Homestead mailing list

[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

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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