Bob what i see is that PR's have very different social values than Domincans, and Domincans have different values than Cubans, and so on, and so on..
Some groups work very hard to become assimilated, to learn english, others, learn english, but still tend to live in "ethnic enclaves" and keep social values, and other still, don't learn english, and don't share A/S, J/C social values.. so i find it difficult to see hispanic's as a group, but rather see Dominicans, or Colombians, or Filipino's, or Mexicans.. They have different music, different cultures, different values.. (just as an Irish man and a German might agree on Beer and cabbage, but not on religion (lutherian vs catholic)) and an Irishman and an italian might agree on religion -- but not on garlic or beverage (wine vs. beer)..
Irish, German, Italian-- all european.. But does european does mean, as it sometimes taken to -- Cosmopolitan and cultured or does it just means from europe?
Hispanics often has almost nothing in common -- except Spanish as their mother tongue.. so it's a meaning less term-- and to say that "the Spanish speaking population is growing faster, and will become the majority by 2050"-- is meaningless.. if you said that "Catholic Mexican's would be, not only the largest minority, but actually a plurality by 2050"-- well that would have some significant political and cultural fall out...
The first (red)statement in the above paragraph is meaningless, since it is based on projected growth from a spanish speaking population of today-- but some of that population won't even have spanish speaking children, let alone spanish speaking grandchildren.. and the only vestage of their "hispanic" heritage will be a holiday or two, a dish or two, and a "Hispanic" last name--
The japanese have different names for first generation (not born in japan) and second generation (not born in japan) and don't even consider ethnic japanese of the third generation to be "Japanese" -- the irish have their "lace curtain irish" who's only evidence they are irish is a name like Kennedy or O'Malley.
But some groups, because of geography, and because of certain cultural values (not saying good or bad, just values) tend to remain less assimilated into the melting pot-- even to the point of not learning english... even when that has negitive effects on their earning power.
An other NY times report pointed out that rather than becoming intragrated, neighborhoods in NY are becoming more ethnic-- and i know mine is-- i chose it intentionally because it was so mixed-- when my children where in school, 30 different languages spoken at home (from a school population of c. 300) --now, while the neighborhood in many ways still has diversity, but - 40% of the student in the same school, (school population c. the same) come from a home where one asian language is spoken.. (take your pick-- or if you know Flushing NY-- you know the answer)
I don't mind-- (i got what i wanted for my kids)-- and the "change" is not a negitive one in most aspects-- since housing prices in area mean almost all new comer have to have mega buck$ to move in.
I admit it, i am prejudiced, i like having rich neighbors who drive up the value of my house, and in effect make me richer..and i wouldn't care if they where 1 horned, 1 eyed, purple-people eaters, so long as i got richer(--after all i'm not a purple-person!)
