Mexicans Taking Over Houston

[deepsouthtexas]

The French pre-date the Mexicans in Texas.  Imagine if they made a comeback...

I think I'd rather have Mexican fast food than French fast food.

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With the majority of Mexicans being a mix of Native American and Spanish, I'm sure it's safe to assume that Mexicans pre-date the French in Texas. Although it is true that the French were the first outsiders to land in Texas, ancestrally, the roots of Mexicans in Texas run deeper.

[westguy]

I think Mexico started allowing American colonists into Texas shortly after they became independent of Spain. There were Native Americans living here, but Mexico wanted to settle it with colonies. They did not have slaves because Mexico had already outlawed the practice. Trying to enforce this was a major point of contention between the Mexican government and the colonists from the United States.

Pre-Texas, the land mostly belonged to the natives.

[jmancuso]

I think Mexico started allowing American colonists into Texas shortly after they became independent of Spain. There were Native Americans living here, but Mexico wanted to settle it with colonies. They did not have slaves because Mexico had already outlawed the practice. Trying to enforce this was a major point of contention between the Mexican government and the colonists from the United States.

Pre-Texas, the land mostly belonged to the natives.

slavery was the initial reason why white texans revolted against mexico; southern americans brought their slaves with them to texas despite mexico banning slavery and when the mexican authorities put their foot down, they began uprising against the mexican government.

this part of texas history is conspicuously omited from textbooks...

[ricco67]

Geez...I'm gone for a few days and a wierd debate starts....

Now in regards to Houston's "overhyped" multi-ethnicity, I think it's all relative to where you live and "hangout." In some portions of the city it's VERY possible to just see one particular race or two at most. People who have visited from other states that have been taken to the galleria, Midtown, downtown, or the near east side is absolutely astounded by the multi-ethnic sections we have in this city.

In regards to the various posts on here (too many time name, and some not worth responding to, so pick out your post in this paragraph) this city is a very peaceful compared to other cities regarding "race" here. Houston has been relatively untouched by the race riots that were prevelent in other cities(LA, Detroit, etc) during the 60's and early 70's, as well as the rest of the later part of the 20th century.

In regards to the various stations here in Houston being multi-lingual, did it perhaps occur to you that it's also for the benifit of visitors in the cities various cities from other countries? The same programs that you see here are what is shown in many parts of Mexico. It can also be a teaching tool for you to pick up another language.

It's one of my selling points in my business that I CAN speak different languages, but also know the various cultures and taboos.

Now in regards to learning another language: I've been paid MORE because of my multi-lingual skills. My being able to speak to more people meant my past employers can get more business or be able to resolve an issue more quickly than being trying to find a translator or fumble their way about it.

Business isn't only done in English and in the united states, it's done all over the world with different cultures and different languages, basically if you want to get ahead in the world, not only is english a required language to learn in most other countries, it's in your best interest if you wish to do business with people outside of the United States to learn a different language.

In regards to the United States not having an official language...

From what I remember as of 74 (or so) we had no official language from THAT point on...now before that, you'll have to do your own research, I'm feeling lazy.

Now I gotta catch up with the rest of the news on here.

Ricco

[westguy]

We've actually never had an official language. What good is it to adopt one other than to outlaw or regulate other languages?

If you want to learn another language, the most valuable one is Mandarin Chinese because it is spoken by over a billion people. English is second with only half that number, and Spanish is a close third with over 400 million speakers. These are the languages of business.

[ricco67]

Westguy....

Actually, Mandarin isn't the most used language, china has a ton of dialects and so do the arabs and asian indians. If you wish to clump together those languages, then I would imagine ONE chinese dialect is widly used might be Mandarin, but it's not the most widely used. I'm getting I'm guessing arabic is one of the most common languages in the world, but again, it's broken down by different dialects. I'm going to have to say that English, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese and Chinese are the major languages on this planet. In regards to business and rankings.....toss it up there, because I haven't gotten the slightest clue as to how they're ranked when you consider the regions and such. In regards to spanish, I believe is used by approx. 20% (last time I checked back in the 80's) of the world's population.

Ricco

[2112]

I was in Houston the other week helping my sister move in here new apartment and I noticed that with out the cable on the TV hooked up There were at least 6 Mexican Channels Coming through. Then while fliping through radio stations, I noticed alot were in Spanish. I figure soon they will turn ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX in to Mexican channels. What is going on? Can we not enjoy American Entertanment any more because we must accomidate Mexicans and their entertanment. I don't think it's right! More and more illegal aliens are taking over and no one is acting on it. They come to America and think that we should learn Spanish to talk to them and they don't want to learn English. Alot of them pretend to be Dumb and act like the don't know a word of English when they do something wrong. Do you all think I am being prejudice for thinking this way or am I telling the truth?

THIS JUST IN: Houston FM Radio Station KTRS 92.1 has just fliped from Modern Rock for the 1990s and early 2000s to am "Mexican Hits Station"

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Dear CityKid,

I believe a response is in order. As a Mexican-American, I am completely offended by your total lack of regard to my people and my nationality. Let me clarify what that means so that even you can understand: It means I am American, an American that happens to have family and cultural ties to Mexico. I was born here. So were my parents. Half of my family was born in Mexico and are Mexican citizens. We have family reunions in both Mexico City and in Houston. We also have brothers, and uncles, and grandfathers that fought and died for America, proudly wearing the American flag on their uniform.

My brother-in-law, another Mexican-American, just last month came back to Texas after 9 months of intense fighting in Iraq. Actually, the real reason he was here was to bury a soldier under his command, who was ambushed during battle. He was here to stand by the fallen soldier

[editor]

We've actually never had an official language. What good is it to adopt one other than to outlaw or regulate other languages?

If you want to learn another language, the most valuable one is Mandarin Chinese because it is spoken by over a billion people. English is second with only half that number, and Spanish is a close third with over 400 million speakers. These are the languages of business.

Maybe the United States could adopt multiple official languages, like Switzerland. The official languages there are French, Italian, German, and English.

Maybe the U.S. could adopt English, Spanish, Chinese, and French as its official languages. It wouldn't make everyone happy, but government offices would at least know what forms to stock.

[Subdude]

At least for voting forms, "official" languages are I believe determined locally by the makeup of relevant population. Therefore, Houston might have Vietnamese and Spanish. That seems like a pretty sensible way to do it.

Well said, 2112.

[HOUCAJUN]

Personaly. i'm from a small town in Louisiana and moving here took some major adjustments. the language barrier for me is still the most frustrating. hey, i don't agree with all of what Citykid is saying, but i understand his observations of the city. look, he isn't saying anything that other visitors(non mexican) aren't saying when they visit. i don't think Citykid is against diversity. ithink he is against the way houston caters to the mexican community and not the others.for example, there was a big fuss about having spanish directions written on the light rail staions along with the english. i have no problem with metro including spanish directions if they include other languages also. if we cater to one community, we need to cater to them all. i'm all for people improving their life by working hard making an honest living but, if i was to go to mexico would it be as convenient for me or anybody else that's not mexican? the answer is no. you are just s**t out of luck. peace out.

[dbigtex56]

2112, cheers and applause for putting the issue squarely in perspective.

Our attitudes are affected by our experiences and expectations. Having grown up in an almost exclusively 'white' (Anglo, whatever term applies) community, I vividly remember my first encounter with a Mexican-American family. The Martinezes moved to our town in upstate New York when I was about 14. Their father was raised in poverty in Mexico. He taught himself to read, studied hard and eventually earned a degree. They relocated to our town because he had taken a position as head of the chemistry department at a local college.

So what did people make of this Mexican-American family? It was obvious; they were intelligent, hard working, church going people. Their children were brilliant and astonishingly good looking. We felt lucky to have them as neighbors. I never heard one disparaging word regarding their ethnic background.

Imagine my astonishment when I moved to Houston, where people casually referred to 'messkins' as if there was something contemptable about ones ancestors having come from Mexico. What a sickening attitude! No one is better or worse than anyone else because of their ancestors. Heck, my English and Dutch ancesters had been here for a couple of hundred years before my Irish ancestors arrived; does that make my Irish side less admirable?

There's an economic factor at work. So long as we have a corrupt, inconsistant immigration policy, there will be those who are desperate to work and those who are eager to exploit them. Undocumented workers, illegal aliens - call them what you will - are pretty much treated as slave labor. So long as there's the threat of deportation, these workers will do the hard, dangerous jobs without complaint. Who else will work the fields for practically nothing? or tar roofs and mow lawns in 100

[MidtownCoog]

Back in the day, most imigrants came here to become Americans.

Today, imigrants come here to so they can send home money back to their home land.

2112,

Do you think people from Mexico who live here should learn English?

Or, is OK to just keep-on-keeping-on in their own little worlds? I guess there really is no reason to learn English if you don't have to.

[editor]

Back in the day, most imigrants came here to become Americans. 

Today, imigrants come here to so they can send home money back to their home land. 

2112,

Do you think people from Mexico who live here should learn English? 

Or, is OK to just keep-on-keeping-on in their own little worlds?  I guess there really is no reason to learn English if you don't have to.

The more I travel the world, the more I realize something my father (an experienced world traveler) told me: "English is the common language of business."

Many countries, even ones that hate Americans or Westerners, require their students to learn at least conversational English in order to graduate, so they can be productive members of the global community.

I'm not suggestiing that any immigrant group coming to America be forced to learn English. I'm not much for forcing people to do stuff. I don't think that Mexican immigrants to Texas should necessarily be vilified for not learning English. Many came here so their children could have a better life, and those children (from my observations) are learning English, and accomplishing their parents' goal -- to become productive members of the global community.

[bachanon]

wow 2112, i want to be mexican-american! the more i learn about our mexican immigrants and their families the more i appreciate them. there are real, genuine, solid qualities found in the mexican-american community that are lacking in other pockets of american culture. although i usually avoid threads like these, your post inspired me. thanks for sharing about your family.

[2112]

Back in the day, most imigrants came here to become Americans.

[MidtownCoog]

Are you implying that any money they save should be spent here in the USA rather than be sent to support thier families?

No. Just wondering if they plan to become citizens, or plan to go back to where thny came from after they make some money. Do they want to be Americans, or are they just here to make some money and plan to go back home?

These are valid questions, becuase it still is OUR country. The immgrants are visitors/guests, and many illegal to boot.

Will <insert country name here> alway be #1, or will they eventually put America first?

2112, you should go read some of the Washington Post articles I posted. It's good food for tought, and you might learn something.

[Subdude]

Back in the day, most imigrants came here to become Americans.

Today, imigrants come here to so they can send home money back to their home land.

More from the Department of Sweeping Generalizations. So they send money to their homelands. First of all, that doesn't mean that's the only reason they come. Second, of course they do. Getting work is obviously one big reason for immigration. What's wrong with that? Are they supposed to stop supporting their families? Do you have some objection to that? Yikes.

I guess it would be easy for me to sit around and demand that immigrants all learn English, but then I remember my mother saying how her grandmother insisted on speaking her native language (German) around the house until the day she died. The old lady just kept on in her own little world, so to speak. I don't think my family came out any less American (whatever that means) as a result of her willful refusal to speak English, but I don't want to be a hypocrite about things. Oh by the way, despite my great-grandmother's stubborness, the rest of them did seem to pick up English along the way.

[MidtownCoog]

Subdue, are you sub-intelligent?

Put up the crack pipe and read some of the Washington Post articles I liked to. Same goes for 2112.

Then again, I guess the Post must be racist.

To pretend that imigration is not a serious issue for this country is just that: pretending.

[2112]

No.  Just wondering if they plan to become citizens, or plan to go back to where thny came from after they make some money.  Do they want to be Americans, or are they just here to make some money and plan to go back home?

These are valid questions, becuase it still is OUR country.  The immgrants are visitors/guests, and many illegal to boot.

Will <insert country name here> alway be #1, or will they eventually put America first?

2112, you should go read some of the Washington Post articles I posted.  It's good food for tought, and you might learn something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are implying that they should just stop being who they are, drop everything, their language, their history, their culture, everything. That is what you are really saying. In other words, unless you stop speaking Spanish, and leave that whole existence behind, then you are not American. Wow, what an elitist thing to imply. Boy, I sure am glad that Italian-Americans left their ways behind, or else, we would have to eat

[MidtownCoog]

2112, your machismo is affecting your ability to reason. I think you are reading a little too much into my posts.

These are simple questions. Nobody said they should drop their culture. I am a fifth generation Texas-German, but we got over that a long time ago, even though some of us are still in Fredericksburg. To us, Germany is nothing more than a place our relatives decided to leave.

FWIW, we have a Mexican nanny for our one year old daughter. We have asked her to exclusively speak to our daughter in Spanish.

Go figure!

[jmancuso]

this is certainly a hot button issue and will only continue to grow as time goes on, i'm afraid.

one thing though, people in this country are too fixated on race and ethnic background and the use of 'hyphens' to describe who they are needs to stop:

for example, i could call myself an italian-american (3rd generation) but i have no cultural ties to italy other than an appreciation for good spaghetti sauce. but rather, i'm just a pick-up driving american who likes to listen to rush (the band not the blowhard)

[2112]

So tell me, so that it is clear to me, Exactly how, in your view, would you like to see Mexican-Americans get "over that", similar to how German-Americans got "over that"? What part of the Mexican-American culture would you like to see change, and how much? I would also like to know what part of the culture is especially irritating to you in particular.

Please Advise.

[2112]

this is certainly a hot button issue and will only continue to grow as time goes on, i'm afraid.   

one thing though, people in this country are too fixated on race and ethnic background and the use of 'hyphens' to describe who they are needs to stop:

for example, i could call myself an italian-american (3rd generation) but i have no cultural ties to italy other than an appreciation for good spaghetti sauce. but rather, i'm just a pick-up driving american who likes to listen to rush (the band not the blowhard) 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you serious! In case you havent noticed...(2112)

-and the meek shall inherit the Earth....

[MidtownCoog]

Please check all my posts where I said Mexicans need to change. I sure don't remember saying that.

[jmancuso]

Are you serious!  In case you havent noticed...(2112)

-and the meek shall inherit the Earth....

'2112'?! how can i not notice?

In the grip of a nameless possession

A slave to the drive of obsession

A spirit with a vision is a dream

With a mission.

[HeightsGuy]

Too bad Buchanan isn't running this year, looks like he would have picked up a few votes from some of the members here.....

[2112]

Are you serious!

[2112]

Please check all my posts where I said Mexicans need to change.  I sure don't remember saying that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, its clear that there is "something" you find just slightly irritating, or else you wouldn

[MidtownCoog]

Read the Washington Post articles and get back with me.

Here is one that gets on my nerves:

One study of the children of immigrants, conducted six years ago among young Haitians, Cubans, West Indians, Mexican and Vietnamese in South Florida and Southern California, suggests the parents are not alone in their concerns.

Asked by researchers Alejandro Portes and Ruben Rumbauthow how they identified themselves, most chose categories of hyphenated Americans. Few choose "American" as their identity.

Then there was this

[2112]

Read the Washington Post articles and get back with me.

Here is one that gets on my nerves:

One study of the children of immigrants, conducted six years ago among young Haitians, Cubans, West Indians, Mexican and Vietnamese in South Florida and Southern California, suggests the parents are not alone in their concerns.

Asked by researchers Alejandro Portes and Ruben Rumbauthow how they identified themselves, most chose categories of hyphenated Americans. Few choose "American" as their identity.

Then there was this