???humiliate the gringo ???

Good question. Looking forward to the posters comments. Keep it clean!

I do not feel there is a large resentment against gringos ny native Dominicans..
I beleive the recent murders are horrible isolated incidents...

It believe comes down to statistics...

In a country that has the level of poverty, poor education, high alcoho & drugs use and a lack of opportunity, there will be
some instances where cowardly acts and crimes against all
people including gringos and expats.

As the poverty and drug useage increases, people become more desperate, the crime goes up and horrible offenses are commited more frequently.

Bottom line is there is definately a correlation with poverty and criminal behavior, in all parts of the world including the DR but very little resentment per se against gringos..

As mentioned above, poverty and drug usage play a big role in rises in crime.
One of the major contributing factors to racism and/or resentment towards gringos, was Hippo.
His speeches against gringos, reached a lot of ears.
Just like Hitler, he managed to convert a bunch of otherwise neutral people, into racists.
The single biggest factor in the rise of racism/resentment is "quantity".
The more that gringos come here, the more the problem will increase.
It's as simple as this.
One Chinaman moves here and he's a novelty.
One wealthy Chinese family moves here, and some of his immediate neighbours might learn to resent them.
100 families come, and as their contact with locals by interaction increases, so does racism/resentment.
Of course, the "quantity" factor also applies to locals who like gringos.
The "quantity" factor is not a Dominican thing, it's a human thing.

IMHO, Dominicans are more gringo friendly than most other nationalities I have met in my lifetime.

In the 21 years that I have lived here, I have not sensed any hostility toward me because I am a foreigner.

I have been on most of the islands of the Eastern Caribbean and had strong feelings on many of them that the "natives" had issues about foreigners.

I don't think crime is a reflection of hostility towards foreigners. Dominicans are victims of crime more than foreigners are. If you have something that somebody else wants, makes no difference if you are foreigner or Dominican if the other person wants it enough to resort to criminal behavior to get it.

Rocky said:

... IMHO, Dominicans are more gringo friendly than most other nationalities I have met in my lifetime.

Click to expand...

Marco, that's no humble opinion, it's an absolute fact! Actually, it is an advantage being a gringo in the DR, in terms of avoiding crime and abuse. The OPs interest and worry is valid in many countries, except the DR. It may be valid in, for example, Venezuela, a country with 20 times the territorial extension of the DR, and with breathtaking natural attractions not seen anywhere in the world. However, Venezuela receives little over quarter million foreign tourist visitors a year (compared to about 3 million for the DR). Why?, probably because Venezuelans tend to be a culturally unfriendly people, not just toward gringos. I speculate it could be their Caribe genes, reflecting in their violent character, making Venezuela one of the most dangerous and violent countries in the world, much more violent than neighboring Colombia, notwithstanding its civil war, mass executions, etc...

long term not to worry

Rocky has it right, it's a case of quantity. You might say, "Familiarity breeds contempt." And politicians like Mej?a, and now Ch?vez, certainly do exacerbate the situation.

In ten years living around Europe I found predisposition to like Americans fairly common among eastern Euros and more lacking among west Euro metropolitan "elites", pretty much the same when I left as when I came. The family blood lines between the U.S. and the D.R., however, gives a mixed response among the Dominican "elites".

Another effect to consider, which I offer truly without conceit, is plain old childish jealousy -- spawned by the NY-Hollywood media axis that has for 80 years presented a fictional U.S. that adolescents envy and educated adults abhor.

Also, during 24 years living in the DR, I have perceived a rising resentment of gringos among the less successful of the burgeoning middle class -- jealousy if you will. That could simply be the cost of rapid develpment.

A small but discernable element exists in returnees from U.S. inner cities who have been propagandized by the metro politics there which venally foment group dissensions. As a group these returnees are growing, but so are the successful, moneyed returnees who are grateful to the the U.S. system for the opportunities they found there.

Don't buy that arument that so-called "poor and desperate people" resent gringos. That's limousine liberal guilt talking. First, because the Dominican "poor and Despearate" are fast disappearing due to economic development (check out the school yards with no room left to park vehicles). Second, because the really poor everywhere see affluent foreigners as opportunities, not threats, as they often perceive their local rich guys. Really, really poor, hungry and desperate people haven't the will to hate. The Bolsheviks were after all, like Ch?, spoiled, flush kids, and their "useful idots", as Marx said, were elites and middle class, not the suppine poor.

With Ch?vez defoliating his money trees to carpet L.A. with old fashion Latino caudillismo, I believe we are in general headed to a 1950's style downturn how Latins perceive gringos, American (U.S.) citizens in particular. So sew some velcro onto your pockets, but long term not to worry.

OK, lets leave Chavez in Venezuela :cheeky: Lets stay with our feet on the ground right here in the DR.

I have seen in both Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata...in very prominenent places, grafitti that says:

Yanqui al Fuerra!!!
No mas Norteamericanos!!!

Now, Im not saying every Dominican feels this way, but these are not isolated incidents, I've never "looked" for this, but have seen some version of this 5 or 6 times...and Im not in SD or POP very often...to be honest, as a Norteamericano, it doesnt make me feel too warm and fuzzy...

I've seen anti-"Yanqui" grafitti on walls in Santiago...

It's common for people in deplorable situations to look for an escape goat or reason why their situtation is bad or worsening. So the poor or low class of different countries will always blame the foreigners of that country either it be Mexicans in the US, the Haitians of the DR, or the "Yanqui" invading the DR. One of the reasons why the State Department warns Tourists to stay away from political protests, its the same type of "spook" mentality that could inflame into Mob mentality which actually turned the Germans against the Jews in pre-WWII.

Even though Dominicans are some of the nicest people in the Western Hemisphere, not all of them are nice. Keep your wits about
"You can't save everybody, just try not to live next to them when they go off"

This is a final warning ... no more Chavez! You will be deleted. Stay on topic! That way you will not waste your own time writing and will not waste my time deleting.

Come-on! This is an interesting topic.

Ricardo900 said:

It's common for people in deplorable situations to look for an escape goat or reason why their situtation is bad or worsening. So the poor or low class of different countries will always blame the foreigners of that country either it be Mexicans in the US, the Haitians of the DR, or the "Yanqui" invading the DR. One of the reasons why the State Department warns Tourists to stay away from political protests, its the same type of "spook" mentality that could inflame into Mob mentality which actually turned the Germans against the Jews in pre-WWII.

Even though Dominicans are some of the nicest people in the Western Hemisphere, not all of them are nice. Keep your wits about
"You can't save everybody, just try not to live next to them when they go off"

Click to expand...

Not to mention, as is well documented here on this forum, Dominicans blame everyone but themselves for their problems.

Funny how Dominicans both love and (seemingly) loathe foreigners.

cobraboy, let's be respectful of the mod's wishes to leave Mr. Ch?vez out of this.

cobraboy said:

Not to mention, as is well documented here on this forum, Dominicans blame everyone but themselves for their problems.

Funny how Dominicans both love and (seemingly) loathe foreigners.

Click to expand...

Wow! A highly ejumacated person using CCcc's opinions on an internet forum as fact...

Where's mondongo when you need him?

Yes, let me just say, it is board policy to discuss DR issues. It is not the mod's wishes. :glasses: Thanks however for the support!

For all the pm's, you're wasting your time. There are many other boards discussing Venezuela and their policies. Go there!

The long standing posters will understand what a bunfight these issues cause. This is not the place for it.

Any more, and this thread gets closed.

I've never known a Dominican with anti-US political opinions extend that hostility to their personal dealings with Americans or other foreigners.

The only time I have witnessed "gringo/gringa" resentment or bad feelings was when they deserved it!

When foreigners treat locals with hostility, disdain, superiority and ATTITUDE, then they get it right back. I've seen it often with particular people who move here and act like they are better than others! They have a HUGE superiority complex and then they wonder why they get themselve into trouble!

** note that increased alcohol makes things even worse then normal!

something_of_the_night said:

Wow! A highly ejumacated person using CCcc's opinions on an internet forum as fact...

Where's mondongo when you need him?

Click to expand...

CC ain't the only one...

Ricardo900 said:

escape goat

Click to expand...

There are so many different languages on the board, all communicating in English, that the usage of words sometimes are just too funny! LOL

Ricardo, it is a 'scapegoat', but your escape goat fits so well!

My experience is the same as Chiri and Planner. There may be resentment to an idea, but on a personal level, I've never experienced it, or 'felt' a sense of resentment.

A neighbor of mine did however. But then again, he asked the wrong person to 'procure a lady' for him. From that moment on, he was shunned by the Dominican community around us - gringo malo.

On a personal level, the respect thing rules!