Thread: A Latino middle-class challenge

A Latino middle-class challenge
By ESTHER CEPEDA Thursday, March 31, 2011

CHICAGO — When the U.S. Census Bureau released its population estimates from the nation’s 2010 headcount, Hispanics across the country rejoiced in the power of their numbers.

The 50.5 million Latinos accounted for 56 percent of the nation’s growth—mostly from births, not immigration—between 2000 to 2010. Adult Hispanics are now one in every six Americans, and almost one in every four children is Hispanic. Now the largest minority group, Latinos are well on their way to comprising one-third of the U.S. population in 2050.

But as every “Spider-Manâ€

The 50.5 million Latinos accounted for 56 percent of the nation’s growth—mostly from births, not immigration—between 2000 to 2010. Adult Hispanics are now one in every six Americans, and almost one in every four children is Hispanic. Now the largest minority group, Latinos are well on their way to comprising one-third of the U.S. population in 2050.

That is a lie, Esther, and you know it. The growth in Latino population is solely related to immigration and always has been. Your implication that American Hispanics and American Latinos are any different than any other group of Americans is a racist put-down of American citizens of Hispanic and Latino descent and an absurd. sick and failed attempt to cover-up the demographic consequences of illegal immigration on US society.

And this is an even bigger lie, Esther, but does confirm the first one:

[quote]Yet who better to help those trying to climb social-class ladders than middle-class Latinos who have already attained a little piece of the American Dream?

Regardless of whether they speak Spanish or not, Hispanics are qualified to help others perfect their English language skills, talk to high school students about the pleasures of a traditional college experience, or join the boards of their local school, library or arts organization. They can go further by getting engaged in the political process or even just explain its value to a community that’s rarely used this type of power.

I’m not going to pretend that “giving backâ€