For me, I rarely share my political views for obvious reasons. Like religion, one can reserve the right to keep their beliefs to themselves. This is why I have not openly shared my views regarding “my president, Barack Obama” (hint…hint…). The one thing this election shows is that RACE STILL MATTERS and the problem WILL NOT BE SOLVED until Jesus returns’ (come quickly Lord Jesus…).
As African Americans have voted and tuned in on the presidency, Hispanics are firmly opposing Black leaders in favor of white ones. Is the brotherhood among minorities dead? The Democratic primaries in California and Texas woke up a lot of people. During this election, there was a lot of talk going on about the “Black and Brown” divide. Most people have assumed for decades that since Blacks and Hispanics are minorities, it is only natural that they will support each other for elective office. Wrong!
BLACK PEOPLE LISTEN UP: Hispanics have always viewed themselves as a “dominant” group.
While Blacks have helped to elect Hispanics (The wife-cheating Mayor of Los Angeles, for example) it is abundantly clear that Hispanics have a clear opposition to voting for Black candidates. Whether it’s viable Black candidates like Ron Kirk, the former mayor of Dallas who lost his bid for the senate, or now Barack Obama running for president, Hispanics have opted to vote for the white candidate–or not at all. Up until recently, this trend has been most notable in places like California and Texas, but as the legal/illegal Hispanic populations increase across the nation, I note that this trend is not just isolated to the southwest United States.
What we see is that when the candidates are Democrat or Republican, Hispanics will routinely vote Democrat. However, when the candidate is Black and his opponent is White, Hispanics will tend to vote against the Black candidate as we’re seeing in the Obama/Clinton race. During “Super Tuesday” for presidential candidates, California voters chose their candidates for president. Hispanics make up a huge block of voters in California and they overwhelmingly chose Hillary Clinton over Obama by 64% according to MSNBC. It is now clear that being a fellow minority hasn’t created any kinship with Hispanics in America if we ever had this. We’ve all heard of the racial school fights that are almost a daily occurence in California, and the situation in the jails is so balkanized that even rival gangs like the Crips and Bloods put aside their street differences, while in prison, in order to put up a resistance to the Hispanics in jail, many of whom are illegal aliens.
What we see coming into form is a two front assault: Whites against Blacks on the one hand and Hispanics against Blacks on the other.
It’s clear that Hispanic disdain for Black people is no accident and it is clear this is not a trend we will see diminish. As Hispanic influence increases, we will see fewer and fewer opportunities for Black Americans develop. Remain in denial about this if you want, the proof will definitely be IN the pudding. We will be in the middle of a giant squeeze play, crushed between Whites on one hand and Hispanics on the other. While no one should construe this article to mean anyone should be anti-Hispanic (or anti-anyone else for that matter) we as Black people need to see to our own affairs first. We can’t just support people because they are white—-or Black for that matter. Screw-ups cross every ethnic line.
Hopefully this will “open the eyes” of OUR people who have slept on this for years, decades even. “BE for US, by US.”
Having daily contact with the Hispanics, they do not consider themselves minorities. Once they have infiltrated the black culture through marriage or whatever, they are disowned by thier race. They hold themselves in high esteem, and the popular American society court their $ even though they will send back to their homeland. They establish credit and will not pay it, they have multiple names with government issued ss#’s. The recieve our government issued welfare benefits at enormous rates, while not even being a citizens…what happened? Will we forever be the only minority? Am I not a man/woman? Sorry, It spilled over…
I had no clue whatsoever.
Tell me this, if you don’t mind. What is your take on racism vs. sexism as it relates to the upcoming election?
You know – this is interesting. I can’t say that I agree with your statements though. I have extensive contact w/the Latino community. One of my closest new ministry buddies is a 50 year old Latino preacher from Humboldt Park who has both his M.Div and MIS degrees. We chat about this topic all the time as we have lunch together probably three times or so a week. Besides, I’m doing some work with the youth at his church and I’ve had a chance to build some really good relationships with some of the people there.
I don’t think that the Latino agenda is wholistically against the African American culture. I think what’s happening is this…the Latinos are coming aboard, becoming educated, supporting each other, and taking a stand and saying “we’re here, we’re just like you, and we have needs too.” They’re being adamant and persistent and learning how to do one thing Blacks still have a hard time doing – uniting.
Their unification has certainly strengthened the nation’s awareness. Not only that, but many Latinos are doing what it takes to become a productive member of society – and once they’re here, just like any other culture, they become American and their agenda is revealed. I think it will be interesting to see how the next 8 years play out and how much more addressing the Latino need will be (versus how it is today).
All in all, I think Latinos are just simply saying to America that they can’t be ignored and their banned together in a mental cypher listening to all the arguments about who will support them the most – Democrat, Republican, or Independent – Black or White – it doesn’t matter…but the candidate who can balance addressing the Latino need while also balancing both the support and opposition of immigration will be the smartest.
Great topic – we need to have more of these types of discussions! What Blacks can learn from the Latino!
-dtw
A Liberian friend and I were having a similar discussion a few evenings ago. The highlights of our discussion included how African Americans are perceived…even by our own so called “brothers and sisters” who immigrate from Africa. Not only are whites and hispanics against blacks, but many of our own “people” as well. Is it because we have the highest high school drop out rates? Highest rates of teen pregnancy? Highest rates of unemployment? Highest crime rates? Of course all of this factors into the perception of Black America.
Have we not made well with the opportunities we were given?
Yo Bishop – so, the Latino Pastor and I had lunch again today. So, I picked his brain. Interesting stuff – I tell you, interesting stuff.
I asked him how did Latinos in general perceive Blacks. Do you know what he told me? He told me that Latinos actually look up to Blacks. He said that first and second generation Latinos respect Blacks for what they’ve done in the civil rights era. He mentioned that many of these same older Latinos feel they associate more w/Blacks than any other culture based on this alone. He also mentioned that if you look at where most Latinos are dropping anchor – it’s in mostly Black neighborhoods. Which is true for the most part. Before I moved to where I live now, I had a Mexican family living next door to me…on Lockwood and Ohio!!! And, when I get off the green line at Central, Latinos join me in my walk south.
He did say there is a slight divide though. He said that most 1st and 2nd generation Latinos would vote for Clinton because Latinos are so unified that they go by name. They remember the name Clinton and can associate that with a time when things weren’t as bad as they were. Because of that downfall (depends on how you look at it), Clinton would probably get the popular vote from 1st and 2nd generation Latinos. But he did point out that this same group has a declining voting ratio. So, while Clinton is favorable and more popular, if people don’t vote, this doesn’t matter.
3rd and 4th generation Latinos are different. While he was adamant about saying that most of this group would vote for Obama, he did mention that these are the more educated and liberal of the Latinos. This means they speak less Spanish, have less ties to the culture, and are more Americanized than that of their predecessors. He equated that to meaning that a small percentile of the group could vote Clinton, Obama, and even McCain. But, he thought the majority would reach out to Obama.
So, this is interesting…really good stuff. Who would have known that Latinos look up to Blacks for surviving the struggle. He did disclaim by saying that it wasn’t all Latinos that looked up to Blacks – but it was definitely the majority.
Reporting live from Northbrook, Illinois in upper class White America…
-DTW
Hey Big Sis,
Wow, what keen analysis you have regarding your experiences. You opened my eyes to another dimension I hadn’t considered (disowned by their race). You really should consider developing your own blog. You have so much to say and a unique style of writing. Go ahead and take the plunge!
Que P.,
Oh, come on…I know you have something to say don’t you…
Regarding Racism vs. sexism – it’s very alive and well during this election and will be after this election. Stay tuned, I have a whole piece on sexism – you’re gonna love it!
Darius,
Hey man, good to see you @ The Hill this past Sunday!!!
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us! Please know that I do not want to cast Hispanics in a negative light, however, glaring inconsistencies exist. I am part of an mixed race prayer group where we discuss this issues openly. Sometimes the debates are heated – sometimes issues are avoided…go figure…
Yes, I admire their ability to unite and bring their issues to the forefront. I agree in that I too do not believe that their agenda is wholistically against the African American culture. However, I cringe when they piggy-back off of our issues to further their agenda.
Telisha,
Whoa, you’re about to make me loose my mind! Actually, I plan to post about our “so-called” African brothers. Just let me say this, I aint in no hurry to go back to Africa…Stay tuned…
This is a very interesting topic for me. Mostly because I seem to have grown blind to the whole racism issue at large. From birth to 5th grade, all I knew about race/ethnicity/culture was black and white. Everyone in my neighborhood was Black. Everyone in my school was Black. Everyone at church was Black. And everyone who wasn’t Black was white.
But in 5th grade, my parents enrolled me in a Catholic school on Chicago’s north side where I was one of 5 Black students in the class, and I was the only African-America. The other 4 were from various countries in Africa. The culture shock came when I realized that we (the 5 of us) we were the MAJORITY! In a class of 32, there were students from Russia, Guatemala, Yukoslavia, Poland, the Phillipines, places I never even knew existed. As the new student, I had one incidence of what I perceived as racism, but before I knew it, I was begging my parents to pay for Japanese lessons because that’s the language the spoke when I spent the night at my best friends’ house.
Grant it, not all of us had private school as an option, but I don’t think my parents’ money could have been any better invested. And while I greatly appreciate having had that opportunity, I’ve often wondered if it desensitized the effects of the racist divide. Not that I don’t CARE that it exists, I just seem to overlook it and take the greatest advantage of the opportinites I have been given.
This being said, I’ve never noticed this Black/Hispanix divide. I rarely even pay attention to the Black/White divide :-/
Rev. your comments on both grandmas’ party & Hispanic divide are very thought provoking and give some insight to your personal veiws,(very much on the edge)I do agree with what you said about the divide in the jails,saw it fist hand,continue to be insightful,real & relevant.