Being An Argentine In The Us Is Tough

[Cecil Fox Palmer]

Cecil Fox: that's a very good question. I think that Americans are preoccupied with identity in general, not just race. Probably because it's a huge country. Everyone wants to be unique among 320 million people and learn what (if anything) makes others unique. This results in some pretty intrusive questioning of strangers, not just about race, but family background/history, lifestyle, etc. This is pure speculation, btw, so other Yanquis should feel free to disagree.

Yes, I suspected this more or less. I like how, for example, you can look up any celebrity profile in Wikipedia and it'll say "So-and-so is an American actor" and later "is of German, Irish, Spanish, English, Polish, Danish, Russian, Italian, and Hebrew descent."

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Yes, I suspected this more or less. I like how, for example, you can look up any celebrity profile in Wikipedia and it'll say "So-and-so is an American actor" and later "is of German, Irish, Spanish, English, Polish, Danish, Russian, Italian, and Hebrew descent."

My daughter is US-born of US, Argentine, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Italian and Spanish descent. That's as far as we've been able to figure it out.

 

[cwo4uscgret]

Not everyone of us Americans are race conscious as suggested. My two granddaughters (my daughter's girls) have a white mom and an african-american dad; my wife is from Colombia. Not that it matters; its the inner person that I am concerned about.

My wife's biggest complaint about being Colombian, in America is how many (ignorant) people relate Colombian to drug smuggling and violence. Some of my fellow federal law enforcement officers (before I retired) thought I was crazy to travel to Colombia - many asked are you crazy; you might get kidnapped or killed by the drug cartels...I feel safer in Bogota then I do in Detroit and I carry at least one loaded gun in Detroit. So far I feel pretty safe in Buenos Aires; but then I try not to portray a "potential victim." I am 6'2" and 270#; I am alert and looking for any potential threats - works so far!

 

[camberiu]

It is just that you Colombians suck at PR. Rio is 100 times more dangerous than Bogota and somehow the Olympic Committee thought it was a good idea to have the 2016 games there. Also, many Americans, when they hear the words "Rio de Janeiro", they only think of asses and vaginas. It is all about PR. And you guys suck at it.

 

[Matt84]

It is just that you Colombians suck at PR. Rio is 100 times more dangerous than Bogota and somehow the Olympic Committee thought it was a good idea to have the 2016 games there. Also, many Americans, when they hear the words "Rio de Janeiro", they only think of asses and vaginas. It is all about PR. And you guys suck at it.

Oh Lord... Colombia has been investing millions for the last 10 years trying to change its image, quiet successfully I might add considering the background they have to deal with.
You suggest Colombians suck at PR but you don't say Brazilians are good at it.... I think you'd agree with me that Rio's reputation is mostly windfall and the work of the Lord (i.e.: the fact that they built a megalopolis in what should be a protected world natural heritage site).

 

[JoeGillis]

Cecil Fox: that's a very good question. I think that Americans are preoccupied with identity in general, not just race. Probably because it's a huge country. Everyone wants to be unique among 320 million people and learn what (if anything) makes others unique. This results in some pretty intrusive questioning of strangers, not just about race, but family background/history, lifestyle, etc. Also, in many cases, people ask these questions because they're trying to find common ground. You're Sicilian? My grandma was Sicilian. You're an only child? Me too. This is pure speculation, btw, so other Yanquis should feel free to disagree.

This Yankee, a sixty-eight year old "gay white male" whose background heritage (looking back to the 19th century) is English/Scottish/Prussian Jew (read Poland)/Pennsylvania Dutch (read German)/Cherokee (Native American), believes it's mostly about "trying to find common ground" as well as a way of expressing a general interest in the corresponding party. I was raised to believe that showing an interest in other people's lives was polite, not intrusive. Different cultures and societies may view this "questioning" otherwise, of course.

 

[Matiasba]

whats PR?

 

[nlaruccia]

Nada que ver, but really funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnFUDx3wC-Y

 

[ariel81]

whats PR?

Relaciones Públicas

 

[Eugenia]

I have been asked here many times what my heritage is...I think people in general are just interested in each other and not concerned in a negative way. I find it refreshing not to be lumped under a flag and have someone show interest in me as a person.