An election is coming to Farmers Branch, Texas. I have not heard anything from the Hispanic community about education.
There is much discussion about immigration, but what is the point of immigrating to America just to stay on the bottom of society? Education is important for upward social mobility.
To succeed, the Hispanic community should discuss education, not immigration.
Robert
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Playing the Racism Card
The Dallas Morning News ran an article on Friday, March 16, 2007 by Stephanie Sandoval, "Grocer rumor raises tension." The story said there was a rumor that a Carnival grocery store might be built at the corner of Valley View and Josey. Someone was campaigning to stop Minyard from building it because he thought is was a low-scale store and the city of Farmers Branch should have a higher scale grocery store at that location.
That's fair. People near my neighborhood went up in arms trying to stop a Walmart from being built near us. However, someone supposedly from the League of United Latin American Citizens called the person opposing the store prejudiced. The quote in the paper said, "I am so sick my stomach is upset." That sounds pretty upset!
It is very wrong to play the racism card in political or social discussions. Calling the other person names is trying to silence the discussion. It is wrong. It is unfair. The Latin American organization might dislike Tim Scott for reasons beyond his opposing the grocery store, but the discussion about the grocery store should be civil.
When I was a school teacher, I found students who enjoyed disrupting education occasionally complain about racism. When grownups use racism to avoid honest discussions, the children pick up that use of racism to avoid responsible behavior and copy it. Racism is a serious problem, yet some kids think it is a joke because grownups throw the term around too freely.
If Hispanics feel they don't get the respect they deserve, there are better ways to get that respect than name calling.
Robert
That's fair. People near my neighborhood went up in arms trying to stop a Walmart from being built near us. However, someone supposedly from the League of United Latin American Citizens called the person opposing the store prejudiced. The quote in the paper said, "I am so sick my stomach is upset." That sounds pretty upset!
It is very wrong to play the racism card in political or social discussions. Calling the other person names is trying to silence the discussion. It is wrong. It is unfair. The Latin American organization might dislike Tim Scott for reasons beyond his opposing the grocery store, but the discussion about the grocery store should be civil.
When I was a school teacher, I found students who enjoyed disrupting education occasionally complain about racism. When grownups use racism to avoid honest discussions, the children pick up that use of racism to avoid responsible behavior and copy it. Racism is a serious problem, yet some kids think it is a joke because grownups throw the term around too freely.
If Hispanics feel they don't get the respect they deserve, there are better ways to get that respect than name calling.
Robert
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Education is the Key to Success
I've seen articles in the Dallas Morning News and D Magazine ("Mexican Invasion") that make the Hispanic community seem weak. It is a sad picture they draw.
The key to success is education, but in a real sense. Too often people who say Hispanics should be more involved in education really mean Hispanics should stick their hands in the school district coffers, grabbing jobs and contracts. Taking money from the school districts is not improving the education of the children.
The key to education is attitude, not money. I recommend the blog, Education for the 21st Century, for discussions on education.
Robert
The key to success is education, but in a real sense. Too often people who say Hispanics should be more involved in education really mean Hispanics should stick their hands in the school district coffers, grabbing jobs and contracts. Taking money from the school districts is not improving the education of the children.
The key to education is attitude, not money. I recommend the blog, Education for the 21st Century, for discussions on education.
Robert
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Fatherhood is Leadership
Steve Blow of the Dallas Morning News recently wrote an article saying the children of unwed mothers suffer from poverty and a host of social ills.
Mr. Blow singled out another ethnic group for suffering the highest percentage of unwed mothers. I'm so glad he did not single out the Hispanics!
Our children are our treasure. We owe them the best life we can give them, and that starts out with a complete family: a mother and a father.
A father needs to be more than a provider and protector. He needs to be the leader of his family, and that includes leading in morality and education. After our love, the most important thing we can give our children is a good education.
Robert
Mr. Blow singled out another ethnic group for suffering the highest percentage of unwed mothers. I'm so glad he did not single out the Hispanics!
Our children are our treasure. We owe them the best life we can give them, and that starts out with a complete family: a mother and a father.
A father needs to be more than a provider and protector. He needs to be the leader of his family, and that includes leading in morality and education. After our love, the most important thing we can give our children is a good education.
Robert
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Hispanics Should Do the American Thing and Copy the Chinese
Copying what works is the American way. Look at Bill Gates and Microsoft. Most of their success comes from copying somebody else's ideas. Microsoft copied Windows from Apple. They didn't bother copying DOS, they just bought it out-right and cheap from Seattle Software (where it was QDOS). Visicalc invented PC spread sheets and Microsoft copied. The list goes on. The key to success in America is spotting what works and copying it.
So if Hipanics want to copy from another ethnic group, who do we copy? Do we copy from an ethnic group that complains and asks for special privileges? Or do we copy from a successful ethnic group? I want to follow a winner, not a whiner.
The Sunday January 7, 2007 New York Times had an article in the Education Life section entitled, "Little Asia On the Hill," by Timothy Egan. It seems California voters got rid of affirmative action and college entrance is based on competion. So is Berkeley all white now? No! The University of California at Berkeley, one of the very best public universities in the country, has a freshman class starting that is 46% Asian. The state is only 12% Asian, but 46% of Berkeley freshmen are Asian. The numbers are 43% at U.C. Davis, 56% at U.C. Irvine, and 43% at U.C.L.A.
Don't ask for afirmative action. Do not picket. Do not protest. The Chinese face discrimination and they don't go in for all that. They work hard and compete. And that is what we have to do.
The key for the long term success of Hispanics everywhere is hard work in the classroom. Education is the key to the future. We need to understand what the Chinese do right education and do the same.
Robert
So if Hipanics want to copy from another ethnic group, who do we copy? Do we copy from an ethnic group that complains and asks for special privileges? Or do we copy from a successful ethnic group? I want to follow a winner, not a whiner.
The Sunday January 7, 2007 New York Times had an article in the Education Life section entitled, "Little Asia On the Hill," by Timothy Egan. It seems California voters got rid of affirmative action and college entrance is based on competion. So is Berkeley all white now? No! The University of California at Berkeley, one of the very best public universities in the country, has a freshman class starting that is 46% Asian. The state is only 12% Asian, but 46% of Berkeley freshmen are Asian. The numbers are 43% at U.C. Davis, 56% at U.C. Irvine, and 43% at U.C.L.A.
Don't ask for afirmative action. Do not picket. Do not protest. The Chinese face discrimination and they don't go in for all that. They work hard and compete. And that is what we have to do.
The key for the long term success of Hispanics everywhere is hard work in the classroom. Education is the key to the future. We need to understand what the Chinese do right education and do the same.
Robert
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Europe Needs Mexicans !
Back in October 26, 2006, the Wall Street Journal ran a review of a book, "Integrating Islam," by Jonathan Laurence, published by the Brookings Institution. The book reviewer reminded the readers that a year ago Muslim youths in Paris were rioting and burning.
The article mentioned a Pew Global Attitudes survey published in July showed British Muslims considered themselves Muslim first (81%) rather than British first (only 7%). The result is terrorist bombing and a serious terrorist threat in Britain.
When you consider how militant Muslims are forcing the European governments to spend a lot of money fighting terrorism while honest, hard working Mexicans die in American deserts trying to find opportunities, it would seem cheaper and fairer for European governments to pay the transportation for Mexicans to immigrate to Europe. Mexican are not rioting nor are they plotting terrorism.
Mexicans could provide the cheap labor Europe wants without the threat, and cost, of terrorism!!
Robert
The article mentioned a Pew Global Attitudes survey published in July showed British Muslims considered themselves Muslim first (81%) rather than British first (only 7%). The result is terrorist bombing and a serious terrorist threat in Britain.
When you consider how militant Muslims are forcing the European governments to spend a lot of money fighting terrorism while honest, hard working Mexicans die in American deserts trying to find opportunities, it would seem cheaper and fairer for European governments to pay the transportation for Mexicans to immigrate to Europe. Mexican are not rioting nor are they plotting terrorism.
Mexicans could provide the cheap labor Europe wants without the threat, and cost, of terrorism!!
Robert
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
The War on the Middle Class
I have just finished reading "The War on the Middle Class" by Lou Dobbs.
The hispanic community is very concerned with the illegal immigration issue. But whether you are a legal or illegal immigrant, what future is there for you or your children if Corporate America destroys the middle class?
Every person in America, citizen or not-citizen, should be concerned with the future of the middle class. Without a middle class, America will become another 3rd World country: only the rich and the poor.
There are rich people in Mexico, so why do poor Mexicans come to America? There is opportunity here because the middle class has disposable income that filters down to the poor. The rich do not give any support to the poor. If they did, there would be opportunity in Mexico.
America is on its way to becoming another Mexico. If the middle class is destroyed in America, the hope for all Mexican immigrants will be snuffed out.
Robert
The hispanic community is very concerned with the illegal immigration issue. But whether you are a legal or illegal immigrant, what future is there for you or your children if Corporate America destroys the middle class?
Every person in America, citizen or not-citizen, should be concerned with the future of the middle class. Without a middle class, America will become another 3rd World country: only the rich and the poor.
There are rich people in Mexico, so why do poor Mexicans come to America? There is opportunity here because the middle class has disposable income that filters down to the poor. The rich do not give any support to the poor. If they did, there would be opportunity in Mexico.
America is on its way to becoming another Mexico. If the middle class is destroyed in America, the hope for all Mexican immigrants will be snuffed out.
Robert
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