OUTLINE
THESIS: They have therefore stood the test of time to protect their identity.
- INTRODUCTION
- Greetings
- Elaborating who the Chicano are.
- Physical location
- Relationship between Chicano and Mexico.
- BODY
- Conquest of the United States on the northern half of Mexico
- Civil rights movement
- Call for respect for Chicano and everyone else
- POLITICAL AND SOCIETAL MILESTONES REACHED
- Social acceptance led to immigration of Mexicans
- Integration of the church in their daily activities
- Catholic, Protestant and Mayan inclination
- CONCLUSION
Chicana/o Experience in the Local and Global Society
Good morning to you, I know many of us are eager to know the history of the Chicanos. There is need to know each other in order to understand and accommodate each other together with our past experiences in society. It is good to first understand that all ethnic or racial groups in the world have their unique history. These groups identify to some traditions which are uniquely theirs and the same can be said about the Chicana/o Latino found in the United States of America. Chicanos can literary be said to be Mexicans living on American soil, at least when their physical location is taken into consideration. This fact makes these Mexicans less Mexicans when they were compared to their counterparts living in Mexico. They have had their share of challenges which have molded them to become who they are today and it is imperative that society embraces them for who they are. (Soldatenko 117). But according to them and other Mexicans this is more or less of an insult from fellow Mexicans but as time has gone by, this distinct group of persons could not be referred to anything else and that is why their name has remained. They have therefore stood the test of time to protect their identity.
I will begin by telling you that the Chicanos took part in the historical moments of the 1960s when many countries and societies in the world were aggressively fighting for their rights and freedom. Theirs was a road travelled by many; they faced a lot of challenges before they reached their goals. It is from this background that we should understand why they are very sensitive and over protective of their hard earned freedoms. Anyone who has had an experience where they feel their fellow human beings feels more superior than they will jealously guard their space and democracy. Just like any other group of persons who have undergone discrimination, they are therefore justified to be prepared to pay a huge price, even if it means their lives to ensure that they are respected. This is what we see among the Chicano in present day America.
People from around the world and even here need to know that even in the midst of the turmoil, today, the Chicano proudly hold their heads high and proclaim their origin and mention the milestones they have reached this far. It is not about pride though but honor simply because their forefathers left a legacy that has seen them through life challenges. Discrimination alone was far too much for them to handle but with the advent of the civil rights movement, the struggle has borne fruits. Even when most of them feel insecure at times, it is good to acknowledge the fact that they are protected by the same constitution that protects everyone else and therefore, need to be treated with the same dignity and respect that they so deserve. It is from this background that I would dare say that Chicano have walked a rough path and their struggle has yielded fruits and that their freedom of the mind can be seen through their positivistic approach towards life.
Even with the decline of their activism and political inclinations, I must say that there is a gradual rise in their unity which has seen them speak as one voice when it comes to matters affecting them. Many social groups in the world have always sought to be heard by the wider society so that the problems affecting them be heard and solved. I would like to inform you that the Chicano of this new era have reasons to work even harder for the same rights that their forefathers fought for. It is from this perspective the entire society and country should begin by respecting them for who they are and treating them with dignity so that they do not end up using crude means in ensuring that they are treated well (Field 22). Redefining themselves has been happening since the 1990s and everyone has been involved. This has earned them their pride as they continuously identify with their rich past.
When it comes to population, they have grown tremendously in the last century. By 1940, they were about three million, by the year 2000; they stood at twenty million and at thirty million when all the other Latinos were included. Today they stand at about forty million. The sharp rise in population came about in the 1970s when the Chicano movement received a huge following. The sharp increase in population can also be attributed to the fact that there were huge numbers of immigrants crossing the border from Mexico into the United States. They are also scattered all over the country with a majority living in all the major cities. Even so, about 70% of the total population of the Chicanos is considered immigrants while the remaining 30% is the population of those who were enclosed into the American side after the partition (Appleby & Cummings 112). This is a clear indicator that the immigrants have diluted the Chicano population and have made the population look better in the eyes of the fellow Mexicans who had initially thought them to be less Mexicans. With such a background, it becomes apparent that they are finding America inhabitable, a clear pointer to the fact that they have integrated to the wider American society therefore making them part of the society because they have been embraced and accepted.
When it comes to religious affiliation, about 70% of the Chicanos are Catholics. In fact, the older and pioneer generation of Chicanos is staunch Catholics when they are compared to the current breed of immigrants. When looking at the National Latino Political Survey, 73% of the total population identify as Catholics (De Anda 146). Protestants take up about 16%, 5% believe in their traditional Mayan beliefs and the remaining 6% does not really subscribe to any religious beliefs. Having had such a religious background, it becomes easier to understand them as a people who have a strong believe in the principles that govern humanity. They therefore should be given the freedom and space that they need to exercise their religious rights. Religion plays an integral role in everyday lives of many Americans and just like the Chicano, many of whom are so passionate about their religion, everyone should be passionate about values that make life better for everyone.
Amidst all these, the Chicanos have a closely knit kind of relationship among themselves. In fact they seek to reach out to each other and help immigrants settle down easily in America. When looking at their social lifestyles, they have slowly opened up to modern ways of doing things. This can be seen in very many facets of life such as marriage and family. For the American born Chicanos, marriage partners are no longer chosen by elders because one is left to choose a mate for themselves. Many of them have also embraced the nuclear family unity which has fostered independency amongst the Chicano families. This show the kinds of transformation they have had over the years but this notwithstanding, they are a group of people that is considered to love one another.
Works Cited
Appleby, Scott. & Cummings, Kathleen. Catholics in the American Century: Recasting Narratives of US History. New York: Cornell University. 2012
De Anda, Roberto. Chicanas and Chicanos in Contemporary Society. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. 2004.
Field, Fredric. Bilingualism in the USA: The Case of the Chicano- Latino Community. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 2011
Soldatenko, Michael. Chicano Studies: The Genesis of a Discipline. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. 2012
