How American is Miami? (income, places to live, homeless)

[T.Winter2001]

In my view Miami has become almost like a 3rd world city in a 1st world country. Today, or since about 1980 Miami has changed, and in my view for the worse. Cuba's Fidel Castro emptied his prisons, and loaded up Cuba's worst criminals you can imagine; pedophiles, rapists, serial killers, and sent them all by small boats to the Miami shores in 1980. And many saw this as the beginning of the end for Miami. Google: Mariel Boatlift. Miami today is rich and poor, and the rich are rich by corrupt measures from hard core drugs, money laundering, prostitution, etc. And how you perceive Miami depends upon where you came from and how you were raised, meaning if you came from Cuba, Colombia, Brasil then Miami is a big step up. But if you were born in middle America with values and morals, Miami will be a big step down.

Go visit the area then see how you feel.

[MiamiResident]

Originally Posted by NeverBeingBoring

I live in Miami and am American - my family has been in the U.S for almost 400 years. I have encountered people here who look at me as if I was below them because I do not speak Spanish fluently and I don't have an attachment to another country in Latin America. Personally, I find these people to not be worth my time and energy.

Miami is as American as you want it to be. I have met some really amazing people who have shared their stories and culture with me. I find that they are as interested in me as I am in them. Take a moment and learn about someone and one will quickly learn that America is all about differences coming into a large melting pot.

As other posters have stated, there are all types of people in Miami. Many have been born in other places. What I find most interesting is those who live in Miami and have not seen anywhere else in the U.S. I am proud of my ancestry and what they did to build this nation. I am even prouder that people see the U.S. as a beacon of light in the darkness. They come here for a reason - to find a better life. In Miami, I see those seeking a better life. Once I took the time to see it, I found wonderful people who are truly American and have stories not unlike those of any other group who came here. We celebrate July 4th, Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's Day. Right now, we are celebrating the World Cup. Come join the party and learn what America is.

400 years ago... USA did not even exist at that time. Are you Native American?

[dblack86]

400 years ago some Europeans were already here.

[MiamiResident]

Originally Posted by dblack86

400 years ago some Europeans were already here.

The Spanish.

[Miserere]

I think you've done a superb job in summing up a lot of what Miami is like in your post here. It's right on the money, all of it. Although I have to say in my 38 years of living in Miami, I never encountered anyone who made such a spectacle of herself demanding services by Spanish speakers- I know she isn't alone in that sentiment, but most folks I ever saw wanting the same thing were more subtle about it, LOL


I went for my driving test some 37 years ago in a place I don't even recall, near Zaire (not Congo, a department store in NW). The driving test they handed me was in Spanish because I showed a Spanish passport, but I asked the test in English because the one in Spanish was impossible to understand. The test was translated by somebody whose Spanish skills were that of a toddler, some sort of Spanglish for borderlines.

I never seen anybody screaming to a civil servant for not speaking Spanish, nonsense. First place, during a long time most civil servants were people that only spoke "Ebonics" and most people had to address the old lady that obviously ruled things and that only spoke English.

As to nepotism, etc, Cubans in Miami, Jews in Boca, Irish in Boston, Slavics in Chicago. After all, the characters in Tamammy Hall weren't Cubans.

[Miserere]

Originally Posted by MiamiResident

400 years ago... USA did not even exist at that time. Are you Native American?

He must be a Tequesta, but since all of them died (in Cuba)

[dblack86]

Originally Posted by MiamiResident

The Spanish.

The Spanish were here, that is true. Maybe the poster is descended from them. Also, Jamestown was started in 1607. Mayflower came over here in 1620. Many others have come within the past 400 years. Notice the poster said US, not Miami in particular.

[OptimusPrime69]

Miami is as american as any other city in the US.

Every city in the US has it's own vibe, it's own history, it's own people.

Boston has the Irish, NYC has a bit of everyone, Miami has Hispanics, Atlanta has the blacks, Philly has the quakers, Salt Lake city has the Mormons. They all have their own vibe, Miami's vibe just so happens to be Hispanic in nature. That doesn't mean it is any less "American" than any other US city.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by T.Winter2001

In my view Miami has become almost like a 3rd world city in a 1st world country. .

You need to get out more and learn what a 3rd world country is really like.

[T.Winter2001]

FlyMIA, I respect and read your posts, but for some unknown reason you push Miami like it is a paradise and your agenda here is obvious. If you cannot tell the truth about life in Miami, then please save us the drama. Thanks.