The future of Washington Heights (New York, Peru: move to, land, celebrities)

[nyc0127]

''I would enjoy educating you on the many fallacies of your LOOKING white = BEING white argument as it pertains to carribean people, however it would not be feasible, pratical, or reaslistic on here. I have no interest in carpal tunnel syndrome, nor can I properly educate you via this website.

However, should you want to meet and discuss in person, that would be fine.''

What would you be ''educating'' me with? Your theory that lacks evidence. It's not to say that I haven't posted my own theory or way of looking at these issues, but I've backed myself up with evidence.

The problem is you're overly bias. Likewise to myself, I can tell you were raised in the United States and possibly New York (or the area). That isn't a bad thing, but it means you're way of looking at theory involving this controversial issue will be filtered.

This is where I see the difference between you, Newyorkur and even Crisp (who I've disagreed with on a lot). I know it sounds stupid, but the difference is they didn't absorb the ''anti-whitey'' sociology that the New York media injected you with. It's weird. Crisp wasn't injected with that hate or ''white privilege'' at a local level. People in this city are taught to believe by what the U.S. government classifies as ''white.'' They use the iconic whiteness as an oppressive face, but it's like they put it on another body. All these injected racists goes into the low-class black and whites. The upper-class whites and blacks (especially West Indian immigrants) are too educated to live by these ideals. The lower-class whites and blacks are needy on society and too many have a difficulty forming their own way of thinking.

Within that, blacks are taught they aren't good here (and many other inner-cities in the U.S.) because they weren't given a chance (societal oppression - which would just be an excuse for having crappy parents). The loser whites can't except their losers, so they bounce the fire off to the blacks (and sometimes poor immigrants who try to - what they believe - ''steal'' their jobs). The media indirectly Americanizes poorer immigrants (usually from Latin-America) into making people believe that they're ''poor'' because of their ethnicity, like blacks. That's where the term Hispanic is implemented. That isn't true though. There are no more Latin American descendants living in housing projects or lower-income homes than Euro-Americans who are past their second generation. The only poor one's are immigrants or a few trickles of Americans (like Euro-Americans). Virtually, both population's are low, but the media doesn't want you to believe that.

The media disregards the fact that half of Puerto Ricans ancestors whipped the living crap out of slaves for centuries. People in Puerto Rico wouldn't want to believe that's true because they'd be more disgraced and low-class than the south. Maybe they should go to Europe, West Africa and the rest of the world and see if the half-way educated doesn't know about their history though. They should feel fortunate if their ancestors were treated as equal immigrants, nonetheless their ancestors have a moral obligation to sorrow and disgrase.

I'll critique you're quotes though.

''I would enjoy educating you on the many fallacies of your LOOKING white = BEING white argument as it pertains to carribean people, however it would not be feasible, pratical, or reaslistic on here.''

Like I said with you're ''anti-whitey'' injected way of thinking, you're eyes become too blurred. Even if that weren't true though, why don't you believe that applies to Americans? Do you really believe whites in this country are that much more ''pure?'' With all due respect, I think there is a population within both that are mixed. Just because you're mixed too, doesn't mean you aren't predominantly or part white. I don't believe it's the consensus though in either place.. They agree with me. In fact, all I am doing is defending them. It eats you inside that their telling the truth, which you just can't understand because of your stubborness.

Before you move on though, I think we've both come to the conclusion that Taino ancestry is statistically insignificant. If you are 1/32 Native American or under, you may as well consider that a European ethnicity, because it just won't show. Technically George W. Bush is that much Native American, and how often have you heard of us having a ''non-white'' president?

So it's pretty much down to white and black blood. Well, I've heard a lot on here about ''recessive genes''
favoring the darker side. In this country, it's taken that people often socially believe that ''blackness'' shows more than whiteness. I refute that. I say that it only seems that way because 6 1/2 times European ancestry exists in this country than African. If you had white and lived in Jamaica, it'd be much easier to pick out.

Than there are people like yourself who believe people are to coming out look more white. I refute that too. That's bull. You're most likely to come out looking a mix of both, or more uncommonly one or the other. Most people there don't have blacks in them. Why is that so difficult to believe? Many in south America have no black in them.

It's not difficult to understand why though. There were less African slaves brought to Puerto Rico than the Dominican Republic or Cuba. Is it much of a surprise that Puerto Rico is whiter for that reason? I understand about 5/7 of the Dominican Republic is racially mixed though. I understand about half of Cuba is mixed (although it used to be much less and now many of their slave owning ancestors now reside in south Florida - for the majority of the white population that came before slavery ended in the 1886 - a pretty late year for the western hemisphere).

Another problem with your mentality is that you have such a little understanding for the island of Puerto Rico. You're getting the New York-Americanized version of things. Most people even of Puerto Rican descent on the U.S. mainland (especially the youth) have no clue about anything in Puerto Rico. All they know is the basics. And sometimes they hear Puerto Rico has Spaniard, African and Taino ancestry. These people are too freaking stupid to not understand that you can actually only be one though. Than there are even more stupid people who can't understand that Taino ancestry is barely one percent. I don't know if Puerto Rican is your ancestry or not, but the fact that you've received an ignorantly uneducated version of what Puerto Rico's demographical history is a problem. You shouldn't spread a word for their ancestry if you haven't researched it more than broad generalizations you've heard from unintellectual New Yorkers and a crap-pumping media.


''I have no interest in carpal tunnel syndrome, nor can I properly educate you via this website.''

Just let your brain explode than lol Who would want to be ''educated'' by non-research junk? You have no base other than your theory and crap infested New York-American view of life. You hate the fact that people are predominantly white there. You feel everyone should be mixed, because you likely are. Either that or you're a European-American who has some kind of problem except people of Latin American descent to actually be European/Spaniard-American and ''white.''

Another thing too, if you noticed, you'd know the Cuban-Americans and Dominican immigrants/Dominican-Americans aren't injected with the same garbage Puerto Rican descendants have been exposed to in this city. For one, Cuban-Americans came with money and education to Miami and they didn't need it. The society down there didn't praise whiteness (and awkward disgrace at the same time).

Most Dominicans were fortunate to have come at a later more modernized era. They wouldn't be subjected to absorbing the same garbage, the civil rights movement or a changing New York and national culture. When Dominicans came, many other immigrants (i.e. Asians, Middle Easterners, West Indians) came. Dominican assimilated at a quicker rate (even though almost all Puerto Rican descendants were assimilated by the time most Dominicans got here). It's because of the cost of living, modernization and demands of education.

Puerto Ricans came in a hard time. The face of them wasn't clear. It is mine and there belief that 3 of 5 Puerto Rican descendants are completely of Spaniard descent in this city. That isn't a consensus though. 2 out of 5 being mixed (or black) is still a lot and can't go unrecognized. Although Puerto Rican-Americans may not be as white as shown in West Side Story (which wasn't even played by many Puerto Rican or Latin American actors), they were still more white than mixed.

This little paradox of irony I'm showing you corresponds well to the point I'm making though. Who in New York City would feel the most needy and ''not special'' if they weren't recognized? White people. I'm white, I'd know lol People have a psyche that tells them if they don't look different in this city and country, than it's to their obligation to make themselves feel difference. Why do you think most rockers, jocks, California surfers or what ever social clique you can think of is mostly white? It's because they got nothing else. And in a place like New York City that is as diverse as it is, being of Puerto Rican descent is not consider diverse, cultured or special. It's consider an irritating label that is unnecessary. And the only way losers could make it stay alive is if they force upon themselves a title that goes as far as themselves. No one recognizes their ancestry as an ethnic label.

Dominicans are more diverse. They're more mixed. Many on here have come to the conclusion. They don't have to fight to be ''different'', because they actually are different. Look at Puerto Rican descendants for yourself. The biggest cry babies are the whitest. It's because it's even more likely for people to non-recognize them. They're like a baby who gets no attention and eventually gives up. Ask any young mother for yourself though, you'll always have a few babies that don't know how to shut up.

The number 62 must really haunt you lol

[yellowtail]

Originally Posted by NooYowkur81
Dominicans also have very little Taino in them. It's pretty much negligible. I cringe whenever I hear a Dominican speak proudly about their "Taino roots" but belittle their African ones.
Explain this too me. I am Dominican and would like to know why this is the case.

----------
It's a well known fact that in the Caribbean the Tainos/Arawaks were mostly killed off before most islands, even the Spanish-speaking ones, were being populated. While there are probably traces of Taino, I think it's foolish when Hispanic Caribbean people laud their 'Taino' roots. It would be one thing to claim the Caribs (who still exist in the Caribbean), but the Taino thing is reaching.

Furthermore, I haven't read all the dissertations on this topic, but I will say this...As a person who grew up in NYC and went to a school that was about 25%-30% Latino, I was "taught" by Caribbean Latinos to classify other Latinos by this rubric:

Very White, can be mistaken for a WASP - a white Cuban or perhaps a Puerto Rican
NYC ethnic White - Puerto Rican
Fair-skinned Latino (like Jessica Alba) - Puerto Rican
Medium-skinned Latino (JLo, and a few shades darker) - Puerto Rican or Dominican
Dark-skinned Latino (dark as in Beyonce's complexion and darker) - Dominican
Very dark-skinned Latino - Dominican or black Cuban

They even used to guess each other's ethnicity based on skin color and w/o fail, the darker Latinos were labeled Dominican and the lighter ones were labeled Puerto Ricans.

All of this is to say, Super Mario, out of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, the Dominican Republic is considered to be a 'blacker' island than the other two. For you to also say that you don't identify with the 'African' part of Dominican heritage, that's ridiculous, especially if you eat the food which just screams "African roots." I eat Afro-Caribbean food allll the time, and a lot of Dominican dishes are the same, except for a spice or two in difference. Moreover, as someone who is frequently in Washington Heights, all you see are dark-skinned people who look 'Black' (via the American definition) speaking Spanish, waving the DR flag. It is clear that you fell privy to Trujillo's racial identity brainwashing. Furthermore, as someone who has visited the DR and who patronizes Dominican businesses on a fairly regular basis, I hardly ever see 'true' white Dominicans, but more so medium-skinned and darker ones.

One more point before I go, in one post, someone posted the stats that more Dominicans in the US identify as Black than on the island, and probably the number one reason why is they see when they get to America that they look just like any other diasporic (West Indian or African-American) Black out there and get a wake up call. Nothing's wrong with being Black, mixed, White, etc. I just think it's ugly to down play the African part of such a vibrant culture.

[yellowtail]

Originally Posted by crisp444

His estimate of 10 years may be right. It seems to me that the neighborhood is NOT changing quickly, but little by little. Although a Starbucks or wine bar might open on a few corners, there are still sooo many more bodegas and little Dominican restaurants than Chase banks and Duane Reads. Washington Heights is an overwhelmingly Dominican neighborhood and will probably stay Dominican for a long time. I see no problem with the neighborhood going from 80% Dominican to "only" half Dominican; the neighborhood will still retain its character. I have actually made a couple trips to Washington Heights from Downtown Brooklyn where I live just to buy ripe plaintains, and I would be saddened if I'd have to go all the way up to the Bronx if all the Dominican places closed up shop!

Crisp44, if you want to buy ripe plaintains in BK just head over to Flatbush. I'm sure you can find them in a West Indian shop.

I also agree with you. I am not a fan of 100% ethnic enclaves. While I grew up in one, I feel like we need to diversify esp. areas of Manhattan. I don't see a problem with Wash Heights being 50% Dominican and 50% everything else...Neighborhoods change.

[nyc0127]

''Yes but there is no denying that Latino and Hispanic are ethnic/cultural categories. Therefore being Hispanic or Latino does not equal being mixed. A Latino/Hispanic can be White, Black, Asian, a mix, etc.

Guy, I see what you are saying, but you seem to be stuck on a very White American way of thinking that all Latino/Hispanic people are all brown and can be put in the same easy to categorize box, when it is lot more complex than that.''

As far as your conclusion about ''race'', I completely agree. However, culture the term's Hispanic and Latino are not culture. That isn't culture. That's garbage. You'd be stealing those people's individualism that they pride themselves upon. It can be denied because Latin America doesn't recognize neither one of those pathetic American corrupted terms. It doesn't mean they don't know it exists, but they throw little importance or interest into them. They were unhealthily injected terms into our culture in 1970. They are terms of ignorance. There is no unification is Latin American culture. What ever grouping that is to come about for any individual culture, will change, corrupt, filter and destroy the a pre-existing culture. You can't integrate Americanization into a foreign culture and expect it to be relevant to what it was before arriving to this country.

I don't recognize the term because they don't. They recognize themselves by individual nationality. They aren't desperate. They are happy within their respective countries. They understand their racial classifications a lot better than our country does. They take care of their demographics a lot better. It isn't as hounded upon. There problem is similar to the south though. They shun their history to make themselves feel better, which is unfair to every African slave that had to suffer there and the future of this world. There is no ''benefit factor'' to things like that. It's just a thing there. In this country, that term is an iconic repellent to whiteness. First and second generations don't live any different than European-Americans economically, educationally or in anyway though. There is as much trash there as there is for white trash, which isn't an overwhelming percentage.

The problem with Guy is that he wants life to be simple. He wants to fit a book into an envelope. He just can't do that. He is refusing to research and open up his eyes. If he wants to prove me wrong for his own self-satisfaction, he should study the lineage through the archives himself. Either that, or he should indirectly invade the privacy of Puerto Rican descendants in this city (and in Puerto Rico) by getting into real in-depth questions about their ancestral trees.

Unlike a lot of other people on here, I do my best to think outside the box. I do my best to look at all of this from an international perspective, because it is more valued in this world than the American approach. If you were to look at this from an international perspective, little regard would be given to those terms. They'd also recognize slavery a lot more and who the real oppressors were too. They'd also be able to gather demography a lot better than our incompetent census bereau.

[nyc0127]

''Nope..as I have stated repeatedly in prior posts, I recognize that there are also small populations of White as well as Black populations in Cuba/DR/PR..however the majority are mixed..and although you may see some that LOOK white it does not mean they ARE white. Seems simple to me.''

Give us international statistical reference to back this up. No wikipedia. Get us a theorist to back you up. Not a bias one who is taught to hate and envy white people like a New Yorker either. You got no statistics and no base, therefore you lack merit. You're using a bias method and aren't proving any points other than you're opinion differs than many other's on here. Even for those who have disagreed with myself, Newyorkur and other's who believe that Latin America is a much more European descended place that understood in this country, you go to a whole different level than them. It's as if you have a phantom that there is racial purity in this country, but none there. You've also created your own rules in you're only complex world (such as being mixed disregards that you are a partial member of European ancestry).

You ever think because they look white, is why they actually are white? Why is that so hard to believe? Isn't it usually the other way around that people think those who are mixed are to come our ''blacker''? Just look at how this country's media perceives Senator Obama's racial classification. It's not like they even ever gave him a choice.

It might seem simple to you, but you're alone on this theory. You probably believe your toe nails are mixed with your toes. Open your eyes and realize not everyone is mixed. It doesn't mean it wouldn't be a nice thing, because it would, but injecting ignorance just isn't healthy.

[nyc0127]

I do have to agree with Marie about Hatian immigrants. She hasn't been talking on here as long as all of us have, so she probably doesn't understand that you were kind of joking around lol Even if I disagree with you on just anything, I know you aren't mean hearted.

This isn't just about Hatian immigrants though. This is very true for all immigrants. It's very sad to say, but most of us Americans would never take offense to saying their work ethic is well below an immigrant's. It doesn't mean we don't work hard, but we don't appreciate what we have enough.

Us Americans cry like little babies and can't take the blame for our own misfortunes. I've said this to others before, and that is that although I'm proud to be an American, I'm a human-being first. I respect the fact that almost all immigrant's are very family-oriented and completely leave their success levels isolated from social pressures. Although Haiti is very poor and it's more understandable why they'd want to leave, it still perplexes me why any immigrant would have any faith in this country.

As she noted, moving to the Dominican Republic isn't a bad idea if you can make money. Their money isn't all that far behind ours anymore. If you were to go on vacation there ten years ago, they'd take your money with a big smile. Nowadays, they'll throw it back in your face and tell you to go exchange it. A big advantage for Hatian immigrants that choose there is that they could travel easier to see your family, being that you're still on the same island. Personally, I think all of us should be criticizing ourselves, lifestyles and governments far more than innocent immigrants who aren't as greedy or miserable as us.

[nyc0127]

''You do realize that Arabs, Eastern Europeans, and Asians were coming to New York in HUGE numbers in as early as the 1860s?''

Yes, I know. New York's demographics have well-risen though. It won't be soon until this city has 9 million people. Those people's demographical significance has evaporated. Those statistics meant something to those days. It wasn't to far after than that New York City surpassed Philadelphia as the largest city in the country though. With the exception of Eastern Europeans though, what ever has gone on over the past quarter-to-half century has been more statistically overwhelming. That is why most Asians and Middle Easterners are immigrants and first-generation in this city.

I completely agree with you on Eastern Europeans though. I should have described myself more clearly though. When I said Eastern Europeans, I meant that as a geographical region literally. I don't regard that as an ethnicity that lives on. It's a large region that becomes physically camouflage to America. Although it's more Muslim now, most who did come during that era were Jewish and Christian (especially Orthodox).

In states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, you would have been more likely to have been Christian. Most Eastern European descendants are Jewish. It'd be almost impossible to keep a full bloodline of Christian Eastern-European descent in New York City for six generations. The only group that could qualify for that would be Greeks. Much of the reason for that is because they came more recent than other Eastern European groups and they have their own church. The reason why a full lineage would have been difficult to contain is because Eastern-European Christians aren't statistically significant enough in this city (or county).

Most Eastern European descendants in this city are Jewish. Throughout time, they have tended to put more importance culturally on being Jewish. They mostly came during the 1860's to 1880's era.

[SuperMario]

I will respond to all this later tonight or tomorrow morning. Both of you bring up good points. I will say that I talked to my mother, being as I haven't been to DR in 16 years. I asked her if in DR they recognize or use the word "hispanic" she responded with a resounding "No". NYC0127, seems you were right. I will rethink my usage of the word. Is "Latino" also innapropiate?

And as always your posts are great reads. Although I think we should rename the thread title and move it to the world forums lol.

[nyc0127]

In many ways, he is right. I agree with many of his points, but I think there are many problems to his case too.

To willingly accept the equivalence of being a Latin American version of a black panther is kind of discraseful for an educated man. The New York media would teach you otherwise though. They'd teach you to be proud to ''look different.'' This promotes collectivism which indirectly asks for people to be low-class. In the capitalism and modernized world, the only way to make it good in this world is to be solely independent which demands individualism.

A big problem for his case is because it seems like all he can think about is issues circling around race. Being a one-dimensional activist prevents you from advancing your word. Although I'm sure he's made his points on issues not concerning non-ethnical issues, the media has given little recognition to that. In a way, that is why he has been filtered and unrecognized by many.

He doesn't disprove my theory. His media-oriented imagery is circled around the belief that people who are different could only think about issues that relate to them. It's like this media believes that black people aren't human-beings. You hear things as stupid as the ''black vote.'' It's as if the media wants you to believe they can't be concerned for issues outside of inner-city poverty. They won't ever associate them with issues like gay marriage or the economy. If he wanted to attract more of my recognition and attention, he'd show himself to break those low-class New York oriented stereotypes that he's seem to excel his career upon.

As he noted though, the government is wrong to have used the term Hispanic in the context he did. Most of the Mexican ancestry is indigenous, although not 90%. About 60% of Mexico is indigenous. Somewhere in between 2/3 to 3/4 of Mexican ancestry is indigenous within the United States. His pumping up of the indigenous statistics is highly linked to his ''anti-whitey'' psychological approach that was highly injected by the city he grew up in (East Harlem, New York City).

What happened in South Africa was pathetic. For Europeans to move into there and settle and rule other's is disgraceful. It's one thing to take people out of their homes, but to go into their home and force an apartheid is unimaginable. It sickens me to my stomach that some loser Americans would rather pride themselves in plastic-smiling-alzheimer-AIDS ignoring Ronald Raegen rather than Jimmy Carter, who was a huminitarian who vetoed trade agreements with South Africa because of this. It's sad that his wife actually pretends to care about human-beings now. When she dies though, she'll deserve to be worm food just like her husband. It's horrible that Jimmy Carter couldn't have been president just a half a year later, when AIDS struck this planet.

[nyc0127]

''Very White, can be mistaken for a WASP - a white Cuban or perhaps a Puerto Rican
NYC ethnic White - Puerto Rican
Fair-skinned Latino (like Jessica Alba) - Puerto Rican
Medium-skinned Latino (JLo, and a few shades darker) - Puerto Rican or Dominican
Dark-skinned Latino (dark as in Beyonce's complexion and darker) - Dominican
Very dark-skinned Latino - Dominican or black Cuban''

No teachers teach that in this city fed you that rubric. The high school I attended in NYC for one year was in the 15-20% range. They don't have the time, care of energy to teach you half of their curriculum. There are so many kid's in their classes, it probably takes them 3 months to learn their student's first names.

First off, although I don't know if you said it, Jessica Alba is not of Puerto Rican descent. By the way, Jennifer Lopez is actually spray-tanned. That tan you see is fake.

I won't even recognize Jessica Alba as of Latin American descent. She's of part Mexican descent, but also Dutch, a little French, Italian and other stuff. Have any of you guy's even seen the last few movies she's played in? Awake? She was playing an Americana in a city that doesn't have that lol They gave her a pretty ''WASPISH'' name in that movie. What about this new one coming out where she has blood coming out of her eyes? lol Or X-men? Jlo's played in movies as an Italian-American and as an all American Euro-American girl in every movie imaginable. This has happened for all of Latin American descent. This ethnic label even the media has tried enforcing on Latin Americans lacks any integrity. The same way how they were ''smoosed'' into being full Euro-American in this country, is the same way how it's going on in real life.

You have surely indirectly helped disprove Guy's ideology though. Jlo's mom is from Spain. Her dad's family came not to long ago either. So, if you consider a person like Jennifer Lopez to be ''medium-skinned'', than you've indicated a full European descendants is darker than people who Guy awkwardly considers part black lol


There is no such thing as ''fair skinned'' or ''dark skinned'' Stop putting all human-beings into a human blender.

Replace fair skined with white. Replace dark-skinned with black. Don't associate Americanism with it. Don't work with this ignorant and idiotic New York way of looking at it either. Take an international view of this kind of thing. I don't people in the U.N. would call them ''dark-skinned.''

Those ''fair skinned'' people you've described ancestor's predominantly went to Puerto Rico and Cuba in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. They could have been there from 15 to 20 generations. Through all that time, it's obvious much slave ownership generations have occurred. Because or others ''don't know'' is not your problem. If people don't know, they shouldn't judge. Those people know though. And they aren't lying. People are just re-constructing their ideals in this country based on their own bias day-to-day lives. This is simple lineage. This is not up for debate. There are archives availible for this kind of thing.

I'm not arguing the social construction of white and black. I'm arguing whether one's ancestor's came over here as an oppressive slave-owner or as the African slave who involuntarily was brought here and who's ancestors were enslaved for centuries.

Therefore, to insinuate someone is ''fair-skinned'' or even more common for other losers to irritably say ''light-skinned'' is simple ignorance. Tell those slaves who felt the crack of a whip they were ''light-skinned.'' Or ''racial minorities.''

Tell those who literally were gassed to death in the holocaust that their distant cousins in the U.S. are the ''oppressive'' figure, where as slave-owners descendants for centuries aren't. Do you think this would internationally be respected?

There is no such thing as being Puerto Rican in this city, so it'd be difficult for you to find out exactly know who is commonly while corresponding to a physical appearance. Anyone could say they are Puerto Rican and there would be little merit. It's useless. They culturally went down disgracefully and seized to exist. You could say the same thing to my (half) Italian ancestry. I may sound blunt, but I know what I'm talking about.

''Moreover, as someone who is frequently in Washington Heights, all you see are dark-skinned people who look 'Black' ''

You just identified their African roots. Why are so separating black by creating ''dark-skinned?'' Likewise to African-Americans, if there was a kinder God out there, their ancestors wouldn't be on this hemisphere because I really doubt they would have voluntarily came to this place. Saying ''dark-skinned'' is like a bull form of social construction you've created to socially isolate Dominican immigrants from the bad reputation African-Americans have. I'm not blaming you for trying, but I'm saying it's going no where. For that 30% though, they'll integrate into what would be consider a positive assimilation of black America.

You're denying the social construction of ''black'' to exist. Remember, this is the United States. Maybe in the Dominican Republic, they could feed their own crap to themselves, but in this country it would never work for a variety of reasons. Dominicans have no identity outside of their ethnic enclaves in the northeast. They have no national identity. They will have absolutely no ethic-identity by 2025. Like I said, because you may believe you look ''different'' doesn't equate to culture. They'll mesh into the whites and blacks of America, so they really aren't ''different.'' Being black and mixed is actually pretty common with African-Americans in this country. If anyone actually think's Dominican ethnic identity will continue to exist, they'll be as pathetic as the people who think their Puerto Rican descent still exists.

Here is what I say to Dominicans, appreciate the day. Try to contain the language, but except this country's culture for what it's worth. If you don't like it, go back before it's too late. Go down peacefully and without disgrace like groups like Puerto Ricans, Italians and other groups have. Don't believe your heritage exists without holding onto the linguistic part. Don't pretend to be more American and love, obey, imitate and never challenge white American like Italians did. Don't let the New York media get too much in your head either.

Whether they like it or not, they're all-out screwed. It's either black or white for them. Even for the one's who are mixed, unless they plan on limiting their choices of marriage and enjoy living in a tiny itty bitty box, it's all over. You're phantom of dark-skinned will die disgracefully, unless you individually re-construct your philosophy on the ''blackness'' or ''whiteness'' of Dominican and realize that isn't how things are. Society just doesn't see it that way.

People who wave a flag ''too much'' are needy. They want attention. They lack individual self-pride. They need society to know who they are to believe they matter. They depend on collectivism. If life was so great there, they shouldn't have come. It's not as if life is really that great here. There are equally as many Chinese in this city who came during the same period and they don't care if anyone knows who they are. People will BS and say ''it's because the Latin culture is louder'', but it's rather because they're seizing to exist and can't accept it.