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I think Hispanic assimilation has failed because we as a society cater to them. I just got my May issue of Cosmopolitan magazine and lo and behold, apparently Latinas in America are the first major immigrant group to have difficulty assimilating! In fact their difficulties are soo terrible that Hearst decided to make them their own magazine! Because the American version isn't enough and neither is the Mexican version, both of which are sold here in Southern California. They're such inferior life forms they need their very own Cosmopolitan magazine, written in Spanglish! I went online and read about this magazine, and apparently Hearst magazines feels it is needed because no other immigrant group has ever gone through the struggles of Latinas! I'm not making this up! No other immigrant group has gone through the horrible struggle of assimilating to American culture, of figuring out the old ways versus the new! So for that reason, American Latinas are sooo very special they need their own magazine!
I've met many immigrants who are not from Spanish speaking countries and they do indeed assimilate better. Of course, businesses don't require that one speak, say, Afrikaans and English to work as a receptionist and the signs at Home Depot aren't written in Malay. In fact many immigrants I've met from non-Spanish speaking countries have very low opinions of Latinos, because they feel that they are catered to and are lazy. Case in point, I had an Iranian patient whose daughter learned English. I asked about this once and the daughter snidely informed me that America doesn't cater to people who speak Farsi, so she had no other choice. True - its not like there is an option on the phone to get help from someone who speaks Farsi - even here in California only a handful of government agencies bother. But with Spanish? We must cater to them. Oh, we must.
Of course, if I did speak Spanish and came from Mexico, I'd have a hard time learning English for the same reason. Lose my job? The UI office speaks Spanish! Need welfare? New driver license? They speak Spanish and have Spanish forms! The employees at Wal-Mart/Macy's/Home Depot etc speak Spanish. So do the employees at most restaurants. Most signs are written in English and Spanish! Cable has Spanish channels! There are Spanish language magazines at Ralphs! Why bother? America caters. The dentist's office has forms in Spanish. So does the doctor's office.
Other immigrants don't have that luxury. I've worked in hospitals. If you're and immigrant from a non-Spanish speaking country they have a machine that translates for you and you are handed the English forms to fill out and hopefully you get it right.
If we as a country want them to assimilate, perhaps we should stop catering to them.
@chicago( sorry can't see the rest of it, my phone is being dumb) my whole thing is I don't feel 100% assimilation is necessary. I agree that people should learn English, and should understand the American culture. However I think it's great that all of these other cultures are everywhere. I enjoy going places where the culture is my face because its something new to look at; I also feel that if culture is only practiced at home ones identity (speaking as in background and "their" country ) becomes nothing but Americanized.
In recent times immigration from Latino countries has been huge, but I think preservation of culture is a huge reason as to why assimilation could be seen as an issue. Think about it this way, Children in America, Hispanic, black, white,legal or not, are in school and out of their houses typically more than they are at home - cultures in school aren't taught its all textbook. In these immigrant families parents may work many hours a day and rarely be home therefore culture is lost. As generations continue all traces of that culture will disappear and then we will be cookie cutter Americans, With one "culture". I personally couldn't imagine living with one main culture, which is why I think it's ok for cultures to be in your face. I.e a huge part of washington heights is predominately Dominican- in the summer I go to see the bands and the festivals and parades, same as other cultures/places- Harlem, little Italy ,Chinatown etc. aren't these people not assimilated as well?
Also referring to the comment you made about the Brazilian person not saying he hated his culture- it is actually very common for people across the board to find not relating to your culture as being a "traitor" while I don't agree with it I see the point, I know a few people whom feel like this and after hearing their reasoning it brings up good points- again though definitley don't agree w/ it.
Btw
I'd be interested in knowing what those are, exactly. Landscaping workers? Unemployed workers in Home Depot parking lot? Mexican grocery stores? 23 year old barefoot and pregnant (again) uneducated and poverty stricken women? Anchor babies? MS-13?
Feel free to point me in the right direction. So far i've failed to see any real value to *most* hispanics in America, especially from the intruders who have invaded our nation over the last 20 years.
THIS DRIVES ME CRAZY you are stereotyping a whole. Group of people. You need to educate yourself and then talk. Everything your motioned happens in every group being Hispanic has nothing to do with it so that's the first thing you need to learn. There are 45 girls in the highschool by me and guess what the school is 97% white so don't even complain about Hispanics. The crazy guy that walks around collecting cams barefoot- white. What about all of the white immigrants that came into the country illegally do you know how many illegal europeans would be wandering around the states if the quota acts weren't put into place in the 1900's. You new to come out of your boxed in anti Hispanic mind and realize that people who come here for the right reasons (yes I agree there are bad immigrants) do all the crap you wouldn't want to do for yourselves.
@chicago( sorry can't see the rest of it, my phone is being dumb) my whole thing is I don't feel 100% assimilation is necessary. I agree that people should learn English, and should understand the American culture. However I think it's great that all of these other cultures are everywhere. I enjoy going places where the culture is my face because its something new to look at; I also feel that if culture is only practiced at home ones identity (speaking as in background and "their" country ) becomes nothing but Americanized.
In recent times immigration from Latino countries has been huge, but I think preservation of culture is a huge reason as to why assimilation could be seen as an issue. Think about it this way, Children in America, Hispanic, black, white,legal or not, are in school and out of their houses typically more than they are at home - cultures in school aren't taught its all textbook. In these immigrant families parents may work many hours a day and rarely be home therefore culture is lost. As generations continue all traces of that culture will disappear and then we will be cookie cutter Americans, With one "culture". I personally couldn't imagine living with one main culture, which is why I think it's ok for cultures to be in your face. I.e a huge part of washington heights is predominately Dominican- in the summer I go to see the bands and the festivals and parades, same as other cultures/places- Harlem, little Italy ,Chinatown etc. aren't these people not assimilated as well?
Also referring to the comment you made about the Brazilian person not saying he hated his culture- it is actually very common for people across the board to find not relating to your culture as being a "traitor" while I don't agree with it I see the point, I know a few people whom feel like this and after hearing their reasoning it brings up good points- again though definitley don't agree w/ it.
Btw
We'll just have to agree to disagree then. I have no problem with ethnic festivals or ethnic business neighborhoods but that is a whole lot different than refusing to assimilate out in mainstream society. What you are suggesting is that we have no identity as a nation and become balkinized and all babbling in different languages so that we can't understand each other. That isn't a united nation but a divided one instead. "America love it or leave it". If you want to act like you're living in another country then go live in it.
THIS DRIVES ME CRAZY you are stereotyping a whole. Group of people. You need to educate yourself and then talk. Everything your motioned happens in every group being Hispanic has nothing to do with it so that's the first thing you need to learn. There are 45 girls in the highschool by me and guess what the school is 97% white so don't even complain about Hispanics. The crazy guy that walks around collecting cams barefoot- white. What about all of the white immigrants that came into the country illegally do you know how many illegal europeans would be wandering around the states if the quota acts weren't put into place in the 1900's. You new to come out of your boxed in anti Hispanic mind and realize that people who come here for the right reasons (yes I agree there are bad immigrants) do all the crap you wouldn't want to do for yourselves.
Oh please tell us all about all these white immigrants who came to this country illegally. I can't wait to hear your revisionist history. And by the way the Spanish were white and they are the ancestors of those we call Hispanics today.
It isn't being anti-Hispanic by desiring assimilation by them and desiring them to come legally to this country. The Germans assimilated, the Poles, the Italians. What makes Hispanics so special that they can't? Another poster just hit the nail on the head. They are being catered to and pandered to that is why they won't and far too many have come here illegally so they are all coloniziing instead.
EVERYONE that came here was an immigrant. The old world immigrants made up a huge percentage Of the immigrants here during that time and they were ONLY controlled was because of quota laws which prevented more from coming.
Again arethe Italians in little Italy, or the asians in Chinatown, or the polish in Chicago assimilating well??
You want to talk about really assimilating. The "first true Americans " were white, Protestant farmers; customs change. A big part of assimilating is being able to communicate and accept ones differences not turning them into "mini-me's" if you will.
And carribean hispanics- many were African not Spanish. (Cuba, Dominican republic to name just 2)
Also I'm not just speaking for Hispanics. All of my points go for all cultures; but the point of this thread is Hispanics......
Last edited by Jazzii; 04-28-2012 at 09:31 PM..
Reason: More info
I still remember that soccer game in California last year, the US played Mexico and some of these Mexican vermin were booing the US team as they entered the stadium.
Some of these people are born and raised here and have absolutely no allegiance to the country. The same country that gave em everything they would only dream about having back in the country they love so much.
I still remember that soccer game in California last year, the US played Mexico and some of these Mexican vermin were booing the US team as they entered the stadium.
Some of these people are born and raised here and have absolutely no allegiance to the country. The same country that gave em everything they would only dream about having back in the country they love so much.
When past waves of immigrants came to the US, it was assimilation that was practiced (melting pot theory).
This wave of Mexicans though are coming here and we are now embracing multiculturalism (salad bowl theory). They don't have to learn the language or customs in order to live here.
With multiculturalism one can keep their language and customs. This is the diversity that is being promoted. This is since the 1970's.
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