Do you ever feel discriminated against in San Antonio? (Como: find a job, high school)

[wellguy]

I'm fortunate that I meet different people everyday whether on the phone and in person. Although the ratepayers pay my salary I do not feel that I have to kiss up to them. The main thing is to always put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself what you would want, expect, anfd how you would like to be treated. That's an easy question to answer and easier to act. I've been yelled at and cussed at when those few can't be satisfied. It's something that they feel they can do since again they pay my salary. I could (as I've seen others do) tell them to take it or leave it but that smart ass comment isn't trading in my job for.

I will frequently visit run down homes and the Folks don't have too much. I'll usually leave feel ****ty because of their circumstances but I never ever forget that I am no better than they are. I never forget that I have what I have because of them.

We can select to look down on others due to several factors ,including race, education, income level, etc. My Wife came form a poor Family and has been very fortunate in life. She has never forgotten where and what she came from. To me that makes her a better person. I came from a well off Family and I've always felt uneasy with others that dont't / didn't have what we have / had.

I knom from talking yo my Wife's Family) that Mexican American's in San Antonio have been treated pretty ****ty usually by someone who is White and thinks that their **** doesn't stink. THANK GOD I AM NOT ONE OF THEM.

[xsa210tx]

Originally Posted by wehotex

Good for you. Bilingualness is a skill set that should be rewarded.

Except with American-born citizens, who happen to not speak fluent Spanish, get passed up for a job by someone who does speak both languages.

I work downtown and I work at a place that has a VERY large portion of the customers who speak only Spanish and very little English.

We need to learn to communicate in English. It may not be the official language but at my work I don't feel I have to communicate everything in Spanish to someone who should take the time to learn our PREDOMINANT national language: English.

I may be a Latino person and born in San Antonio but I have (at this point in my life) now decided to not go out of my way to assist someone in Spanish.

They don't know English? Then, I'll try "my best" to speak in Spanish and if they still don't understand....it's definitely not my problem. My employer isn't paying me extra to know and communicate in some other language like a bilingual person is getting paid extra (in some cases) to know more than one language.

I'm not going to learn French, Spanish and Italian and other languages to accomodate the thousands of tourists who visit SA every year.

[xsa210tx]

Originally Posted by Dreadlockd

In certain sectors like Human/Social services I think there is nothing wrong with an employer requiring some staff being bilingual to meet the needs of a particular demographic.

There are more jobs that do not require being bilingual than those that do.

Now depending on the sector you work in, bilingual requirements may hinder you from employment, but I don't believe that in itself is "discrimination."

I agree. I don't think it's "discrimination" either.

However, I haven't heard anyone mention why those who don't speak English choose not to learn English for whatever reason(s). Apparently they don't care about assimilating and being a part of our American culture.

The quote, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," explains it simply.

[HillCountryHotRodMan]

Originally Posted by xsa210tx

However, I haven't heard anyone mention why those who don't speak English choose not to learn English for whatever reason(s). Apparently they don't care about assimilating and being a part of our American culture.

This.

They don't want to be part of our American culture. They want this to become what is convenient for them because their country has fallen apart and we must accomodate them at all costs because they have a God given right to anything they want.

[Buffyfan]

Discrimination? My husband and I (he's half Mexican/half Anglo, and I'm white) walked into a taqueria in off Babcock a couple weeks ago, the servers where all speaking Spanish, we sat down, not one server came to our table. They gladly assisted all the other tables speaking Spanish. Maybe they couldn't speak English? I'm not sure. But it made me feel pretty crappy not being waited on and we walked out.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by xsa210tx

Except with American-born citizens, who happen to not speak fluent Spanish, get passed up for a job by someone who does speak both languages.

I work downtown and I work at a place that has a VERY large portion of the customers who speak only Spanish and very little English.

What does that have to do with "American-born citizen".
Being bilingual is a skill, just like being a mechanic, electrician or whatever you want.

You can call that "the ugly side of capitalism"
If the business needs a "skilled person" that is bilingual to be more profitable and you are not a "skilled person".... guess what, you don't get the job.
It has nothing to do with where you were born.

In the same way,
if I own an auto repair shop and I find some guy that knows zero English but can fix transmission for $6/hour...
that dude is getting the job. (after checking that he's legal to work here)

[Stabart47]

When we first moved here, I went with my daughter while she was taking my granddaughter to the pediatrician. At checkout, the Hispanic receptionist pushed the paperwork regarding payment across the counter to my daughter (who is blond, blue-eyed) and it was the Spanish version. My daughter said, "Excuse me, may I have a copy of this in English?" The girl just stared her down and said, "You don't speak Spanish?" I looked all around and said, "Where are we?" She practically threw the paper at us and started speaking Spanish to her co-workers. Talk about culture shock... in 14 moves from coast to coast, have I never been treated like that.

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by Stabart47

When we first moved here, I went with my daughter while she was taking my granddaughter to the pediatrician. At checkout, the Hispanic receptionist pushed the paperwork regarding payment across the counter to my daughter (who is blond, blue-eyed) and it was the Spanish version. My daughter said, "Excuse me, may I have a copy of this in English?" The girl just stared her down and said, "You don't speak Spanish?" I looked all around and said, "Where are we?" She practically threw the paper at us and started speaking Spanish to her co-workers. Talk about culture shock... in 14 moves from coast to coast, have I never been treated like that.

I work with a few coworkers in an office setting that speak spanish at times when discussing work issues. While I never say anything, I find this highly rude and annoying to do in a professional setting. I have even been copied on email traffic between them that is written in spanish.

Outside of work, I have no issue with it however because then I don't have to be around it.

[Dopo]

Here's a case about .... NOT racism... but I think it has a little bit to do with it (don't know how to put it in few word).

I remember back in 1998 when I listened to the soundtrack of the movie "Bullworth"
and I heard a really cool song called "Joints & Jams" by Black Eyed Peas.
At that point NOBODY knew who the Black Eyed Peas were.
In 2000, the beautiful blonde Fergie joined them, and pretty soon the whole country was going crazy about the Black Eyed Peas.

I believe, that signing Fergie, somehow convinced the promoters (people at the top that own TV and radio stations)
to promote the Black Eyed Peas more.
What I find very interesting about this story.... is that they are making the exact same music that they made before Fergie.
But now they are World famous.


Here's "Joints & Jams" from Black Eyed Peas (before Fergie)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8kS7atmTis

[Buffyfan]

Yes, Dopo. But, Where is the Love?