Comments on: Less Ellis Island, More Back of the Yards http://macarthurparkmedia.com/2009/06/less-ellis-island-more-back-of-the-yard/ the american experience starts here Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:51:20 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jake http://macarthurparkmedia.com/2009/06/less-ellis-island-more-back-of-the-yard/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Jake Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:08:17 +0000 http://macarthurparkmedia.com/?p=203#comment-35 Wow; the similarities between the author's ancestors and mine are uncanny. My grandparents and father came to the US from Holland after WW II where the Dutch language was forbidden to be spoken ever again. My grandmother would become furious if she was mistaken for a German, and wouldn't hesitate to tell the store clerk, the waitress, or whoever that Dutch has a more refined, Scandanavian pronunciation than those barbarians with gutteral pronunciations - ha. All ties to the old country were cut, and they considered themselves Americans immediately upon arriving to a rented farmhouse outside of Chicago. The only time I heard Dutch was when my father would swear at the family dog for being stupid. Here in MacArthur Park, while I enjoy meeting and talking with so many people of different cultures, it's still taking some getting used to watching parents allow their children to urinate and defecate on the curb, and refusal to learn English. I'm aware of children being slapped for speaking English in the home and being lectured that this is their homeland stolen by the Americans. What was not reported about the Mayday melee was the 'declaration of war' upon America being screamed in Spanish by several people. We still have a long ways to go. Wow; the similarities between the author’s ancestors and mine are uncanny. My grandparents and father came to the US from Holland after WW II where the Dutch language was forbidden to be spoken ever again. My grandmother would become furious if she was mistaken for a German, and wouldn’t hesitate to tell the store clerk, the waitress, or whoever that Dutch has a more refined, Scandanavian pronunciation than those barbarians with gutteral pronunciations – ha. All ties to the old country were cut, and they considered themselves Americans immediately upon arriving to a rented farmhouse outside of Chicago. The only time I heard Dutch was when my father would swear at the family dog for being stupid.

Here in MacArthur Park, while I enjoy meeting and talking with so many people of different cultures, it’s still taking some getting used to watching parents allow their children to urinate and defecate on the curb, and refusal to learn English.

I’m aware of children being slapped for speaking English in the home and being lectured that this is their homeland stolen by the Americans. What was not reported about the Mayday melee was the ‘declaration of war’ upon America being screamed in Spanish by several people. We still have a long ways to go.

]]> By: anne browne http://macarthurparkmedia.com/2009/06/less-ellis-island-more-back-of-the-yard/comment-page-1/#comment-29 anne browne Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:22:19 +0000 http://macarthurparkmedia.com/?p=203#comment-29 Los Angeles is constantly changing...new faces and new customs and traditions are spreading through our city every day. They come for a better life for themselves and their families, yet they tend to create their own villages with their own l anguage and lifestyles from their past. We all have much to learn from each other. Devin, a well written essay and full of things to think about..even when we disagree! Los Angeles is constantly changing…new faces and new customs and traditions are spreading through our city every day. They come for a better life for themselves and their families, yet they tend to create their own villages with their own l
anguage and lifestyles from their past. We all have much to learn from each other. Devin, a well written essay and full of things to think about..even when we disagree!

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