The truth about Hispanic JWs in the United States (page 3)

Doubting Bro

Actually the US does not have an official national language, although the majority of us speak English.

Don't quite agree that the Spanish are in the "back of the bus" as commented. Many of the original GB were serving in the Spanish congregations back in NY. Today, from what I have heard, several are serving among the Spanish as well. Many years ago, the Spanish group may have been 2nd class. They had to wait a couple of months for "their" issues of magazines or new publications. So, the "English" brothers always thought that they were ahead of the curve....I actually recall a brother saying, "new light comes to us in English." Now, however, with the translation department and the godsend that is MEPS, everyone is up to speed. In some areas, the real heavy weights have moved to the Spanish and pretty much dictate what happens from the district level on down.

With regard to problems with undocumented brothers. Well, there will alway be people who take advantage of them, whether in the org or not, it is an aspect of capitalism that thrives in the world, not just in the UK or US. The brotherhood, for some, is not as important as the bank account. I have always had a real problem with this type of abuse and have been in some considerably heated debates with brothers over their abuses.

SOP

Hecce

Respectfully, I disagree with this comment about the equality of Hispanics in the WT.

The arrangement with the publications is more a function of better translation and technical systems than anything else.

Fred Franz was attending a Spanish Congregation in NY and it is possible that some GB members are doing the same today. I see this as a way for them to improve their language skills and nothing else; in general it doesn’t benefit the Spanish brothers.

The back of the bus comment was related to positions of authority, as stated before the Anglo will always be at front. This applies to Conventions, Assembly Halls, Kingdom Halls and any matter that requires organizing. It is obvious that the thinking that the Spanish are not good enough to lead still prevails.

I agree with something and that is the comment about the capitalistic mentality, but it should not co-exist with "brotherly love".

Separation of Powers

@ Hecce,

I won't contend with anyone with regard to the current power base. As with all things Watchtower, the powerbase is existing and will take probably another decade before it is in need of replacing. When one considers where the Spanish speaking brothers were compared to where they are now...it is night and day. They have much more of a say and in some areas, true not ALL areas, but is some areas THEY are the force to be reckoned with. But to emphasize my point... Quick question...who is the Zone Overseer for the North America, Central and South America? Does anyone know?

SOP

Hecce

SOP

There was a Mexican American brother in the US Branch Committee and some very talented DOs have been transferred from the Spanish field to Bethel. I wouldn’t be surprised that one of them or a similar able brother is the Zone Overseer. Now call me a cynic but that doesn’t mean that much to me, we are living in a time of political correctness and affirmative action and every where there is the need for a “token”, even in the GB.

Having said that my focus is geared to what is happening in the field and in the Congregations, over there the Hispanics are a force; in reality a working force and nothing else.

Is a pleasure corresponding with you and I was going to say something about your initials but we are not much aquatinted and I don’t need any misunderstanding.

Fencing

Every young brother I knew who decided to learn Spanish to "help" with the Spanish congregations did it because there were some FINE looking young sisters over there. And about 90% of them quit after about a year and came back to the English hall, without a new wife.

Iown Mylife

There was a sister in my (English-speaking) congregation who was raised in the Bronx and her parents were from Puerto Rico. She did not want a Hispanic husband, she said they are too controlling compared to the English-speaking guys. Okay, so she was in my congregation and we originally got to be friends because my mother is Cuban. She also had a lot of friends in the Spanish kh and I went with her to her jw Spanish friends' houses and get-togethers. One couple, the wife was very welcoming to me, and said she was going to teach me to dance like Spanish women, etc. Her husband was (probably still is, i don't know) the congregation overseer in the Spanish kh. He had a VERY dry sense of humor, and liked to tease but I never could tell when he was joking. I don't speak Spanish, just a word here and there, and he would greet me at the hall and speak English, and then several times immediately turn to a brother nearby and say something about me in Spanish, and then the two of them would look at me and laugh. This happened SEVERAL times.

Okay so that is all just background as to why I say, from experience, that those Spanish jw friends that I was around a lot, for several years, -- THEY feel totally superior to English-speaking non-Hispanics. The overseer taught them to APPEAR humble and sociable and loving to the non-Hispanic friends, but never to let their children get involved romantically and hold themselves separate from them.

One time early on at our quick-build, which I had not been around before, I brought the main dish for the lunch-time and helped set up the food. Then I called that lunch was ready. There were only Spanish friends working that day and it was a small group. So this brother comes up to me and rudely yells at me that only HE is allowed to announce when the friends could come and eat. Because I was only good enough to provide the food, being female. Being female I was nowhere NEAR good enough to actually tell male people that lunch was ready.

I was at one get-together where the majority of attendees were dancing, and some non-Hispanic friends were there with me, teen girls and my daughter and my Spanish friend who had gotten me all involved with the Spanish congregation. One sister was dancing and noticed her teen son dancing with my daughter's friend. She YELLED at him to get away from "that dirty white girl!"

That was the attitude that I began to discern quite clearly. The Spanish jw's are every bit as hypocritical as any nationality you want to name. They SAY that they believe that Jehovah loves all people without partiality. But the Spanish jw's I was around DON'T believe it.

Also I knew an elder who was in drywall, he would go and pick up a crew from Mexicans standing around waiting for work. Several times he worked them all day, dropped them off with a promise of more work and pay at the end of the job. He would pick up a crew from a different spot the next day and didn't pay the guys he owed.

Marina

prologos

Iownmylife too. nice insight into the inside of the wt inter-etnic world.

the old tricky trick:

How to look down on others from below.

the lower you really are, the harder it is.

yadda yadda 2

It's very interesting getting these insights on trends in the organisation.

I remember reading a thread on how the hispanics are extremely family and community oriented and that they are (very wisely) increasingly having a gutsful of the disfellowshipping and shunning policies ripping their families and hispanic community apart, and this has been the reason for such a big drop in hispanic numbers lately. Blood very much runs thicker than water in the Hispanic community (somewhat of a generalisation I know). Many families and extended families together are basically giving the finger to the organisation and leaving together.

Good for them!

Hecce

Marina

I believe every single word that you have written. I think that what you are calling superiority was nothing else that “machismo”. I wonder if those had the same attitude with the American elders or other male brothers in the English and as has been discussed in this thread the Spanish in position of authority could be as mean and nasty towards their “sheep” as anyone else.

Bottom line there is “something rotten in Denmark”.

Muchas Gracias

The truth about Hispanic JWs in the United States

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