Why are Cubans different from other Hispanics?

1. 76

   Mighty Momposted 11 years ago

   Rush Limbaugh enlightens (pun intended) a caller ... and the rest of us.
   
   
   http://mediamatters.org/video/2012/11/0 … pan/191273
   
   CALLER: There's three things basically, for a Hispanic. In the United States, we have different Hispanics; the Cuban, the Mexican, the people that come from South America.
   
   LIMBAUGH: Yeah. You know, I had a sneaking suspicion you were going to go there, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the Cubans are not all that popular, are they?
   
   CALLER: [laughter]
   
   LIMBAUGH: They're not, are they? And why aren't the Cubans popular in the overall Hispanic group?
   
   CALLER: Because, unfortunately for the Hispanic population, they're all different and they all have their different local customs and they're very protective of it.
   
   LIMBAUGH: But isn't it -- Sylvia, isn't there a -- I'll whisper this so nobody else hears, isn't there a racial component to this? The Cubans -- not, you know, I mean --
   
   CALLER: A lot of times, and I'll be very frank and honest with you, knowing all of the markets I know, they're very -- a society that's -- they're very close to their Cuban roots. And I know some of the older-population Cubanos eventually want to go back to Cuba. And they don't want to let it go.
   
   LIMBAUGH: But the Republicans get a large part of the Cuban vote, particularly South Florida, already. And it's oriented -- I can't win here, I just can't win. It's oriented -- the reason that the Cubans are not that popular, of the Hispanic divisions you've talked about -- it's a race thing.
   
   CALLER: Yes, it is.
   
   LIMBAUGH: It's a race thing. They're just not quite dark -- as dark, and they're oriented toward work.
   
   CALLER: No, the thing that we -- and I'm going to say "we," collectively -- the thing that we all have in common is Spanish. And that is something that -- we're very proud that we can speak a second language. It's helped me in my career.

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   1. 59

      KK Trainorposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I was listening to that today. I could tell that she didn't want to admit her prejudice, but she finally did. He knew exactly what she was going to say and sure enough, he was right. She admitted that Cubans are more work oriented and conservative, and that other Hispanics don't like them. I don't see the problem here though, he was right.

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      1. 82

         gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Mighty Mom, I have heard this premise for decades, a Cuban friend and relative confirmed that Cubans were more law abiding, proactive, and have a work ethic.    They further indicated that Cubans do not have a victimology modus operandi like the other Latino population.     This is NOT the first time I heard the premise which in Cubans purported to be different from other Latinos.   I know one Cuban college classmate indicated that CUBANS were BETTER than the other Latinos. 
         
         An uncle by marriage who is Cuban who lived in East Harlem,New York stated that Cubans have a respect for the neighborhood and property which the other Latinos, particularly Puerto Ricans and Mexicans do not have.  He was really anti-Puerto Rican.   
         
         Let me not digress too far.   This issue is not only among Cubans and other Hispanics/Latinos but among many ethnic and/or racial groups.   I am Black.   For a long time, Northern Blacks  derided  Southern Blacks as parochial and backwards.    According to Northern Blacks,   Southern Blacks were considered extremely religious, illiterate, uncultured, unsophisticated, and downright country.    American Blacks  considered Blacks from the Caribbean as aggressive, pushy, snobby, and too ambitious.    American Blacks furthermore believe that Caribbean Blacks are too haughty.   
         
         I have read this and learned this from my parents (my mother came from South Carolina and my father from the U.S. Virgin Islands).     Not only Cubans, MM, but every ethnic and racial group have their own stratification and like and dislike.    From my college sociology classes, one Italian-American told me that Northern Italians did not like Southern Italians.   
         
         One Latino classmate delineated the Latino hierarchy, she stated that Spaniards were considered to the the apex with Argentinians, Chileans, and Uruguayans near the top,   the other South American nations somewhere near the middle,  next came the Central American nations, and then Mexico and the Dominican Republic, she stated the Puerto Ricans were at the bottom of the hierarchy.    A German-American associate relayed to me that Northern Germans considered themselves to be industrious while they considered Southern Germans, including Austrians, to be rustic and countrified.   
         
         MM, even in one's own ethnic and/or racial group, there is stratification present.    Among some Blacks, there are still subconscious remnants of colorism with lighter being perceived to better while darker is not.

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         1. 59

            Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Yeah unfortunately Racism is still kicking in Latin America, in most of Latin America they call Cubans mongrels as they are a combination of so many races, thankfully this is dissapearing with the wave of socialist governments across South and Central America.

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   2. 59

      Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Simple reason, Cuba is a socialist country approval ratings for a socialist system sit in between 70% and 75% those that leave to come to the US are by and large the most conservative thus they vote conservative here, no mystery to it.
      Cuban immigrants also have and in the past had even bigger advantages in terms of immigration policy, because they are coming from Cuba they get residency automatically and citizenship much faster which has helped them economically, additionally the super wealthy Cubans are overrepresented in the US as most left and they brought a lot of their money with them thus they had another head start.
      Cubans have also largely been here for longer and assimilated more, the vast majority of Cuban Americans consider themselves white 85% according to Wikipedia.
      The Cuban community is also closer as they share a common cause and many fought together in the revolutionary war.

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   3. 57

      retief2000posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Racial classifications in Latin America have a long history and deep roots.
      
      http://nativeheritageproject.com/2013/0 … fications/
      
      http://www.zonalatina.com/Zldata55.htm
      
      Why would one suppose that racism is purely a charge that Attorneys General can level at those who oppose Obama rather than something every society has or is continuing to experience. I suspect the resentment toward Cubanos is they tend to be anti-communists (Gasp!) They don't worship Castro like Democrats do. They do not wish to be thought of as just another Hispanic group. Imagine Irish and Italian immigrants in the 1890's being lumped together because they were Europeans and white.

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2. 76

   Mighty Momposted 11 years ago

   All good observations.
   It's very true that people, being people, have to feel their "tribe" is the best "tribe."
   Gotta feel superior to someone -- based on little or nothing.
   I've recently heard the same prejudice from my mother-in-law's Tongan/Samoan caregivers, who had not very flattering things to say about Fijians and Filippinos.
   Go figure.
   
   My point in posting this was really to highlight the divisiveness. Identifying and accentuating differences so as to reinforce prejudices.
   
   To me, the parallel in terms of trying to be more inclusive and win over more votes would be to badmouth lesbians to a male gay as a way to win over the "gay vote." Artificial.

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   1. 59

      Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Divide and conquer. I doubt it will work though, the aging Cubans are far more conservative than the new Generation as they were anti Castroists and Obama won Florida anyway.
      
      (I had written Floria off before the election I was sure Romney would get it.)

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      1. 76

         Mighty Momposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Me, too.
         I figured Romney would take FL, NC and VA.
         Two out of three ain't bad (hey -- isn't that a MEAT LOAF song?)
         

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         1. 59

            Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Poor Meatloaf, no word from him yet?

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            1. 76

               Mighty Momposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               He thought he saw paradise by the dashboard light.
               But it was a mirage.
               

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   2. 57

      retief2000posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You mean electing Obama wasn't the great racial panacea we were promised. That Obama, himself, isn't a petulant, divisive figure surrounded by the same. That Obama's own pastor isn't rooted in race hatred of Whites and Jews. That the most active Hispanic group in America is called "The Race."
      
      Pretending that racial division benefits conservatives rather than acknowledging reality. The demagoguery of race only benefits Wealthy, Democrat Elitist Politicians like Obama.

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3. 82

   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   A further answer to the question as to why are Cubans different from other Hispanics is that many Cubans who immigrated to America came from middle class to wealthy socioeconomic backgrounds.  For example, my late uncle by marriage, came from a socioeconomically affluent Cuban family. Another example is a former high school classmate who came from a wealthy Cuban landowning family. They possessed a high level of educationskills and many were professionals and businesspeople in Cuba.  When Castro took over Cuba, many of the Cuban middle, upper middle, and upper class immigrated to America.  These Cubans were the creme de la creme of Cuba. 
   
   Those Cubans who did not immigrate when Castro took over were the poorer Cubans who viewed Castro as a beacon of opportunity.  The Cubans who immigrated to America already had a prodigious work ethic.  They demonstrated this prodigious work ethic when they immigrated to America.  Many took the dirtiest and lowest jobs but they saw those jobs as just temporary stepping stones  Many such Cubans eventually became middle and upper middle, even upper class.   They did not possess a victomology mindset but a proactive mindset. 
   
   On the contrary, typical non-Cuban Latinos such as Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, El Salvadoreans, and Guatemalans who immigrated to America came from the lowest socioeconomic strata of their respective countries.  Many of them were impoverished in their countries and saw America as a way to a better life.  However, many of them faced daunting discrimination against them when they came to America.  Many were relegated to the lowest, dirtiest, and dead end jobs because of their educaiton and skill level.  Many of them felt socioeconomically oppressed in addition to ethnically/racially oppressed. 
   
   They saw their poverty and oppression as a way of life and felt that was the way things were;it was their belief that no matter how hard they tried, the ODDS were stacked against them.  Many of them adopted a poverty mindset, unlike the Cubans, which was passed from one generation to the other.  Many young non-Cuban Latinos, although they have been here for generations, are in the lower socioeconomic strata of American society because of a poverty mindset which was taught to them by their parents and community.

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