Thread: NY Latinos don't like Obama or McCain

New York Latinos see no winner in Obama or McCain

Friday, September 5th 2008, 7:30 PM

Some hope and little enthusiasm. That's what many Latinos in New York feel about the upcoming presidential election.

Battered and bruised by the current anti-immigrant - and anti-Hispanic - climate, Latinos have a hard time believing that either John McCain or Barack Obama will be able to restore the respect they deserve and end the increasingly racist immigration debate.

"We don't feel identified with any party," said Javier Castaño, editor of the Spanish language daily Hoy-NY. His assertion should not surprise anybody who followed the Democratic and Republican party conventions.

It was evident that both Obama and McCain, aware that the Hispanic vote could be decisive in a number of states this year, were doing their best to hide from the immigration hot potato.

"It was disconcerting and worrisome how little attention was given to the issue of immigration at the Democratic convention," said Moisés Pérez, the executive director of Alianza Dominicana, a community organization in upper Manhattan. "And it is shameful how much McCain has changed, even going along with the odious Republican Party platform."

Hard as they tried, though, the candidates could not keep immigration out of the political limelight. The issue came crashing back onto McCain's lap with the release on Tuesday of the Republican platform, a document so extreme it could have been written by the likes of Tom Tancredo.

The platform is a compilation of all the most outrageous proposals against immigrants. It calls for a border fence and for making English the official language, and opposes "amnesty" (the legalization of the 12 million undocumented immigrants already in the country), driver's licenses, in-state tuition rates and more.

Yet, not a peep has been uttered by one-time immigration reformer John McCain. It's hard to believe that this is the same man who, before running for the presidency, would not let Americans forget about the humanity of immigrants and their desperate journey.

"More than 200 people died in the Arizona desert last year, among them two girls - one was 2 and the other 16," McCain said in a speech at the Manhattan auditorium of Local 32BJ, in 2006. "And only because they were trying to get a better life."

It was disappointing to see McCain make an act of contrition during the primary season and announce that he had "gotten the message" on immigration. He went so far as to say that he wouldn't sign the bipartisan immigration reform bill sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy and himself. The maverick's transformation into just another establishment politician was complete.

Andrés Salgado, a young Colombian reporter, also believes most Latinos favor Obama.

"What I have seen is that Hispanics see greater opportunity for change with Obama and the Democrats than with McCain," he said. "And not only in immigration but also in issues like health care. As far as there is any enthusiasm among Latinos, it is for Obama."

Castaño doesn't disagree, although his vision is more complex. "[Those who like Obama are] the younger Latinos, the recently arrived, the ones that are not citizens and cannot vote for Obama," he said. "But many established Hispanics, the ones who own businesses and homes and have been here for years, like McCain."

Moisés Pérez had high expectations for Obama. Interestingly, he said that the fact that the candidate ignored immigration and Latinos in general during the convention was "refreshing."

"For Obama it was as if we (Latinos) did not exist," Pérez explained. "That was good because it made us realize that, no matter who is elected, we will have to go on with the struggle, go back to the streets again. It made us understand that this is our fight and if we don't keep the immigration reform issue alive, no one will."

aruiz@nydailynews.com

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tambor Sep 6, 2008 9:32:46 PM Report Offensive Post
Obama and his wife don't care about Latinos. Latinos aren't black, so they don't matter to them. And if Mcain wasn't from a state like AZ, he wouldn't have cared either. Latinos cannot rely on blacks or whites since they only see blacks and whites. They think all Latinos are Mexicans, the fools.

allenrda Sep 7, 2008 12:11:34 AM Report Offensive Post
Overgeneralizing people by the color of the skin only hurts us all. Africans slaves, Moors, whites and Spaniards to name a few are part of the latin culture. Race is based on skin color not ethnicity. Some latinos feel superior to other latinos -ex: Historically, Cubans vs Mexicans vs literate vs illerate as told to me by a Cuban. Reportedly, Cubans have had a high literacy rate. So can we learn to accept our differences and not spew hatred. I feel latinos have played a major role in this country since its inception and the government needs to address the immigration laws. Our current administration has taken a lame duck approach to not come to some reform on behalf of immigrants but is building a fence across the southern U.s.borders. Peace.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/200 ... inner_in_o

Latinos aren't black


Wrong. Latinos come in many colors, not just brown. Their color ranges from light skin to black including every shade in between. The racist definition for Latino as only brown is incorrect.

"We don't feel identified with any party," said Javier Castaño, editor of the Spanish language daily Hoy-NY. His assertion should not surprise anybody who followed the Democratic and Republican party conventions.

I know the feeling javier! Americans who yearn for immigration law to be enforced, our borders secured, and illegals cutoff from the multitude of benefits they receive in this country are also having problems identifying with any party!