# Mexicans control your damn kids while in public! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 18, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209 "2009-06-18T19:19:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/181 "2009-06-21T03:52:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Damn straight. I was this close to getting that part on _Nash Bridges_ and then that bastard Cheech just walked in and stole it from me. Maybe the producers thought that being Don Johnson’s friend was one of those jobs that Americans just wouldn’t do… ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/182 "2009-06-21T04:00:54Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > What’s funny is that some interesting conversations could be had on topics like this if they were started by people who put some thought into it. I mean, X group certainly does _seem_ to exibit behavior Y more often than anyone else. Mexicans might even hold less control over their kids in public than other groups do; I thought I noticed this for awhile a few years back, but I haven’t seen it in a long time, so maybe those instances were coincidence. The problem is the OP just wanted to rant about Mexicans. “I’m not racist, but…” Check. Seems to suggest this behavior is intrinsic to being Mexican, and applies to all of them. Check. Does not offer any counter-examples. Check. Copious unironic use of CAPS and exclamation points! Check. And last but not least, an insult to finish things off. Check. > > The scorn is a bit much because, why would you take this guy seriously? He didn’t take the topic seriously. This thread has an OP? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/183 "2009-06-21T04:27:47Z")
> [@jackofsevens](#): > > Mexicans control your damn kids while in public! It’s true! It happened to us at a Ruby Tuesday. We were happily chatting and eating, when suddenly these Mexicans walked in. They came over immediately to our table “¡Silencio!” the short one said when one of my kids spoke out. “Comportarse. Tener algunos modales,” said another when our toddler began slinging peas at the waiter. “Sus hijos están mal,” the fat Mexican lady said to me as I looked on in horror. “Limpio hasta que lío,” the one who stank the most said to my four-year-old when she spilled her Pepsi. Naturally, we asked for the manager, who had no sympathy with our plight. “They do that with everybody’s misbehaved kids,” he told us. “Perhaps if you controlled them yourselves…” ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/184 "2009-06-21T05:50:24Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Naturally, we asked for the manager, who had no sympathy with our plight. “They do that with everybody’s misbehaved kids,” he told us. “Perhaps if you controlled them yourselves…” Make them wear little quesadilla helmets; they block out the Mexican Children Control Rays and your kids are free to act like a chimpanzee’s tea party. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/185 "2009-06-21T06:09:35Z")
> [@emcee2k](#): > > Why does the phrase “I’m not racist…” or “I don’t mean to sound racist…” **always** precede something racist? > > If you really don’t want to sound racist, there’s actually a pretty foolproof method to avoid it: Don’t say things that are racist. Not only does he give the trite, “I’m not racist…”, but he explains that he’s a long-time lurker and that this is his first post. As if all these explanations will help us _understand_ the OP. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/186 "2009-06-21T06:28:17Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](#): > > Not to hijack the thread, but I will admit that my time spent living in Mexico was unpleasant as best. That had a lot to do with my job, but while that may have been a factor, another part of it was the populace. > > No kiddin’ I told my few relatives in Mexico that I would NEVER return there unless one of them died or was in the hospital. I mean it, too. If I never set foot in Mexico again I’ll consider it good luck. It may not be fair or rational, but Mexico to me is just a miserable place filled with miserable people. I really NEVER EVER want to go there again. Wow… that’s some generalization you’ve got there, man. Questions arise, like: 1. Where did you live? (Rural area? City?) 2. What kind of work did you do? Like anywhere else, conditions vary from place to place. I know, for instance, of teachers who lived in Mexico City who had really bad luck. They managed to get the shittiest places to live, have accidents in their cars, get assaulted, etc. etc. and couldn’t wait to get out of here. On the other hand, there are many teachers (from the same school, mind you) who were happy as… well as happy people may be. Some of them stayed far beyond their alotted time, contractwise, and seem to be happy. Heck, my own mom stayed here since she was married. My father (who brought her here from Germany) died almost 9 years ago and she remains here! And that even though she has retired for at least 7 years and by now has two children living in Europe (and a 90-ish mother). ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/187 "2009-06-21T06:46:47Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Tatooine, on the other hand, is a real place. Yes, it [actually is](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tataouine). I knew it, sooner or later these things always come down to dumping on the Arabs. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/188 "2009-06-21T15:36:06Z")
Whoa, cool!!! So wait now, is it Mexico or Arab countries that are wretched hives of scum and villainy? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/189 "2009-06-21T16:16:58Z")
It’s New Jersey, I think. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/190 "2009-06-21T18:12:12Z")
Re the OP there are cultural differences in the way some people manage their children in retail environments. I do a lot of thrifting and the local Goodwill is a pretty good slice of pretty much every cultural demographic in the area. By are large I’ve found most children of all cultures to be well behaved, but when you have problems with out of control kids rampaging through the store of taking apart displays etc. it’s most often almost always centers on two cultural groups which are ESL hispanic women and Haitian women with small children in tow. Groups with fathers along of all cultures have virtually no issues. For some reason I think it relates to how far away from their side these ladies are comfortable in letting their kids get. In the store while shopping white and Indian/Asian kids are generally kept pretty close or in the cart. African American kids are generally allowed a bit more leeway but typically not more than an aisle or two away and the mother is keeping an eye on them. Hispanic kids are given about half the store to wander in and Haitian kids the entire store. The store personnel are continuously having to tell some hispanic and Hatian mothers to corral their kids and on more than one occasion it’s the same damn mothers they told to do this last week. The kids will be running and screaming playing tag in the in the aisles and the mothers are just oblivious. There is simply no social shame or stigma in not controlling your kids in a retail environment which makes me think that these are women who come from rural cultural backgrounds where department store shopping is a novelty and behavior that might be OK in a rural village market is not OK in an metro area store. ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/191 "2009-06-21T19:11:33Z")
> [@astro](#): > > ESL hispanic women and Haitian women Cubans? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/192 "2009-06-21T21:11:24Z")
> [@Unregistered\_Bull](#): > > Cubans? I doubt it. We see relatively male or female ESL Cubans in this area (eastern shore of MD) The OP aside most are (I believe) from Mexico or from Central America. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/193 "2009-06-22T01:01:21Z")
> [@DiggitCamara](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally posted by **Jimmy Joe Meager** > > Not to hijack the thread, but I will admit that my time spent living in Mexico was unpleasant as best. That had a lot to do with my job, but while that may have been a factor, another part of it was the populace. > > > > No kiddin’ I told my few relatives in Mexico that I would NEVER return there unless one of them died or was in the hospital. I mean it, too. If I never set foot in Mexico again I’ll consider it good luck. It may not be fair or rational, but Mexico to me is just a miserable place filled with miserable people. I really NEVER EVER want to go there again. > > (Post #177) - **kd99** > > Wow… that’s some generalization you’ve got there, man. > [@Jolly Roger](#): > > Not to hijack the thread, but I will admit that my time spent living in NJ was unpleasant as best. That had a lot to do with my job, but while that may have been a factor, another part of it was the populace. > > No kiddin’ I told my few relatives in NJ that I would NEVER return there unless one of them died or was in the hospital. I mean it, too. If I never set foot in NJ again I’ll consider it good luck. It may not be fair or rational, but NJ to me is just a miserable place filled with miserable people. I really NEVER EVER want to go there again. > (Post #120) - **kd99** I think I can safely say you’ve been whooshed. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/194 "2009-06-22T01:05:41Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Whoa, cool!!! > > So wait now, is it Mexico or Arab countries that are wretched hives of scum and villainy? While I agree that it looked cool, I disagree with the characterization of it as a hive. It looked more like the adobe pueblos I learned about in fourth grade. Wretched adobe pueblos of scum and villainy. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/195 "2009-06-22T01:56:26Z")
> [@Sacrilegium](#): > > Well, they _would_ go to Popeyes, but they [run out of chicken](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pyW6w5B7Aw). Ain’t much else a person can do. I… Wha… Mmm, Popeye’s. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/196 "2009-06-22T04:13:05Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I think I can safely say you’ve been whooshed. Yup. (S)He got me good. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/197 "2009-06-22T04:46:52Z")
> [@Jolly\_Roger](#): > > If I never set foot in NJ again I’ll consider it good We don’t want your damn foot in here anyway. > [@Shark\_Sandwich](#): > > McSoylent Green is PEOPLE! It’s BLACK PEOPLE! Wouldn’t it be McSoylent Black, then? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/198 "2009-06-22T04:56:18Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Wouldn’t it be McSoylent Black, then? Their tails are green. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/199 "2009-06-22T12:49:41Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Re the OP there are cultural differences in the way some people manage their children in retail environments. I do a lot of thrifting and the local Goodwill is a pretty good slice of pretty much every cultural demographic in the area. > > By are large I’ve found most children of all cultures to be well behaved, but when you have problems with out of control kids rampaging through the store of taking apart displays etc. it’s most often almost always centers on two cultural groups which are ESL hispanic women and Haitian women with small children in tow. Groups with fathers along of all cultures have virtually no issues. > > For some reason I think it relates to how far away from their side these ladies are comfortable in letting their kids get. In the store while shopping white and Indian/Asian kids are generally kept pretty close or in the cart. African American kids are generally allowed a bit more leeway but typically not more than an aisle or two away and the mother is keeping an eye on them. Hispanic kids are given about half the store to wander in and Haitian kids the entire store. > > The store personnel are continuously having to tell some hispanic and Hatian mothers to corral their kids and on more than one occasion it’s the same damn mothers they told to do this last week. The kids will be running and screaming playing tag in the in the aisles and the mothers are just oblivious. There is simply no social shame or stigma in not controlling your kids in a retail environment which makes me think that these are women who come from rural cultural backgrounds where department store shopping is a novelty and behavior that might be OK in a rural village market is not OK in an metro area store. Being in retail for several decades that has not been my experience. Often it is Moms with kids but that’s the norm in shopping anyway rather than Dad being along. I’ve seen plenty of Dad’s who don’t control their kids as well as every ethnic group. It seems to me that some people don’t realize that a store is private property even though you are encouraged to come in and shop. Adults who haven’t been taught respect can’t really teach their kids respect. The problem has been compounded over generations by stores that are so worried about offending customers that they allow bad behavior on a regular basis. Then it becomes a “everybody does it” justification. Controlling young kids can be hard and very draining but that’s the job if you’re a parent. I also think some folks have different concepts of what “they’re just kids” means and the difference in acceptable behavior at home vs in a public place. They can’t seem to grasp or be bothered to teach their kids the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209/200 "2009-06-22T12:57:23Z")
> [@jackofsevens](#): > > I love Eskimos. May I tell you that this is racist too, I would suggest that you amend it to “I love the thought of Eskimos” or “I have loved all the Eskimos I’ve met” (not that I expect you have met any). Not to mention that the word Eskimo isn’t PC some places, in Greenland and Canada it’s Inuit and don’t forget it, you racist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexicans-control-your-damn-kids-while-in-public/500209.md?page=11)