Rise of Latino population blurs US racial lines

WASHINGTON (AP) — Welcome to the new off-white America. A historic decline in the number of U.S. whites and the fast growth of Latinos are blurring traditional black-white color lines, testing the limits of civil rights laws and reshaping political alliances as "whiteness" begins to lose its numerical dominance.

The Article
America has always been a diverse nation of many different characters and people of different racial backgrounds. Our country has changed so much since it's founding that I bet the Founders couldn't believe how far nation has come. Being of Latino heritage I hope we can steer this country into a better direction together. What are thoughts on this article?

Edit: I posted the article. My mistake.

I personally feel that all of this affirmative action stuff should just be done away with. Things should be based on qualifications not just because somebody is a minority. As far as Latinos on the rise, well..that is no surprise. Predictions of Latinos would take over have been around for quite some time. There is no stopping it from happening. However, I don't think it is going to change how people feel about America.

Originally posted by Phoenix267
Our country has changed so much since it's founding that I bet the Founders couldn't believe how far nation has come.

It changed a whole lot for the people that were already here before your "founders" arrived.

Is a country not a country until someone has paperwork and a name?

America was invaded and colonised, it was not "founded". Just another land mass that was colonised through imperialism.

Couldn't we all just pretend that every one was green! It would make things a lot easier, maybe, probably not!

OK, Dark greens to the back of the bus, light greens to the front.

People are people, it is just that simple.

P

Personally, I don't like the idea that "Latino" and "White" are two different things. They really aren't.

A true Latino is considered Caucasian. I think they want to separate it out because of the countries from Mexico down to South America, and the Caribbean, have Caucasian mixed in with Native American and Black.

I had a census worker come to our house last year because she claimed the government said we never returned our census form. I said we never got one. Long story short, she wanted to know my race. I said, "Well, my mother is from Puerto Rico." She said, "So you're Hispanic". I said, "No, I don't think that's correct according to US government definitions. Her parents were from Spain." So she said, "Then you're White....I think"

She sat there trying to figure out which box to check.

I finally said, "Just check White, for crying out loud. What difference does it make??" She said, "It makes a lot of difference to the government, which race you identify yourself with." Oh brother!

I read somewhere once where, in 100 years, everybody will be part everything. I see it happening already within my own family. In a way, I hope it comes to that, if only to get rid of stereotypes, prejudice, and those stupid census forms asking about race.

Whatever we're doing as a species, if we stop the devolution, then we're doing alright.

Originally posted by ANOK

Originally posted by Phoenix267
Our country has changed so much since it's founding that I bet the Founders couldn't believe how far nation has come.

It changed a whole lot for the people that were already here before your "founders" arrived.

Is a country not a country until someone has paperwork and a name?

America was invaded and colonised, it was not "founded". Just another land mass that was colonised through imperialism.

There were various people who colonized North and South America. I'm not doubting there were many struggles, but that is what humans do when new countries are founded. You can back to the earliest points of history and see many empires and civilizations were founded through war for resources and territory. That's not saying early Europeans came to America for war against the Native Americans. But what does this contribute to the thread?

reply to post by FissionSurplus


I understand where you're coming from with your comment. I'm mixed with Cuban, Mexican, Russian, Italian, and Greek ancestry. I'm also white. I guess many people try to separate different people by color and ancestry.

Would there be that signiicant an amount of latinos if there wern't millions of illegal ones?

IDK- I like diversity so long as we all agree we are "American". I choose to live in a diverse neighborhood in a diverse city and I am friends with people of every color (except Purple people- I hate them...) and I also have certain people of every color I dislike.

My most miserable time was living in KY in an all "white " area (I am white BTW).

I actually think this nation was founded upon diversity (not just of race, but opinion and belief) and I am far less worried about the "Mexican Invasion" than I am of corporations becoming the new Aristocrats.

-So thats my opinion. I see more of a class struggle than one of race.

reply to post by Phoenix267


There is no justification for any of it, two, or many, wrongs don't make a right. This thread happens to be about the US, and the racial "blurring". No article to read, so I made a point based on what the OP claimed. Don't like it, don't read it.

Oh anther point, there is no race, we are all the same race. The dividing of "races" also came from colonisation and imperialism. Can't indiscriminately uproot, and outright kill people off, steal their land, without first making them appear subhuman, don't you know?

reply to post by FissionSurplus


Forms I fill out say Hispanic or non-Hispanic then I have to pick from Asia, Africa, White, Black, or Native Indian..

More complicated than it needs to be.

Originally posted by ANOK
reply to post by Phoenix267

 

There is no justification for any of it, two, or many, wrongs don't make a right. This thread happens to be about the US, and the racial "blurring". No article to read, so I made a point based on what the OP claimed. Don't like it, don't read it.

Oh anther point, there is no race, we are all the same race. The dividing of "races" also came from colonisation and imperialism. Can't indiscriminately uproot, and outright kill people off, steel their land, without first making them appear subhuman, don't you know?

I edit and inserted the article. But you're going on a pointless rant about imperialism of different people. This thread is about the future diversity of America and how it will effect all of us in different ways. Relax and enjoy a glass of water.

Originally posted by jam321
I personally feel that all of this affirmative action stuff should just be done away with. Things should be based on qualifications not just because somebody is a minority. As far as Latinos on the rise, well..that is no surprise. Predictions of Latinos would take over have been around for quite some time. There is no stopping it from happening. However, I don't think it is going to change how people feel about America.

edit on 17-3-2013 by jam321 because: (no reason given)

I've never known Affirmitave Action to do a damn thing for me or anyone I've ever known. Who cares if they scrap it.

I'm cool with being a Mutt!

Interracial parents have amazingly good-looking offspring; have you ever seen an Asian-American woman? Holy Mackerel!!! Latina's are already sexy... white girls mixed with a Latin race is... man... wow!

Each race has its trash - if people are good people to me, and there's no denying that they're good people, then culture or shade of someone's skin is just the flavor they're bringing to the table --- which I'm über cool with!

It's the people who want to *preserve their race* who has a problem with allowing the United States to have a little flavor and color. Any person or persons who are adamant with repelling a race that is NOT of their color, no matter what the color of their skin; if it's affecting me in a negative way, they're the one's who I have a problem with.... not their skin color!

Originally posted by Night Star
Would there be that signiicant an amount of latinos if there wern't millions of illegal ones?

Would White people be the majority if they didn't come over bring their diseases, ravage and commit genocide on Native Americans?

Originally posted by Night Star
Would there be that signiicant an amount of latinos if there wern't millions of illegal ones?

Your bigotry is showing. There's a difference between Latinos and Hispanics.

reply to post by muse7


Why are you and the other user bring this up? What point are you trying to get across?

I believe we live in a world of ethnicity, rather than race. When I think of color/culture I think of ethnicity more than race. I'm a Latino myself, and growing up in Brooklyn New York in a predominately Latino neighborhood we all viewed each other as our own people. The Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Ecuadorians, Salvadorians, Colombians, etc. lived together, the Asians lived together, the Arabs lived together, the Blacks lived together, the Whites lived together, and that's how it still is even though more people are spreading out where living is the least costly for themselves.

Segregation is very strong in New York City, and to be honest I like it that way. Every culture has their little territory and it's nice to see diversity. You get to see the entire world on a small piece of land. I can walk a few avenues up and be in little Asia, a few more avenues you'll be in the Jewish area. Forget the avenues, I want to walk a few blocks into the next neighborhood and see the Arabs, let's go 20 blocks from there I want to be around the Whites. Never mind all of that, I want to be at home with my Latinos today, let's go eat some Dominican food, or maybe settle for some Mexican, or better yet let's go for some Puerto Rican cuisine.

I believe people feel more comfortable on a social level being around "their" people. That's why America is growing so fast. People can move out here and know they won't be held back because the culture is completely different. People can simply move to a certain area and pursue the "American Dream" (a better life) without the obstacles you might encounter moving somewhere else in the world. It's a different world out here in New York City, same with many large American cities, and it's lovely. Racial lines aren't blurring out here, they've become more visible as more people move out here from their countries and stick to neighborhoods with "their" people. I love the diversity, and I love America.

Originally posted by the_philth
I'm cool with being a Mutt!

Interracial parents have amazingly good-looking offspring; have you ever seen an Asian-American woman? Holy Mackerel!!! Latina's are already sexy... white girls mixed with a Latin race is... man... wow!

Each race has its trash - if people are good people to me, and there's no denying that they're good people, then culture or shade of someone's skin is just the flavor they're bringing to the table --- which I'm über cool with!

It's the people who want to *preserve their race* who has a problem with allowing the United States to have a little flavor and color. Any person or persons who are adamant with repelling a race that is NOT of their color, no matter what the color of their skin; if it's affecting me in a negative way, they're the one's who I have a problem with.... not their skin color!

I concur, good sir!

I think there might be more Phillipinos here than Latinos. they just succeed in blending better.

The last two decades have seen the largest levels of immigration sInce the turn of the 19th century.