Do you consider Cubans the most assimilated of Hispanics into American culture? (racism, March)
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My grandparents immigrated from Italy at the beginning of the 20th century. By 1950, their children (first generation, my parents) were almost fully assimilated into American culture. My cousins and I (second generation) are totally assimilated.
This is not the case in Miami. We have second and third generation Hispanics from a variety of countries who do not identify themselves as Americans first.
Coming to Miami is truly the best way to visit a foreign country w/o leaving the U.S.
I always find it amusing when individuals who are a mere generation away from the boat, become the most intolerant. It's a pathology, a form of self-hatred. I guess that they are trying to prove how American they are by being extra bad to the most recent immigrant. Its even more telling [ they are opening up their insecurities to thousands of people on a public level when they post on public boards] when the individual in question comes from a background that is similar to the one that he or she is criticizing. Everybody knows that Italians are Latins and Italian is the most similar language to Spanish. What's more, there are even physical similarities between many Italians and Cubans, example, put Cuban American Andy Garcia next to Al Pacino and they look like brothers. Put Cuban American Gloria Estefan in any city or town in Italy and she'll blend in physically with everybody else. Put Cuban American Bob Vila former host of This Old House in one of those Sons of Columbus Halls full of Italian Americans and he won't stick out.
As the saying goes, "familiarity breeds contempt."
By the way, I went to the Jewish Museum in NYC over the weekend and I saw an exhibit on anti-semiticism. One of the showcases showed how Jews were constantly otherized by the Germans and Austrians via the use of masks and the note below the exhibit said: "Antisemites promote the idea of Jews as a foreign race." This is basically what Ray1945 spends all of her time doing with Cuban Americans. It's a fixation with her. She wants to present Cuban-Americans as foreign, ungrateful [and therefore undesirable] as opposed to her who is the ideal and model American. This is an old strategy that bigots have been using for centuries.
It's just more pathetic when the bigot in question comes from recent immigrant roots herself.
Yes, "immigrants" do bring their cultures to this country and blend into the melting pot but what you aren't getting is that with so many Latinos here both legally and illegally that isn't happening. That is why I am for diversity rather than favoring one particular cultural group. Assimilation doesn't happen but colonization does instead. Why wouldn't any American object to that unless of course you are a Latino-American. We are not a Hispanic country nor do I desire it to turn into one. Assimilation isn't a two-way street. It is up to the immigrants who chose this country to migrate to to adapt to us not the other way around. I don't have a problem with them practicing their culture and language at home.
Many illegals work hard because they are afraid of being reported and deported if they don't. Latinos whether they be here legally or illegally don't hold the corner of the market on hard work ethics. The man you describe who went to law school but was here illegally does not represent most illegal aliens.
I disagree that Latinos are assimilating fast. Everywhere I go I hear them speaking exclusively in Spanish and of every age group. Look at Miami you can hardly get a job there without knowing Spanish. The Cubans have colonized that city and other parts of Florida. That isn't assimilation. As for the Italians or other groups here they aren't here in the numbers that Latinos are and are only prevelant in certain areas and aren't likely to change our culture or language like the widespread areas that Latinos are in but the same thing applies to them why have they lived here for decades and not assimilated to our national language of English out in mainstream?
Are you talking about Cuban Americans or other Latinos? Because you switch back and forth between Cuban Americans and other Latinos, and with all due respect, the socio-economic situation of the various Hispanic groups in this country is not interchangeable. Example: the wealthy South Americans with foreign bank accounts who have moved to Florida to avoid unrest in their respective countries are not going to have the same difficulty assimilating in the US as the poor Salvadoran peasant living in California with only 2 years of basic schooling from back home.
By the way, I've seen people fixating on Hispanics who speak Spanish, while ignoring those that speak English who happen to be all around them. I will relate a personal story, I was in a public place once with a bunch of Cuban American friends and there was this individual who got flustered with a Central American woman who was talking Spanish, so he started venting about how ALL HISPANICS come here and they don't learn the language, blah, blah, blah. Problem is that he was telling this to a group of Cuban Americans. He assumed that because we spoke English without accents [we were all American born, or arrived here as youngsters, and college educated] and we weren't "brown" [which is what all Latinos are supposed to be], so in his eyes, we were just "regular Americans" [whatever that is], until we mentioned to his shock that we were "one of those people!" You should have seen the look on his face. It was priceless! Which brings me to my point. People who blend in are invisible to the rest and the ones that stick out are the ones that you notice.
I always find it amusing when individuals who are a mere generation away from the boat, become the most intolerant. It's a pathology, a form of self-hatred. I guess that they are trying to prove how American they are by being extra bad to the most recent immigrant. Its even more telling [ they are opening up their insecurities to thousands of people on a public level when they post on public boards] when the individual in question comes from a background that is similar to the one that he or she is criticizing. Everybody knows that Italians are Latins and Italian is the most similar language to Spanish. What's more, there are even physical similarities between many Italians and Cubans, example, put Cuban American Andy Garcia next to Al Pacino and they look like brothers. Put Cuban American Gloria Estefan in any city or town in Italy and she'll blend in physically with everybody else. Put Cuban American Bob Vila former host of This Old House in one of those Sons of Columbus Halls full of Italian Americans and he won't stick out.
As the saying goes, "familiarity breeds contempt."
By the way, I went to the Jewish Museum in NYC over the weekend and I saw an exhibit on anti-semiticism. One of the showcases showed how Jews were constantly otherized by the Germans and Austrians via the use of masks and the note below the exhibit said: "Antisemites promote the idea of Jews as a foreign race." This is basically what Ray1945 spends all of her time doing with Cuban Americans. It's a fixation with her. She wants to present Cuban-Americans as foreign, ungrateful [and therefore undesirable] as opposed to her who is the ideal and model American. This is an old strategy that bigots have been using for centuries.
It's just more pathetic when the bigot in question comes from recent immigrant roots herself.
What a load of crap. I have no problem with immigrants. I have a problem with immigrants who claim the immigrants from their country are better than those from other countries and, sometimes, native born Americans.
What a load of crap. I have no problem with immigrants. I have a problem with immigrants who claim the immigrants from their country are better than those from other countries and, sometimes, native born Americans.
As an Italian you should be the LAST person talking about immigrants who think that they are better than other immigrants. Just ask the average Italian about Caribbean immigrants and you will see what reaction you will get. Indeed when Caribbean people were buying homes in Canarside and Flatlands in the early 90s it was the ITALIANS, not the Jews, who threw firebombs at them. These were people BUYING property. Not planning to live on Section 8.
Its a known fact that Cubans in Miami are known not to like blacks, even Cuban blacks at times. But I just cant recallhearing of any fire bombing.
As an Italian you should be the LAST person talking about immigrants who think that they are better than other immigrants. Just ask the average Italian about Caribbean immigrants and you will see what reaction you will get. Indeed when Caribbean people were buying homes in Canarside and Flatlands in the early 90s it was the ITALIANS, not the Jews, who threw firebombs at them. These were people BUYING property. Not planning to live on Section 8.
Not sure what point you are trying to make. I am not an Italian - I am an American, have been so my entire life. None of what you posted applies to me or anyone in my family. FWIW, ignorant prejudice transcends race/ethnicity and can be found everywhere/anywhere in this country.
Quote:
Its a known fact that Cubans in Miami are known not to like blacks, even Cuban blacks at times. But I just cant recallhearing of any fire bombing.
A known fact? Do you have documentation to support that "fact"? I never witnessed any overt racism on the part of any of my Cuban colleagues - or my Cuban neighbors and friends.
Yes, "immigrants" do bring their cultures to this country and blend into the melting pot but what you aren't getting is that with so many Latinos here both legally and illegally that isn't happening. That is why I am for diversity rather than favoring one particular cultural group. Assimilation doesn't happen but colonization does instead. Why wouldn't any American object to that unless of course you are a Latino-American. We are not a Hispanic country nor do I desire it to turn into one. Assimilation isn't a two-way street. It is up to the immigrants who chose this country to migrate to to adapt to us not the other way around. I don't have a problem with them practicing their culture and language at home.
Many illegals work hard because they are afraid of being reported and deported if they don't. Latinos whether they be here legally or illegally don't hold the corner of the market on hard work ethics. The man you describe who went to law school but was here illegally does not represent most illegal aliens.
I disagree that Latinos are assimilating fast. Everywhere I go I hear them speaking exclusively in Spanish and of every age group. Look at Miami you can hardly get a job there without knowing Spanish. The Cubans have colonized that city and other parts of Florida. That isn't assimilation. As for the Italians or other groups here they aren't here in the numbers that Latinos are and are only prevelant in certain areas and aren't likely to change our culture or language like the widespread areas that Latinos are in but the same thing applies to them why have they lived here for decades and not assimilated to our national language of English out in mainstream?
Well, diversity is great unless you think there's too much of it. That's what you seem to be saying. Well, you can't pick and choose.
Just because Latinos are speaking Spanish in public doesn't mean they can't or won't speak English. It's a provincial American mindset that just because you speak another language other than English you don't speak English. How narrow minded. And your anecdote doesn't mean it's true. Most 2nd and 3rd generation Latinos tend to lose their Spanish language fluency.
I consider myself fully assimilated as a 2nd generation Chinese American and I can speak Mandarin and Cantonese, and speak that to my daughter. It doesn't mean I can't speak English (and in fact, I probably speak and write better than many monolingual Americans). Maybe if I see you in the street, I should suddenly speak Chinese just to make your head explode.
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