Comments on Ghost of South Philly: The Cumare Denied

Joe Vento business may bee a little too good. I w...

2009-08-11T02:11:05.512-05:00

Joe Vento business may bee a little too good.

I was taught my business skills learning to shine shoes on 2nd Street. If a guy wanted a shoe shine, I could not give a sh*t what language he used to ask for the shine as long as he paid me the going rate in US curreny.

Many a seaman off the boats at the sugar house asked for a shoe shine by pointing to their dirty shoes.

If was good enough for me and it should be good enough for Joe Vento

KKK and lynching of Italians in New Orleans- large...

2006-06-19T12:43:00.000-05:00

KKK and lynching of Italians in New Orleans- largest lynching in US history!!
Well, one of the reasons behind the lynching was the ethniclly\racially ambiguous standing of the Itialians at that time (one of founders of Western civilization wheren't really consider "White" by the "civilized" people in NOLA).

There is nothing worse than foreigners coming here, establishing enclaves, and insisteing on preserving their language and culture. You just try that in Japan or Russis. This IS America, by and u.nder God. Get over it.
Hey, in case you forgot those "enclaves" already exist (although not as storng as 100 years ago).

Thanks for the comments. I grant times have change...

2006-06-13T23:20:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the comments. I grant times have changed and assimilation and English speaking are easier and should be faster then before, Indeed I would reckon an immigrant to Philly these days is way more assimilated after 5 years then my family was after 20. I can understand that government should push English Speaking and assimilation as it did in the past. My point is when people in the old neighborhood act like their ancestors came and were rapidly assimilated and became US citizens all within a few years of immigration. Look at the incredible amount of resident Aliens in South Philly in the 20’s and 30’s , look at the census reports 1920, 1930, 1940 and 1950!. This, after they lived 30-40 or more years !! I remember shopping on 9th street into the 60’s and my grandmother only using Italian cause some of the shop keepers spoke English poorly! I agree that all immigrants need to be communicative in English and assimilation in America does not mean you loose your heritage. Schools and education programs are aplenty and young people at least should be learning the lingo pronto- and using it. They will and within a shorter span of time then our ancestors. Again my point is really on the falsified historical argument .

I'm sorry, but I can't go along with this line of ...

2006-06-13T21:56:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry, but I can't go along with this line of thinking. The problem in the 21st Century is this: with all the media resources available, and with all of the public assistance given, there should be absolutely no reason NOT to speak English. Vento is merely pointing out that while his family, ( and your's and mine) had to assimilate into an English-language culture, these days, many Spanish-speakers simply refuse and in doing so, are attempting to establish their own culture in this country.

BTW - If Joe Vento is going to get nailed by the Human Rights Committee, then the HRC oughtta go into the average Wendy's, McDonalds, or Burger King. Many of the counterstaff, legal or otherwise, appear to only be taught enough English to understand "Number 1 combo, Number 2 combo, etc." Try asking for a spicy chicken sandwich with nothing on it, a baked potato, and large Coke,...all I ever get is a blank stare.

Our ancestors did assimilate but over a 40-60 year...

2006-06-10T20:46:00.000-05:00

Our ancestors did assimilate but over a 40-60 year period!!! I am sure by 2050 all the Mexicans in South Philly will be speaking English and assimilated- it did not happen in 10-20 years when our people came so don’t expect the new immigrants to do it much faster. Also having lived and traveled in Asia and Russia- they actually do have enclaves of ethnic minorities- gosh Russian people are less then 60% of the population of Russia- they all however do speak Russian. And Asia Take a look at Malaysia!!! Chinese have been in Malaysia since the Taiping Rebellion in the 1850’s and few can actually speak Malay!! They speak Chinese (Hokkian Dialect) and English!! Not to mention the Tamel (Hindi) people of Malaysia. I wish people would actually read some books on America in the pre WWII years and travel beyond Atlantic City .

Go ahead and whine 'till the cows come home....all...

2006-06-10T10:44:00.000-05:00

Go ahead and whine 'till the cows come home....all MY ancestors came from the "old country" and they all learned English and assimilated. There is nothing worse than foreigners coming here, establishing enclaves, and insisteing on preserving their language and culture. You just try that in Japan or Russis. This IS America, by and u.nder God. Get over it.