Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Why is each immigrant group, when they are new to this country generally treated very poorly, get called ethnic slurs, and are discriminated against.
What inspired me is in a movie about The Kennedys, Joe Kennedy yells in rage "When my parents were in Ireland people called them Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy. Here they are just a couple of micks"
We know the Jews faced worse discrimination, and currently Hispanics are the center of this all. Most of the Hispanics I know are legal immigrants but there is racism and jokes made even in an office I interned in. I know many Hispanics because half of my family is South American and I have lived in Hispanic-dominated Miami.
I want to figure out why each immigrant group gets treated very poorly and discriminated against when they come to the U.S.
Assimilation is important, but it is nearly impossible for someone born in another country to Americanize 100%.
I think a lot of it is competition. People view immigrants as competition for jobs. And I think a lot of people are threatened when the old neighborhood starts changing. Or when they hear different languages spoken around them. Sometimes I'm the only one who doesn't speak Spanish at work gatherings. But people are always very courteous, if they start speaking Spanish in front of me (which doesn't happen very often), they'll remember I don't speak Spanish, apologize and switch to English. I'm trying to pick up some Spanish words here and there. If I had time, I'd love to take a class in the language, just because it would be fun to be able to chat with people socially in Spanish.
The neighborhoods my parents grew up in were predominantly Irish/German but when my parents were growing up more Italians moved in and then more Hispanic/Latino. The marriage patterns, especially on my dad's side reflect the neighborhood changes.
I think part of it is people fear they may lose their own culture/heritage as more culture/heritages become more prominent. Personally, I like sharing culture/heritage when it's appropriate.
Why is each immigrant group, when they are new to this country generally treated very poorly, get called ethnic slurs, and are discriminated against.
What inspired me is in a movie about The Kennedys, Joe Kennedy yells in rage "When my parents were in Ireland people called them Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy. Here they are just a couple of micks"
We know the Jews faced worse discrimination, and currently Hispanics are the center of this all. Most of the Hispanics I know are legal immigrants but there is racism and jokes made even in an office I interned in. I know many Hispanics because half of my family is South American and I have lived in Hispanic-dominated Miami.
I want to figure out why each immigrant group gets treated very poorly and discriminated against when they come to the U.S.
Assimilation is important, but it is nearly impossible for someone born in another country to Americanize 100%.
I don't know of anyone who discriminates against immigrants.
America was begun with immigrants.
The Great Melting Pot, etc.
I do, however, know people that are not welcoming towards illegal immigrants.
This is not about legal vs illegal immigration. Why is each immigrant group, when they are new to this country generally treated very poorly, get called ethnic slurs, and are discriminated against. I want to figure out why each immigrant group gets treated very poorly and discriminated against when they come to the U.S. Assimilation is important, but it is nearly impossible for someone born in another country to Americanize 100%.
I am not qualified to say that does'nt happen to people who migrate here. And maybe it does'nt help much to know that Africans got the same treatment when first arriving here as Afro Americans still do. And they didnt even migrate. But it has also been my experience that many who decide to live in America seem arrogant and condescending towards those born here as lazy, self entitled, without ambition. One Haitian co-worker boasted about what an industrious hard worker he was comapred to us "poorly motivated" natives. Another aquaintance said that she had "no interest in becoming American because America is only her meal ticket and that she was more proud of her own nation and heritage." So I am left asking the obvious question: Who's discriminating against who?
Assimilation is important, but it is nearly impossible for someone born in another country to Americanize 100%.
I like "cultural mosaic" better than "melting pot," personally. I also think that, for people who spent a significant amount of time in another country, it's not possible to feel 100% Americanized.
People don't like the change that comes with successive waves of new people with different ways. Most of the time, the fear is irrational. However, in some neighborhoods, the exodus of people is so fast and people of a certain group may be the very last ones of that group left behind. For such people, I wouldn't think the experience of living in that neighborhood would be that positive. Two such neighborhoods in the LA area are Inglewood and Hawthorne, where "The Beach Boys" were from. They were always integrated, but not polarized.
Why is each immigrant group, when they are new to this country generally treated very poorly, get called ethnic slurs, and are discriminated against.
What inspired me is in a movie about The Kennedys, Joe Kennedy yells in rage "When my parents were in Ireland people called them Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy. Here they are just a couple of micks"
We know the Jews faced worse discrimination, and currently Hispanics are the center of this all. Most of the Hispanics I know are legal immigrants but there is racism and jokes made even in an office I interned in. I know many Hispanics because half of my family is South American and I have lived in Hispanic-dominated Miami.
I want to figure out why each immigrant group gets treated very poorly and discriminated against when they come to the U.S.
Assimilation is important, but it is nearly impossible for someone born in another country to Americanize 100%.
NOT TRUE, my Grandmother was born and raised in Germany and when she came to America on the boat and landed at Ellis Island she became an American 100%. She did not speak German, did not write German did not cook anything German. After she learned English that is all she spoke, read and wrote and all of her cooking was traditional American food.
This is not about legal vs illegal immigration.
Assimilation is important, but it is nearly impossible for someone born in another country to Americanize 100%.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CSD610
NOT TRUE. My Grandmother was born and raised in Germany and when she came to America... she became an American 100%. After she learned English that is all she spoke, read and wrote and all of her cooking was traditional American food.
I dont think anyone relocating to the U.S. should be expected literally to become a person born here.
There is certainly a lot more to being an authentic U.S. citizen than what one can learn and practice about the culture and customs. But... Imitation amd emulation are definitely favorable forms of respect and flattery as opposed to the aloof reluctance evident by attempting to establish segregated communities that owe nothing of their success to the freedoms and liberties fought for by native veterans, available here, that might be absent in the land they left behind for obvious reasons.
Im 100% Polish and have lived in the US for almost 8 years since I came here at age 17. So English is to me second language. Its sometimes hard to assimilate, especially outside work and school, because people seem to judge on heavy accent. Even when they don't, just when you meet new people and start building rapport, they always interrupt you and ask where you from, most of the time. Im not ready to talk about my personal life yet when I want to start a simple talk. And whats funny, when u respectfully answer, they provide little or nothing about themselves and then change subject and later excuse to go to bathroom, outside, etc.
I have met some friends but not many. Whats weird, I live in Chicago suburbs, and Chicago is known for large Polish ancestry. Ive met two types of Poles. American Poles who are just like most other Americans whether be it Irish or German decent, and immigrant Poles who came here when they were very young and were able to catch up fast. Some of them belonged to Polish organization in college I signed up with but none of them stayed in touch after college. After email, facebooking, etc, u get sudden emotional double-crossing; e.g. when a best friend stops speaking to you and you never find out why. I had more luck meet another friend in common hobby along with his Polish friend.
I guess a lot of people are territorial and feel threatened when new people come in. They feel like what is theirs will be taken from them.
The excuse is always different but the result is the same.
NOT TRUE, my Grandmother was born and raised in Germany and when she came to America on the boat and landed at Ellis Island she became an American 100%. She did not speak German, did not write German did not cook anything German. After she learned English that is all she spoke, read and wrote and all of her cooking was traditional American food.
Yep. How young they were when they came to this country factor into it too. Most 12 and below immigrants end up being Americanized to the point where you wouldn't know that they were born elsewhere. Not that it matters to anyone who found out as long as they speak fluent English and is relatable.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
