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This statement was made in the 17th century when the "foreigners" were German.
It was made again in the early/mid 19th century when they are Irish Catholics.
Again in the late 19th/early 20th century when they are Chinese, Japanese, Italians, and Eastern Europeans. And also when black Americans moved into northern cities.
Now again since the late 20th century now that the immigrants are mainly nonwhite. Now of course with the additional paranoia that the USA will no longer be a "white" nation.
Today's immigrants are not assimilating at slower rates than are earlier waves. To the contrary many enter the middle class, occupy professional positions, and buy homes AS IMMIGRANTS. in earlier waves it often wasn't until the THIRD generation (grandkids of immigrants) when this happened.
I don't know where the nativist hysteria against immigrants comes from, especially given that many who are guilty of it, are descended from people who were victims of it. As they victimize today's immigrants who have the "arrogance" to speak their foreign language in spaces where others can hear them, so too did people who spoke German, Italian, Yiddish, Polish, Gaelic and a whole host of other languages, also face this treatment.
The issue was that in those days ignorance was an accepted norm. It was OK to segregate and ill treat people because they were different. Now we know better, and indeed most American draw pride in this nation's diversity.
We look at Europeans and Japanese, who engage in this xenophobia with pity. But we still have the few who behave as if this was still the 19th century. Sad.
Here is the difference between then and now. Never before have we had so many illegal aliens in our country from one ethnic group. This same ethnic group here legally apparently doesn't want to assimilate to English either. Whiteness has nothing to do with assimilation. It is American culture and the American language not a "white" one. Race and skin color has nothing to do with our identifying American culture.
Moderator cut: Just a reminder: This is supposed to be a debate, not an argument.
Here is the difference between then and now. Never before have we had so many illegal aliens in our country from one ethnic group. This same ethnic group here legally apparently doesn't want to assimilate to English either. Whiteness has nothing to do with assimilation. It is American culture and the American language not a "white" one. Race and skin color has nothing to do with our identifying American culture.
Your attempts to make this discussion about xenophobia or nativism is what is "sad".
E PLURIBUS UNUM (From many; one) 'Melting pot' = assimilation.
It's still on every US coin, however, it may be disappearing from American thought and American identity.
Where did I mention the Dominicans in any of my posts? I am talking about black Americans whose ancestors were brought over here against their will and the several generations of their offspring that have lived here. They are fully assimilated into American culture and they speak English.
Didn't you read in my posts where I have said that I don't have a problem with ethnic "business" neighborhoods?
So if black Americans are considered to be so "assimilated" then why do they still experience so much social segregation, in fact MORE than that faced by non black immigrant groups?
Look at the intermarriage rates. Far higher among Hispanics than among blacks, and indeed black women are the LEAST likely of any group, INCLUDING ASIAN MEN, to be intermarried.
Basically the ones who complain loudest about certain groups not assimilating belong to the same xenophobic groups who ALWAYS complained. 100 years ago it was about all the Yiddish and Italian. 200 years ago it was all about the German spoken.
Now Hispanics get the blame, even though in certain communities dominated by Koreans they have businesses which are inaccessible to non Koreans because they refuse to have signs in English.
How come you are fine with a non Korean living in a neighborhood where most of the businesses are owned by Koreans and having difficulties because there are no signs in English? Yet you have problems if a Dominican mother and a her daughter speak Spanish while on the bus?
Also did you check the documents of every Hispanic who you see to determine whether they are illegals or not? How do you know that the Spanish speakers are illegals?
Last edited by Oldhag1; 06-01-2014 at 06:33 AM..
Reason: Deleted quote
E PLURIBUS UNUM (From many; one) 'Melting pot' = assimilation.
It's still on every US coin, however, it may be disappearing from American thought and American identity.
Immigrants to the USA are not assimilating any slower than immigrants to the USA EVER did. In fact if you use measures of assimilation like IMMIGRANT proficiency in English, attaining college education, moving into professional occupations, and acquiring homes, today's immigrants, including the much maligned Hispanics, are assimilating at a FASTER rate than did those who arrived 100 years ago.
REASON. Because we now have a service based economy where the ability to interact with others is more important than when sweat shops were the main source of employment. Also this country is attracting a much larger pool of educated immigrants. Immigration to the USA is no longer limited to the "tired and the poor" as it was in the 19th and early 20th century. Doctors, engineers, and others are now coming.
Immigrants to the USA are not assimilating any slower than immigrants to the USA EVER did. In fact if you use measures of assimilation like IMMIGRANT proficiency in English, attaining college education, moving into professional occupations, and acquiring homes, today's immigrants, including the much maligned Hispanics, are assimilating at a FASTER rate than did those who arrived 100 years ago.
REASON. Because we now have a service based economy where the ability to interact with others is more important than when sweat shops were the main source of employment. Also this country is attracting a much larger pool of educated immigrants. Immigration to the USA is no longer limited to the "tired and the poor" as it was in the 19th and early 20th century. Doctors, engineers, and others are now coming.
That might be the case if we didn't have so many illegal alien Spanish speakers flooding our border but unfortunately that isn't the case. So they are colonizing rather than assimilating. Learning and wanting to speak English are two different things.
Again, I don't object to ethnic "business" neighborhoods.
I can't tell the difference between and illegal Spanish speaker or a legal one. Where did I say that I could? Why would I check someone's status in this country? That's not my job but a job for LE.
So if black Americans are considered to be so "assimilated" then why do they still experience so much social segregation, in fact MORE than that faced by non black immigrant groups?
Look at the intermarriage rates. Far higher among Hispanics than among blacks, and indeed black women are the LEAST likely of any group, INCLUDING ASIAN MEN, to be intermarried.
What you are referring to is racism and many times self-segregation. It has nothing to do with assimilation.
What you are referring to is racism and many times self-segregation. It has nothing to do with assimilation.
My point is that Hispanics, who you insist refuse to assimilate, are more accepted by the white society than are black Americans, who by most measures are more culturally assimilated. So apparently Hispanics are doing fine as they are.
My point is that Hispanics, who you insist refuse to assimilate, are more accepted by the white society than are black Americans, who by most measures are more culturally assimilated. So apparently Hispanics are doing fine as they are.
Many Hispanics are not assimilating to speaking English and I already stated why. I can't help the facts. They are what they are. Sure Hispanics are doing fine because they are being pandered to in Spanish everywhere. White and blacks have always been at odds with each other but it has nothing to do how whites view Hispanics. There are many whites that can't relate to them linguistically and because they put their ethnic group above our immigration laws.
So if black Americans are considered to be so "assimilated" then why do they still experience so much social segregation, in fact MORE than that faced by non black immigrant groups?
Look at the intermarriage rates. Far higher among Hispanics than among blacks, and indeed black women are the LEAST likely of any group, INCLUDING ASIAN MEN, to be intermarried.
Lol. Its quite funny that so many people are just beside themselves at that fact that most Black women in the U.S. are generally not interested in interracial dating or marriage. Some are, and that is fine. It is a small minority that choose non-Black men. Most of us are simply not interested, and are perfectly at peace with our decision to date and marry, and have children within our racial group. Many of us are choosing American and non-American men, which is great because there is an entire world filled with Black people of various cultures. Given that most Black women prefer Black men, and most Black men prefer Black women, it is not social segregation. It is a bit odd that Black couples are considered segregated, when for every other racial group it is considered normal to choose members of your own group. I also find it comical that whenever the topic of interracial relationships come up, Black women are always mentioned with Asian men. Personally, I feel zero connection with Asian men, and most Black women I know feel the same. Asian men have their own problems with their own Asian women, and should not ever be mentioned with us. Their interracial marriage rate hovers around 50%, mostly Asian women choosing White men. That is a massive number, but that truly is their problem to solve, or not solve. I don't care one way or the other. I simply request that people stop mentioning Black women when discussing Asian men.
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