Time to fight back: RANT

[Rahul]

Last one excluded I dislike america the most, mainly California I liked the smaller towns better up in Norfolk Virginia was a favorite. I like quite. I like peaceful. Hell I don't even mind a bit of noise now and then or even a fight here and there. But the constant inconsideration is a grind.

You consider Norfolk, VA a "smaller town"? Norfolk is part of a conglomerate of cities like Virginia Beach, Hampton, Chesapeake, Newport News, Portsmouth, etc called collectively "Hampton Roads". It is the most heavily populated area of the state at around 1.7 million people.

And Norfolk is the second most ghetto area of it after Portsmouth. I lived there several years when I was in the Navy.

I'm starting to think you've never been in a smaller town except for a drive through.

My home town had approximately 750 people in it when I was growing up. Now that's a small town.

Where I live now is almost to 100,000 people. That's plenty big enough for me, thank you. My in-laws are always shocked at how friendly people are down here when they come to visit from upstate NY. Norfolk never seemed very friendly to me at all.

[BlackSwordsman]

Last one excluded I dislike america the most, mainly California I liked the smaller towns better up in Norfolk Virginia was a favorite. I like quite. I like peaceful. Hell I don't even mind a bit of noise now and then or even a fight here and there. But the constant inconsideration is a grind.

You consider Norfolk, VA a "smaller town"? Norfolk is part of a conglomerate of cities like Virginia Beach, Hampton, Chesapeake, Newport News, Portsmouth, etc called collectively "Hampton Roads". It is the most heavily populated area of the state at around 1.7 million people.

And Norfolk is the second most ghetto area of it after Portsmouth. I lived there several years when I was in the Navy.

I'm starting to think you've never been in a smaller town except for a drive through.

My home town had approximately 750 people in it when I was growing up. Now that's a small town.

Where I live now is almost to 100,000 people. That's plenty big enough for me, thank you. My in-laws are always shocked at how friendly people are down here when they come to visit from upstate NY. Norfolk never seemed very friendly to me at all.

This shows you haven't traveled but you're right I did like the place, I use to go there quite often to visit my grandmother. But the place I was thinking was my fathers brother, which was north carolina. So I do apologize, I guess it came up because it was still one of my top favorite states.

[Elskidor]

Moving does not solve anything, and shame on those who made such an unsympathetic comment.

Sounds like the same annoying statement I heard from Bush lovers every time I bitched about him. I've heard similar statements from Jebus lovers I've had to live around most of my life. "You don't like it then move!" Ick. It is a weak statement that I've grown to loathe. I don't have a solution for you, but hopefully you'll figure out something that works for you and yours without having to break the bank and relocate.

[Napoléon]

Sounds like the same annoying statement I heard from Bush lovers every time I bitched about him. I've heard similar statements from Jebus lovers I've had to live around most of my life. "You don't like it then move!" Ick. It is a weak statement that I've grown to loathe. I don't have a solution for you, but hopefully you'll figure out something that works for you and yours without having to break the bank and relocate.

A bit of a different bloody scenario don't you think? The people making that suggestion when you were bashing on bush were probably telling you to leave the country. No one here is suggesting that. How is it so fucking hard to comprehend that if you don't like the area you live in then you have every right to move away from it. Sure, if we could we'd all have lovely neighbours and live in a respectful neighbourhood. The real world isn't always like that. "You don't like it then move", it's not a weak statement. It's a damn fucking sensible one.

[sven]

Okay so I live in LA where I live i'd say it's about 97% hispanics. No problem. The problem is this is America, not Mexico.

I say this because every 1-2 hours a cart, food truck, icecream man, annoying obese person comes about food is being sold out of the back of a vehicle every 30 feet.

My gripe is when this old lady comes SCREAMING at everyones door for tamalies at 7 in the morning! in spanish of course.

Then we have people who turn their car on PUMPING out hispanic music to the point where I hear nothing else with all windows closed fan on, tv on max. House is rattling

No respect or consideration anymore for other people.

I get spanish flyers on my door (6 a day) my car is littered with hispanic insurance crap.

I know for fact if I were to get in my car and BLAST my German rap music the police would be called within minutes (we live down 2 blocks from the police department)


I want to sleep in past 7 without someone SCREAMING in my driveway. Or watch a movie without my TV falling over from blasted music outside.


Man I feel better.


Moderation, if it didn't happen all the time I wouldn't care.

Oh my other gripe is my kids are dark like their mother (hispanic) but we all speak english and people try and sell my kids stuff! They try calling them over in spanish and talking to them. yeeesh

Despite the fact that your kids mom is hispanic, I find your little rant slighty racist. On the other hand, I understand where you are coming from. I live in an area where an overwhelming majority are immigrants; most of them from outside of Europe. In the beginning I had a lot of problems with this.
For example, they seem incapable of sticking to the rules and times of the collective laundry room, the visitor parking spaces, and so on. (Swedes are a bit nazi about punctuality)
They show often show complete disregard for rules and authority. A prime example: one family constantly parks their baby stroller under the sign that says 'do not park baby strollers here'.
They litter everywhere.
There are often loud arguments and fights conducted in the street outside for all to see and hear (Swedes cannot stand public outbursts)
After a couple of years I have now grown used to it all, and in some ways to like it. I've even become good friends with the Kurds who run the nearby corner store.
What I'm trying to say is: you'll get used to it.

[Cinjin]

What's wrong with foreigners?

This! What the fuck, people?

Who cares if they're foreign? That's not the issue here. The issue, at best, is that they're being inconsiderate, which I gotta tell you, isn't just the purview of other races. I really don't get why so many of the comments here are zeroing in on a facet of this story that isn't that important to begin with.

I feel that both of these comments may have been directed at me for my remark about living in a place full of foreigners. (Well, unless you have chosen to live in their country.)
I will explain my point of view.
Foreigners in and of themselves are perfectly fine. Tourism is an excellent source of revenue and broadening one's mind by visiting other countries can be a very positive thing on many levels. However, when entire neighborhoods and even cities are overrun with foreigners who have absolutely no interest in adopting or even making an effort to incorporate the customs of the foreign nation they reside, the native-born citizens of that city quickly begin to feel as though it is they who live in a strange, unwelcoming and even hostile place.

Now, in regards to the OP, I feel my remark cannot be disregarded. A culture foreign to his own is causing him stress. There may very well be other factors, but I'd wager that in another country these things that are causing him angst wouldn't even be a consideration. It's a cultural thing. For me, I prefer to live in a neighborhood where I'm not the only native-born American ... it's just not a lifestyle I would choose.

And here's a thought as well: Many Americans are often hated when they travel abroad because they make no effort to respect the customs of the countries they are visiting. American, Mexican, Cuban, European -- doesn't matter, most people don't want to be made to feel like the outsider in their own homeland.

A bit of a different bloody scenario don't you think? The people making that suggestion when you were bashing on bush were probably telling you to leave the country. No one here is suggesting that. How is it so fucking hard to comprehend that if you don't like the area you live in then you have every right to move away from it. Sure, if we could we'd all have lovely neighbours and live in a respectful neighbourhood. The real world isn't always like that. "You don't like it then move", it's not a weak statement. It's a damn fucking sensible one.

Indeed it is a sensible one. One should simply move.

[Napoléon]

most people don't want to be made to feel like the outsider in their own homeland.

Not just in their homeland. Anywhere. Who wants to be surrounded by people so alien? Who have a culture completely at odds to your own? No one really wants that. Everyone wants some level of integration with where they are, where they live. The problems occur however when foreigners come to countries to live and make no attempt whatsoever to adapt to their new surroundings.

[Autumnlicious]

The problems occur however when foreigners come to countries to live and make no attempt whatsoever to adapt to their new surroundings.

The amount of pearl clutching here is ludicrous.

When people immigrate, they don't magically take on attributes of the local culture. Doubly so when surrounded by other immigrants of similar origin.

I've been able to integrate while touring through careful observation and knowledge of the areas history.

And I have no idea how you can port that behavior to others:
1. Most people are not observant.
2. Most people do not like to learn for a variety of reasons.

Why do people immigrate? Most of the time it is for economic reasons.

I live in a super white enclave and the sheer self unawareness displayed in this thread is amazing - I've seen more balanced responses where I live.

Bemoaning an immigrant collective for not integrating (seriously - how easy is it to learn another language, culture and history?) is like bitching how your neighbor doesn't agree with your politics

It happens.

Want to change it?

Come up with incentives or ease the transition to your local culture, history, language.

Don't want to pay for that?

Then go fuck yourself - you'll at least be more productive.

Solutions matter. So present them.

[Napoléon]

Solutions matter. So present them.

The solution in this instance is to move IMHO.

[Autumnlicious]

From a single actor perspective, yes.

BlackSwordsman conciously chose to move into an immigrant enclave and now bitches about it. Moving is thus a possible action.

From a societal stand point, we can try different approaches. Answering the question of "Why don't they assimilate" will produce better results than "Perhaps they should attempt to make Mexico a better place to live instead of running away like cowards".

One asks why, the other makes a value judgment.