Latin-American Studies

We have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans, both at the same time. Its exhausting 
Abraham Quintanilla from Selena

    Perhaps to the surprise of many Americans, it is well documented in history that Latinos have done a lot for the United States. Looking back to the very beginning, the first successful colony in the United States was St. Augustine founded by the Spanish in 1565. This means that besides the Native Americans, Latinos have been in the United States longer than any other ethnic group. So why do so many non-Latino Americans treat Latinos as second class citizens

    Prejudice against Latinos is nothing new in the United States. Hispanophobia, the fear of Hispanic  or Latino people, has been documented since the exploration age. Perhaps due to the successes of Spain, Northern European countries began to speak poorly about the country and the places discovered and ruled by the Spanish. Once the United States of America was formed by English speaking men, the discrimination against Latinos in America began. Florida was give to the United States by Spain, with the promise that the United States would not claim any part of Texas. At the same time as the founding of St. Augustine, California was explored by the Spanish. A number of famous explorers landed on the west coast, and eventually the area was settled as a part of Mexico.

    When the United States won the war against Mexico in 1848, half of Mexico became part of the United States. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed promising to give Mexicans in the United States land owning rights after one year (Robinson, 2006). This ruling was ignored and many Mexican Americans were forced off their land. In New Mexico and Texas, this led to many Latinos attempting to fight for their land with acts of violence. During the California Gold Rush, more non-Latinos entered the area and pressured Latinos to live and work elsewhere. From 1848 to 1860, at least 163 Mexicans were lynched in California.

    As the years went by, discrimination against Latinos continued. In the 1930s Mexican Americans were encouraged to go back to Mexico. 500,000 people were deported at this time, despite 60  of the deportees being American citizens. During World War II, white members of the military attacked Latino youths due to racial tensions. These attacks are now known as the Zoot Suit Riots, named after the popular suits worn by Latinos (Robinson, 2006).

    Currently in the United States, Latinos continue to face problems due to prejudice. Many Americans chose to ignore the Latino presence in Americas history and insist the United States is a European based nation and should remain so. Recently a controversial law was passed in the state of Arizona allowing law enforcement officials the right to question anyone suspicious of being an immigrant and demanding proof of residency on the spot. Critics are saying that this bill, SB 1070, is legalizing law enforcements rights to harass Latinos, and is the equivalent of Nazism and the yellow Stars of David worn by the Jews during World War II (Archibold, 2010). Also  along the border of the United StatesMexico border, a group of vigilantes calling themselves  The Minutemen  independently monitor the area, looking for illegal immigrants. Some have compared this group to hunters, only instead of animals, this group wants to shoot Mexicans. Others, including government officials, have praised their work (McKinley, 2009).

        Another problem that many non Latino Americans have with Latinos is the issue of increased violence. Many gangs in the United States are Latino based. People tend to join gangs when they feel like they do not belong anywhere else. Once initiated into a gang, you will be taken care of for life (Mac Donald, 2004). Someone who is far from home and living somewhere illegal may feel very isolated and either seek out a gang or be sought out by one.  Once gangs take over an area, people begin to live in fear and are not likely to bring attention to gang members. MS-13, a gang started by immigrants who escaped from the repressive regime in El Salvador, has around 10,000 members in over 33 states and is becoming well known for its intimidation habits, recently killing a former member-turned informant with a machete (Johnson, 2006).
   
    Also, Latinos are more likely to be  targets of violent behavior from non-Latinos. A Mexican immigrant was killed by four teenagers in upstate Pennsylvania in 2008. The high school seniors allegedly told the victim  ...this is America, go back to Mexico  along with ethnic slurs. The amount of crimes committed against Latinos increased by 35,  from 426 reported crimes in 2003 to 595 in 2007. Anti-immigration organizations have been formed and popular television personalities like Michael Savage and Lou Dobbs help fan the flames of fear amongst the Latino and immigrant communities. Dobbs has even go as far as saying that illegal immigrants have brought malaria, leprosy and other contagious diseases to this country. This claim was disproved by the Center for Disease Control but the damage was already done. In Seattle, some African Americans feel that because many Latino laborers do not speak English, they are easier to take advantage of and thus easier to employee. The African Americans believe that the rights of Latinos are being put before their rights and are not supportive of illegal workers receiving amnesty (Turnbull, 2006).

    Latinos in the United States do not just have to deal with external struggles they have internal difficulties as well. From extreme culture clash to language barriers to health issues, Latinos must work hard to find a comfortable place in America.

    For the most part, Latino families are extremely close. It is not uncommon for several generations of a family to live in one house together. Parents go to work to support their children who are take care of by grandparents. In the 2000 United States Census, it was reported that 30 of Latinos lived in a house with five or more people. Compared to the 21 of African Americans and 11 of White non-Latino who live with five or more people, the difference is quite large (Census 2000). Latinos tend to branch out away from the typical  nuclear  family and include aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents in daily life. Children are taught that family comes first and to always respect older members. Because of the emphasis on family honor in the Latino community, many feel that they are missing opportunities. While being expected to contribute to the improvement of the family, moving away for school or a job is not as encouraged. For young Latinos that have grown up in the United States around non-Latinos, this can be a difficult concept to accept. Many feel that their families moved to the United States for more chances but because of their culture, they cannot take these chances, no matter how available they are. Many Latinos believe that what is good enough for them is good enough for their children, and the children do not want to confront their hardworking parents with the idea that there are more options (Marketplace 2010).

    Due to the overwhelming Catholic influence on Latinos, marriage and having children are considered crucial aspects to the family. Children are less likely to be educated about birth control or encouraged to use it, which explains why the families are larger. Latinas are also more likely to get married as teenagers. While the divorce rate is lower than average for Latinos, being encouraged to marry and have children at a younger age again takes away more opportunities that a young Latino may want to pursue (Census 2000). 
   
    Unfortunately for Latinos in the United States, education does not appear to be a top priority. More than two in five Latinos have not completed their secondary education. Only 13 receive a bachelors degree. The Hispanic College Fund was created with the idea of encouraging Latinos to keep going with school. The organization is reaching out to students early on, when they are still in the beginning years of high school. They offer chances for kids to spend a week at a college, hoping that experience will push them further. One student who participated in this program said he wants to go to college, so he can have a professional job, not in construction or on a landscaping crew. His parents also want him to go, but because of their lack of education and  somewhat recent arrival to the United States from El Salvador, they did not know how to help their son. Because many Latinos attend high schools with little funding, they do not always have guidance counselors to help them with their college goals (Marketplace, 2010).

    Another problem in the Latino community is health. Obesity is a large problem for Latinos and it is leading to other health issues. Latinos are twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Latinos. While diet and lack of exercise contribute to this issue, some studies show that some Latinos are genetically predisposed towards diabetes, particularly ones with American Indian or African heritages. Another health issue in lines with obesity is heart disease. Despite all of these health concerns, Latinos are less likely than other Americans to receive medications for their ailments or receive more advanced treatment. Cultural barriers between medical professionals and Latinos further delay treatment and wellness encouragement. Because some Latinos are so devoted to their culture, they are less likely to change their dietary habits or overall lifestyle activities for health reasons (Reyes,  2004).

    Probably the most obvious struggle for Latinos is dealing with language. Not all Latinos speak Spanish, but most Spanish speakers are Latino.  Although not the official language of the United States, it is commonly understood that English is the primary language. Thus the reason for the panicked states of many American citizens who worry that an influx of immigrants, mostly from Spanish speaking countries, will make English irrelevant. Although studies have shown that this is not a valid concern, the issue is still at large.

    There are a lot of Latinos that are not proficient in English and to a lot of Americans, this is unacceptable. Despite the fact that within ten years of living in the United States, the majority of Latino immigrants are speaking relatively good Spanish, they are not learning fast enough. Recently a sandwich shop owner in Philadelphia caused controversy over posting a sign saying  This is America. Order in English . When interviewed, the owner, Joey Vento claims that he has received a large amount of support and seen an increase in sales because of his actions. What non-Latinos seem to forget or not realize is that learning a new language can be very difficult for some people, especially if education was never stressed as important.

    A study done concerning how important learning English is for Latinos showed that 96 of immigrants polled in 2003 believe it is very important for their children to learn English. 88 of American born Latinos agree. Only 2 of Latinos polled, both immigrants and natives, said it is not important for their children to learn English (Pew Hispanic Center, 2006). These findings show that Latinos want to learn English, demonstrating the immigrants strong desires to effectively communicate in their new country.

    Latinos are the youngest and largest minority in America and the population will keep growing. As it grows, Latinos will continue to deal with struggles, as they always have and they will continue to play a strong role in all aspects of the United States, just like always.