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What does Reggaeton have to do with fake PRicans? Migration in itself will cause changes, particularly if someone leaves one place for another while still young or at an impressionable age. There is no fake out there, just perhaps those nostalgic for what they think PR is, especially if they never have the opportunity to return to the island. Their reaching to differentiate themselves from just being another Hispanic American. So all of the PR trinkets don't bother me, at least they have a concern.
I've returned and quite honestly do not want to go back to the states...
Last edited by boricuarosa; 06-23-2013 at 05:19 AM..
While this is true for most of the USA, I say there are many areas of this country where Hispanic doesn't automatically equals Mexicans. The NYC area and in south and central Florida are good examples of this. In central Florida Hispanic might actually mean Puerto Rican for obvious reasons.
I can't speak for NYC but here on Long Island many people do use "Mexican" as a catch phrase for all Hispanics even though most Hispanics around here are Guatemalan, Salvadoran, and Dominican.
In the 1990s, I was a military dependent and finished high school in central Florida. I was excited at first as many of the students were Puerto Rican, and I am New Mexican Hispano (not a recent Mexican American). After being the only Hispanic/Latino student in a couple of places, and coming from a background with a superficially similar history I thought it would be welcoming.
Boy was I wrong!
The Puerto Ricans really rubbed me the wrong way, and I never made sense to them, not because I was another kind of Latino so much. That sort of hate was reserved to Dominicans, who were trash to these kids (and seemed to be singled out as being black, poor, and "stupid"). I was constantly asked if "I was really Spanish or white" (a question that made no sense to me, they are both white!). Or told "I am not "Spanish. I act white." My response was always "so you're from Madrid or Barcelona?"
These kids only listened to rap/black American music, or maybe merengue, but saw any Latino who liked rock or "white music" (even if not really white) as a "sell out." Even if they spoke Spanish, they emulated African-American culture, and clothes, and liked to call each other the n-word (which I refuse to use), and so on.
The other side to this, which was confusing as hell, is that these kids never saw themselves as "black" and if darker-skinned, would never consider themselves as such - if light skinned - would go out of their way to bash "gringos" to prove they were Puerto Rican, and so forth. They didn't have much to do with black or white Americans, but the emulated everything black or hip-hop - but not what I'd consider "quality" hip hop. (Mainy crappy "party bass" junk).
Anyway, for a while, I had a very negative view of Puerto Rican - excuse me "Spanish" kids, and for a long time, avoided any like the plague. I thought they were racist and ignorant. However; in college, I met Puerto Ricans with very different attitudes, who spoke much better Spanish, and a wider diversity of beliefs on music and culture. I suppose the kids I encountered in school were a very distinct subset? Maybe from a specific community, region, or generation? My impression was that they were migrants from Puerto Rico, though some came by way of New York/New Jersey.
Would this now be the reggaeton crowd?
LOL, as someone of Mexican descent, wait to you get a load of ghettocentric crackheads claiming to be nubian olmecs and demanding that you boost their self-esteem.
I believe New Texico encountered what is known as Nuyoricans. These folks are the descendants of very poor folks that migrated to NY as tomotato pickers way back in the 1930s,1940s, and 50s.
These folks lacked education and lived in poor areas. They are mostly mestizos with black, indigenous and some Spanish. The ones that had a poor family background identified themselves with the Amercan black Culture. After a couple of generations they wanted some identity and now they cling to Puerto Rican roots. But, in fact they have assimilated 80% of the black American culture. Most do not speak Spanish and most do not know or understand the island of PR.
If they meet educated person from Latin America with European roots they are quite puzzled. They assume everybody in Latin America is dark and uneducated.
Anglo Americans get confused too. They assume all Mexicans are the guys that mow your lawn.
If they meet educated person from Latin America with European roots they are quite puzzled. They assume everybody in Latin America is dark and uneducated.
Anglo Americans get confused too. They assume all Mexicans are the guys that mow your lawn.
For the record, in Canada & the states I have met many dark skin/mulato/mestizo Latin American immigrants that value education, and who are professionals & business owners.
For the record, in Canada & the states I have met many dark skin/mulato/mestizo Latin American immigrants that value education, and who are professionals & business owners.
Of course, one cannot generalize.
And some of these Nuyoricans had good parents that valued education. The Nuyorican chief justice Sotomayor was sent to Catholic schools by her struggling mother in hopes of gaining a good education.
But, unfortunately, Latin Americans that descend from the dominant Spanish classes tend to get better education.
But, unfortunately, Latin Americans that descend from the dominant Spanish classes tend to get better education.
Yep, that's why I specifically mentioned the ones in North America because over here there is much more social mobility.
Of course there are African Americans that value education as well, but for various reasons, they are notions about "authenticity" and how certain people are supposed to act.
Though these topics might be better suited for another thread.
But, unfortunately, Latin Americans that descend from the dominant Spanish classes tend to get better education.
Why would this be considered unfortunate? Would you feel better served if "better education" was equally unavailable to all? Perhaps the the unfortunate aspect is that better education can be more difficult to obtain for those in the lower economic stratas...
But it isn't impossible as demonstrated by countless of thousands of individuals who either on their own or with their parents assistance made education the number one priority in their lives. Affirmative action has been a hot topic lately and it often goes unrecognized that one of the primary goals of the program was to break the cycle of being trapped in a low paying job w/out an education. It may not necessarily have helped the first generation immigrant but subsequent generations prospered and gained tremendously if the opportunities provided were utilized. Some look at affirmative action as a handout when actually, for many it was/is the bridge to independent living (w/out social services) through better education and economic opportunity.
Mainland ricans and island ricans are very very different. The nuyoricans that have adopted the urban black style are considered "gringos" when they come down here. In PR if you weren't born and raised here you are not considered a real boricua. That's just the way it is here.
Why would this be considered unfortunate? Would you feel better served if "better education" was equally unavailable to all? Perhaps the the unfortunate aspect is that better education can be more difficult to obtain for those in the lower economic stratas...
But it isn't impossible as demonstrated by countless of thousands of individuals who either on their own or with their parents assistance made education the number one priority in their lives. Affirmative action has been a hot topic lately and it often goes unrecognized that one of the primary goals of the program was to break the cycle of being trapped in a low paying job w/out an education. It may not necessarily have helped the first generation immigrant but subsequent generations prospered and gained tremendously if the opportunities provided were utilized. Some look at affirmative action as a handout when actually, for many it was/is the bridge to independent living (w/out social services) through better education and economic opportunity.
I say unfortunately to be PC.
Generally speaking i education is often related to your cultural heritage more often than not.
Folks that are theoretical physicists tend to have smart kids that go to college.
Last edited by Julian658; 07-11-2013 at 01:04 PM..
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