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What were the reasons the Oakies came to the U.S? We're they welcomed? What kind of work did they do? How were they treated? Did they assimilate?
You might want to brush up on the history books yourself there, Exedous. The "Oakies" didn't come to the US. They were for the most part already born here. Try again.
You can keep ranting about your position(s), but you are not effectively arguing your points.
When you catch up, I might care - otherwise, there is no point in continuing to attempt a debate with someone who is selctively taking information, and making absolute untruths as affirmations of fact.
Oakies as in Oklahomans that settled in Bakersfield and Southern California?
Yep. And also, more similar, There was an Anti-Okie saying that harboring any poor person whom is not a resident of California, is a misdemeanor. Where have we heard this?
You might want to brush up on the history books yourself there, Exedous. The "Oakies" didn't come to the US. They were for the most part already born here. Try again.
You can keep ranting about your position(s), but you are not effectively arguing your points.
When you catch up, I might care - otherwise, there is no point in continuing to attempt a debate with someone who is selctively taking information, and making absolute untruths as affirmations of fact.
OMG! RE-READ MY POST!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know they were Americans for Christ sake, I was comparing their similar struggles coming to the states. In this case, California. The evidence is astonishing.
My theory is that the large scale immigration of hispanics to California that has been going on since the 70s(yeah, its not like mexicans just broke the fence down recently) is very much like the large scale immigration of Italians and Irish to East coast cities in the early 20th century. Lets look at similarities.
Many Latino immigrants arrive in cities like Los Angeles not knowing English. This angers the "real" Americans. Go through a Latino neighborhood and you will see signs in Spanish, and hear people speaking Spanish.
When Italian immigrants arrived, they formed their own neighborhoods. Signs for Italian owned businesses were in Italian. Italian was commonly heard spoken in these neighborhoods.
A few bad apples have led to all Latino immigrants being portrayed as criminals. Example: The young black high school athlete who was tragically murdered by an alleged illegal. This tragedy has been shamelessly used as anti-immigrant propaganda. Not only is someones terrible death being used to further a groups agenda..but the finger is being pointed at the whole immigrant community instead of one rotten individual..
A few decades ago, Italians were stereotyped as criminals because of a small minority who were involved in a thing called the mafia. Much like the small minority of latinos involved with gangs.
The new generation of American's born to Italian immigrants grew up and became assimilated into American culture, speaking English and Italian.
Find me one Latino born and raised in America, born to immigrants even, who doesn't speak English.
Italians eventually assimilated completely into American culture, while still proudly holding their heritage close to heart. italian businesses even have the colors of the italian flag sometimes in their businesses.
They also formed an important part of the history and present of New York.
With that said, Latinos too are becoming more assimilated generation after generation. Latinos too are becoming productive American Citizens..Just like The children of Italian immigrants have in the past.
Its been done since this country started: immigration.
Latinos are just the latest wave. Why do people think they will not assimilate over time? Whats so different about Latinos compared to all the other people who immigrated here?
And yes...Latinos will have a lot of influence in cities like Los Angeles...just like Italian culture has a lot of influence on New York.
Why is that so bad?
Could it be because they are brown?
Mexicans in LA sincethe 70's...where do you get this from. Mexicans have been in CA for Decades...Before CA was part of the US! To compare the immigration of Italians to the Northeast to Mexicans in CA is comparing apples to oranges. But you make a point. White folks want everybody to drink budweiser, eat meatloaf and mashed potatos, and listen to country. Not going to happen.
Mexicans in LA sincethe 70's...where do you get this from. Mexicans have been in CA for Decades...Before CA was part of the US! To compare the immigration of Italians to the Northeast to Mexicans in CA is comparing apples to oranges. But you make a point. White folks want everybody to drink budweiser, eat meatloaf and mashed potatos, and listen to country. Not going to happen.
Budweiser= yuck.
Beer in general= yuck.
meatloaf= mmmm.
mashed potaties= mmmm.
country= yuck to the 10th place.
Mexicans in LA sincethe 70's...where do you get this from. Mexicans have been in CA for Decades...Before CA was part of the US! To compare the immigration of Italians to the Northeast to Mexicans in CA is comparing apples to oranges. But you make a point. White folks want everybody to drink budweiser, eat meatloaf and mashed potatos, and listen to country. Not going to happen.
I am white, and I didn't know this what I was supposed to want. I am quite frankly insulted that the rest of my peeps left me out of the loop on that "what white folks want" memo.
Mexicans in LA sincethe 70's...where do you get this from. Mexicans have been in CA for Decades...Before CA was part of the US! To compare the immigration of Italians to the Northeast to Mexicans in CA is comparing apples to oranges. But you make a point. White folks want everybody to drink budweiser, eat meatloaf and mashed potatos, and listen to country. Not going to happen.
yeah, I know, but the large scale immigration of hispanics(mexicans, guatemalans, nicaraguans, el salvadorans) coming here illegally started happening around the 70s or so.
im not talking about those who were here , or immigrated when the laws werent as strict, or came as part of the bracero program.
I am white, and I didn't know this what I was supposed to want. I am quite frankly insulted that the rest of my peeps left me out of the loop on that "what white folks want" memo.
No doubt, an innocent oversight. However, I would contact the administrator to ensure they have an updated list. You certainly wouldn't want to miss the next crucial memo.
Dude,
I honestly don't think that you can compare the two...
first, I pretty sure most of the italians were here legally and became american citizens...they learned the language and used it in public even if they spoke italian at home, second, even though italian and irish mobsters were crooks that commited horrible crimes...most of the time, they didn't act with the complete savagery of the hispanic/illegal alien gangs...I'm sorry to tell you man...if you wanna say I'm hating on latinos...fine...but I'm not...I'm pointing out observations from someone who is deeply interested in geopolitics and history (myself).
Well, thing is, you grew up in a time where italians are already accepted as being an important immigrant group to the united states.
yea, the mafia seems cool now after movies like the Godfather and shows like the Sopranos romanticized what the mafia did.
Back in the days when they were barely immigrating, the attitudes toward the immigrating italians were the same as the views people like YOU hold towards the mexicans today. that is the point of the original post. this is history repeating itself.
Given there are now a few differences.
Italians immigrated legally, because back then, all you basically had to do was show up. Get stamped, change you name so it was easier to pronounce, and voila! American second class citizen! There was no technology to even keep out the very few criminals who did come, bringing the mafia ways with them.
Also, the mafia wasnt that "savage" back then, because the urban landscape was much different back then.
People didn't have easy access to automatic weapons, and the drug trade isn't as intense as it is today.
Now, your throw dirt poor people into neighborhoods that the use and sale of crack has ravaged, and there's a certain way of life there. The inner cities have been neglected for so long, that it has become a rotten environment. The few people who become a part of that life were thrown into that kind of environment, and adapted in the wrong way.
And how do you know Italian immigrants spoke english in public? It is VERY hard to learn a new language!
Most immigrants are DIRT POOR.
They do not have time to go to the local community college and pick up a new language.
They are too busy WORKING two jobs.
How do you propose they learn it? I dont care about your uncle who immigrated from albania and learned english. I dont care about the Taiwanese transfer student. Yeah, well off immigrants are going to learn. But the poor who are truly coming for a better life are too busy surviving to take a damn class.
Mexicans in LA sincethe 70's...where do you get this from. Mexicans have been in CA for Decades...Before CA was part of the US! To compare the immigration of Italians to the Northeast to Mexicans in CA is comparing apples to oranges. But you make a point. White folks want everybody to drink budweiser, eat meatloaf and mashed potatos, and listen to country. Not going to happen.
Talk about stereotyping there.
Budweiser: does not apply, I basically do not drink alcohol, period.
Meatloaf: once in a while it hits the spot but I prefer chicken.
Mashed potatoes: again, from time to time.
Country & Western: vastly prefer Celtic music/Smooth Jazz.
BTW: I am Nordic White in appearance whose mother's ancestors fought in the Civil War (presumably for the Confederacy). Father's many times over great uncle was a famous Hungarian revolutionary (same family surname) who was executed in the 16th Century for his troubles.
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