[L_F_Miranda]

Although this thread's intention was NOT to discuss our progress in the U.S, I'll nevertheless give you my almost brief 2 ¢


RPR said:


"The most recent statistics show Mexican-Americans and Dominicans have attained the least amount of education and we're speaking about those born in the US. No,we're not at the top but certainly not at the bottom as we have made some gains."


The statistics you're looking at might be the most recent, however, your interpretation is wishful thinking and covering up some very sad realities.

Yes, it's true that Mexicans and Dominicans seem to be at the bottom. Why? Dominicans are arriving in droves to NYC, and the statistical picture only reflexs the huge incoming numbers, but not the nuances of a much larger picture.

What we also have to factor in, and it's NOT reflected in statistics, is that Dominicans have already entered the political process of NYC and, only after 35 years! They're taking over from Puerto Ricans! We've been here, more or less 65 years, almost two generations before them, but we've stagnated.

Nonetheless, "this anecdotal observation was given me by some Puerto Rican professionals at cocktail parties", LOL ,

"Now Dominicans, together with West Indians, compose most of the inmigrants going to City Colleges, and they don't even need citizenship! In contrast, Puerto Rican youth, although still larger in numbers, are absent from institutions of higher learning."

There may be many interpretations to this, for example.

1- Being whiter than Dominicans Puerto Ricans may have fanned out and assilmilated into the white suburbs.

2- The rest may have assilmilated within the Black American Community thus picking up that "Education is for Whites."

3- Then there are the hold outs and feeling very Puerto Rican. Those you see at the Puerto Rican Day Parade. However after generations of being in the U.S., most haven't a clue on how to get their kids to stay in school.

Different from the Chinese, West Indians, Indians and Jews, who practically force their kids to study, we have "el ay bendito of, "Ay Papo no le gusta estudiar, ¿ que voy hacer? Ese muchacho lo que le gusta es "Janguear" con esos sin-verguenzas y esas muchachitas fáciles bailando en apartamentos y cortando clase" LOL Lo vo a meter a '"Educación Especial", pol lo menos me mandan un chequecito de SSI."

3- Adding to this dysfunction, many Puerto Rican youths , when arriving on the island comment, "Hey, what's wrong with our bros. here, they all wanna be white?" I think The're just reacting to a middle class style which they interpret as White. ( Stanley would love this one) LOL

4-- MMMMMMMM Another reality is that P.R. population is dwindling in NYC. MMMMMMMM are they all going to Florida?

3 I think many more are just moving to ghettos around NYC like Hartford, Camden and Allentown, thus perpetuating their dependence on hand-outs, experiencing massive poverty, unemployment and high school drop-out rates.

Bottom -line, I think that for a group that's been in the U.S for several generations we don't show much collective progress. Yes you can notice some anecdotal Puerto Ricans here and there who have made it. I'm sure they might be the one's who clink wine glasses at cocktail parties and say to each other, "Gee how well we're doing?" But is this the larger picture?

Although we still have the voting power in cites like NYC we're being eclipsed by Domnicans and newly arrived Mexicans. "COLMO DE COLMOS," they've even taken over EL BARRIO, and "El Museo del Barrio", institutions that were created by Puerto Ricans before recently being pushed out.

Compare this to Jews or even African Americans. Their cultural institutions can be shared but they call the shots in their cultural institutions. Ironically even African Americans have taken over one of ours. Arturo Shomberg was PUERTO RICAN! He created the Black museum in Harlem. He is now venerated by African Americans as a theirs! They will curse you out if you say he's Puerto Rican!.

Yes I agree. The Liberal anti-poverty reforms of the 60"s screwed us up! Although the intentions were good, the out come has been disastrous!

Sadly many Puerto Rican proffesionals are today living off and administering these poverty programs, and feel very proud of them! Speak to some and they don't know what you're talking about. After all most are like Poverty Pimps, they live off the poor.

What's the solution, I dunno.

But getting back to this thread. "WE NEED MORE FOLKS HERE!!!!!! Maybe some others can disagree or agree with all this, but we really don't know, do we?

Maybe we should have drive out there to get more folks in........????????