Banana Wealth (Miami, University, Sweetwater: section 8, condo, homes)

[compelled to reply]

It's still true that over 17% of Miami-Dade County lives below poverty, so that's something to consider, compared to a national average of 13% and an average of 11% in Palm Beach and Broward.

Originally Posted by crisp444

I'd be willing to put money down that the great majority of rich people, regardless of their origin, can speak English in Miami-Dade county. Only a minority of rich South Americans down here cannot speak English, and virtually 100% of wealthy Cubans (many of whom were born here in Miami to Cuban parents who fled the island in the 1960's) speak English.

The person working at Sedanos behind the register is not a rich person who nonetheless refuses to learn English; she is most likely a recent immigrant whose English is not very good. People who don't speak English well or at all are overwhelmingly NON-wealthy.

100% agree. Don't know what this guy's anti wealthy Hispanic agenda is about. It seems to be based on...literally nothing.

[Marlin331]

Compelled: You're right, but some people on this forum would have you think that 45% of Miami Dade lives in poverty, 45% lives in opulence, and less than 10% lives a middle class lifestyle. The real figures are probably 20%/20%/60%, respectively.

[Marlin331]

Originally Posted by MiamiVice1985

THAT IS FALSE. Things are different on the mainland than out on SoBe. When you can't get a job in Mary Brickell Village (Where rich people of mostly Latin origin hang out) because you don't speak SPANISH, that is because these customers speak Spanish!!! Duh!!!! If you wanna argue that they are rich, then why don't you go there and buy dinner, it will hurt. If you wanna argue that they are Latin, why dont you go there and realize that most of the conversations are in Spanish.

You're just making logical fallacy after logical fallacy. Speaking Spanish and speaking English are not mutually exclusive; the great majority of people you see speaking Spanish in private settings with their friends are perfectly capable of speaking English. Like myself, I know more people than I can count on two hands that went to prestigious universities, are either working or in law/med/business school now (and obviously speak fluent English) who sometimes prefer to use Spanish with certain friends in private. Many of us were born and raised here in this country, and are as American as apple pie!

[Keeper]

I agree..having lived in Central America at one time, most can speak english especially if they are in business. Of course, they feel more comfortable speaking spanish when they are with their friends. If you lived in Central America and were with friends who spoke english and spanish what language would you speak?

[MiamiVice1985]

I took Spanish 1,2,3,4 in high school, plus AP Spansh, and on the AP exam I got a 5. I graduated a semester early and lived in Cuba for 6 months. I call it my Cuba sabatical, LoL. If I hadn't gone to Cuba, I probably would have forgotten everything. Instead I built upon my foundation to the point where if I dont Speak Spanish for months, it instantly comes back to me. Now, I learned Spanish here before I went there. Most who come here don't do the same. The head maintenance guy at my apartment building has been here for 18 years and does not know a word of English. Fallacy? Be real.

[copacetic]

crisp444, you are absolutely right. I think Miami is very comparable to other major usa cities in wealth distribution. Miamians just complain louder.

On this discussion forum I get the feeling that many people who complain about the social and economic problems in Miami must not have lived anywhere else.

I know I keep repeating myself but let me do it again: All the major cities in the usa (NYC, Chicago, Detroit, LA, Houston) have exactly the same problems as Miami. There are absolutely no differences. Except one: Miami has no winter and beautiful beaches. So it's an easy decision for me. At least in Miami you are paid back (in sunshine) for all the problems. In Detroit, you aren't.

Plus, no state income tax. Woo hoo!

[MiamiVice1985]

Originally Posted by crisp444

You're just making logical fallacy after logical fallacy. Speaking Spanish and speaking English are not mutually exclusive; the great majority of people you see speaking Spanish in private settings with their friends are perfectly capable of speaking English. Like myself, I know more people than I can count on two hands that went to prestigious universities, are either working or in law/med/business school now (and obviously speak fluent English) who sometimes prefer to use Spanish with certain friends in private. Many of us were born and raised here in this country, and are as American as apple pie!

"Mutually exclusive" HA. I smell elitist rhetoric coming from above. Education does not always buy common sense buddy. Overeducation, in fact, leads to less common sense in my opinion. The only thing being excluded are people like my girlfriend who could not get a job because they could not speak SPANISH, in a classy part of a U.S. American City. Moderator cut: restaurant names

I guess they wanted someone who spoke Spanish because most of their customers speak Spanish - WHILE THEY ARE IN THE RESTAURANT. Most could probably speak English too, if they wanted to. But the management in these places probably did not want to make their clientele feel unwelcome in a place where they were greeted by a bartender saying "Hello" instead of "Hola". Or maybe they didn't want to make their customers practice English when orderng a drink from the bar? Now, whether or not you agree with me, do you think that's fair in this country? I think it's bias and reveals a double standard in place. Why else would so many white people have left over the last twenty years? Situations like that make me sick to my stomach.

[copacetic]

An employer can choose to not hire someone for any reason, or no reason at all. He owns the business. In a Brickell bar, he's probably making the right business decision to have the bartenders able to speak Spanish.

I'm curious does your GF have trouble getting bar/restaurant job in other more english-speaking areas like the gables, the grove, sobe, etc. Or is speaking spanish pretty much a Dade-wide requirement for service employees?

[MiamiVice1985]

Originally Posted by copacetic

An employer can choose to not hire someone for any reason, or no reason at all. He owns the business. In a Brickell bar, he's probably making the right business decision to have the bartenders able to speak Spanish.

I'm curious does your GF have trouble getting bar/restaurant job in other more english-speaking areas like the gables, the grove, sobe, etc. Or is speaking spanish pretty much a Dade-wide requirement for service employees?

Well the idea was to get a job in walking distance of our home. Mary Brickell was right down the street. No, I don't think it's a Dade-wide requirement. However, I think it would be advisable to speak spanish for most 90% of jobs here. It would be impossible to get by without speaking english on calle ocho, hialeah, or westchester. I'm just surprised that requirement also extended to classy areas like Brickell. It also helps prove my point that rich latin people speakie spanish. How could it not?

[Miami Vice]

Originally Posted by MiamiVice1985

I took Spanish 1,2,3,4 in high school, plus AP Spansh, and on the AP exam I got a 5. I graduated a semester early and lived in Cuba for 6 months. I call it my Cuba sabatical, LoL. If I hadn't gone to Cuba, I probably would have forgotten everything. Instead I built upon my foundation to the point where if I dont Speak Spanish for months, it instantly comes back to me. Now, I learned Spanish here before I went there. Most who come here don't do the same. The head maintenance guy at my apartment building has been here for 18 years and does not know a word of English. Fallacy? Be real.

Who cares if he hasn't learned? That's his problem. Maybe he has been working two full-time jobs just to get by and gets home exhausted. Is he hurting anyone other than himself? Luckily for him, he lives in a place where there are tons of people who speak spanish and are bilingual.