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  • From: Clansgian AT wmconnect.com
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Homestead] Ethnicity (was Tortillas)
  • Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 15:51:05 EDT

Very interesting to hear the ethnicity of areas described by recent
transplants to those areas and the social implications of the ethnic makeup.

It is to be expected, I suppose, that the view of ethnicity taken by the
natives would be somewhat different. I was born not 20 miles from here and
besides various sojourns in other areas I've llived here all my life.

This area's majority ethnicity is Appalachian. Officially the black
population is about 4%. Curious thing is that most natives raise an eyebrow
at that
figure thinking that it must surely be too high. After all they only know
one
or two black people usually that they have met at work or church. But
reminded that they know Sid, Clyde, Mary, etc. They dismiss the notion
with, "Oh,
you don't think of them as black, their families have lived here for 200
years!" That is, Appalachian comes in all colors.

The most significant influx of another ethnicity is, of course, Hispanic and
most of those Mexican. With them came Mexican restaurants and 'tiendas'.
The
Mexican restaurants were an instant success since it is really corn bread and
beans (just called 'frijoles y tortillas') which is the same ethic food
people here have eaten for centuries. For the most part Mexicans here are
very
well liked and looked upon as just another variation of "good ol' boy".
I've
ceased to be startled by crusty old Appalachian recluses now greeting their
old
cronies as "Cabron".

But there is a sinister side to our changing ethnic makeup. There are
several other minories whose numbers have increased of late much to the
irritation
of the Natives and the more desireable arrivals.

This is an extrapolated guess at the current ethnic makeup:

4% black including 3% Appalachian black
1 % Asian and Indian
2% Hispanic
----------------
1.2% Whiny Yankee - always quick to point out how much better, prettier,
cheaper everything was up North and how much they dislike being around these
imbred, ignorant, indolent, biased, biggoted locals.

.7% Snooty Californian - viewing themselves as bringing culture,
refinement, and enlightenment to backward folk here. "God, how DID these
people
survive in these mountains for 300 years without us!"

.5% Florida Retirement Refugee - The geezateriums got to be a bit too much
for them and Heaven forbid they would consider going back home up north where
everythng is better, cheaper, prettier etc.

1.1% Jaded Cubicle Zombie - jerked from job to job by their
debt/consumerist lifestyle so when the company said 'Go to the backwater',
they went (Yes,
Master!) Expecting to be here for far longer than is ever actually the case,
they sometimes set up Country Gentleman Esquire among people who have no
interest in being Esquired to.

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