Finally...I will be moving back to America!! (Miami, Palm Beach: crime, home)

[aesoprocks!]

i dont think sergio lives in arizona ron jeremy. ar= arkansas. just a little fyi

[MiamiVice1985]

Originally Posted by StoneOne

Yeah, that's true. Carrboro is not the most "standard" place in America. Not too many chain restaurants (Arby's and Wendy's are the only ones I can think of).

We certainly do have quite a few Hispanics here, legal and illegal, and they're all quite welcomed by the community. Signs in Spanish everywhere, taco trucks selling hot, authentic Mexican food right out the back, etc...

I actually rather like it, although it is quite small and slow-paced, which has taken some getting used to for my wife and me. We're still trying to decide if we like it enough to stay or if we want to move on to something bigger and more metropolitan. Hence my reason for hanging out on the Miami forum.

That's an idyllic image of Hispanics, and I wish they assimilated into society that well everywhere. In Illinois, the term "Hispanic" might as well mean Mexican, as greater than 95 percent of Hispanics in Illinois are Mexican. This is very unlike Florida, and especially Miami, where Hispanic could mean someone was from a host of different Caribbean, central, and South American countries. Not many Mexican Immigrants are the engineers, doctors and lawyers coming into Miami with cash ready to buy McMansions in "Doralezuela" and fill the driveway with Nissan Muranos and Infinitis.

My high school in Illinois, for example, had the third highest percentage of Hispanics in the Lake county; we had a 25% Hispanic population, and almost none of them learned in English, they went to ESL specialized classes. These people were really poor, and the county and state paid for even their lunches, not to mention expensive ESL tutoring. The dropout rate at my old high school was very low, but for some reason for the Hispanic(Mexican) population it was very high, like 1 out of every 2 (surprising considering all of the aid and the fact that they are taught in SPANISH).

What a drain on local taxpayers. The school is rapidly going downhill, as middle class families are fleeing to school districts with better test scores. What was once a wealthy, middle-to-upper middle class suburb of Chicago with a great football team is now going downhill and in danger of being taken over by the state comptroller. Also, real estate values around the school have PLUMMETED. I think that most Hispanic immigrants were warmly welcomed everywhere (for the reasons StoneOne mentioned:Christian Ideals, good food, and common interest) until they started to become a majority.

[Miami_Dan]

After 2.5 yrs in Miami, I got out; what a sad, nightmare of immigration gone awry. It amazes me that Lou Dobbs (and or most of the people in the US) hasn't experienced Miami to see how screwed up our country will be in 50 years - as we 'dry foot' our way back to America.

[Miami_Dan]

Some idiot wrote something about resentment toward wealthy hispanics. Ridiculous. I guess this means in Boston they don't like wealthy Irish or in Seattle they resent wealthy Asians? I have money, money does not make the man (or woman). It really comes down to respecting your fellow man/woman at any social or financial standing; to be treated as you would want to be treated by others and ultimately here is the problem in Miami from my perspective...and yes, you have to live there to understand.

I worked with great people of Peruvian, Colombian, Equadorian, Venezuelan, Cuban, etc. backgrounds (I am anglo). After 2.5 years of contemplating why everything seems backwards in Miami I asked my associates why my girlfriend and I felt mistreated in Miami. The most concise explaination was that, typically, Americans are taught RESPECT is EARNED; lead by example, walk the walk, treat your elders and others with honor and dignity as you would expect in return. However, the MACHISMO attitude (as explained by my cohorts) is one where you start on top and demand respect. When a cashier or business person feels as though they are not given that respect (maybe lost through translation) instead of walking away, they explode and become very confrontational as if their honor is in jeopardy. As if they have to be broken down a little or the arrogance / attitude is to be chisled back before they will lower themselves to your standing.

From the 14 year old whistling at my girlfriend (who I confronted), the old ladies in the grocery stores purposefully ramming carts into mine (who I confronted), to the business owners who told me this was their town, to the guy who slapped his hands on the back of my car as we were driving 45 mph (who I confronted) down the road, to the constant cutting in line, I was challenged every day for 2.5 years.

And lets not forget that many other cultures around the world treat women in a lesser light; this was certainly true for my girlfriend who was constantly harassed, whistled at, yelled at, etc. in Miami.

You will find Miami a rude, classless, greedy, 2nd world mentality unlik any other American city......if you live there.

Lastly, Miami, Florida FYI:
• Hispanic (65.8%)
• Black (22.3%)
• White Non-Hispanic (11.8%)
• Other race (5.4%)
• Two or more races (4.7%)
• American Indian (0.5%)
(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

[DenverLawGal]

StoneOne: Thank you for your well wishes. We are saving saving saving and working on securing jobs there. When you describe Miami as a non-cookie cutter place I think, oh wow, maybe we'll love it there. We are very tired of the mediocre city we are in now, and often we leave the country in search of exciting places. Good luck to you too!

Interesting about the bumper sticker.

Originally Posted by StoneOne

Best of luck to wanttomoveeast. I too like the idea of living in Miami. Looking forward to the day when my family and I can swing it financially. In the meantime, we'll be enjoying North Carolina until the armies of malcontents like the OP finally overrun this place and spoil it!

[DenverLawGal]

Funny, I enjoy the reverse. I struggle to speak Spanish, but enjoy it when I can accomplish simple things and am able to communicate with someone else. So perhaps I'll enjoy this city, no?

Originally Posted by doggiebus

I haven't felt this way yet. But I can see it happening here to someone. I love making the people switch to English (gives them practice at the english language).

[DenverLawGal]

Compelled: I've visited Jamaica frequently, I understand they speak English. I should have put more description in my post. What I was thinking was not the other languages besides Spanish you were hearing but how Miami is a diverse city filled with lots of other groups too. It just seems that a lot of people on this forum hate the Spanish speakers and therefore the Cubans and what not and ignore all the other groups. Meaning, lots of hatred towards Cubans, but no problem with everyone else?

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Jamaicians speak English, and you have to go to the sunsentinel.com website forum to read hatred against West Indians. Although there is still a draw to this region, it is no secret that economic issues are pulling interests away from this area and pulling South Florida on an exodus second only to Cleveland and Detroit. There are still people who want to move here, but the economy simply can't support it.

Where I live in Weston doesn't have a large Haitian population. There are some Jamaicans though, but like I said, Jamaica is an English speaking country. Non-Hispanic transplants dominate, but people on this website like to moan and exaggerate on how their are supposedly no Americans here and how it is allegedly "worse" when you leave Weston (actually, it's the other way around)

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by wanttomoveeast

What I was thinking was not the other languages besides Spanish you were hearing but how Miami is a diverse city filled with lots of other groups too. It just seems that a lot of people on this forum hate the Spanish speakers and therefore the Cubans and what not and ignore all the other groups. Meaning, lots of hatred towards Cubans, but no problem with everyone else?

Well, I can't say you are incorrect. That being said, the Mariel Boatlift brought some of the worst of Cuba to our shores in the 80s, but there seems to be some sort of xenophobia towards Hispanics in general on this forum.

[DenverLawGal]

Do you think a lot of this just has to do with Hispanics being the majority there? Kind of like the U.S. past with other immigrants, they usually become the scapegoat?

I visit this forum for information but what I usually get is a bunch of hostility. I guess it keeps me grounded.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by wanttomoveeast

Kind of like the U.S. past with other immigrants, they usually become the scapegoat?

Yeah...

They aren't even the majority in some of the places the people whine and complain about. In some cases not even close. I have seen people say West Palm Beach southward is "exclusively a Hispanic third world country". How can that be possible if there are almost as many blacks as Hispanics in Palm Beach and way more blacks than Hispanics in Broward County and more whites than blacks on top of that? Relevant to the Miami forum however, you are right it has to do with them being the majority and on the other forums, the perceived majority.