om higher education that could help them obtain high-paying jobs. Along poverty came other misfortunes such as drugs, crime, and involvement with gangs, which further inhibited the youth from seeking a good life (Carrasquillo and Sanchez-Korrol, 1996, p. 104).In their interactions with other American people, Puerto Ricans were often treated impersonally rather than as human beings with deep-rooted family values. Such an experience by many Puerto Ricans was emotionally dehumanizing. Early Puerto Rican immigrants came to the United States with deep-rooted family values and a cultural identity. However, successive generations became confused about their heritage and adopted a culture that was a mixture of American and Puerto Rican cultures. Even the language became a mixture of broken English and Spanish (“Spanglish”).Because of their history of discrimination, abuse, breakdown of family structure, values, and integrity, along with generations of poverty, lack of education, and cultural confusion, Puerto Ricans were unable to gain the rewards and success that their forefathers dreamed of.CONCLUSIONSo why did Jews achieve greater success and mobility than Puerto Ricans? There are four factors that can help answer this question:1.Jews who immigrated to the United States left behind a more prosperous life wounded by discrimination. The catalyst of their migration was social oppression instead of economic deprivation. The Jews who migrated brought with them skills, education, and intellectual wealth. On the other hand, early Puerto Ricans migrated to the United States to avoid dire poverty at home. They were mostly engaged in unskilled plantation and industrial work and were primarily driven to similar unskilled work in the United States.2.Jews were voluntary immigrants who faced a milder form of discrimination from other American people. The discrimination they faced was of a more religious nature than racial, economic,...
