Article Summary
In the article, Marger describes the demographic characteristics of Hispanic Americans and elaborates how they differ from Euro-Americans, and across the ethnic groups constituting Latinos. According to the article, most Hispanic immigrants arrived in the U.S. through illegal means from Mexico and South American countries. While the majority came in search for better economic prospects (e.g. Mexicans and Puerto Ricans), others, mainly Cubans, came as political refugees. Latinos account for the largest minority group in the country due to massive immigration and high birth rates, causing significant economic and political implications in the U.S. Generally, they display lower educational attainment levels, socio-economic status, and political clout than Euro-Americans, but higher than African Americans in the class hierarchy. Their lack of marketable skills, coupled with employment discrimination, contributes to their high unemployment rate and concentration in the low-end labor market (Marger 226). Hispanics also face racial discrimination, commonly perceived as inferior, irresponsible, and welfare dependent (Marger, 234). However, Cuban immigrants enjoy superior socioeconomic status than Mexicans and Puerto Ricans due to their refugee status, class background, and white skin.
Personal reaction
Illegal immigration is an endemic problem in the United States. Today, millions of illegal immigrants live in the country. Over the years, the government has initiated policies to curb this trend through increased border patrols, deportations, and visa restrictions, to no avail. Generally, Hispanic Americans have low socioeconomic status compared to their white counterparts. Their household income accounts for only 75% of the income earned by non-Hispanic whites (Marger 225). Employers in labor-intensive industries such as manufacturing, construction, and agriculture prefer immigrant labor because the Latinos provide a readily-available and cheap workforce. High poverty and unemployment rates among Hispanics compromise their bargaining power and makes them less picky in job selection, leading to the flooding of the low-end job market. The replacement of the high-earning, well-educated white employees with the low-earning less-educated migrant workers cuts labor costs substantially, thus increasing the profit margins of employers. Furthermore, their availability has depressed wages in the country, leading to public outcry from labor unions and citizens.
Hispanic immigrants come to the U.S. in search for a better future. However, their experiences on arrival contrast sharply with the notions of the so-called American dream. The dire economic conditions that afflict them somewhat mirrors the conditions they sought to escape in their home countries. Contemporary societies hold education in high esteem and consider it a gateway to greater employment prospects and income. While most Euro-American families can afford to educate their children, the majority of minority populations cannot meet their daily needs, let alone afford the cost of education. The question is, if education is so vital for the development of modern America, why does the society condone the skyrocketing college fees that bar minority groups from receiving a standard education. Is American education simply a white man's or a rich man's affair? The poor socioeconomic status of Hispanics contributes to the vicious cycle of poverty that plagues them. Low educational attainment means menial jobs and low income. The numerous demands placed on their little earnings force them to prioritize their basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter over education. High school drop-out rate – 24% - arises since young Latinos find casual jobs to supplement their family income (Marger 227). The result is a generational cycle of poverty. While their condition is dire, they seem to fare better than African Americans who constitute the lowest segment of the class hierarchy (Marger 225). The long history of black segregation that originated in the colonial days persists today. Blacks still bear the brunt of race-centered employment discrimination, regardless of their level of education. Nonetheless, the success of Cuban Americans attests to the ability of a depressed minority to transcend poverty and discrimination. Their situation gives hope to other immigrants.
Addressing racial segregation in the United States is long overdue. While the degree of racial intolerance has lessened significantly since the colonial days, the vice still poses social problems that negate the values envisioned by the founding fathers when drafting the U.S. Constitution. The mass media has played a huge role in fueling racial sentiments by engendering harmful stereotypes. Movies and advertisements depict Hispanics and lazy and welfare-dependent, hence undeserving of equal rights (Marger 234). On the other hand, blacks are portrayed as irresponsible and criminals, hence according them the brunt of police brutality and unfair targeting by law enforcement agencies. It is ironic that the world heralds the United States as the symbol of democracy, yet the country tolerates racial inequity and human rights violations within its borders, with presidential aspirants such as Donald Trump publicly airing their racial views on national television. There is no doubt that immigration is a problem, and that it undermines economic development. However, such debates should be conducted in a sober and humane manner to achieve better results in policy making and enforcement of anti-immigration laws.
Works Cited
Marger, Martin N. Race and Ethnic Relations: American and Global Perspectives. 8th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.
