Thread: As Latinos Go, So Goes the Nation

As Latinos Go, So Goes the Nation

By Mary Sanchez, Tribune Media Services,
Mary Sanchez
Posted 04/01/2011 at 1:00 pm EST

Pundits have discussed the "browning" of America for a good two decades now. By that they mean the growth and geographic spread of the Latino population in the U.S.

But the unveiling of the latest U.S. Census figures marked a tipping point: Latinos are a demographic that cannot be ignored or taken for granted. Exceeding almost all prior estimates, the number of Hispanic Americans now tops 50 million people, comprising 16 percent of the population. By 2050, they will likely be one-third of the nation's population.

And that, mi amigo, portends opportunity. So enough talk of "browning." Let's rework the lingo. Hispanics are golden, as in golden opportunity. That is, if we seize rather than squander this moment as a country. Our destiny as a nation is tied up with Latinos' destiny as an ethnic group. All Americans have an interest in seeing them integrated into national life and prospering along with everybody else.

First, we need to get past the misconceptions and generalizations rattling around about Hispanics. The unprecedented 43 percent growth in the Latino population in the last decade did not come primarily from immigration. The largest factor in that increase was childbirths. "Compared with 2000, the Hispanic birth rate increased 14 percent, while both the U.S. population and black birth rates declined 2 percent," according to a Bloomberg analysis of Census statistics.

So let's move away from viewing Latinos merely as newcomers. Nearly three in four Hispanics are U.S. citizens, not interlopers "taking" something from America and "our way of life," as one hears too often from politicians and commentators who have something to gain from frightening listeners.

Latinos, even those several generations removed from their immigrant forbearers, maintain a strong work ethic. A new report out by the U.S. Department of Labor notes Hispanics make up 15 percent of the nation's workforce, almost equal their proportion of the entire population. Latino men have the highest workforce participation rate of any group.

Soak that in. Hispanics are the worker bees of the nation, and they will continue to be in the future. They're also highly entrepreneurial. Hispanic-owned companies grew by 43.7 percent from 2002 to 2007, compared to 14.5 percent among other groups. As a relatively young population, they will comprise a larger and larger proportion of the working population, especially as older Americans retire.

Things have changed a bit since the heyday of European immigration a century ago. More and more, to prosper, to enter the middle class, that Holy Grail of the American psyche, you need an education. A college education, ideally.

To thrive, Latinos -- like all Americans -- need to be educated and trained. Problem is, only 44 percent of Hispanic students finish high school. And even if they get to college, they have lower completion rates. A 2010 report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation questioned whether the U.S. would ever reclaim its status as the world's best-educated country until Hispanic's success is addressed. It's simply a matter of the numbers.

Yet, like a rerun of past episodes of anti-immigrant backlash, the current upheaval in the U.S. economy has only seemed to make some Americans more narrow-minded. Movement to undercut, not enhance Latinos' shift toward solidly middle-class status can be seen in efforts to make English the official language, which often eliminate bridge programs for people still gaining fluency. The same attitude can be seen in instances where aging baby boomers, their children already out of the nest, quash government efforts that aid low-income minority communities with higher proportions of school-age children.

That's a mood we need to defuse. As Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, put it in a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: "New Americans didn't run Wall Street into the ground. New Americans didn't destroy our savings. Bashing new Americans does nothing to make our economy stronger or win the global competition for jobs and opportunity."

Bravo.

We can fret about the future demographics of the country all we want, but the bottom line is inescapable. As the fortunes of Latinos go, so go the fortunes of the country.

(Mary Sanchez is an opinion-page columnist for The Kansas City Star. Readers may write to her at: Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108-1413, or via e-mail at msanchez@kcstar.com.)

http://www.tmsfeatures.com/columns/poli ... a_20110401

"This Skeez! had a editorial in our local paper!" Titled "Hispanics mostly hard-working citizens" "Mostly! BS!"

Soak that in. Hispanics are the worker bees of the nation, and they will continue to be in the future. They're also highly entrepreneurial. Hispanic-owned companies grew by 43.7 percent from 2002 to 2007, compared to 14.5 percent among other groups. As a relatively young population, they will comprise a larger and larger proportion of the working population, especially as older Americans retire.

Really? Then please explain why so many are illegally in the US and their home countries are in such horrendous shape. What, they're only worker bees and entrepeneurs in the US?

We have enough "worker bees" among US citizens and legal immigrants, we don't need imports. Why aren't they being worker bees and entrepeneurial in their home countries, eh?

Why is it these articles are always written by hispanics sympathetic to illegal aliens (hispanic ones, of course)? Why do these same idiots keep spinning the same old lie that hispanics are "brown" and illegal aliens?
This idiota obviously could care less about hispanics who are white or black it seems. I find that offensive, xenophobic and racist.

"Worker Bees my ass!" It takes 10 of them to do the same job as 3 American boys/girls!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHfUwBvi ... re=related

Originally Posted by stevetheroofer

"This Skeez! had a editorial in our local paper!" Titled "Hispanics mostly hard-working citizens" "Mostly! BS!"

I agree with you on that one STR. I am so sick of hearing about just how hard-working these people are. If they are so hard working, then why is it that they are living on the taxpayers of this country I guess when you send all of your earnings back home, there is nothing left for them to pay for their everyday living expenses. Americans are just as hard-working and even more so if they could get a job which is hard to come by these days since these peasants are taking jobs that they shouldn't have in the first place. hispanics this latinos that, I'm sick of reading and hearing those two phrases

I notice she said trying to make English officially the U.S. language is a problem for the latinos-if they really ARE just the latest wave of immigrants who are trying to be integrated into American life, no different from the ones before except for skin color, they WHY is that an issue for them?

To thrive, Latinos -- like all Americans -- need to be educated and trained. Problem is, only 44 percent of Hispanic students finish high school. And even if they get to college, they have lower completion rates. A 2010 report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

She says they need to educated, and in the next breath she admits that they dont care about schooling. Steve, she is a dumbass skeeze.

so only the Latinos make the American economy grow?

not the whites, blacks, asians, europeans, or africans????????

This woman is nothing more than a racist beotch

Gov. Martin O'Malley needs a new job ...... like farming In his favorite land of Mexico...

Originally Posted by pattyk

To thrive, Latinos -- like all Americans -- need to be educated and trained. Problem is, only 44 percent of Hispanic students finish high school. And even if they get to college, they have lower completion rates. A 2010 report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

She says they need to educated, and in the next breath she admits that they dont care about schooling. Steve, she is a dumbass skeeze.

"So should we email her or the rag she writes for or both?"
And if you do "Play nice!" I sure wish you was head of Homeland Security PattyCake!