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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.
Many "pure" hispanics are all white -- "hispanic" has nothing to do with race - Vicente Fox himself had an Irish-American grandfather but that doesn't change that he is 100% Mexican and therefore 100% hispanic.
Certainly New Mexican Spanish would be considered "hispanics" -- in fact I would view them as the most "hispanic" as where I live which is in the SW, those who despise the label "chicano" have used the term "hispanic" long before "hispanic" also meant a 100% Mayan Indian newly arrived from Guatemala or a 100% African-Cuban.
Another thing about the term "hispanic", many immigrants fresh here from Mexico never considered themselves to be "hispanic" and it actually takes a certain amount (very little) assimilation before they begin to see themselves as "hispanic" instead of Mexican. The Spanish-surnamed people of New Mexico were into the term long before the illegals fresh over the border were into it. The term "hispanic" really first became popular when the term "chicano" became popular because a lot of people didn't want to be classified with chicanos.
I know that you are not saying that Cameron Diaz is of Mexican ancestry, but within the context of your post, it might be a bit confusing, so I want to clarify that she is not of Mexican ancestry. She is Cuban and her ancestry to Cuba is not remote as in the case of the so-called "Hispanos" and Tejanos who have been here for over 100 years, or as remote as people like Linda Carter. Cameron is evidence that many Cubans become assimilated fairly rapidly.
Yes, I know -- she is an example of someone who assimilated. I never lived in Miami so I can't really say how assimilated it is compared with where I do live. One of the most assimilated immigrants I have known came from Cuba at age 7 and he would have no trouble fitting in anywhere in the USA, his English is excellent, in fact you would not realize he came from Cuba or lived in Miami if you weren't told his history.
What was funny about him is that he made a rule that people in the workplace had to speak English except in the break room and lunch room and the Mexicans here said he was a racist -- until they found out he spoke perfect Castilian Spanish. In his case -- as with other individuals, he made the choice he wasn't going to be confined to one city and was going to be fully American and so he was.
Yes, I know -- she is an example of someone who assimilated. I never lived in Miami so I can't really say how assimilated it is compared with where I do live. One of the most assimilated immigrants I have known came from Cuba at age 7 and he would have no trouble fitting in anywhere in the USA, his English is excellent, in fact you would not realize he came from Cuba or lived in Miami if you weren't told his history.
What was funny about him is that he made a rule that people in the workplace had to speak English except in the break room and lunch room and the Mexicans here said he was a racist -- until they found out he spoke perfect Castilian Spanish. In his case -- as with other individuals, he made the choice he wasn't going to be confined to one city and was going to be fully American and so he was.
Cubans are thoroughly assimilated all over the United States. The problem is that Cuban migration to the U.S. is a layered migration with approximately 20,000 new immigrants arriving to our shores yearly, which means that there are thousands of Cubans who don't yet know how to speak English or are in the process of learning. Conflicts occurs when you have biased boneheads with an ax to grind who encounter these newly arrived immigrants or in some cases older Cubans who are too old to learn a new and complicated language and then they [the boneheads] blow a gasket and start fuming that NO CUBAN SPEAKS ENGLISH.
Another problem is that the English speaking Cubans are often invisible to these boneheads. They could be in a setting surrounded by assimilated Cubans, and, yet, they'll fixate on two or three Cubans speaking Spanish and then say, AH HA! You see, Cubans don't speak English! Funny thing is that Cubans are often so thoroughly assimilated that people don't even know a Cuban if he is staring them straight in the face. Look at actress Joanna Garcia who played Reba's daughter, Cheyanne, in the sitcom REBA. She was so thoroughly assimilated that people just thought she was a regular non-Cuban American. They had no idea that she's an assimilated Cuban American like many other Cubans. Olympic swimmer and gold metalist Ryan Lochte--and all American boy--is another example o an assimilated Cuban. See pictures below:
Many "pure" hispanics are all white -- "hispanic" has nothing to do with race - Vicente Fox himself had an Irish-American grandfather but that doesn't change that he is 100% Mexican and therefore 100% hispanic.
Yes, I know that. But I also know that you can't use the people mentioned there as evidence of Latino/Hispanic "assimilation."
Quote:
Certainly New Mexican Spanish would be considered "hispanics" -- in fact I would view them as the most "hispanic" as where I live which is in the SW, those who despise the label "chicano" have used the term "hispanic" long before "hispanic" also meant a 100% Mayan Indian newly arrived from Guatemala or a 100% African-Cuban.
Another thing about the term "hispanic", many immigrants fresh here from Mexico never considered themselves to be "hispanic" and it actually takes a certain amount (very little) assimilation before they begin to see themselves as "hispanic" instead of Mexican. The Spanish-surnamed people of New Mexico were into the term long before the illegals fresh over the border were into it. The term "hispanic" really first became popular when the term "chicano" became popular because a lot of people didn't want to be classified with chicanos.
Cubans are thoroughly assimilated all over the United States. The problem is that Cuban migration to the U.S. is a layered migration with approximately 20,000 new immigrants arriving to our shores yearly, which means that there are thousands of Cubans who don't yet know how to speak English or are in the process of learning. Conflicts occurs when you have biased boneheads with an ax to grind who encounter these newly arrived immigrants or in some cases older Cubans who are too old to learn a new and complicated language and then they [the boneheads] blow a gasket and start fuming that NO CUBAN SPEAKS ENGLISH.
Another problem is that the English speaking Cubans are often invisible to these boneheads. They could be in a setting surrounded by assimilated Cubans, and, yet, they'll fixate on two or three Cubans speaking Spanish and then say, AH HA! You see, Cubans don't speak English! Funny thing is that Cubans are often so thoroughly assimilated that people don't even know a Cuban if he is staring them straight in the face. Look at actress Joanna Garcia who played Reba's daughter, Cheyanne, in the sitcom REBA. She was so thoroughly assimilated that people just thought she was a regular non-Cuban American. They had no idea that she's an assimilated Cuban American like many other Cubans. Olympic swimmer and gold metalist Ryan Lochte--and all American boy--is another example o an assimilated Cuban. See pictures below:
J
Gett
While Cameron, Joanna Garcia and Lochte are indeed Americanized Cubans, you could also cite Faizon Love, Gilbert Arenas, Laz Alonso and Georg Stanford Brown the same way - except they look a lot like African Americans (sorry I dunno how to post pictures).
Cubans are thoroughly assimilated all over the United States. The problem is that Cuban migration to the U.S. is a layered migration with approximately 20,000 new immigrants arriving to our shores yearly, which means that there are thousands of Cubans who don't yet know how to speak English or are in the process of learning. Conflicts occurs when you have biased boneheads with an ax to grind who encounter these newly arrived immigrants or in some cases older Cubans who are too old to learn a new and complicated language and then they [the boneheads] blow a gasket and start fuming that NO CUBAN SPEAKS ENGLISH.
Another problem is that the English speaking Cubans are often invisible to these boneheads. They could be in a setting surrounded by assimilated Cubans, and, yet, they'll fixate on two or three Cubans speaking Spanish and then say, AH HA! You see, Cubans don't speak English! Funny thing is that Cubans are often so thoroughly assimilated that people don't even know a Cuban if he is staring them straight in the face. Look at actress Joanna Garcia who played Reba's daughter, Cheyanne, in the sitcom REBA. She was so thoroughly assimilated that people just thought she was a regular non-Cuban American. They had no idea that she's an assimilated Cuban American like many other Cubans. Olympic swimmer and gold metalist Ryan Lochte--and all American boy--is another example o an assimilated Cuban. See pictures below:
Here are some links for you. I know you are fond of pictures, but there are just too many notable Americans of Italian, German, Irish, English, Spanish, French, Jewish, etc. descent to post all of their photos.
I could continue, but you get the picture. All immigrant groups have produced notable Americans, some within a generation, most within a couple of generations. Almost all without the advantage of free handouts from the US government.
Nothing special about notable Cuban Americans - you can stop with the photos...
While Cameron, Joanna Garcia and Lochte are indeed Americanized Cubans, you could also cite Faizon Love, Gilbert Arenas, Laz Alonso and Georg Stanford Brown the same way - except they look a lot like African Americans (sorry I dunno how to post pictures).
Thank you for bringing that up. Yes, I'm familiar with those afro-Cubans that you mention. They are also good examples of highly Americanized Cubans. By the way, you forgot to mention Gina Torres. She's a well-known Afro-Cuban actress married to the famous Afro-American actor, Lawrence Fishburne.
Thank you for bringing that up. Yes, I'm familiar with those afro-Cubans that you mention. They are also good examples of highly Americanized Cubans. By the way, you forgot to mention Gina Torres. She's a well-known Afro-Cuban actress married to the famous Afro-American actor, Lawrence Fishburne.
Laurence Fishburne and Gina Torres Photo
Yes, I am such an idiot! I was gonna mention Gina, one of my favorite actresses, and I forgot her.
Depends. The Mexican side of my family crossed the border in 1910. (The border as we now know it wasn't really a thing back then. People came and went on either side, such as Mitt's polygamous ancestors.) They weren't the only ones, they were part of the first 20th century wave. There have been a few waves since. So when you're talking about Mexican-Americans, it depends.
Seems to me that Cubans are more in tune with 'traditional' American virtues than other Hispanics. There seems to me more of a focus on education and achievement, as opposed to Mexcians or Puerto Ricans for example. I've found that Cubans will focus on long term achievement for their kids, where as Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in America see their kids more as a family contributor who can supplement household income as they reach teen years. Are the Cubans at the top of the Hispanic pecking order?
Not all Cubans are the same. The ones who came initially following Castro's assumption of power had much more in common with U.S. culture than the Mariel era and post-Soviet era.
Some folks have grown up all their lives expecting the government to be part of their lives and so readily accept Welfare, Food Stamps and the other services provided when they now land on U.S. shores. That would have been anathema to earlier generations.
The question is best answer by No for the reason above and the best assimilated are those who were here prior to the creation of hyphenated Americans were it was assimilate do be ostracized. That would encompass many cultural groups of Spanish descent such as my own.
Similar example of the Southern Europeans who arrived post-WWI, Northern European post-Civil War, etc.
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Gett
