Asturian-American Migration Forum

Art,

Exactly -- there is no suing the federal government, because they are part of the Federal Reserve, which simply types money digits into existence to subsidize any and all expenditures the government might need -- such as easily stomping out one "disgruntled, troublemaking Spic" who must rely upon his own dwarfed, drastically-finite bank account to pay for a lawyer.

Like it or not, America -- for all its grand talk about equal rights and all that -- is only a "melting pot" to the extent that each ethnicity is tacitly understood to stay in its "proper, designated place" as determined by the Anglo-Saxon ruling class.

And if you don't like that, you can just "go back to where you came from" -- that is, until the American Anglo-Saxon CIA decides to stage a plantationizing overthrow of your little overseas haven and then you're back to square one, if not square minus ten or twenty.

Is,

Thank you for that suggestion. This is all very new to me -- I've not even visited Spain or Asturias yet!

And, what's worse -- and I'm horribly embarrassed to admit this -- I barely speak much Spanish at all. My parents were so desperate to move out of Tampa and escape their families' chaos and depressing poverty there, that they figured not speaking Spanish to us as kids would help us Anglicize more.

...Which it did, but only to a point. As it turns out, there was still no squelching what are apparently our fiery Asturian tempers or passion for natural simplicity and authenticity. That, and my parents' not changing our last name, "Gonzalez" would also turn out to hinder the males (my father and I) much more than the females, because human tribalism operates on the principle of tolerating and even incorporating the females of outsider "tribes" over the males, who are systematically alienated, neutered, and at least passive-aggressively eradicated.

You could follow the example of Cesar Gonzmart of the Columbia Restaurant and combine names. His name was Gonzalez Martinez. Being from Tampa, I am having a very difficult time understanding this whole thread. There so many people here with Spanish last names, I am surprised that you have to deal with so many people who aren't of spanish descent. I have the name Gonzalez in my ancestry- maybe we are related?

cando,

Maybe we are related... And my mother's maiden name is Valenti, so maybe "Vonzalez" or "Galenti" would work as a last name.

I'm sorry- I hope you don't think I'm making light of your situation. That was one prominent example in Tampa of someone who felt the need to change his name for whatever reason. Everyone certainly still knows that he was Spanish. It seems like we have a very similar background = I am the second generation born in this country, speak very little spanish and yet have never experienced what you are going through. I think my parents saw the advantage of their ethnicity at a time when there was massive immigration from Cuba. They were teachers and there was a great need for bilingual teachers. I only wish that they had realized that advantage when we were learning to speak. I now am trying to learn about my history and embrace my ethnicity so that it won't be lost on future generations. We all need to remember where we came from.

Well, I think that much of the problem is that my father's job was in a particularly nasty industry. Also, he insisted on staying relatively close to home, in the state of Florida, but because my mother couldn't stand the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, that pretty much left all the rednecky parts, because the Tampa airport was rated too high for his certification level.

For some reason, my family never fit in well with most of the other hispanic ethnicities. I feel like the northern Spanish are much more European in their temperament and sensibilities than the other hispanic groups. We seem to me to be much more reclusive and modest, I think.

Ronzalez wrote:For some reason, my family never fit in well with most of the other hispanic ethnicities. I feel like the northern Spanish are much more European in their temperament and sensibilities than the other hispanic groups. We seem to me to be much more reclusive and modest, I think.

Yeah, I'd say Asturians and Galicians are definitely conditioned by the Atlantic climate (rain, fog, etc.) and the local temperament is different than the rest of Spain, where their influence is clearly Mediterranean (Catalans, Valencians, Andalusians, Castilians). These are two very different, almost opposing, influences which often explain devolution politics in Spain.

Still, as an American often visiting back with family in Asturias, their temperament is much more southern European than mine. They are much more gregarious, much less independent in their thinking, more given to paternalist power structures.

As for the merger of last names, I don't think the results are pretty. Sorry, but Gonzmart sounds like a distant solar system on Star Trek. I think finding a surname from Co. Candamo makes much more sense and it will be a last name that you can own.

Also, sorry for my comment about Valenti. You hadn't mentioned your mother was of Italian descent, so I thought it was an arbitrary option you were considering. Good luck and let us know if you need a list of last names from Candamo.

I am very sorry to know that your father had a bad experience...but
but we are in 2010...our President first name is Barack....his last name
is Obama...and....he has African blood and Irish blood....so...that was
then and this is now....if you have any problem you need a good attorney
the FAA is regulated by the Federal Goverment and discrimination is
against the law....so....we have the Hispanic League Against Discrimination
so they can represent you free of charge....also we have Action Line from
The Miami Herald newspaper that will take care of the case for you...
The article you showed is an old article and everybody have different
opinion...Cubans in the United States could face discrimination because
everybody have a different background and different opinion but we are
aware of the laws that protects against discrimination and I do have a lot
of friends that works with the FAA and they have never had a problem.
I insist that Gonzalez is a beautiful name and Candamo is awful!!!!

Hi, Ronzalez

Instead of relinquish to your family name, why do not use the spanish abbreviation of it : "Glez"?.

It does not sound as spanish (perhaps Austrian) but still you have what is yours and identifies you.

Marta.

That's an interesting possibility. I wonder how Americans would say it?

You sound traumatized. Adaptation to your environment and mimicry is always the safest choice - when in Rome do as the Romans do. But you can also rise above (it won't take much to be above the level of bigotts) and be proud of your ancestry.
If I were you, stubborn as I am, I would change my name to triple Spanish: González-Miranda del Castillo! And I would tell the world that my roots are in Asturias, the first kingdom in Spain, with ambassadors at the court of Charlemagne, and that my surnames are as old as that kingdom.
Then

I believe you need to come to Asturias and charge your batteries and get a shot of pride.

I like Terechu's idea that the best defense is pride and a little assertiveness about your proud Asturian hertiage. If you could afford it, a trip to Asturias (fall is beautiful) would, indeed, be a treat mentally and visually.

Hi, Ronzalez:

I do not understand still why do you feel so depressed?

I do believe that Terechu is absolutely right: you must not relinquish of your surname. Instead, you must be very, very proud of it, in spite of those with a narrow culture may think.

However, I my opinion, mimicking with the surrounding may be the way to “dissapear”. To avoid be nothing special, one must keep their own individuality. Do not give the reason to those who consider Spanish culture (and that of Polish, Italian and Chinesse) of low standing by changing your surname. If you do, then you are thinking as they do.

Why the Anglo-saxon society in America you told about did not change the names of many and many cities and towns in USA that have wonderful Spanish names: San Diego, Los Angeles, Colorado, Escondido, Nevada, Florida, San Francisco, San Antonio, Nuevo Madrid, Toledo, and so on….Are these cities of third rate?

Really, your family has not why to dissapear. You have became aware of the problem and this is the first step to put it right. My advice, as Terechu also said, is that visiting Asturias would be the gust of fresh air you need to remove all those sad thoughts and all the “cobwebs” in your head.

And… who knows? Perhaps, you find here the woman of your life……
and the family may continue. You are young enough.

Which part of Asturias were your relatives from?. Have you still relatives here?

Marta.

I talked about Bowen Family Systems Theory in another message ( http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtop ... 9249#19249 ).

One of the key points of that theory is that the most difficult task each of us has is to "define a self." Marta, in particular, has been talking about this. It sounds easier than it is. None of us ever fully define ourselves. Interestingly, there is often great power in moving toward defining a self. In other words, a little movement toward this definition can result in a large qualitative difference.

--------------------------

Hablé acerca de la Teoría de Bowen de sistemas familiares en otro mensaje ( http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtop ... 9249#19249 ).

Un punto clave de esta teoría es que la tarea más difícil para cada uno de nosotros es "definirse a sí mismo" (define a self). Marta, en particular, ha estado hablando sobre esto. Suena más fácil de lo que es. Ninguno de nosotros nos definimos plenamente. Curiosamente, a menudo hay un gran poder en el movimiento hacia la autodefinición (defining a self). O sea, un pequeño movimiento hacia esta definición puede resultar en una gran diferencia cualitativamente.

Hello!!! I would like to know about his decision...is he still Gonzalez or
did he change his last name?

Hola!!! Me gustaria saber que decision tomo...el es todavia Gonzalez o
por fin se cambio el apellido?