Cubans And Others Just Can't Get Along

Jessica Lavariega Monforti, a political science professor at University of Texas, Panamerican, has just completed a poll on Miami’s Cuban exile community. The 30-year-old researcher is working on a book about Miami. Monforti, a Cuban American, grew up outside Miami, and hopes that will give her a different perspective on Miami’s Cuban exile community. In terms of ethnic relations, Monforti says Miami Cubans who were polled said they feel they have good or excellent relations with other ethnic groups. The problem is, Monforti says, some of the other groups don’t reciprocate the enthusiasm. She wants to figure out why. “Cubans are saying we still feel a connection with immigrants and Hispanic groups. Hispanics and other groups say they've been discriminated against by Cubans.”

Comments

[Robert]

A lot of this has to do with what I call the "top dog syndrome". Cubans have been (or have been perceived to be) the top dog in Miami for at least a couple of decades now. That usually leads to a magnification of both good and bad things that the Cuban community may or may not do.

In the end, Cubans are just like anyone else, with it's good and bad parts. Other groups want a piece of the pie, so to speak, and in Miami that means going after the Cubans who run the city, right?

Funny I mention that, because Cubans are actually a minority in the county along with every other group here!

[Maria]

It is true, cubans are a minority along with every other hispanic group; the difference is that cubans are strongly united that's why they have such a big piece of the pie. If you talk to other hispanic groups you will see that they do not watch after each other. The problem is...envy

[Amaury Betancourt]

Whatever clout or power Cubans have in Miami was earned the hard way. The US opened its doors early on in the 1960s, for whatever reasons, and Cubans learned how to walk in and start working, just like many other immigrants. Miami just happens to be their main niche, just as Germans settle down in Pennsylvania and Asians in California.

[john]

It is real simple, the Cubans are always trying to be white. They think they are white people, not Hispanics. However, when they go up to the panhandle, they quickly find out what their racist republicans white brothers really think about them. Cubans are the most arrogrant and stand-offish people on the face of the earth. Cubans make people racist against them, even when non-cubans did not start off being racist against them. That is why everybody is moving up to Broward to escape their racist and corrupt ways. And, what is so funny is that Miami Cubans really arent chit. Cubans brag that they built Miami. Miami is the 4th pooriest city in America. If it werent for Miami Beach (where white,black, and Hispanics other than cubans live) Miami would be a 3rd world hell hole for sure. Another funny thing is, that they behave themselves while in Broward, they know better. Matter of fact lots of Cubans are only brave when they have numbers and are in Miami. Simply stated they are nothing but cowards outside of Miami. Bunch of punks, whose reign is almost over. The Cuban girls come down from Hialeah to marry non-cubans whose husbands take them out of this hell hole. Consequently, the Cuban birth rate is decreasing. And, the 2nd generation of Cuban man is trying so hard to copy the black male ghetto youth, that sometimes the out ghetto Liberty City and Overtown. In less then 10 years the cuban movement in Miami will be over. Oh, and by the way i have my own Cuban diva that i will eventually impregnant, and deny Miami Cubans a full blooded Cuban. I will raise him/her a nice laid back democrat who doesnt hate and call everybody a communist. In fact most Cuban Divas i know dont want to have nothing to do with their Cuban men. Just my two.

[a thought....]

Miami Cubans aren't "chit"...I'm waiting for the Scarface videogame, too!

[Ann Smith]

Cubans aren't chit!!!! They are selfish and they try to be white. They come from a communist country and ran from Castro but they have the nerve to try to be big shit here in Miami.I wish they would take their lousy asses back to Cuba and fight for their own rights over there, and let us true Americans have our city back. They are a bunch of cowards..... All of the Cuban females either act like white girls by beaching their hair blonde or act like ghetto girls, they make me so sick. True americans like myself (non- hispanic/ non-bilingual cannot even get a decent job because we don't speak spanish. That is racist and discriminating. More than 1/2 of the hispanic population in Miami speak english and/or spanish, so tell me why is it necessary to be bi-lingual? The real reason for that is to only have Hispanic employees and keep blacks down...

[anonymous]

John and Ann smith are racist