their country and placed down in Wisconsin have done well. People get ahead when they want and need to. Just like the Cubans did in the 1960s and 1970s when they were in the minority. Same later with the Nics and Colombians who were transplanted due to civil wars. etc.etc.

Foolish post there.

I wouldn't go too far and call it foolish. The level of complacency/laziness seems to baffle so many people, including me.

Plenty of other groups from other countries who make South Florida their home, learn English and adapt.

Why must one group, although the majority there not learn? The reason why it does not happen all over the US (thankfully) is probably due to the low level of tolerance, which then forces them to adapt. It is embarrassing for Miami, and it's not a good thing for Latins to accept this or boast about things with a "s-c-r-e-w you, this is a Miami thing" attitude.

I know in GA, NC, VA there is not the same level of tolerance. Some jobs, will make the Spanish a plus, but for the most part, you have to speak English first. I have no problems learning Spanish because learning different languages is ideal and fun for me. But I don't think most people should be forced to learn Spanish on their land. Let it be something they want to do. This country has so many cultures, nations, races and groups. Yet most adapt and learn English, while still keeping their native tongue.

I believe in being multilingual, for many reasons. But Miami Latinos take it to a different level. I think for the many Latinos who have been in this country for 20 plus years and not speak a word of English is embarrassing, and it demeans Latinos as a group.

Recent studies show that the up and coming (if not already), largest group of minorities is not Latinos, but Asians. Yet, most speak English. The mindset is what sets them apart, imho. They have kept their culture like many, yet learn the language like many. Why is Miami (and the Latins there) the exception? Latins in other parts don't do it as much (because the tolerance for a Spanish-only sub-society is not there).

Again, no offense but Miami is embarrassing (for a so called "big city", that's a major turn off for people looking to move in and tourists from all over the world).

I get what Himain said. Nothing foolish there. He sounds fed up to me, not foolish.

Good weekend to all.