Customer Reviews

The Other Face of America: Chronicles of the Immigrants Shaping Our Future

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A very biased book (at least he admits it). What is good about it? The depiction of life as an illegal immigrant and how immigrants help the American economy. What is flawed? Much more than I am willing to write here. The statistics he uses--conveniently picks and chooses to support his argument. His statistics don't paint the full picture. He doesn't distinguish between legal and illegal immigration. He seems to find no problem with illegal immigration--that's what really bothers people. He believes that it's Mexicans that Americans dislike. It's not Mexicans, it's illegals! All he does seem to do is whine about what is not right. He states there is no way to fix it and suggests that since it can't be fixed, to open our borders fully. There is no advocation about increasing the number of work permits or any cracking down on people who hire the illegals. Not much thought went into providing solutions. Anyone can criticize, but the good ones come up with solutions.

In The Other Face of America, Jorge Ramos, explores the important issue of Latino immigration. Using oral histories he shows the human side of immigrants attempting to provide for their family and improve their quality of life. He counters the argument that illegal immigrants are here for welfare benefits and demonstrates that they contribute more than they take away. These are important issues but unfortunately Ramos is not up to the task of addressing it proffessionally
While immigration is a complex issue, Ramos sees a world that is Brown and White with no grey areas. He sees his "world as mixed brown and inclusive" and "their world as white, exclusive and dominant."(xiv) He states that anti-Hispanic racism pervades the daily life of all Americans. (xxxi) Instead of showing a variety of causes and viewpoints, all is reduced to xenophobia and racism. He doesn't even bother to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants. Apparently White Americans treat both the same. Journalists are held to similar standards as historians. That is, thoroughness of research, objectivity, logic and unbiased writing. Even though he is a respected journalist he feels "compelled to voice his opinion". (xix) Even with that caveat readers still assume he is still maintaining high journalist standards. He even claims to not be biased (xx) and then throws his bias around liberally. "During the height of Irish and Italian immigration never was there an anti-immigrant sentiment so noticeable and so great as in 1994."(48) A quick trip to the library would have Revealed "No Irish need apply" signs and riots all over the country. I dont remember that in 1994. Is this bias or just bad research? Neither should be tolerated from a reporter.
This is an important issue and what is needed is good solid reporting not one sided opinion. Ramos seems too lazy to do the research. He simply threw together a number of essays written over the years and calls it a book. Thus we hear no less than six times why the birth rate of Latino families is greater than American families. He can not even be bothered to edit his work so he ends up repeating himself. It is unfortunate that this respected reporter has not taken the time and effort to explore, analyze, research, and evaluate the immigration issue.

Ramos does a superb job of showing how the Latino experience is the American experience: hard-working folks moving from their home country to the USA to make a better future for their families, and in the process, to make a better USA. Ramos also proposes insightful solutions to the social and institutional challenges associated with this wave of immigration. If you want to increase your understanding of Latino cultures in the USA, read this book.

Jorge Ramos's views are original, impassioned, well-articulated and important. I read this book because my client translated it from the original Spanish into the English. It struck me that no one else is talking about the amazing culture of immigrants -- the unique issues they face, the fascinating economics of immigration, and the fact that how we deal with the flow of immigrants -- particularly from Mexico and Central and South America -- will have a profound impact on our country in the years to come.

Very illuminating.

This book is incredibly racist, against white Americans. Ramos goes out of his way to show every negative stereotype of white Americans that he can find.

I had to read it for a Master's level class on culture and the entire class was revolted by what we read. The only saving grace (from an academic stand point) is that he admits to his bias in the introduction. Indeed, he wears his bias like a badge of honor. The thing that keeps him from being attacked for his views is that he is a member of an ethnic minority. No way a white male could get away with printing views this clearly biased.

Highly recommend you pass on this book.

I serve as pastor of a rural congregation in Ohio. Our community has, for generations, depended on the labor of immigrants for harvest of vegetables, sugar beets, etc. In the course of these many years, we find more and more immigrants staying past the harvest and developing roots in our community, much to the disapproval of some. Ramos' book is a marvelous example to those who disapprove that change in American ethnicity, even in our small, predominantly German community, is inevitable.
But Ramos takes the case a step further in highlighting for us the hope that immigrants find in settling in the US and the contributions immigrants, especially Hispanic, make to our national and local economies and oour culture. What is most illuminating is the way Ramos describes those who come to the US from south of the border, both legally and illegally. It is a personal description which shows that they are no different than "real Americans" or the immigrant stock "real Americans" came from. Todays Hispanic immigrants want the same things for themselves and their families as we do, and as our immigrant ancestors did.
For those of us who have made jokes at the expense of our Hispanic neighbors, or used derrogatory language in describing them, this book is a lesson in humility. I recommend it without hesitation, as it will open the eyes of all but the most hardened racist.

Ramos refers to Hispanics then Latin Americans. He also says that Europeans had an easier time entering the U.S. than Hispanics. He fails to recognize that Europeans from Spain are Hispanics.

Ramos spits out a ton of numbers, comparisons, but doesn't provide sources. He doesn't back up his statements with factually documented references. It's easy to make arguments based on your own personal beliefs but to do this and not have a concrete base skews the data.

The author is obviously biased against white U.S. citizens and makes statements indicating that he believes it's fine for illegals to violate U.S. law(s) when helping Latin Americans immigrate illegally. He says this is OK because persons are making fake green cards and drivers licenses to help illegals get jobs. It's pathetic. Blaming all whites for the problems of Latin Americans is ridiculous. He has a lot of statements regarding racism that makes him appear as a racist and having very negative feelings toward persons who are not Latin American.

Read this only if you want to see the views of a radical are. Don't take it personally; the author just seemed so negative that I had to force myself to read the book. The English is not comparable to that of the average professional author.

I think overall Ramos does an excellent job in this book. He candidly and honestly portrays the variety of experiences of Hispanic Immigrants. He has a great appreciation of the wide variety of cultures that fall under the title of Hispanic, as well as the particular challenges faced by each of them in America. In all honesty I could have done without his ode to Spanglish, as well as one or two other chapters, but overall I think this is a worthwhile read. The only other thing, at it may have already happened is that it needs to be updated!