Moving to Mcallen (Pharr, Weslaco, Donna: crime, private schools, live)

[TexasStateBobcat]

I agree with bellestaroftexas stating that Ft. Hood is more diverse, cause it is...so if diversity is your number one priority than Ft. Hood/Killeen is the place for you.

[teatime]

Originally Posted by TexasStateBobcat

There are more black people in the McAllen area than any other area in the RGV. For you who said you were called vile names(teatime), we need to know the entire story before anyone can take your word on how "racist" the RGV can be. I agree being called names is terrible but was there an argument of some sort that caused racial slurs to be spewed? It's hard to imagine being called names for no reason. Again, I am not agreeing with being called names but we need some more info here. All in all, the RGV is becoming more diverse so I think that's a good thing.

Why do you "need more info?" Because you choose to remain blind about what goes on in the Valley if you're not Hispanic? Open your eyes.

My kid was a little 6th grader who was jumped by 8th graders he didn't even know. I was a teacher myself and got a call at my school that my son needed medical care because these older and much larger thugs pounded his head into a locker while calling him "white trash" and telling him he didn't belong there. When I got to the school, the principals hurried me into an office and told me that I had to understand that the attackers came from a colonia, were "raised different," and didn't know any better. In other words, they came from violent and trashy homes. One of them was suspended and the other one, who had a record of doing this, was sent to an alternative school.

I told my son that he had to stick it out until Christmas break when I could make the arrangements for him to go to a private school, and that's what I did. I couldn't afford the tuition on a teacher's salary but when one of the schools heard about what happened to my son, they arranged a scholarship for him. You DO realize that part of the package to attract many maqiladora employees includes private school tuition for their kids, right? There's a REASON for that.

The Valley is NOT diverse and never will be as long as the corruption and racism remain down there. White and black people may move there for jobs but many don't stay. And that's fine -- the region is what it is and they can languish in corruption and archaic thinking if they want. I really don't care. But non-Hispanics need to be aware of what that area can be like for "outsiders." Now with the drug cartel violence on the Border, and the stupid people there fighting the Border fence, it's even more sketchy.

[TexasStateBobcat]

Originally Posted by teatime

Why do you "need more info?" Because you choose to remain blind about what goes on in the Valley if you're not Hispanic? Open your eyes.

My kid was a little 6th grader who was jumped by 8th graders he didn't even know. I was a teacher myself and got a call at my school that my son needed medical care because these older and much larger thugs pounded his head into a locker while calling him "white trash" and telling him he didn't belong there. When I got to the school, the principals hurried me into an office and told me that I had to understand that the attackers came from a colonia, were "raised different," and didn't know any better. In other words, they came from violent and trashy homes. One of them was suspended and the other one, who had a record of doing this, was sent to an alternative school.

I told my son that he had to stick it out until Christmas break when I could make the arrangements for him to go to a private school, and that's what I did. I couldn't afford the tuition on a teacher's salary but when one of the schools heard about what happened to my son, they arranged a scholarship for him. You DO realize that part of the package to attract many maqiladora employees includes private school tuition for their kids, right? There's a REASON for that.

The Valley is NOT diverse and never will be as long as the corruption and racism remain down there. White and black people may move there for jobs but many don't stay. And that's fine -- the region is what it is and they can languish in corruption and archaic thinking if they want. I really don't care. But non-Hispanics need to be aware of what that area can be like for "outsiders." Now with the drug cartel violence on the Border, and the stupid people there fighting the Border fence, it's even more sketchy.

I said I needed more info because there is always more to a story. How was I or anyone supposed to know your kid was a 6th grader who got jumped by 8th graders? Similar things have happened to Black, Hispanic, and Asian kids all over this country so your son getting jumped is nothing new but I do feel sorry for him cause no one deserves that. There are many kids in many parts of this country who are "raised different" and yes, the RGV is no exception. However, there is plenty of good people in the RGV as well. About Maquiladora employees, well, that's an entirely different discussion. I never said the Valley "IS" diverse but I did say it is "getting more" diverse. All in all, what you went through is just a sample of what most minorities go through more often than not in other parts of Texas and the US. So ultimately, where is the equality in this nation? Will it ever become a truly diverse nation?

[teatime]

Originally Posted by TexasStateBobcat

All in all, what you went through is just a sample of what most minorities go through more often than not in other parts of Texas and the US.

Yes, this is true. But what I found in the Valley is that the majority population is in a world of denial of how they treat and view minorities. They truly believe all white people are WASPs -- calling all whites "Anglos" is a good example of that -- and the stereotypes I heard about black people were just unbelievable. I tried to explain to them that white people are NOT all Anglo-Saxon, that they come from Germany, Italy, Ireland, Poland, etc. and to label everyone as "Anglo" is dismissive. They didn't get it. Some of them would get flat-out insulted when I told them that most of them are white, too, and "Mexican" isn't a race!

But this is a very unusual area within the U.S. I don't know if any other area in the country is as mono-ethnic as the Border. Even the Canadian border region has a mix of cultures -- French, Swedish/Norwegian, etc. Even though my experiences there weren't entirely happy, it was eye-opening to live as a minority. I just wish we could have moved away sooner so that my son had a better childhood.

[TexasStateBobcat]

I understand what you mean and I agree there are many uneducated people in the RGV but I also believe there are the same type of uneducated people all over the US. What it all boils down to is that all of us are not native to this country except for of course Native Americans. But then some people make the argument that a lot of what is now US used to be Mexico territory and so on, but that is another discussion, again...I don't live in the Valley anymore and I am a minority where I live now, so I know how it feels.

[teatime]

Originally Posted by TexasStateBobcat

I understand what you mean and I agree there are many uneducated people in the RGV but I also believe there are the same type of uneducated people all over the US. What it all boils down to is that all of us are not native to this country except for of course Native Americans. But then some people make the argument that a lot of what is now US used to be Mexico territory and so on, but that is another discussion, again...I don't live in the Valley anymore and I am a minority where I live now, so I know how it feels.

Oh, come on. The area where I was born and raised used to belong to England and I'm of English ancestry but none of us accuse the rest of being interlopers! The Valley needs to grow up and quit making excuses for intolerance. The Native Americans are the only ones who can claim first rights and the Spanish/Mexicans killed and pushed them out just as much as the U.S. did.

But this is straying far off-topic and I'm done with it, anyway.

[TexasStateBobcat]

Look "teatime", I have tried being civil with you but you obviously have much attitude and a heavy heart. Maybe instead of the Valley growing up you are the one who needs to grow up.

[elvalle_mayne]

Mexican is a "race"...yes we know we're supposed to be the "brown race" but that doesn't sound as La Raza as saying we're the Mexican race. We all know what it means and thats all that matters not so much that it LITERALLY is a race or not.

[NOTAM]

I didnt view her posts as having an attitude. teatime gave her opinions in a mature, respectful manner. I am not sure why people get so defensive when anyone shares their negative experiences about the Valley. There are many people who don't care for North Texas (where I am from) or Central Texas (where I live now) and I don't get riled up. Everyone is different. Everyone has different experiences, likes and dislikes. The most important thing is that people who are not familiar with Texas, hear all sides. They may be able to relate to one of the posters more so than another, and perhaps get a "feel" for how they themselves might fit in/assimilate into a certain area. That's all.

Originally Posted by TexasStateBobcat

Look "teatime", I have tried being civil with you but you obviously have much attitude and a heavy heart. Maybe instead of the Valley growing up you are the one who needs to grow up.

[TexasStateBobcat]

Originally Posted by NOTAM

I didnt view her posts as having an attitude. teatime gave her opinions in a mature, respectful manner. I am not sure why people get so defensive when anyone shares their negative experiences about the Valley. There are many people who don't care for North Texas (where I am from) or Central Texas (where I live now) and I don't get riled up. Everyone is different. Everyone has different experiences, likes and dislikes. The most important thing is that people who are not familiar with Texas, hear all sides. They may be able to relate to one of the posters more so than another, and perhaps get a "feel" for how they themselves might fit in/assimilate into a certain area. That's all.

So putting down people and saying people need to grow up is not having an attitude? You really think she would have said all she said in a Mr. Rogers tone? I don't think so...