There's a provocative article at physorg.com that notes a study conducted at a couple of college campuses with the purported conclusion that people in the majority expect minorities to assimilate. But the people in the majority don't want to assimilate when they themselves become a minority.
That sounds about right.
Whites are still in the majority in most of the United States. But Hispanics are gaining, and some speculate that in the next few decades whites will be in the minority. Even then proclaiming oneself a White-American will still be frowned upon. So we'd best get used to being the minority, and early adopters can start assimilating.
But think of it this way. There will be lots more holidays to celebrate!
Many of the Mexican holidays will catch hold here. Already some celebrate Cinco de Mayo which commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862 when the Mexicans defeated a French army that was leaving anyway but not fast enough. The French came back a year later and whooped up on 'em. But that part doesn't get celebrated.
July 4th celebrations will go away, but Constitution Day on February 5 with celebrations of Mexico's 1917 Constitution will take their place. But once Mexico proper becomes a full fledged narco-state it might denote nostalgia for the old days.
Then there's my favorite, the Day of the Dead, a holiday so fantastic that it takes two days to celebrate it. Who can resist the sweet lure of a delicious sugar skull. Mmmmm, sugar skulls! Muy deliciosa!
Muchas gracias y adiós, mi vecino.
Well, if it means I can begin wearing cockroach-killers ( http://superpunch.blogspot.com/2012/01/mexican-pointy-cowboy-boots.html ) then maybe assimilation might not be so bad.
Ok, no, who am I kidding? I'm the guy whose blood pressure shoots up 50 points when I think about DPS forms having to be made available in Spanish. After all, if a driver can habla English street signs and the English dashboard in his/her car, shouldn't that person be able to fill out a form in English? Grrrr...
Posted by: Rob O. | January 13, 2012 at 05:57 PM
I hear you on those dps forms. I suppose the compromise is that it's better to get a licensed, insured non-English speaking driver than an unlicensed, uninsured one.
Hey, those are cockroach-killers? Heck, those things could neuter a bull!
Posted by: Geo | January 14, 2012 at 03:44 PM