[ought-six]

"I've been to Mexico and seen their elderly beggers all over the streets, begging outside churches after Mass and in the markets. Lots of little kids out begging too ---- it's not the big family values people somehow came to believe as that stereotype."

Yup, that stereotype is a myth put forth by latino activists to somehow show how wonderful their culture is (one knows they're in trouble when one has to manufacture one's history). The only culture I know of that has any respect for their elders is the Asian culture, and not all of those, either! Japan and China seem to have a good deal of respect for their old ones, but I have not seen that so such among the Koreans.

[FITZ]

The stereotype is true of a certain subclass --- but I've seen some pretty horrible treatment of elderly peasants in Mexico. Street children are a fast growing problem --- kids abandoned or so abused by their families that they choose to live on the street and never know where their next meal is coming. Hispanics in the SW --many who have been here for centuries --- but they're Americans have pretty strong family values in general.