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I do see a lot of racism here... daily. Not so much towards "minorities" (well, majorities in miami" but a lot of racism towards whites. I am Cuban, and I live in a very Cuban neighborhood, Hialeah, I can go to Miami Gardens or Opa Locka or Liberty City and even though they're all predominantly black, I will be treated as equal. However, for any non-Spanish speaking American whites, anywhere outside of Miami Beach or some parts of downtown they might get shot for not speaking spanish, or for looking like a "gringo", i.e. blond, blue eyes. I have lived in Miami for most of my life (moved here from Cuba when I was 5) so I don't know any thing else, but it still is very sad to see the level of rudeness and just disregard for people's feelings. I treat all people equally and with respect but I can see I'm definitely the minority in that sense.
Hate doesn't fit at all but your description mirrors what I experience every day now in Miami, multiple times over, as non-Spanish speaking American white, born and raised here. As someone else put it in the "Gone But Not Forgotten" thread it's like being an outsider in your own city. Uncomfortable beyond description.
I'll enter a business and encounter nothing but loud Spanish. Not fights, but persistent squabbling, a group of 3-4 engaged. It's incredible how often that's the backdrop, whether it's a fast food restaurant or hardware store, you name it. At that point when I approach one of two scenarios unfolds -- either they keep blabbing as if I'm not there and don't stop until I interrupt, or they sense a non-member and silence for a few seconds before switching to a semblance of English to ask if they can help me.
Let me emphasize it can be incredibly friendly. But it's always awkward, leading to short stays and a feeling you don't belong. Inevitably as I walk away the loud chatter resumes. I took Spanish for years in school, enough to remember and recognize plenty, and I'm not always described positively as I depart.
I was back in Las Vegas for a month recently and even in a heavy Hispanic city like that it was such a relief to experience the old normalcy in store after store. One reason I hate to see golf courses like Calusa close is those courses were more like old Miami for several hours than anything else I encounter.
Otherwise, the driving habits in this city are beyond belief. I drove more than 8000 miles on my recent trip and not until I exited onto Bird Road on return was there a sense of unease. I literally grabbed the wheel with two hands and said get me home, I don't need an accident now. Zig zag driving is always a sign of extreme intelligence, particularly when there's a recently turned red light looming. Did you gain 5 feet? On my trip I didn't have to worry about stopping on red instead of 5 cars behind me thinking they could ignore the signal and turn left. After visiting Hawaii several times I've decided the greatest reality TV show of all would be to suddenly dump 100 South Florida drivers into Hawaii and film away. Now that would be hysteria, other than wreck potential. One group smiles and slows down and waves people into their lane, even if they have no intention of moving into that lane.
Hate doesn't fit at all but your description mirrors what I experience every day now in Miami, multiple times over, as non-Spanish speaking American white, born and raised here. As someone else put it in the "Gone But Not Forgotten" thread it's like being an outsider in your own city. Uncomfortable beyond description.
I'll enter a business and encounter nothing but loud Spanish. Not fights, but persistent squabbling, a group of 3-4 engaged. It's incredible how often that's the backdrop, whether it's a fast food restaurant or hardware store, you name it. At that point when I approach one of two scenarios unfolds -- either they keep blabbing as if I'm not there and don't stop until I interrupt, or they sense a non-member and silence for a few seconds before switching to a semblance of English to ask if they can help me.
Let me emphasize it can be incredibly friendly. But it's always awkward, leading to short stays and a feeling you don't belong. Inevitably as I walk away the loud chatter resumes. I took Spanish for years in school, enough to remember and recognize plenty, and I'm not always described positively as I depart.
I was back in Las Vegas for a month recently and even in a heavy Hispanic city like that it was such a relief to experience the old normalcy in store after store. One reason I hate to see golf courses like Calusa close is those courses were more like old Miami for several hours than anything else I encounter.
Otherwise, the driving habits in this city are beyond belief. I drove more than 8000 miles on my recent trip and not until I exited onto Bird Road on return was there a sense of unease. I literally grabbed the wheel with two hands and said get me home, I don't need an accident now. Zig zag driving is always a sign of extreme intelligence, particularly when there's a recently turned red light looming. Did you gain 5 feet? On my trip I didn't have to worry about stopping on red instead of 5 cars behind me thinking they could ignore the signal and turn left. After visiting Hawaii several times I've decided the greatest reality TV show of all would be to suddenly dump 100 South Florida drivers into Hawaii and film away. Now that would be hysteria, other than wreck potential. One group smiles and slows down and waves people into their lane, even if they have no intention of moving into that lane.
What would be more entertaining would be to drop 1,000 of South Florida's reckless drivers off here in the northeast, where the BS would not be tolerated. One of three things would happen, i.e. 1) they'd get arrested, 2) they'd crash into a tree or 3) they'd get beaten up. I think it'd make for a good reality show.
From a European who has lived all over the US, let's cut all the bulls%&t once for all.
Rude people: Have you ever been to Paris? Or NY? I actually find Latin Americans to be much nicer on average than the average WASPs found in places like Texas. (Hint, it took me 2 months to learn Spanish enough to have conversations, why are WASPs so miserable in South Florida not to learn Spanish?). Also, I find the saying "hello" on the street and holding doors in the South to be super fake when you don't even know the person. Matter of fact, it's much harder to make "real" friendships in most WASPs places in my opinion. In places like Texas you'll have an hour conversation with a apparently nice person who will hardly say hi to you the day after. It happens all the time. This does not happen in Latin culture.
Lack of Diversity: Really? The only missing part in South Florida is the Asian community. Other than that it has Latins, Jews, Whites, Europeans, etc. It's more diverse than most other cities in the country except NY and LA and for sure any city in Europe except London.
Crime: Try living in San Francisco with people shooting up heroin on your door step. I am talking Union Square area where rent is $2,000+/month for a one bedroom. Try LA, Houston, NY (outside of Manhattan), etc.
Drug problems: Not unique to Miami. Common issue with every big city in the US. Again, try San Francisco where people smoke pot freely on the street.
Distances too far? It's one of the most dense county in the US. Definitely the densest in the South. Try Houston or L.A.
Traffic? I actually like it. It's one of the few places in the US, where people don't sleep at the wheel. Try Italy for rude drivers and then we'll talk.
How surprising, anoth "I hate WASP" tirade.
"Rude people: Have you ever been to Paris? Or NY?"
Yes, city people in general have never been known for being not rude.
"I actually find Latin Americans to be much nicer on average than the average WASPs found in places like Texas."
Each is an individual, I do not see how you can make a huge generalization like that and be taken seriously.
"(Hint, it took me 2 months to learn Spanish enough to have conversations, why are WASPs so miserable in South Florida not to learn Spanish?)"
Let us reverse that, what is so hard for others to learn English? I speak four langauges, none of which are Spanish, but I am not advocating everyone bend over backwards to speak to me in anything other than English. When I move to a country where Englsih or another language is not the dominate language, then I will learn it. I learned two lanagues by living in the countries, I did not go around asking why no one there will not learn English and making some issue out of it.
"Also, I find the saying "hello" on the street and holding doors in the South to be super fake when you don't even know the person. Matter of fact, it's much harder to make "real" friendships in most WASPs places in my opinion. In places like Texas you'll have an hour conversation with a apparently nice person who will hardly say hi to you the day after. It happens all the time. This does not happen in Latin culture."
I agree 100%, I cannot stand the fake smiles, voices, laughs, etc, the bible thumper redneckistan states display. My years of living in redneckistan was a nightmare, thank goodness I finally could get down to Miami. In Miami, life does not revolve around "what church you go to", and fake friendships because someone will need something from you sometime, so that is the only reason the friendship exists. Such fakes, I will take Miamians any day of the week.
"Lack of Diversity: Really? The only missing part in South Florida is the Asian community. Other than that it has Latins, Jews, Whites, Europeans, etc. It's more diverse than most other cities in the country except NY and LA and for sure any city in Europe except London."
Diversity is an overrated term, it seems to mean now days wherever there is less white people, or non-Hispanic whites. I am not sure what people want when they mean diversity; better Chinese food? Some Turks walking down the street? What?
"Crime: Try living in San Francisco with people shooting up heroin on your door step. I am talking Union Square area where rent is $2,000+/month for a one bedroom. Try LA, Houston, NY (outside of Manhattan), etc.
Drug problems: Not unique to Miami. Common issue with every big city in the US. Again, try San Francisco where people smoke pot freely on the street."
This place (or say sections) do have a crime problem, problem meaning above what it should be. Simply stating some other place has the same problem does not mean it is not a problem. As far as drugs, I could care less if someone smokes a joint, let them.It is the painfully addicted other drugs that are a problem.
"Boring? Sure, must be why it's the second most visited city for international tourism in the country after NYC."
I could care less if no one ever visited Miami, this place is not boring, unless you are really into snow skiing and mountain climbing.
"Distances too far? It's one of the most dense county in the US. Definitely the densest in the South. Try Houston or L.A.
Traffic? I actually like it. It's one of the few places in the US, where people don't sleep at the wheel. Try Italy for rude drivers and then we'll talk."
Urban sprawl is a chronic problem everywhere, not just here in Miami. The traffic is a result of poor city planning, something in which our rich and educated country should be better about. Thing different with italina drivers and the like, they at least know what they are doing when driving like they do, here they have not a clue. I feel better driving in Italy any day over driving here.
Happiness is determined by your attitude. Seriously, miserable people will be miserable anywhere. About the Spanish comments, what did you expect out of Miami? I don't remember the US having an official language. Would you be offended to walk into a store in say, France, for example and hear people speaking French? Most likely not, and I find this quite perplexing. They most likely speak English too, but still, wouldn't you consider it rude to interrupt their conversation and speak in another language? The only ones I truly feel sorry for are Miami-born non-Spanish speakers. I agree it's kinda unfair that they have to learn Spanish, but 90% of them know enough Spanish anyways. I guess it's due to the mentality of trying to adapt to another culture and speak with the locals in their own language. To the transplants, you'll get no sympathy from me. Sorry, but you can't just go into a city and expect the people there to adapt to you, you have to adapt to them. If that includes learning the local language, so be it.
"Happiness is determined by your attitude. Seriously, miserable people will be miserable anywhere."
lies. i doubt anyone thinks of sierra leone or myanmar as paradise.
Perhaps not, but the ones that try to make the most of it will be a lot less miserable than the ones who spend every waking moment thinking about how much their life sucks.
Happiness is determined by your attitude. Seriously, miserable people will be miserable anywhere. About the Spanish comments, what did you expect out of Miami? I don't remember the US having an official language. Would you be offended to walk into a store in say, France, for example and hear people speaking French? Most likely not, and I find this quite perplexing. They most likely speak English too, but still, wouldn't you consider it rude to interrupt their conversation and speak in another language? The only ones I truly feel sorry for are Miami-born non-Spanish speakers. I agree it's kinda unfair that they have to learn Spanish, but 90% of them know enough Spanish anyways. I guess it's due to the mentality of trying to adapt to another culture and speak with the locals in their own language. To the transplants, you'll get no sympathy from me. Sorry, but you can't just go into a city and expect the people there to adapt to you, you have to adapt to them. If that includes learning the local language, so be it.
"transplants", as in US citizens who have the god-damn right to live anywhere in their country, without having to learn someone else's language? If Miami were in Spain or Mexico, I'd agree with you. However, it is unfair of a recently arrived group of immigrants to even remotely try to dictate who should and who shouldn't live in Miami, yourself included as I'm guessing you are probably 2nd generation at most.
As for the French (or any other nationality), they would not stand for virtually an entire major city being taken over by a non-French speaking immigrant group.
"transplants", as in US citizens who have the god-damn right to live anywhere in their country, without having to learn someone else's language? If Miami were in Spain or Mexico, I'd agree with you. However, it is unfair of a recently arrived group of immigrants to even remotely try to dictate who should and who shouldn't live in Miami, yourself included as I'm guessing you are probably 2nd generation at most.
Boxus absolutely nailed it.
Right? Is this in the Constitution? I personally have no qualms with who lives in Miami. I do have problems with people who move to a new place and expect everyone to be perfect models of their ideal "American". No one is preventing anyone from moving to Miami. And this is your country? I didn't know that. I am also a US citizen. I have the "god-damn right" to speak whatever language I please. Your ancestors were immigrants to this country too, unless you're a native American, which I highly doubt. We can agree to disagree, but in my opinion, no one should be forced to learn English in this country.
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