Politics and Culture

"The Latino Mayberry." Hmmm.

I must say that I really like my city. Lived here 80% of my life. It has lots of places to go: A Borders Books, which is a sign of civilization. I've never had a crime problem. The people are nice. I've worked at the schools and my kids currently attend Burke and McGee and seem to be doing well. Their teachers are very good. My kids are in baseball, cub scouts- all of that stuff. I go the Saint Marianne Catholic Church. Race isn't a factor in anything, as far I know.

Yes, it's heavily Democratic, but more because of union membership and custom than anger and the seeking of government services. It's certainly not a broad cultural affinity with Ed Begley or Sean Penn, although there are a few of those around.

The video makes a good point. Most people in Pico Rivera don't see themselves as alien to the American experience. The police aren't their enemy. Citizens turn to the police to stop crime- imagine that.

Pico people go to church, picket the local strip club (for and against), work, study. They get mad if schools don't teach your kids.** You know, normal stuff.

I think that's the key for Hispanic success: to see ourselves as individuals who want to succeed instead of victims. It's the attitude of successful minority-immigrants like Indians, Italians, Irish, Koreans, Cubans, and, if you think about it, Americans from almost everywhere else on the globe. Yet, many Hispanics, urged on by liberals and leftists (you know that Communist radio station like Pacifica broadcasts their poison in Spanish), make choices that lead them to form part of an underclass.

Anyways, the report is pretty accurate and our sheriffs do carry guns.

**A principal of mine, one of my favorite people in world called Andrew Sermeno, came up with a brilliant compromise with religious parents who didn't want Halloween celebrated at school: He turned it into "Character Day" and made all of the students dress as a character from a book. The kids had to carry the book in the parade.