Hispanic Voting and the Difficulties of Unifying

Like Jones-Correa talks about in Between Two Nations, getting the hispanic bloc to unify can be a difficult task. A lot depends on how a hispanic person chooses to define their identity, both culturally and politically. Jones-Correa writes about the "state-sponsored" identity, a label given to all so called "hispanics" by the census bureau. This is a great way to count population but a horrible tool for defining an actual set of people. "Hispanics" can choose whether or not to identify with this label and they can choose when they want to.

State-Sponsored identity gives way to possible advantages for minorities at times and allows them to use thes advatages whenever they see it necessary. Along voting lines, state-sponsored identities is not a time when unity occurrs. "Hispanics" generally vote along a different ethnic identity known as "situational identity."

Situational identity refers to a choice made by a member of the hispanic population as to which ethnic group to belong to. When it comes to voting many hispanics vote along the lines of their country of orgin. As the article below states, Cubans vote with Cubans, Mexicans with Mexicans, and so on.

Mobilization in the hispanic bloc seems to be difficult with voting because this isn't an issue that all hispanics agree on. However, one thing is cetain, if Mexicans wish to gain more power and better rights in the United States they must mobilize their vote better. Even though the Mexican population is young it can still be a powerful group. And along the lines of boarder control, Mexican-Americans need to unify and make some decisions together. If they wish to keep illegal immigrants out that they feel are bringing their ethnic identity down, then they need to vote for better boarder control options. But if Mexican-Americans decide to vote along their state-sponsored identity then they need to unify with Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and the rest of the hispanic population. A task much easier said than done.


http://www.americansc.org.uk/Online/garcia.htm

Shady Officials

Remedios Gomez Arnau was hired to help the community. Now, she is making a bad name for Mexicans trying to enter the country. Gomez was helping illegal immigrants gain entrance into this country in some pretty shady ways. Her office was assisting in some applications for identity cards and now protestors are saying those cards weren't supposed to be issued so freely. Gomez is a consul who is posted in our government from Mexico. Now that she has drawn negative attention protestors are calling for her removal.

This is a bad move on Gomez's part especially when the immigration issue is so hot right now. She needs to be aware of the social setting and act in proper ways. Now this shines a bad light on Mexicans. Mexicans don't need to take any steps backwards in the immigration question.

Gomez says the protestors should stop and just talk things out. Gomez shouldn't do illegal things and should repect her position and not abuse the power.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/04/07/news/sandiego/cac55a1043b8a4888825741f00776e66.txt