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Help[Facts] Okay people, don't make me open up a can o' whop-ass on anyone...
in reply to a message by Pavlos
Fact #1: Hispanic surnames in this country (U.S.A.) are no less "American" than surnames which are German, Italian, Irish, Jewish, French or whatever your own particular immigrant ancestor's ethnic origin may have happened to be. And, if anyone smugly tells me that *their* ancestors were tribal Native Americans, well anthropologists claim that the Native Americans' ancestors were immigrants to this continent at one time, too.
Fact #2: Persons of Mexican national origin happen to make up the greatest percentage of LEGAL immigants and naturalized AMERICAN CITIZENS in this country. These statistics come straight from the U.S. Dept. of Immigration and Naturalization. Granted there are also illegal aliens in this country (there are an awful lot of Irish illegals in New York City, for instance), but just because someone's surname happens to be Hispanic doesn't mean that person should automatically be viewed as an "illegal".
Fact #3: The demographics of this nation have changed in the past 50 years (they change every half-century, what's the big surprise?) -- with Hispanics now comprising the largest ethnic minority in this nation. Therefore, it shouldn't shock TOO many people out of their very Brady fantasy that yes, there *are* naturally going to be a lot of Hispanic-sounding surnames turning up in the U.S. Federal Census.
Common Sense Observation #1: When Mr. Census-taker came a knockin' at people's doors ten years ago for the 1990 U.S. Federal Census, you can bet yer heinie that the illegal aliens were the ones LEAST likely to open the door to answer any questions. So, the presence of those Hispanic names which one sees on the 1990 Census are pretty much representative of the ethnic make-up of American CITIZENRY ten years ago.
Common Sense Observation #2: Up until 1846, most of the southwestern United States was owned by Mexico. So the U.S. states in that region (Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, etc.) already started out with a lot of residents of Hispanic ancestry. And, over the years, people tend to have babies, y'know. California and Texas today are the two most populous states in the nation.
Finally... I don't necessarily expect Daividh to have ever been a Grateful Dead fan, and I'll cut Gia some slack for maybe never having heard of Jerry Garcia...
But yes, "Garcia" is as American a surname as one can have.
Jerry Garcia, born in San Francisco in 1942, died in 1995. Fondly remembered by some of us. Rest in Peace, Jerry.
-- Nanaea
Fact #2: Persons of Mexican national origin happen to make up the greatest percentage of LEGAL immigants and naturalized AMERICAN CITIZENS in this country. These statistics come straight from the U.S. Dept. of Immigration and Naturalization. Granted there are also illegal aliens in this country (there are an awful lot of Irish illegals in New York City, for instance), but just because someone's surname happens to be Hispanic doesn't mean that person should automatically be viewed as an "illegal".
Fact #3: The demographics of this nation have changed in the past 50 years (they change every half-century, what's the big surprise?) -- with Hispanics now comprising the largest ethnic minority in this nation. Therefore, it shouldn't shock TOO many people out of their very Brady fantasy that yes, there *are* naturally going to be a lot of Hispanic-sounding surnames turning up in the U.S. Federal Census.
Common Sense Observation #1: When Mr. Census-taker came a knockin' at people's doors ten years ago for the 1990 U.S. Federal Census, you can bet yer heinie that the illegal aliens were the ones LEAST likely to open the door to answer any questions. So, the presence of those Hispanic names which one sees on the 1990 Census are pretty much representative of the ethnic make-up of American CITIZENRY ten years ago.
Common Sense Observation #2: Up until 1846, most of the southwestern United States was owned by Mexico. So the U.S. states in that region (Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, etc.) already started out with a lot of residents of Hispanic ancestry. And, over the years, people tend to have babies, y'know. California and Texas today are the two most populous states in the nation.
Finally... I don't necessarily expect Daividh to have ever been a Grateful Dead fan, and I'll cut Gia some slack for maybe never having heard of Jerry Garcia...
But yes, "Garcia" is as American a surname as one can have.
Jerry Garcia, born in San Francisco in 1942, died in 1995. Fondly remembered by some of us. Rest in Peace, Jerry.
-- Nanaea
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