HOUSING AND THE
HISPANIC SETTLEMENT
BY KEVIN S.
America,
land of the free, where many come here for new
opportunities, is not as glamorous as portrayed.
Many immigrants take a chance when leaving their home environment and may not necessarily
know what they are getting themselves into. They will
be treated differently because of their status, their accent, and even their
skin complexion. These undocumented individuals come in large
numbers and settle in a set location forming their community. Those
living in these communities prior to what
some call an immigrant “invasion” are not used
to such drastic changes and are unable to adjust. Such demographic
changes can lead to situations, such as
that which took place in the film 9500 Liberty. In the film many of the
locals were very hostile towards the incoming immigrants, meanwhile these
immigrants contribute to the economy by purchasing goods
from local business owners and paying
taxes. It is evident that these immigrants
contributed to the local economy because when they were eventually driven out
many of the local businesses began to struggle.
It is then when people begin to realize the importance of
the Hispanic community. Should
these immigrants be asked to come back
because of their role in the local economy? What else can the immigrants
contribute to the community besides financial stability? If
you were placed in the situation the immigrants
were in how would you react and what actions would you take to such hostile
neighbors?
These immigrants
for the most part are hard workers and are just looking for a way to better their
lives as well as the lives of their
family. Their mistreatment is unjust because they are human as well and should
be given the same opportunity to succeed as any other. I believe with the constant rise in the Latino
population the Hispanic community should be
accommodated because of breaking numbers and should no longer be confined in
small areas such as a barrio. The Hispanic community is rich in culture because
the people are so diverse and this should be seen as an
opportunity for others to learn about the Hispanic community rather then
outcast them because of the differences.
If placed in a
situation as those migrating I would like to be the individual gathering my
people to stand up against those who oppose us being here but it is easier said
then done. In order for change to occur someone has to lead
the way, I believe the people of Prince William County went about the situation
in a peaceful manner rather then violently protesting. I think housing for any
new group settling would always be faced with opposition because those living
there are so accustomed to their ways and are not willing
to give an opportunity or a helping hand to those wishing to better their
lives.
Work Cited
Dir. Annabel Park, Eric
Byler. Perf. Greg Letiecq, Corey A.
Stewart, Col. Charlie T. Deane, Gaudencio Fernandez, Alanna Almeda, Elena
Schlossberg, Frank J. Principi, and Martin E. Nohe. “9500 Liberty”. Self-Distributed
2009. Film. April 30th
Kevin,
ReplyDeleteI think it was a great point in bringing up Bender's ideas about how so many people, such as those in Prince William County, Virginia that the film "9500 Liberty" illustrates, fervently work to eliminate the immigration population regardless of whether or not they are legal or illegal. It is karmic in that those towns who drive out this population suffer economically because these immigrants do indeed play a significant and contributing part in that economy. These are some of the hardest working people who endure some of the most destitute conditions and discrimination in an effort to live life more comfortably. Specifically in the case of Prince William County, the community should not only regret driving out the immigrant population they live alongside because they played an important economic role in their community; they should appreciate the diversity they bring with them and give them a chance.
I agree with you Kevin, many immigrants lack to understand the socio-economic differences between their originating homelands and living in America. I also agree that even though the majority of immigrants are forced to work inflexible hours with harsh working conditions and low wages that they are hard working individuals. Although they may not fully understand the economic differences and will constantly be discriminated against because they are viewed as competition, they are still willing to work hard for what they want. The film 9500 Liberty as you mentioned is a perfect example of how immigrants who come to America face challenges such as discrimination.
ReplyDeleteKevin i like the question you present in your blog whether these immigrants be asked to come back because of their role in the local economy? In my opinion i believe that there should be a form of accommodation to an extent for the Latino population. I believe fair housing is definitely needed in order for the population to prosper. It is unfair how policy makers target these minority groups without recognizing the negative impacts of driving them away. The example you provide of 9500 liberty is something that has become common in many areas and brings up the issue of racial profiling. I myself as a Latina women feel uncomfortable being targeted for the color of my skin or because of the way i look . In class we always speak about how many latino restaurants are being opened in these areas, and how even the white population enjoys them. Ultimately i think people need to have more respect for cultural value because it key to enriching a better sense of community. A person wants to feel wanted, and comfortable in the place they reside in. Minority groups respect the culture that was in this country prior, and is not trying to erase or " invade" in any ways. I think ultimately these people who are proposing these ideas that drive away minority groups will learn the hard way the negative impact they just placed for the future of their community. I would be interested in hearing what you think about the relationship future generations will have with minority groups, since in 9500 liberty they present the idea that even children resist mixing with other groups besides there own. Cultural and property value will not prosper without a diverse population.
ReplyDeleteI believe that immigrants contribute a lot more than just financial. They integrate to the community without leaving their cultural values. the amount of immigrants in our country forces companies to change or create products so that it can cater to the immigrant population. For example, Walmart has a "Hispanic" food section. Walmart knows that Latinos hold culture and traditions dearly, so they provide the "Hispanic" food. It is unfortunate that out country sees immigrants as solely walking dollar signs. If every immigrant and undocumented worker stopped working for a month, our country would take a huge hit economically and many wouldn't be eating organic foods. Our country was founded on the back of immigrants and they are still the backbone to the countries well-being.
ReplyDeleteKevin, I agree with your ideas about the Hispanic community's impact on the local economy. Many people do not seem to understand that whether or not these immigrants are here illegally, they are still contributing money into the economy through local businesses. I believe that immigrants would be more likely to support local businesses, rather than go to a large multinational chain store, such as Walmart. I think this is true because these immigrants form a community in their local area and they want to contribute to that community. Shopping at these local businesses is an effective way to show both moral and physical support, as well as stimulating the local economy. It helps to keep the local stores in business and people form strong relationships because of this constant interaction. The experience of shopping in the local stores is also a benefit because there is a friendly atmosphere and people can catch up with one another. Whereas large supermarkets like Walmart employ people who work the cash register, bag up your items, and do not encourage social interaction.
ReplyDeleteKevin, I really like the point you made that Latinos should no longer be confined in small areas like barrios. Their population is growing rapidly, and research shows that Latinos are beginning to live in places they never have historically. For example, one of our suggested readings in class was called “The New Latino South” by Kochhar et al. This reading talks about the Latino population growth and how they are starting to live in areas down south which they have not before. Also, the class reading by Jones-Correa, “Reshaping the American Dream,” talks about how Latinos are starting to move to the suburbs. The Latino population is going to continue to grow, and they will have no choice but to keep moving places they have not historically like the south and suburban areas.
ReplyDelete