I love living near downtown Wilkes-Barre (Scranton, Kingston: neighborhoods, elementary school, law)

[returningtonepa???]

Originally Posted by go phillies

Also, I'm sure I'll be branded a racist for bring up the obvious, but as far as minority populations go, W-B has a bigger black population than Scranton. And most (not all, but most) of them in Wilkes-Barre are inner-city ghetto thug types....with the baggy pants with the underwear showing, the flat-brimmed sideways hats, talking in ebonics, etc. Mostly here for public assistance and/or the drug trade. These are not Bill Cosby type black people. How often do you see a black man in a suit carrying a briefcase in Wilkes-Barre? But I don't have to walk half of a block downtown without running into a "gangsta rap" type. But professional black people are common in places like NYC, DC, Philly, LA, etc. Its sad, because the people who don't get out of this area much think that the minorities that have moved to the area are a representation of minorities as a whole.....and its not true. Blacks, like whites, have their good people and bad people....but unfortunately it seems most of the ones who move here are an embarrasment to their race.
Scranton is attracting minorities too, but it seems to be more hispanics than blacks in Scranton. The hispanics tend to come here to work and provide for their families, rather than to get on welfare and sell drugs.

It may not be politically correct, but its true nonetheless.

obviously you don't go into hyde park---downtown scranton or providence much------

you are right bout the latino workers--they want to work and provide for their families given the chance

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by EnyaGirl

Well for me, since the ability to read, write and SPEAK English is one of the eligibility requirements for becoming a United States citizen, when I hear people saying "como estas" I tend to assume they are not US citizens, and I'm willing to bet that more often than not, I'm right about that assumption. THAT scares me.

So if one chooses to speak in their native tongue you assume that they are illegal? Interesting.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by EnyaGirl

Don't get me wrong, Paul. I studied Spanish for 7 years in school and am actually close to fluent in the language, but I believe that if one is a citizen of this country (and not above the age of 50 and living here for 20 years, as the USCIS allows) then the language they should be speaking is English. I would expect to hear Spanish in Spain and in Mexico, etc. but when I see young kids speaking it HERE because they're not even being taught English by their illegal parents, it just turns my stomach. Anyway, I'm glad this area isn't as "diverse" as your new area apparently is if diversity means illegals (which it most likely does!)

Wow. No it does not mean they are illegal if they are speaking their native language. I can speak German. But if I were in Germany, I'd probably speak English to my family and English speaking friends. One's native tongue is always easier to use than a second language (unless one is bilingual at a very early age).

I am just so shocked that you beleive just because someone is speaking a foriegn language they are here illegally.

[EnyaGirl]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

So if one chooses to speak in their native tongue you assume that they are illegal? Interesting.

Are you saying that you assume all of the Spanish speaking people in this country are here legally? Wake up!!! More often than not...they're *not*.

[EnyaGirl]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Wow. No it does not mean they are illegal if they are speaking their native language. I can speak German. But if I were in Germany, I'd probably speak English to my family and English speaking friends. One's native tongue is always easier to use than a second language (unless one is bilingual at a very early age).

I am just so shocked that you beleive just because someone is speaking a foriegn language they are here illegally.

I'm just so shocked that you are so naive to believe that most of the Spanish speaking Mexicans in this country are here LEGALLY. WOW.

Oh, and I didn't say just any foreign language. I said Spanish.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by EnyaGirl

I'm just so shocked that you are so naive to believe that most of the Spanish speaking Mexicans in this country are here LEGALLY. WOW.

Oh, and I didn't say just any foreign language. I said Spanish.

I guess why it amazes me is that I work with four Spanish speaking women and they are all from another country. None of them are illegally here and all of them are bilingual. They sometimes speak to each other in Spanish. *shrug* I just don't get why you would assume that speaking in another language means someone is here illegally. Perhaps you could explain why so I can understand because I am not seeing the connection. Sorry.

[EnyaGirl]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

I guess why it amazes me is that I work with four Spanish speaking women and they are all from another country. None of them are illegally here and all of them are bilingual. They sometimes speak to each other in Spanish. *shrug* I just don't get why you would assume that speaking in another language means someone is here illegally. Perhaps you could explain why so I can understand because I am not seeing the connection. Sorry.

Gosh, I'm awfully sorry you don't see the connection, but I don't feel the need to explain . If you do ever make a visit to reality from fantasyland though, could you please bring me back a unicorn? I've always wanted one

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by EnyaGirl

Gosh, I'm awfully sorry you don't see the connection, but I don't feel the need to explain . If you do ever make a visit to reality from fantasyland though, could you please bring me back a unicorn? I've always wanted one

That is so completely dismissive. Why is it so bad to ask for clarification on something? I don't live in fantasy land but I don't automatically assume the worse of people.

That is incredibly rude. Why can't you just be civil and answer the question that I asked you in a nice manner?

I'm trying very hard to be nice here but some of you sure make it hard. (no I'm not really crying but that really did hurt, EnyaGirl. It was totally unneccessary to respond in such a manner.)

[Magritte25]

And you know what else? Because I am SURE that you will assume this as well, I am a professional and the women I am speaking of all have bachelor's degrees or higher. So they most certainly are NOT illegals. So again - no fantasy land here. Just the facts.

[EnyaGirl]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

That is so completely dismissive. Why is it so bad to ask for clarification on something? I don't live in fantasy land but I don't automatically assume the worse of people.

That is incredibly rude. Why can't you just be civil and answer the question that I asked you in a nice manner?

I'm trying very hard to be nice here but some of you sure make it hard. (no I'm not really crying but that really did hurt, EnyaGirl. It was totally unneccessary to respond in such a manner.)

I dont NEED to respond to your questions here. I don't NEED to explain my opinions to you. If I responded to all of your questions I would be spending WAY too much time on this forum (like some people...I won't mention any names). So yes, it was dismissive....and it was intended to be so. Whoop de doo that you know four Spanish speaking people who are here legally. Fact remains, MILLIONS are here ILLEGALLY and guess what, they're speaking SPANISH so it's not all that far of a stretch to assume that you'll "run into them" all over the place, and I stand by my statement that if you truly assume that every Spanish speaking person you encounter is here legally, that you are residing in fantasy land.