What was the ethnic composition of your congregation? (page 2)

B_Deserter

Spaniards are europeans. Hispanics are people of mixed-race origin as a result of interbreeding between Spanish and Caribbean/Mexican Natives.

stillajwexelder

85% Caucasian - balance African American and Spanish

The last cong I attended was all white, except for one black sister who was married to an elder that no one there liked; a real control freak. Incidentally, her previous marriage was to a Gygax, whose father was the inventor of Dungeons and Dragons.(I think his father. Related in some way)

outnfree

Justahuman24 and B_Deserter:

I understand completely what you are saying about Spaniards ostensibly being Causasian and not Hispanic. (I did respond to your other thread, Justahuman24.)

However, I contend that hardly ANY race can consider itself purebred today -- and probably shouldn't have centuries ago, either. I mean Spain was invaded (and ruled) by the Moors, the French, and the Phoenicians, to name the ones I remember off the top of my head. Semitic Jews had a rich and thriving culture in Spain, too. The British controlled the islands of Gibraltar and Menorca. My ex-husband's surname is not an obviously Spanish one, no one has been able to trace the origins -- there may be British or possibly German blood in his supposedly 100% purebred Spanish veins. Hapsburgs ruled Spain, they were Austrian. What is the difference between a Castillian and a Catalunyan?

In France, the Franks overran the Gauls, and the Normans (Norsemen or Vikings) took over the Normandy. How many times did the Anglo-Saxons and the French fight? The Anglos and the Saxons?

Seriously, races and ethnic groups have been intermarrying for millenia. Who is pure? (Maybe the Basques?)

I understand that Hispanic is meant to refer to the descendents of Spaniards in the Spanish Empire who intermarried with the locals and thus spread their language and their culture among many different indigenous peoples.

My Spanish ex-husband intermarried with this Melting-Pot American and our children call themselves "Hispanic." They have, at most, as far as we know, 1/16 "Black" blood. The other 15/16 comes from so-called "Causasian" races. Their dad checks "White" on forms that ask. I, now that I am given a choice, choose "other." For me, the "other" race that I am, is human.

:)

out

Bobbi

Old, nuff said.

Bobbi

horrible life

When I left, we had about 70% black and 29% white, and 1 Filipino pedophile, who was my step-grandfather. He was a MS. The elders were about half and half. Mainly because the white elders were asked to stay.

R6Laser

Depends where at. When I was in Puerto Rico it was 100% puerto ricans, lol. When I was in Gary, it was mostly blacks and whites with some hispanics members. When I went to Mexico it was 100% mexicans.

blondie

Depends on the territory and sometimes on the WTS efforts to desegregate a congregation.

Poor territory with quite a bit of drug/crime problems........mostly black and hispanic with some imported whites........viewed as brave souls going where the need was great.

Rich territory with locked gates...........a few blacks and hispanics, mostly business owners that employed the ones from the poor territory.

Few Asians in this area, mostly students going to the university.

Moderate territory....a mix reflecting the neighborhood mix since jws are "encouraged" to attend the KH in the territory.

The most publicized racial problems in my area and experience were talks about how paler blacks were discriminating against darker blacks.....one special needs talk every year.

The hispanics in this area tend to be poorer and fewer so can't pay as much as the other congregations and are viewed by some jws as leeches (heard this comment more times than I cared to...had to speak up every time to make sure no silence on my part was viewed as agreement).

Blondie (part of the lowest class, women)

lisavegas420

Growing up in KY, I remember three black families. All had believing wifes and un-believing husbands, but their husbands were way nicer than many brothers at the hall the few times I met them at an odd KH visit or a 'get-together'.

One brother quit going to the meetings because he just like every generation before him grew tobacco, when that was banned he was given a choice of either finding another way to support his family (like 6 or 7 maybe more) or not being considered being a JW. He choose to care for his family the same way he had been doing.

Good for him.

lisa

OnTheWayOut

I was in a racially mixed territory that was slightly whiter than black, but the congregation
was vastly black. Except for 3 individuals, all the white people were extended family to
each other. That made it about 10 whites, 100 blacks, 3 Hispanics, 2 Asians.

What was the ethnic composition of your congregation?