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Usually that is only a problem for fist-generation immigrants, provided the parents feel welcome and are thus willing to learn English themselves. When they don't feel welcome and are afraid they might be sent back south again, they will not make the effort to learn English, but instead become part of a parallel culture which indeed is a problem.
By the first American-born generation, most of this is cured. The people become American in outlook and culture. A friend of mine mentors a couple of REALLY poor "Hispanic" boys (should call them Indians, because by the look of them the chances of them having any non-Mayan blood is about 0.05%)... they live 7 people in a single wide trailer...mother can't speak a lick of English, is illegal, and unemployed. But the youngest of her children can't speak Spanish and are pretty much indistinguishable from other American kids.
In my opinion, in South Florida (I can't speak for the SW United States, which is predominantly Mexican immigration), it seems that the newly arrived indigenous Central Americans and Chicanos are much more insular than the South Americans, who have become a part of everyday life faster and easier, and are often indistinguishable from Americans in appearance or lifestyle. (A last name or accent being the only indication that they aren't "Anglo").
The most interesting fact to me is that if the USA stopped keeping tabs on "race", "religion" or "ethnicity" and just kept records of people with regard to their "legal status", "socio-economics", "education" there wouldn't be any need to talk about "hispanization".
But the government is a purveyor of racism. The government claims they want to level the playing field by keeping tabs on people by giving them labels, meanwhile it only serves to divide us as a nation.
Racism obviously gives people employment, and clout in the United States. Ruben Navarrette only has a career because of it.
By the first American-born generation, most of this is cured. The people become American in outlook and culture. A friend of mine mentors a couple of REALLY poor "Hispanic" boys (should call them Indians, because by the look of them the chances of them having any non-Mayan blood is about 0.05%)... they live 7 people in a single wide trailer...mother can't speak a lick of English, is illegal, and unemployed. But the youngest of her children can't speak Spanish and are pretty much indistinguishable from other American kids.
In my opinion, in South Florida (I can't speak for the SW United States, which is predominantly Mexican immigration), it seems that the newly arrived indigenous Central Americans and Chicanos are much more insular than the South Americans, who have become a part of everyday life faster and easier, and are often indistinguishable from Americans in appearance or lifestyle. (A last name or accent being the only indication that they aren't "Anglo").
Not quite the same in Texas. The Mexicans come and go from their country as it is just a bus ride away. Some have been here for years and cannot speak English and their kids, born here, enter school not knowing English because English is not spoken in the home, not even by the kids who are in the US school system.
The younger the kid though when he enters school the better it is on all students. To have to resort to simplistic language in high school to teach content does a disservice to the other students who need to be learning more abstract and complex thinking.
More power to them, if that is the way things are trending, then there aint nothing you racists, who frequently use the term 'breeding like rabbits' to describe increases in hispanic populations, can do about it. Back in the 1800's German immigrants were the target of the vile hatred, the Irish had their day as the target, as did the italians, Poles, etc. as they had waves of immigration. I agree that illegal immigration is a big problem, but to just think that the answer is to sink into the base racial stereotyping and other hating that I see and hear from those who one might never suspect of such low mentality reactions to a problem, is not the right way- or the Christian way as many who I hear making these type of anti hispanic tirades. I have had to defriend many on facebook after they had posted hateful, racist anti immigration(thinly veiled anti hispanic) posts. I am a german/irish/serbian/polish mishmash myself, and have laways loved hispanic culture, and have no problem is that is the future of this country-I am the type who instead of crying out to pass laws to try to enforce an 'English only' mentality would rather use my time to try to learn spanish myself- stop the hating people
As long as "Hispanics" (again, whatever that means) add to the American cultural mix, and do not try to impose "Latino" social mores and their brand of Catholic conservatism and machismo bulls*** on society, it shouldn't be a problem for the future. America has a way of slowly wringing out the "old country" from populations over tim. This will especially be true as more inter-marriage between Hispanic-descent and non-Hispanic descent people of all races inter-marry.
I truly believe America can work as a multi-racial society with a superficial cultural melting pot, but I can't imagine anything positive about having a Spanish version of Quebec in the American Southwest. Maybe the "I'm so open and welcoming to all things" people on this board can explain HOW it's good for the country.
Because seriously, I also do not want to live in a colder version of a Latin American country. There's a reason why tons of people are leaving THERE for HERE, and we should NEVER applaud adoption of third world cultural norms. That's not a racial thing, it's a cultural thing. Again, Latino is not a race.
As long as "Hispanics" (again, whatever that means) add to the American cultural mix, and do not try to impose "Latino" social mores and their brand of Catholic conservatism and machismo bulls*** on society, it shouldn't be a problem for the future. America has a way of slowly wringing out the "old country" from populations over tim. This will especially be true as more inter-marriage between Hispanic-descent and non-Hispanic descent people of all races inter-marry.
I truly believe America can work as a multi-racial society with a superficial cultural melting pot, but I can't imagine anything positive about having a Spanish version of Quebec in the American Southwest. Maybe the "I'm so open and welcoming to all things" people on this board can explain HOW it's good for the country.
Because seriously, I also do not want to live in a colder version of a Latin American country. There's a reason why tons of people are leaving THERE for HERE, and we should NEVER applaud adoption of third world cultural norms. That's not a racial thing, it's a cultural thing. Again, Latino is not a race.
We adopted a huge cultural influence from Mexico that is considered by those uneducated in history to be such a stereotypical 'American' icon, played up by such 'American icons' as John Wayne and Ronald Reagan- the cowboy- the cowboy culture was one that was adopted from Mexico-the gear and trappings, etc.the 'culture' only slightly modified here - your wording above leads me to believe you have not read much on the history of Mexico or any other latin culture
we could use some more integrating of their culture into ours-
The younger the kid though when he enters school the better it is on all students. To have to resort to simplistic language in high school to teach content does a disservice to the other students who need to be learning more abstract and complex thinking.
I don't know what the solution is to this. When my father immigrated here in the 60s as a young teenager, his family settled in the ethnic ghetto. My grandparents never really learned English, and would watch Univision because it was close enough to Portuguese that they could understand it.
However, in school my father spent a year essentially learning English before being put in class with the rest of the kids. Today he and his siblings all speak fluently, albeit with an accent. It's a model that should probably be adopted across the country. Too bad the "Hispanic" lobby is too tied up in their ethnic tribalism and political power grabs to actually come up with solutions that are good for EVERYONE in the country.
By the first American-born generation, most of this is cured. The people become American in outlook and culture. A friend of mine mentors a couple of REALLY poor "Hispanic" boys (should call them Indians, because by the look of them the chances of them having any non-Mayan blood is about 0.05%)... they live 7 people in a single wide trailer...mother can't speak a lick of English, is illegal, and unemployed. But the youngest of her children can't speak Spanish and are pretty much indistinguishable from other American kids.
In my opinion, in South Florida (I can't speak for the SW United States, which is predominantly Mexican immigration), it seems that the newly arrived indigenous Central Americans and Chicanos are much more insular than the South Americans, who have become a part of everyday life faster and easier, and are often indistinguishable from Americans in appearance or lifestyle. (A last name or accent being the only indication that they aren't "Anglo").
Maybe because the further south you go, people are more "European" (Brazilians, Argentinians etc.), plus there is no inherited historical friction and dislike like with the Mexicans
Generally speaking the US has the advantage that still most people who go there do so because they more or less like the country, or at least their idea of the country.
We adopted a huge cultural influence from Mexico that is considered by those uneducated in history to be such a stereotypical 'American' icon, played up by such 'American icons' as John Wayne and Ronald Reagan- the cowboy- the cowboy culture was one that was adopted from Mexico-the gear and trappings, etc.the 'culture' only slightly modified here - your wording above leads me to believe you have not read much on the history of Mexico or any other latin culture
we could use some more integrating of their culture into ours-
Yes, because "cowboy culture" is the core of American culture.
Your post leads me to believe your "study" of what Latin culture is, is that of a privileged white "academic" perspective than any real immersion or first person experience in the cultures themselevs.
But, pray tell, what else about Mexican culture do you think we need "more of" here in the United States? The Mexican legal tradition? Their reputation for plurality and progressivism? How about the role of women?
At least Hispanics are people who mix with other ethnic groups. Other countries face the problem that immigrants from certain countries and cultures don't mix with locals for religious or other reasons...
Society has always been in flux, there is no ideal final status that has to be maintained.
This doesn't change hispanics invading 2 continents
Generally speaking the US has the advantage that still most people who go there do so because they more or less like the country, or at least their idea of the country.
This might be key. If you have to travel far distances to settle in the United States, you might actually have more interest in becoming a PART of American society... vs. if you just move here because it's the closest big economy. Then it's just a place to make money.
It also helps, I suppose, if you don't come here with the perspective that the United States stole your land. Even IF you're a 4-5" Aztec who has about as much in common with the displaced Spaniards who settled the SW as you do with Irish settlers in Boston.
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