Is Los Angeles really mostly Hispanics? (Simi Valley: low income, apartment complexes, high crime)

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Oh, hell no! There ain't no "American look" anymore and it would be a real shame if people whose origins are elsewhere gave up their languages and cultures in their entireties. French was my family's second language and because of living in those countries, I learned to speak passable Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Korean (Hangul). To me, assimilation will occur when there are no more hyphenated Americans and the various races and cultures stop self-segregating, includiong caucasians.

I recognize that I'll be long expired before, if ever, that occurs.

assimilation takes 2-3 generations just as it has throughout history in the good ole US. as long as immigration continues into the US, there will be people who hold onto the traditions and culture of their motherland.

as for segregation, birds of a feather flock together. it seems that we're starting to self segregate along socioeconomic lines moreso these days, but people will always be attracted to others whom they share things in common (especially along racial lines as you stated).

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

assimilation takes 2-3 generations just as it has throughout history in the good ole US. as long as immigration continues into the US, there will be people who hold onto the traditions and culture of their motherland.

as for segregation, birds of a feather flock together. it seems that we're starting to self segregate along socioeconomic lines moreso these days, but people will always be attracted to others whom they share things in common (especially along racial lines as you stated).

Yep! No argument here. Wish the process could be speeded up for the greater good but recognize it's a gradual process.

[Lifeshadower]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Oh, hell no! There ain't no "American look" anymore and it would be a real shame if people whose origins are elsewhere gave up their languages and cultures in their entireties. French was my family's second language and because of living in those countries, I learned to speak passable Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Korean (Hangul). To me, assimilation will occur when there are no more hyphenated Americans and the various races and cultures stop self-segregating, includiong caucasians.

I recognize that I'll be long expired before, if ever, that occurs.

Hah, there is a flicker of a California liberal in you I was expecting a somewhat more hostile answer, but I actually do agree with you.

Honestly, whenever I travel anywhere in the US, I always hate getting asked that question "where are you from?" and them not being satisfied with "California" or "Los Angeles" I do think that people still associate "American" with a certain look (Black or White), and its a real pain for people like me because I have nearly NO connection to my "country of origin" at all.

On one hand, people expect people like me to assimilate but on the other hand, some of those same people EXPECT us to act differently. How do you do both at the same time?

That's why I'm glad my parents immigrated to the United States. In any other Western country, save Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, there is definite ethnic component to what is and what isn't "their people"

That's why I ask to everyone.."what does assimilation look like?" I already say I'm an American, but for many, that isn't good enough. So what is?

[UB50]

Originally Posted by Lifeshadower

Then what's the metric of assimilation? Is it merely speaking English, even at home? What does it mean to assimilate? No one has ever provided a definition of what that is, or what its supposed to look like. It's kind of thrown out there, but no one can really tell me what it is.

I speak English fluently, but I can speak Tagalog, Spanish, Arabic, and German (learned it in school). Does this make me any less of an American? Most of my Mexican American friends speak English to each other (with some Spanish words thrown in sometimes, but 90% of it is in English).

I ask this as a serious question because I really want to know.

Or will this devolve into "looking' like an American. I always thought being an American was an idea. As long as you believe in America and have citizenship, you are an American.

It sounds like you could be at home in LA if you learned Korean and Mandarin too.

[Jay100]

If you don't know what an American is then you are either not really American or are very young or potentially playing dumb. An American (for those who don't know) believes in the following:

1. Capitalism
2. Democracy
3. Christianity (primarily Protestantism)
4. Rule of Law (derived from English Common law)

If you don't live your life to promote all of those things then you are not what I would consider to be an "American" in the traditional sense--you are something else or at least heading in that direction. Obtaining a green card or even being born here doesn't automatically make a person one, in my view.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Jay100

If you don't know what an American is then you are either not really American or are very young or potentially playing dumb. An American (for those who don't know) believes in the following:

1. Capitalism
2. Democracy
3. Christianity (primarily Protestantism)
4. Rule of Law (derived from English Common law)

If you don't live your life to promote all of those things then you are not what I would consider to be an "American" in the traditional sense--you are something else or at least heading in that direction. Obtaining a green card or even being born here doesn't automatically make a person one, in my view.

Oh, my. Guess I'm only a nominal American then and my wife isn't one at all. I'm a Catholic and one of my grandfathers was Jewish. Never mind that he was my father's father and my father was a career Marine Corps aviator who flew in WW II and Korea. Never mind that I enlisted in the military for Vietnam and served for eight years on active duty. Never mind that my Buddhist wife is the daughter of a career Air Force officer. All those strikes against us even though we were both born in this country!

[mading6]

Wow, yes there are tons of Hispanics, Latins here in Los Angeles.

You can usually tell that the area is mostly hispanic/latin by the amount of garbage, trash, furniture, graffiti, abandoned shopping carts, people walking around pushing carts selling stuff, and Spanish only speaking establishments. Sorry to say this but it is TRUE!

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by californio sur

The differentiation is between non-Hispanic whites and Latino whites since both are considered Caucasian. Even the use of Anglo-Saxon becomes confusing when people from southern Europe come to America. There is a mixture of races involved in some cases. I am Puerto Rican and have African blood as well as European blood. It becomes splitting hairs after awhile.

I think what he means is that most Hispanics in tis country are mixed.

[SoCal35]

Originally Posted by Jay100

If you don't know what an American is then you are either not really American or are very young or potentially playing dumb. An American (for those who don't know) believes in the following:

1. Capitalism
2. Democracy
3. Christianity (primarily Protestantism)
4. Rule of Law (derived from English Common law)

If you don't live your life to promote all of those things then you are not what I would consider to be an "American" in the traditional sense--you are something else or at least heading in that direction. Obtaining a green card or even being born here doesn't automatically make a person one, in my view.

I nearly fell out of my chair laughing when I read your post. Are you really that ignorant and narrow minded?

Americans believe in and are governed by the U.S. Constitution, NOT the Bible or a Christian God (or any God or Gods).

[Cyanna]

Originally Posted by mading6

Wow, yes there are tons of Hispanics, Latins here in Los Angeles.

You can usually tell that the area is mostly hispanic/latin by the amount of garbage, trash, furniture, graffiti, abandoned shopping carts, people walking around pushing carts selling stuff, and Spanish only speaking establishments. Sorry to say this but it is TRUE!

I hear ya, loud and proud! Sounds like you've been visiting my neck of the woods in Van Nuys. You did leave out a few other important features of what to look for in a predominantly Latino area... 15 to 20 young male Hispanics sitting outside together smoking, drinking and carrying on while other people are actually WORKING...the insanely loud parties which tend to start at 10:00pm and don't end until 6:00am...the crowing of roosters in an urban neighborhood...and...now here's a real biggie...going into the local stores, shops or restaurants and having 98% of the other customers giving you hateful, dirty looks as if YOU are the foreign intruder of their domain.


Man, I can't move back to Simi Valley quick enough!!!