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Assimilation is kind of a complex thing to define. Anyway, language is one of the standards that social workers use to understand rates of assimilation among immigrants. I think it's more difficult for older people arriving in a new country to learn the language to the point where they don't have an accent and stand out just because of that. It's also more difficult to learn the new language well if these older people live in a community with like people and are always speaking in their native language.
For the children, it's usually different. They learn the new language in school, from friends, and from other sources. They also have the ability to speak the new language without an accent and to become indistinguishable from anyone else in their new country. The chances to speak a 2nd language without a trace of an accent is better if learned before puberty.
Full assimilation takes time. There are other criteria like spreading out geographically, intermarriage and raising one's economic status. The chances for full assimilation, under these criteria, are best reached when new arrivals are spread out geographically and are forced to interact with the country's native population, imo.
You also have to have the desire to assimilate. I find that very lacking from those south of our border. They may learn English but most will never use it as their primary language of usage. With continued illegal immigration from south of our border colonization and dilutiing our language and culture is what is really happening. The new "immigrants" just settle into ethnic enclaves and never really assimilate because there is no need to under those circumstances.
As for Cuban-Americans why do they continue to use Spanish as their primary language of usage if they are assimilated? From what I understand a mono-lingual English speaker can't even get a job in Miami. What's up with that? Here in the southwest that trend is continuing of favoring Spanish speakers over mono-lingual English speakers in hiring practices. Uh, like it or not our national (although not official) language is English. WTH?
Where did I ever claim to be a perfect American?? I was born here, I am an American, and I'm still living in America - how is it possible for me to be deracinated??
It's not because I say so, it's because it's a FACT.
Again, I have nothing to do with those flag waving folks.
I "fixate" on Cubans because I have lived in Miami for the entire Cuban diaspora and I am sick to death of certain Cubans (like yourself) claiming that Cubans have been successful in this country because they are innately superior to immigrants from other countries, all the while completely ignoring the great benefits that have been and still are being afforded only to Cuban immigrants.
Puhleeeze - where did I state that American born Cubans cannot claim Miami as their city??
Stop being disingenuous. You didn't say that you were the perfect American, but you compare Cubans unfavorably to yourself as if Cubans were these unfit Americans [as opposed to yourself].
From your description of yourself, you are deracinated as we are all composites of our parts. If you are a first generation American [that means that your parents were born in Italy] and yet, you boast of being so culturally assimilated and so different than NY and NJ Italians that after one generation you are more American than Italians born in the Northeast who even after 3 and 4 generations still have strong cultural vestages of the old country.
Regarding Cuban success, Cubans have been very successful in this country. How else can you explain that a tiny group that has only been here since 1959 can have 3 U.S. Senators [Marco Rubio of Florida, Bob Menendez of NJ and Ted Cruz who will be senator of Texas]? How can you explain that a Cuban was the CEO of Coca-Cola, the CEO of Kelloggs, Inc, as well as a plethora of other Cubans who are top executives in major U.S. companies? How can you explain that at least 100 Cuban families are worth more than $100,000,000.00? Cubans did receive financial aid when they came here, but as I've said before, so have other groups. It was US policy to give asylum and a fast road to citizenship to any refugee fleeing the Soviet Bloc countries. I know Russians who had their university studies paid by the US government, because they were refugees from the Soviet Union. So, stop singling Cubans out as if Cubans were singular recepients of U.S. aid. Besides, NOT all Cubans received aid, or accepted aid. Many worked two and three jobs and went to night school. It's what you do with whatever is given to you that ultimately determines your success. No amount of food stamps, welfare, or scholarships can be turned into a multi-million dollar business, a Ph.D, a MD, a law degree, or post as an American senator, unless you are intelligent and driven. What I see lately are a lot of folks trying to completely dismiss all Cuban American incentive and hard work as nothing more than government aid. Talk about sour grapes.
I don't think that anyone meant "Hispanos" that have been here for 150+ years. It goes without saying that they must be very assimilated. I think that they were talking about recent arrivals. I mean, there are Americans [and I'm not even going to call them Cubans at this point] who have Cuban ancestors that came to the USA in the 1800's during the Cuban Wars of Independence that lasted decades. Those people are out-and-out Americans. Be aware that not all Cubans came here in the 1960s. There were Cubans living in the US since the 1800's.
Case in point. See below, Consuelo Izgnaga later, Consuelo Montagu, Duchess of Mancester. How much more assimilated can one get??? She was raised as a southern belle on a plantation in the antebellum South, she had slaves and she ended up marrying a British Duke. In fact, she was the woman who precipitated the so-called buccaneer movement of the 19th and early 20th century when rich American families made an effort to marry their daughters to titled European aristocrats.
María Consuelo Iznaga y Clemens was born in 1858 on the Ravenswood plantation in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, and was the third of four children of diplomatAntonio Iznaga y del Valle and Ellen Maria Clements. Her father hailed from an old and wealthy Cuban family who owned sugar mills, and they had also connections to several Spanish aristocratic houses. Her mother grew up at Ravenswood Plantation in Louisiana. Marriage
Lady Jacqueline Mary Alva Montagu († 1895 of consumption)
Lady Alice Eleanor Louise Montagu († 1900 of consumption)
Life
In her teenage years Consuelo became known on New York's social scene as one of the group called the Buccaneers.
During her marriage Lady Mandeville engaged herself in charitable organisations. Poverty was a case that concerned her, and she was also interested in school and health.
The Duchess of Manchester was a renowned beauty. The same were her sisters, Emily Iznaga y Clements and Natividad (Natica) Iznaga y Clements. The latter was the wife of Sir John Pepys Lister-Kaye, 3rd Baronet. The Duchess was a celebrated society figure, belonging to the intimate circle of Edward VII of the United Kingdom, formerly the Prince of Wales. Titles and styles
Styles of Consuelo Montagu,
Duchess of ManchesterReference style Her Grace Spoken style Your Grace Alternative style Maam
1859 – 1876:Doña María Consuelo Iznaga y Clemens
1876 – 1890:Lady María Consuelo Montagu, Viscountess Mandeville
1890 – 1892:Her Grace María Consuelo Montagu, Duchess of Mancester
I guess if you measuring one's ability to assimilate based on how racist they are, she is as American as you can get.
Let's not forget that the social structure of Cuba prior the the overthrow of Batista was very similar to the social structure of the United States. A social structure that conferred the greatest opportunities, rights, and privileges to Cubans of European descent, while at the some time denying those same rights, opportunities and privileges to everybody else. It's no small wonder that the Batista regime was overthrown by Fidel Castro and it's also no small wonder that Cubans of European descent adapted to the United States so easily.
They and many of the Tejanos who were part of Texas before it became independent and later part of the USA. There were Tejanos who fought against the Mexicans at the Alamo.
Some hispanics are so assimilated that people don't even think of them as hispanics -- Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Charlie Sheen, Cameron Diaz, Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) are excamples.
Of course, those four are all white. Jerry Garcia is half European Spanish, Cameron Diaz is half white Cuban, the Sheens are descended from immigrants from Spain (and Ireland) and Lynda Carter is partly New Mexican Spanish.
None, save half-Cuban Cameron Diaz, are really what you would consider Latino or Hispanic.
No amount of food stamps, welfare, or scholarships can be turned into a multi-million dollar business, a Ph.D, a MD, a law degree, or post as an American senator, unless you are intelligent and driven. What I see lately are a lot of folks trying to completely dismiss all Cuban American incentive and hard work as nothing more than government aid. Talk about sour grapes.
You'd be amazed what you can do with a low interest collateral free loans.
The reality is that Cuban American the first group of Cubans that came to the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s were affluent and well educated. When you have those resources its fairly easy to immigrate to a country like the United States and be prosperous. The second fact is that on a proportional basis Cubans received more aid than other immigrant groups, and if the fact they were offered low interest and no collateral loans was huge benefit not available to many other immigrant groups.
Also due to fact most of these affluent well educated Cubans that came to the United States were of European descent mean they have non of the obstacles in terms of racial discrimination that other groups had to deal with.
Nobody is begrudging the hard work, and effort it takes to build and establish an business. But lets not act like Cubans didn't have advantage either by virtue of family wealth and education when they got to this country or aid and assistance when they got here that other immigrant groups simply DID NOT HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
the cubans i've known have been very "american." same for the puerto ricans i've known. they go to school like us, have iphones, et cettera.
this question is MUCH to vague! i think the ability to speak english is the largest factor on assimilation. to be honest, i think mexicans are the least assimilated, largely bc many come here illegally and do not speak english well, which means they tend to stay isolated with like people. mexico also has one of the most drastic political and economic climates compared to other hispanic cultures that come to this country.
Stop being disingenuous. You didn't say that you were the perfect American, but you compare Cubans unfavorably to yourself as if Cubans were these unfit Americans [as opposed to yourself].
From your description of yourself, you are deracinated as we are all composites of our parts. If you are a first generation American [that means that your parents were born in Italy] and yet, you boast of being so culturally assimilated and so different than NY and NJ Italians that after one generation you are more American than Italians born in the Northeast who even after 3 and 4 generations still have strong cultural vestages of the old country.
My parents came to this country as infants. They were raised to be Americans and that's how they turned out. I do have many relatives in the northeast - they have always been my 'family', not my 'paisanos', and none of them wave flags for Italy - ever.
Quote:
Regarding Cuban success, Cubans have been very successful in this country. How else can you explain that a tiny group that has only been here since 1959 can have 3 U.S. Senators [Marco Rubio of Florida, Bob Menendez of NJ and Ted Cruz who will be senator of Texas]? How can you explain that a Cuban was the CEO of Coca-Cola, the CEO of Kelloggs, Inc, as well as a plethora of other Cubans who are top executives in major U.S. companies? How can you explain that at least 100 Cuban families are worth more than $100,000,000.00? Cubans did receive financial aid when they came here, but as I've said before, so have other groups. It was US policy to give asylum and a fast road to citizenship to any refugee fleeing the Soviet Bloc countries. I know Russians who had their university studies paid by the US government, because they were refugees from the Soviet Union. So, stop singling Cubans out as if Cubans were singular recepients of U.S. aid. Besides, NOT all Cubans received aid, or accepted aid. Many worked two and three jobs and went to night school. It's what you do with whatever is given to you that ultimately determines your success. No amount of food stamps, welfare, or scholarships can be turned into a multi-million dollar business, a Ph.D, a MD, a law degree, or post as an American senator, unless you are intelligent and driven. What I see lately are a lot of folks trying to completely dismiss all Cuban American incentive and hard work as nothing more than government aid. Talk about sour grapes.
Seriiously, you tell me to stop being disingenuous??
How can you explain it?? Over the course of 60 years, you flood one city with hundreds of thousands of Cubans, who are all fast tracked to American citizenship - a privilege that is extended to NO OTHER immigrant group.
You'd be amazed what you can do with a low interest collateral free loans.
The reality is that Cuban American the first group of Cubans that came to the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s were affluent and well educated. When you have those resources its fairly easy to immigrate to a country like the United States and be prosperous. The second fact is that on a proportional basis Cubans received more aid than other immigrant groups, and if the fact they were offered low interest and no collateral loans was huge benefit not available to many other immigrant groups.
Also due to fact most of these affluent well educated Cubans that came to the United States were of European descent mean they have non of the obstacles in terms of racial discrimination that other groups had to deal with.
Nobody is begrudging the hard work, and effort it takes to build and establish an business. But lets not act like Cubans didn't have advantage either by virtue of family wealth and education when they got to this country or aid and assistance when they got here that other immigrant groups simply DID NOT HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
While many of the first wave of Cubans that came to the US were quite affluent, all but a few [ mega wealthy families like the Bacardis and the Fanjul's had Swiss bank accounts or foreign investments]. The majority of upper and middle class Cubans were stripped of everything that they had and arrived here penniless. One of the first things that the regime did was confiscate all private property and make an inventory of all personal wealth. Even wedding bands were confiscated by the regime. There are stories of children as young as five having a bracelets ripped from their wrists as they tried to exit Cuban customs on their way to exile in the USA. In essence, the only thing that the first wave of Cubans came with were their brains. While I am not going to deny that an education is probably the most powerful resource anyone can have, it would be wrong to dismiss how hard life was these people.
Regarding race, first of all, although they were white, these Cubans still suffered xenophobia. You don't have to be non-white to be the victim of bigotry, just ask the early wave of Irish immigrants to the USA who had to face signs saying, "No Irish or dogs allowed here." Second, they had to learn a new language, and get their licenses in a new country while working the worst jobs. Yes, they didn't have to worry about the border police raiding the factories where they worked and they may have gotten loans to go to night school, but it is still an arduous task. Just imagine if you lost everything that you had: your job, your home, your bank account, your personal belongings, and then you were ripped from your family, and sent to Finland, or Russia. There you had to clean toilets, or wash dishes while: [A] learning enough Finish or Russian to [b] be able to study for your license in Finish or Russian, so that you could then start practicing as a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer or whatever other profession you had in the United States. It is a gargantuan task.
Regarding the aid that Cubans received, as I have said before, all refugees from the Soviet bloc received aid. One of my best friend's wife went to New York University [considered one of the best schools in the USA, the late John F. Kennedy, Jr. got his law degree there] with money that the gov't set aside for Russian Jews. So, it is not true that Cubans are these singular people in the annals of US history receiving massive amounts of aid. In fact, I happen to know many Eastern Europeans, refugees from communism, who came to the USA and they all received aslyum and were put on the fast track to citizenship. As residents in the USA, they were also eligable to apply for public assistance, loans and medical care.
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