It's a Miami Thing: You Wouldn't Understand

I must be excused for this momentary outburst I am about to have. It is not common I have hometown pride. In fact, I am usually among the first to attack Miami AKA New York the Spanish Sequel. This is my home town after all and I have seen it change over the last 35 years and not for the better. I have every right to complain about this town. If nothing else I am still here, but shame on you if you insult my home from the comfort of someplace else. Shame on you, Mr. Tancredo.

Rep. Tom Tancredo is one of the Republicans to remain in the House after America played maid. His pony’s trick is that he is very anti-illegal immigration and he was in my neck of the woods on this very issue. He was speaking in Palm Beach and used my town as an example of immigration gone awry. His exact words were that Miami “has become a Third World country.''

Let me say “F*ck you very much Mr. Tancredo!" How about coming within the actual city limits of Miami and actually seeing this town before condemning it? I know Republicans are allergic to facts, but come on already.

What exactly makes Miami a third world country? Is it the fact that we are multi-cultural? Is it the fact that areas of Miami are 100% Spanish? I believe New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and numerous other cities have “Chinatown” and “Spanish Harlem” and other such ethnic-centric parts of town. In fact, when I worked in Boulder, Colorado (the state Mr. Tancredo is from) I can honestly say the kitchens I worked in were 100% Mexican. There was no English spoken in the back of those places and none spoken by the busboys.

Maybe it is an economic thing that causes Mr. Tancredo to call my home city a third world country. I know that aside from our insurance rates living in Miami is fairly cheap compared to most other major cities. We have no state income tax for one thing and that is a big thing. Our property taxes are not that high per say and unemployment is relatively low. Things are actually pretty good down here economically. I am a home owner for the first time in my life for example.

There is one reason left for Mr. Tancreepo…sorry, Tancredo to say what he did about my home town: bigotry. He claims that if one were to “just pick it(Miami) up and take it and move it someplace. You would never know you're in the United States of America.” It is true that Miami is a very colorful city. The majority of the population here is Hispanic and Latin culture is dominant here. I always joke that living in Miami is like living in the Melting Pot of America. It is here that all cultures merge and form something unique unto itself. Miami is Miami and there is nothing like it in the world, but third world?

Does Mr. Tancredo believe that a lack of white and black faces makes some place a third world country? Any place that is Spanish must be third world? That is a very bigoted point of view if that is his intent.

''Moreover, the sheer size and number of ethnic enclaves devoid of any English and dominated by foreign cultures is widespread…Frankly, many of these areas could have been located in another country. And until America gets serious about demanding assimilation, this problem will continue to spread.''

Maybe he should take care of his own state first and let those of us in Miami worry about Miami. Those immigrants he is speaking of that do not speak English are mostly Cuban refugees who are not here illegally, but are “guests” of the Federal Government. He needs to remember that America is made up entirely of foreign cultures and should be work on uniting the country instead of this finger pointing hunt for a new scapegoat.