However inaccurate and unfair it may be, it is a commonly-held stereotype that Latinos are uneducated, ignorant, dishonest, and easily taken advantage of by pandering politicians. Unfortunately,Maria Hinojosa’s op-ed column on CNN.com entitled “Proud to be a ‘wise Latina’” does little to dispel such ideas. She talks about how the confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor has provided an example her 11-year old daughter can follow. She then writes of how McCain’s decision to vote against Sotomayor’s confirmation was a politically unwise choice as follows:
It’s just not that complicated. Look at the changing demographics in the United States. Then think about what happens when you vote against the first Latina Supreme Court nominee.
Maybe McCain isn’t wise enough to see that reality, so I will tell him a story about a Dominican-born, U.S. citizen cabby from my Harlem neighborhood.
While he drove down Broadway, I asked the cabby if he thought that President Obama was pandering to the Latino communities across the country with the Sotomayor nomination.
“Pero muchacha!” he exclaimed in a true Dominican style. “He is not pandering. He owes us! Everyone knows now that without the Latino vote, you cannot win the presidency. He has to deliver, politically. I am a new citizen, and I voted for Obama my first time. Just like a bunch of us Dominican cabbies. Now this is my country and my politics.”
“And is that the way you guys talk amongst yourselves? That the Latino vote is that powerful?”
“Yep, asi lo vemos. That’s how we see it! But even though we love Sonia, Obama still owes us.”
And what must Obama deliver to satisfy this very politically astute cabby?
“Imigracion! He must solve this immigration problem. Families are divided up. It is unjust. So Obama must understand that is what we want him to deliver now.”
A wise Latino with some wise advice for the president. And for McCain and the Republican Party?
Buena suerte, winning the next elections!
But what is Hinojosa really communicating here? Is she showing her wisdom, or merely perpetuating racial stereotypes about Latinos, and stereotypes about Liberals generally? Here is what she is effectively saying:
1. Votes are more important than principles. “Who cares if McCain is opposed to Sotomayor’s confirmation based on principle? We’re talking about getting votes! What an idiot he is to throw away the Latino vote like that and hurt the Republican party!” Unfortunately, Hinojosa is teaching her daughter that it’s ok for politicians to pander for votes and to not hold to principles. To put it more bluntly, it’s ok to lie as long as you get what you want. If Hinojosa’s daughter lies to her and tells her what she wants to hear, does she have any grounds to be surprised, let alone disappointed?
2. Race is more important than principle. “Who cares what Sonia Sotomayor believes in, or what legislation she’ll create from the bench, or whether she understands the Constitution, she’s a Latina, I’m a Latina (or a Latino in the case of the cab-driver) and so her being in office is good for me because we’re of the same race.” If it’s ok for the cabby and Hinojosa to be for Sotomayor simply because of their race, are they ok if white people vote for other white people simply because they’re of the same race?
3. Breaking the law is ok as long as you get what you want. As the cabby says “Families are divided up. It is unjust.” Families are also divided up if a father kills someone and ends up in prison. Is that unjust? Why is it unjust if the father chooses to come into the US illegally and the consequence of his choice is that his family is separated? If it is unjust, that implies that somebody has done something wrong. If it is not the father in this hypothetical situation, then who has done something wrong? Is it the US government, for not leaving the border wide open?
If Hinojosa and this cabby are truly representative of a majority of Latinos, then it does not bode well for either Latinos or the country as a whole. Hinojosa is telling politicians that all they have to do to get their vote is to tell them what they want to hear and throw them a bone every once in a while to make the lies seem credible. If Latinos want a better life for their children, they should be teaching them that principles are more important than votes, and the only good politicians is a politician who is willing to lose elections before losing his integrity. They should be teaching their children that it is the content of your mind and not the color of your skin that makes you who you are, and that you shouldn’t trust someone just because they’re the same race as you. They should be teaching their children that in America, they don’t owe anyone else if they succeed, and they can’t blame anyone else if they fail. They should be teaching their children that the rule of law is what makes America great, and when you obey those laws you like and ignore those that get in your way, then you end up with the kind of government you have in Mexico and all the poverty, crime, and suffering it brings with it.
I can only hope that Hinojosa and this cabby are exceptions, and that other Latinos don’t fit the stereotypes Hinojosa is perpetuating.
She is clearly an idiot!
I have issues with any race that tells the American population as a whole that Obama owes them anything. I hope for all of our sakes that he delivers to all American people regardless of race or ethnicity because he “owes” all of us, not just one segment of the population. If any person believes that “their” vote is more important than other people of this country, then they have not truly embraced the idealogy of American. Read the constitution, we are ALL equal. Black, Latinas, Asians, are not better than European born people. We are all equal and those are the ideals that this country was based on. I am tired of segments of the population thinking that they are owed. They are not. If the Jews wanted reparations for all that was done to them in the past, including slavery, then imagine how bankrupt some countries might be….including Egypt, and other countries like Spain. Africa put their own people in slavery, its been done before in every country in the world. Every race and culture in this freaking world has at some point in the history of their people been slaves and been the underdog. Ask women about that, they have been slaves a lot longer than ANY other race there is. I think people should just get over it and let the past be in the past. I am sick of racist people who are white, black, Latina, Asian….whatever they are. It just makes me wonder about the intelligence level of our country.
SCREW SOTOMAYOR AND THE IDIOTS WHO VOTED HER IN! IF THEY WANT A RACIST BITCH IN OFFICE, LET THEM OBEY HER LAWS-NOT ME!!!!
Can me and my sons wear a shirt that say “Wise Caucásico” or “Wise Gringo” or simply “Wise White Person”? Would that be acceptable and proud? America is getting ridiculous. I dont condone the distant past which I had NOTHING to do with nor did my father, grandfather, or great grandfather. But, two wrongs dont make a right and civil rights isnt about revenge. It’s about setting things straight and fair…not preferential treatment and reverse discrimination. Yet, I, we, us…are crucified. If this is the case, when one of your brothers, sisters, parents, or grandparents commits a crime…you too should be liable for the fees, fines, and serve the sentence they get under the law. After all, it was your people who did committed the crime…right?
I agree, I found this article very disturbing. John McCain is actually a republican who could be seen as having the best interest of the Latino community at heart. He has pushed for amnesty for millions of illegals even though most republicans and most americans for that matter are strongly opposed to any amnesty for the massive illegal population. She has already forgotten the big political price he paid for that. Now, just because McCain does not believe in voting for someone just because they are latino, he is a “jerk”. Not to mention the fact that sotomayor got a pretty fair hearing from republicans and she is a pretty european/white latino, no more latin than scalia or alito.
I am so tired of everyone living off their race , ethnic backround.
A wise “man” (MLK) once said ‘Judge a man not by his color but rather by his character’ ….
I am 100 % hispanic but I have NEVER used that to benefit my life, career.
Put the race card away already !! It only demeans you and America.
We are simply all Americans !
0 responses ??
What happened to my last comment ?
WOW….I thought this is America… so much for free speech.
Mr Steimle is obvious afraid of truth and living in the dark ages !
Sorry Martin, it was an issue with the blog not sending me emails to let me know about new comments so I could approve them. So my blog was keeping me in the dark, although probably not quite a “dark age”.
Ms. Hinojosa and others who think Obama “owes” the latino community must not realize that he in fact won despite the latino community. The latino community supported Hillary over Obama by a wide margin (and would have been credited with her win had she won), yet Obama still won. Obama’s victory over McCain was much more decided and would have occurred despite a flip in any single demographic subset.
One of Obama’s largest group of supporters, is blue-collar union voters, who by a large percentage resent illegal workers. If anyone is in doubt what Obama’s priorities are just look at what his major decisions have been so far. All economic, bailing out the car companies, etc. The single choice of a latina judge is a great way for him to support diversity without being accused of favoring his own race. This decision doesn’t have any bearing at all on “delivering” on immigration, and I think that if he did “deliver” a bill the latino community would be shocked by it.
The latino voice is growing and will be very strong in the future. But as for now, it is not and will not be reflected in this administration.
As an Hispanic descend I feel that Obama does not own anything to the Hispanics (Es un huevon pendejo con iniciativa.) and we should not give anything to him either, further more I resent his double standards and his clear desire for black reparation’s and his true hate towards economic prosperity of any kind other that his own or the government. The nomination of Sotomayor could it be good, but when she makes comments that she is better because she is Hispanic, I don’t like that! If she has done as good that some say she has; then she doen’t need to hide or to “Escudarse” that she is hispanics you should be proud of your heritage but never at the expenses of denigrating others for political gain. In America we need an emigration bill but not one that rewards illegal immigrants – they have broken the law of this country if we need them then we should provide them with working papers. There are millions that they have established roots in this country for more than 15-20 years so we need to deal with that fact and fix there legals status, but at the same time we should pass the law for stop of hiring illegals by anyone, and give working permits to them, and shut the borders.
When we Latin Americans use “Latino” we are referring to Central and South Americans not Cubans, Puerto Ricans or Dominicans. Latin America categorizes Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Dominicans as Caribbean along with Jamaica, Haiti, Aruba, Barbados, Bahamas. I believe it was Americans who included Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans under the title “Latino” only because they speak Spanish, which by the way is different from our Spanish as they do not use the “R” for example “woman=mujer” they say/spell it “mujel”. We have many mispelled signs in Miami.
We Latin Americans are aware that Puerto Ricans are US Citizens-US Territory, why they keep claiming to be Latin American is a mystery as Puerto Ricans are extremely racist against us Latin Americans here in Miami, as are Cubans. They descriminate greatly against us. I’ve been told to my face that Latin America should disappear. Here in Miami they don’t like Americans either or Europeans. They go as far as refusing to speak English forcing us to speak Spanish, they claim speaking English is to assimilate.
Latin Americans are Central and South America and we do not see a Puerto Rican-American confirmed to the Supreme Court as a reflection of Latin America. As a matter of fact, Puerto Ricans are not very welcomed in Central or South America.
Solis-Costa Rican,
While certain groups may have their own ideas about what it means, “Latin America” generally refers to any country south of the United States that has as its primary tongue a romance language—hence “Latin.”
there is no such thing as a wise latina
these idiots are the ones always screaming about racial equality, if you want racial equality stop bringing up race in everything you speak about – you will never be equal if you consistently refrer to yourself as “latina”, ” african american” etc. do you ever hear anyone complaining about being ” european “
Michael,
Thank you, I am glad you also know the rule, I know the rule also, I have read it in Wikipedia and learned it in school here in the US. That is exactly why I wrote “we Latin Americans” and explained how “we in Latin America” categorize Puerto Ricans and Cubans as Caribbean. Just because the rule has been made that Latin America includes all countries south of the United States does not automatically mean that Central & South American people accept Cubans, Dominicans as Latin Americans and as for Puerto Rico we are well aware that they are not a country but a US territory going on 112 years I believe.
Now, I did schooling in Germany, France and Spain there they do differentiate Continental Latin America and the Spanish speaking people from the Caribbean. I did some of my schooling in Austria and they taught the same as the other European countries and Latin American countries. My cousins in Ukraine and Greece have been taught the same principal.
There is a difference between the scholastic and the reality of life, just because a Pitbull, a Cat and a Possum are all labeled animals does not make them all the same breed.
Just because under the rule that Puerto Rico is part of Latin America does not automatically mean that Central & South Americans are going to see Sotomayor as one of our own people and see her as an accomplishment of our countries. Yes, of course her people should be congratulated for having one of her own in the Supreme Court, it is a great accomplishment for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and they should be proud.
Puerto Ricans and Cubans here in Florida don’t like to be called Latin American, they call themselves Latin American when they want to call themselves that, but they will correct everyone else and call themselves Caribbean and expect you to call them Caribbean, they don’t live by the “scholastic rule” found in Wikipedia that they are Latin Americans and believe me they will get into your face and tell you so and you better apologize.
They are extremely proud of their Cuban/Puerto Rican or Dominican heritage and culture and you better respect it. They fight to make sure their flags are posted everywhere and paint it on business windows.
Listen, they refuse to speak English because they will tell you that they don’t want to assimiliate, speaking English means betraying their homeland, heritage, culture. If we don’t speak Spanish to them but insist on English they will deny us jobs, sales and service and they will fight you on it.
They even have their own Spanish, they do not use or prounounce the letter “R” for example
woman=mujer theirs is mujel, Please=por favor theirs is pol favol, Gerardo theirs is Gelaldo,
forward=para adelante theirs is pa’lante. They also speak Spanglish which is very confusing.
We have numerous mispelled signs here in Miami and the difference in Spanish is the creator of many fights.
So this “rule of all of us being thrown into on Latin America melting pot” does cause serious trouble amongst our different peoples. I realize American people don’t understand it since they think we are all one group.
Solis,
I wasn’t trying to imply that a whole continent’s worth of people, plus part of another continent, plus a whole bunch of islands could at all possibly be indistinguishable from one another. Of course countries and peoples in different areas will develop distinct identities and cultures. It’s just that the history, language, culture, and religion that most non-English speaking countries in the Americas share give them a greater or lesser “Latin” character that contrast sharply with “Anglo-America”.
Michael,
What I have learned here in Miami from my neighbors,Santeros and Botanica shop people is that Cuba, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic all had thousands and thousands of African slaves brought to their islands and got mixed with their natives as well as some of the Spaniards which is the reason as to why their culture, religion, art, music, literature, dance and the musical instruments are mainly African based and they share African roots.
The Cuban people have taught me that they also call themselves Afro-Cubans.
Even though the Roman Catholicism was introduced and practiced, it was practiced in a different manner in that some of its elements were absorbed into the African religion of the Yoruba people as well as Congo which became known as Santeria. So,they mixed Roman Catholic saints with Yoruba deities.
They did absorb some Hispanic culture but are proud that they did not lose the integrity of their African heritage, culture and spirituality.
For example, Dominican Republic has an African Heritage and they see their practice of Vodoo as part of their Catholicism, this Vodoo is similar to the Haitian Vodoo but they use different types of percussion.
Puerto Rico African slaves to the sugar plantations were from African areas of Congo, Ashanti, Yoruba and Bantu and got mixed with the Taino indians and some Spaniard. They use something called Bomba drums and have Bomba dancers.
Cubans also use a different Spanish, for example, woman is mujer to us, to Cubans the common slang for woman is “jeba” and a large majority do not pronounce the letter “S” at the end of words, a Van to us is Camioneta to Cubans it is “Guagua” To us Tire is Llanta, to Cubans it is Goma, a Pepper to us is Chile, to Cubans it is “Aji”.
I’ve learned that all the different religions they practice believe in one head god with sub deities called Orishas.
It is very confusing and overwhelming here in Miami when we try to understand and follow the Caribbean African based religions, culture and history of these islands and it is difficult to distinguish one from the other for those of us who are outsiders to their islands.
Even though Spanish is not spoken in Haiti they also practice a similar Vodou which coexists with Catholicism.
Michael,
I forgot to inform you that the Ethnic composition of Central and South Americans is primarily of European descent, Indian blood mixed with Europeans and European (no mix with Indian blood). You will find the people to be not only descendants from but are still moving to Latin America from the countries of Greece, Spain, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Ireland, England, France and from China, Korea, most people travel to this countries to visit and stay with family for long periods of time and visa versa.
Lots of Jews emigrated from Czarist Russia to Costa Rica. Brazil is primarily Portuguese.
The people speak Spanish, English, French ( French being a 2nd language requirement in school) Italian and are also taught in school and are spoken throughout Central and South America. The Native Indian languages are spoken also.
The Europeans influenced the art, music, literature and dance.
Roman Catholicism is the main religion but you will also find Evangelical Protestants as well as Mormon.