I'm curious on how fellow Vietnamese's observation of their coutrymen's financial well-being in the U.S. From my observation, most Vietnamese are not rich nor poor, we are in the middle for the most part. I even heard of fellow Vietnamese who are on welfare and make like $100k/year. My family is just doing "fine". What is your observation and knowledge regarding this issue?

I feel that we are doing very well. Many came with nothing but the shirts on their back and are able to create a strong and viable overseas community here in the US. Sure there are some of us on welfare, but it's not like we need it but to cheat the US government.

I think we are the 2nd most successful Southeast Asian group, only a little bit behind Filipinos, of course the Filipinos have been here since the early part of the 19th century, we've only been here since the mid '70s.

Also when it comes to academic success we are right up there with the other Asian groups that have long establish communities here. And these kids will be future entrepreneurs, scientists, doctors, engineers, etc.

Compare to other SE Asian groups like the Cambodians, Hmong, Laotians, we beat them in academic and socio economic status. And we came over here roughly around the same time, give a take a few years.

I think every Vietnamese family, at one time or another, has abused the welfare system and there's nothing wrong with that. Vietnamese just love to dodge paying our dues to society. Screw the establishment.

Vietnamese S.E.S. is pretty good.

The 2000 census put Vietnamese median family income at about $46K, or $2K below whites. We were far above the national average--and even $2 above Koreans.

The 1990 census falsely suggested that we were a bunch of underachieving slackers, with income about only 2/3's that of whites.

The 1980 census put our income at about only 1/2 that of whites. Even in 1980, Vietnamese highschool students were about 50% college bound. This was much higher than that of whites at the time. So the refugees stepped right off the boat and right onto America's college campuses, despite the fact that the 1980 census showed that only 12% of their parents held college degrees. This is far, far, far lower than that of whites at the time.

Note: This is all from memory, so check the census data yourself if you need concrete numbers.

I am guessing that the 2010 census, will put us over whites, at least in median family income. The upward trajectory since 1975 has been spectacular, no? Of course, there's an inevtible plateau, i.e. somewhere around the white medium family income level ($48 K in 2000).

46K or 48K has a totally different living of standard depends on what state you're living in.
My parents have a combined income of 95K/year but we live in California so we are just doing "so-so" while one of my uncles' families live in Dallas and his family income is around 50k/year but they get to live in a very big big house

very true.

According to national stats, my family would be considered upper-middle class, maybe higher.

In California, we are just middle-class folk.

Vietnamese are high achievers due to our confucian work ethics. Of course, there are some who are left out of the norm. We have broad base representation in different economic sectors like medical, engineering, academics, construction, services, and retails. I think what the Vietnamese achieve in the past 30 years of presence in America is something to be proud of, given our situations. However, the problem I see is that Vietnamese are not as united as a group like the Chinese. Therefore, business start-ups and large-sized Vietnamese-own businesses are not as prevalent. Most businesses are mom and pops. The day we learn how to work together like the Chinese, we will be an economic force to be reckoned with.

So we believe in Confucius as well ? How come i dont remember any of his teachings.So we are east asians now
And btw as u might know , its confucianism that impeded China's political and economic reforms at the first place. So i really doubt that if confucianism does really work

If you are young and your family tells you to study hard to succeed, that is a confucian ethic. You may not realize it or not, you are practicing it subconsciously because you adhere to an east asian culture. The confucian ethics instill a strong motivation to learn, respect for elderly, respect for authority, etc.... All Vietnamese were taught this in Vietnam. If you were raised in America, even though you are not taught in school, your family probably would have taught you that. The success of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese is attributed to their confucian work ethics. Confucianism has its drawback in that it is too rigid and doesn't foster individuality and creativity. That's where western cultures tend to excel.

Viet bosses are fu-ken stingy. I job hunting in VietTown and the best offer i got was $6/hr. FKN. Theyre driving in Mercedes and theyre fu-king stingy to the max!!!
Thats their way of getting rich!
They exploit the welfare system without any shame, they are even happy telling others how it.
SHAMEFUL!

The success of East Asians in America is due to the integration of self-discipline and the sense of responsibility and accountability to others and the opportunity to apply individual initiative and creativity. I think we all understand that blind obedience and reverence to the elderly is worse than counter-productive and so is the subordination of women. Respect and revere the Founding Fathers for their achievement in creating America, but don't forget that they owned slaves and that slavery is wrong.

I agree with what you said. The confucianism also instills the sense of self-betterment and responsibility that help these nations to succeed. It is worthy to note that all those countries and Vietnam share a common belief system which is confucianism. Over the years, confucianism is modified to fit the modern context, but the underlying principles are still there. Vietnam has a late start due to wars and isolation, but it will catch up.

HAHA...I was a waiter at a Vietnamese resturant, they only paid me 6$ an hour but they didn't let me keep the tip, but I stole it anyways...........they noticed a trend so I got fired. it was only a part time job so I didnt really care.

You stole anyway... right and I wonder if there's any integrity left in a VNCH supporter

Western bosses let you eat free meals (usually free lunch+dinner if you work double shift). VN bosses dont give a damm about you. Theyre stingy to the MAX, the very very very MAX!!!
They treat you like a dog. Stingy fu-ks. I work for 2 different VietShops (VietBosses), the pay was $5. Its not the pay that makes me angry, its the way the bosses treated me, like $hit. Both of them drive Mercedes, wear Omega and theyre stingy to the max. When they do something wrong, they blamed it on me. I swear, VietBosses are fu-ken stingy to the very very very max!!!!!!

didn't let you keep the tips!? that's freaking retarded beyond belief. at my restaurant, we pay 25$ a day, plus all your tips, and you can have the buffet anytime you want, plus we cook a seperate lunch for the employees to eat together.

you can make like 130$ on a friday.

I appreciate the fair way your family treats its employees.

okay................................

WTF? wtf r u on about?

ahhh...well, I got 2 serve hot chicks tho.

we aren't so much fair/kind hearted as we are human

not letting people keep their tips must be illegal in some way.


maybe we are too nice. we have two waitresses that sometimes pocket money that customer leave on the table instead of paying at the register, and we don't fire them. my mom just tells me to keep a close eye on them.

I'd work 4 u if u let me keep the tip-gotta pay tuition and car insurance

you keeping the tips isn't a problem at all.

the problem is having to entertain two waitresses Lucy and Mary, who are sisters in their 40s and 50s and won't shut the hell up. haha

Don't know much about the general pay rate at the Vietnamese restaurant though, but one of my aunts used to work at this restaurant and they pay her $30/day plus the tips. Another aunt worked for this restaurant for some xx dollars a month I'm not sure but they don't let her keep the tips; anytime the customers tipped her, she told them to take it back

Don't forget...

1. Women get paid less than men for doing the same work.
2. Non-whites, including Vietnamese, get paid less than whites for the same work.

Thus, adjusting for "sex" & "race", Vietnamese median family income is in this very real sense... higher than that of whites--back in the year 2000!

Also, you can live like a king in LA's Little Saigon on $15/day. Great restaurant food, cheap groceries, pirated music & movies.... And restaurant tipping is practically optional.

Seriously, your "location, location, location" argument also applies to white city dwellers.

Also, LA has capped property taxes. There are many other places where a home owner with $300 K house pays more in property taxes than a guy with a $2 M home in LA. I know some Vietnamese who bought modest homes back in 1980, and now their property is worth literally like $2 M, but they are still pay 1980-level property taxes.

Is there a little saigon in california too ? and is little saigon really that cheap ? . I would love to visit it one day

You should also blame the Mexicans. Lol, just take a look around at Little Saigon in LA. It is just crawling with Mexican illegals. Vietnamese kids are going to college so there's a natural shortage of labor filled in by an endless supply of cheap Mexican labor that depresses wages--BIG TIME!



Actually, Clinton's welfare reforms took care of most of this. Also keep in mind that during the 1980's and 1990's, many dirt poor FOB's were still coming, which is why the 1980 & 1990 census data were quite misleading. After a while, most do buy homes, start businesses and send their kids to college....


There are Little Saigon's all over America & Canada, France, Australia... Southern Cal, in particular, is just chalk full 'em.

[quote name='VietGuy7' date='Apr 11 2007, 06:33 AM' post='2860498']
You should also blame the Mexicans. Lol, just take a look around at Little Saigon in LA. It is just crawling with Mexican illegals. Vietnamese kids are going to college so there's a natural shortage of labor filled in by an endless supply of cheap Mexican labor that depresses wages--BIG TIME!

So its like "take it or leave it, we have a bunch of illegals here"