Census 2010: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Shows SURPRISING Population Growth (Wall, Mexico: house, closing)

[auntieannie68]

Originally Posted by bloominscranton

Yes West side has gone to hell in a hand basket for sure! Sorry, but I blame slum landlords. I rented most of my adult life, we cared about where we lived, always took excellent care of "our" home and never intentionally caused problems. The sad fact is tenants are only as good as the screening process used, and the landlords committment to the neighborhood in which his property is.

I do not blame, race, color, or religon, trash is trash and it comes in all colors, sizes and sadly here I learned economic status. The richest people in Scranton seem to be among the most rotten, and they are protected and kept in power by scared people who worry about keeping a half way decent paying job. My husband served with black, latino, asian, even no Americans who were the most devoted and brave men and women, but here in Scranton it appears that poopie floats to the top and gets rewarded. Not much incentive for young people to live on the straight and narrow.

[frank754]

I guess toobusytoday closed the "racism against hispanics" thread, but one thing I find annoying is catering to them by "adding" spanish as an alternative to english, and making the firefighters and EMS folks take a course.

Emergency Responders Learn Spanish - WNEP (http://www.wnep.com/news/countybycounty/wnep-wb-firefighters-learn-spanish,0,4653670.story - broken link)

The biggest growth in the area has been by Hispanic people, and though I don't have anything against them if they are law abiding and become a benefit to the area, I don't feel we have to cater to them as far as language goes. If they can't even communicate the basic day-to-day stuff, that's to their detriment. I know that many of the families from years ago (a bit after the Europeans came via Ellis Island, 1930's & later) were also Hispanic, and many of them settled in the Lehigh Valley. I remember in the 60-70's, there were still some of these people that didn't know English too well, and they had ads on TV saying how to report a fire "incendia", emergency "emergencia", etc.
I never learned Spanish, but can at least say my name and address and if I'm sick in at least 4 languages, and I'm not much smarter than most. How much is it to ask of them to do the same? Why waste taxpayer money on catering to them, if they refuse to learn just a little of the basics like that?

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by frank754

I guess toobusytoday closed the "racism against hispanics" thread, but one thing I find annoying is catering to them by "adding" spanish as an alternative to english, and making the firefighters and EMS folks take a course. Why waste taxpayer money on catering to them

Learning how to communicate with victims is "catering" to them? I guess fire departments are just another form of socialism, huh?

Also, the classes were taught by volunteers. What's this "taxpayer money" you're going on about?

[Wallbanger]

I've never understood this hype about population growth. You need skilled people moving in..nothing else.

Originally Posted by floor9

Learning how to communicate with victims is "catering" to them? I guess fire departments are just another form of socialism, huh?

Also, the classes were taught by volunteers. What's this "taxpayer money" you're going on about?

This isn't Mexico. If they want to be rescued by Spanish speaking people, they can move somewhere else. I heard there's a high chance of you having to be rescued in Mexico. To prevent you from making uninformed comments. I'm a legal immigrant. Snarky comments can be saved for someone else.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by Wallbanger

This isn't Mexico. If they want to be rescued by Spanish speaking people, they can move somewhere else.

You're right; this is the United States of America. Land of the free, home of the brave, with liberty and justice for all. I just double checked, and I didn't see the part that says "* except for people who speak Spanish".

You have every right to be furious over firefighters helping people. You can even pound on your desk and complain about how awful it is that they save people who don't even speak the same language. But since the fire department seems to disagree with you, and since they're the ones actually running head-first into burning buildings while you sit at home and complain about them, I'm going to go ahead and side with them.

Snark indeed.

[Wallbanger]

Originally Posted by floor9

You're right; this is the United States of America. Land of the free, home of the brave, with liberty and justice for all. I just double checked, and I didn't see the part that says "* except for people who speak Spanish".

You have every right to be furious over firefighters helping people. You can even pound on your desk and complain about how awful it is that they save people who don't even speak the same language. But since the fire department seems to disagree with you, and since they're the ones actually running head-first into burning buildings while you sit at home and complain about them, I'm going to go ahead and side with them.

Snark indeed.

We speak English. It's easy to understand, isn't it? Ever been to Mexico? Won't get far ( to say the least ) if you only speak English and no Spanish.

The stuff in bold. Don't twist my words or make up things. Read what I said or save your comment.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by Wallbanger

We speak English. It's easy to understand, isn't it? Ever been to Mexico? Won't get far ( to say the least ) if you only speak English and no Spanish.

Yes, I have. Often. And you know what I noticed? Most of the people I interact with are bilingual. They speak Spanish and English fluently. And do you know why? Because it makes sense. If you're a business owner, and you get a number of customers speaking multiple languages, you learn to speak their languages if you want their money. Or you complain and lose their business. Take your pick.

Honestly, I really don't see what Mexico has to do with the W-B Fire Department. But since you asked, there you go.

The stuff in bold. Don't twist my words or make up things. Read what I said or save your comment.

Captain Alan Klapat with the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department says his recent training wasn't just about speaking Spanish, but also about communication. "It is very frustrating not only for us but for the patient or the victim we realize that they're the ones in distress, they're the ones who need help," said Klapat.

Fire Chief Jay Delaney says over the past year the department has gotten more and more emergency calls involving a language barrier. "By training our firefighters and paramedics just with the basics of spanish, that our emergency responders would be able to take care of these folks much better," said Delaney.

The responders were trained by two volunteer instructors who were happy to go over the basics and clear up any misunderstandings.

Sorry pal, but just because you're angry doesn't make you right.

But fee free to march on down to the fire station and tell them how to do their jobs. I'm sure they'd love to hear you explain how terrible it is that they're helping people.

[Wallbanger]

Originally Posted by floor9

Yes, I have. Often. And you know what I noticed? Most of the people I interact with are bilingual. They speak Spanish and English fluently. And do you know why? Because it makes sense. If you're a business owner, and you get a number of customers speaking multiple languages, you learn to speak their languages if you want their money. Or you complain and lose their business. Take your pick.

Honestly, I really don't see what Mexico has to do with the W-B Fire Department. But since you asked, there you go.





Sorry pal, but just because you're angry doesn't make you right.

But fee free to march on down to the fire station and tell them how to do their jobs. I'm sure they'd love to hear you explain how terrible it is that they're helping people.

Your reading comprehension is questionable. But then again, you don't have an argument and thus make up things. I said that if they want to be rescued by Spanish speaking people, they need to go to Mexico or wherever. Did I use some big words? Just ask, I'll explain.

And no, you've evidently never been to Mexico. Ever. Unless "most people I interacted with" refers to the Hotel staff.

Fail.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by Wallbanger

Your reading comprehension is questionable. But then again, you don't have an argument and thus make up things. I said that if they want to be rescued by Spanish speaking people, they need to go to Mexico. Did I use some big words?

We're still waiting to hear exactly what it is that you're accusing me of having "made up".

Unless you're just incapable of defending your point -- assuming you have one -- which would fully explain the strawman you're (unsuccessfully) attempting to launch.

And again, feel free to march on down to the fire department and tell those guys how "wrong" they are for wanting to help victims. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you, if they can find the time in between saving other folks' lives. I'm positive they would greatly value the opinion of a Keyboard Warrior on how to do their jobs.

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by go phillies

But the population that has left Scranton because of the city's mismanagement and wage and business taxes that punish people with a moderate to high income is mainly middle class law-abiding taxpaying families....the population that moved in to replace them is generally transient low-income and welfare collecting....as well as renters, who generally do not take the same pride in their home as the homeowners that moved out of Scranton. Not a positive in my book.

I would rather a lower population that is working and law-abiding rather than a population growth made up of people more prone to crime, blight, and living on public assistance.

I agree. I would rather have hard-working, respectable citizens that pay their taxes and don't take hand outs. What good is having a higher population when some of those people are criminals and people that mooch off the system and don't pay taxes? Scranton's population decline is not a positive considering the type of people that have moved here in the last few years and the good ones that have left.