“We want what Middle America has as well,” said the second-generation Mexican American, recounting the meeting. “We like to go to nice places like Claim Jumpers, Chili’s and Applebee’s. . . . We don’t want the fly-by-night business, the ‘amigo store,’ which they use to attract Latinos like myself.”
Call it “immigrant” store fatigue. It’s happening in cities that are overwhelmingly Latino, with Latino political leaders and with large immigrant communities.
Sailer comments:
“…the libertarian advice to African-Americans to start their own businesses is ill-conceived. African-Americans tend to prefer working for big institutions where all the rules are already written down in three-ring binders (e.g., the U.S. Army) because they are more likely to be successful in that kind of environment. Something similar is true for Mexican-Americans (with perhaps the more macho Marines substituting for the Army).
“There’s nothing wrong with preferring to work for a big institution rather than being an entrepreneur — indeed, succeeding in a job is better for all concerned that failing at owning a business — but that much of the punditry about minority entrepreneurialism is romantic hooey.”
