Latino's identifiying themselves as white or "other race"

NAZTY97 · 12-06-04, 07:24 AM

This is just an interesting article, that if anything is merely an example of things explained in others threads. Any thoughts or ideas on why / how outside of the research work done here?

Report finds notable differences by income, politics and even regions of the country
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON - Latinos who view themselves as white are more likely to be better educated, earn more, register to vote and vote Republican, according to a national study released today on how Latinos identify racially.

The study by the Pew Hispanic Center also found some notable regional differences, not yet fully understood.

For example, in California, only 42 percent of U.S.-born Mexican-Americans identified themselves as white, compared with 63 percent of their ethnic counterparts in Texas.

The analysis of census data and surveys is perhaps the most detailed yet in a relatively new field of research on how Latinos adapt to the rigid racial categories they encounter in the United States. It is the first to probe the differences between Latinos who consider themselves white and those who say they are of another race.

In many Latin American countries, race is a flexible concept and can change with a person's status in society.

In the United States, Latinos are an ethnic group made up of people of different races, often mixed, and from a variety of ancestral homelands.

"Latinos are taking a broader view of race, one that extends beyond physical features and also encompasses degrees of achievement, belonging and inclusion," said demographer Sonya Tafoya, the report's author.

The Pew Hispanic Center is a nonpartisan research organization based in Washington that studies the Latino population.

The report reinforced earlier research that found surprising variations in racial self-identification according to where Latinos live in the United States. Apart from the distinction between Mexican-Americans in California and Texas, regional variations prevail among other Latino groups.

For instance, 81 percent of Puerto Ricans living on the island identified themselves as white in the 2000 census, while only 46 percent of those living on the U.S. mainland did so.

And among Cubans, those living in Florida were much more likely to say they were white than those in California.

The Pew study found that Latinos who said they were white were more likely to describe themselves as American than those who said they were of some other race.

Tafoya said it was not clear why Mexican-Americans in Texas would be more likely to identify themselves as white than those in California.

One explanation could be a defensive reaction by Latinos to Texas' history of Southern-style segregation, she said.

Another explanation could be that many Latinos in California still see themselves as outsiders because of a 1994 ballot measure that sought to deny social services to illegal immigrants; voters approved the measure, but it was struck down in court.

RESOURCES
SPLIT CENSUS

In the 2000 Census, Latinos mainly selected two racial categories to describe themselves:
• 48 percent: Identified themselves as white
• 42 percent: Chose "some other race"

Article: Houston Chronicle

videcormeum · 12-06-04, 04:32 PM

Thanks for posting - interesting article.

The loss of race-identification is confusing to me - but not all that alarming as we're all Americans regardless.

If anything - this may be an indication that Latinos and other races (aside from traditional "white") are increasingly being afforded the sort of opportunity necessary for success.

Latinos - traditionally and according to many "Latino" individuals that I know - are also very socially conservative (especially when it comes to families) which may partially explain the conservative (Republican) vote.

And finally, perhaps successful Latinos don't identify themselves as such because they simply don't or cannot identify with the culture associated with that label.

M.

qtb33 · 12-07-04, 07:55 AM

I guess I don't get it, if your lantino, then your not white, if your white, your not latino. You can't change, I guess you can pretend all you want, but the rest of us still have reality. (You know that thing on the TV

) Here's a little secret, everone is still going to know

I would like to know how the did this study as well?

NAZTY97 · 12-07-04, 10:34 AM

the premise of this article is the mentality behind the identity change of race. It touched on the key points. It stated those who were educated, financially doing well,... thus showing how they identified those things to being other than latino, which is truly sad. Its as if they bought into the idea latino's can't be successul, prosperous, or educated.

Some minorities aren't so easily identifiable,... I know some puerto rican's that look white,... and I'm sure some spanish people can pass for other races as well. I know creole's in Louisianna tend to look a lot different than their neighboring brothers and sisters of Tx,... so they sometimes get confused as white.

My take is, we should represent whatever we are to the fullest and be proud to be whatever that is. PERIOD!

videcormeum · 12-07-04, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NAZTY97

My take is, we should represent whatever we are to the fullest and be proud to be whatever that is. PERIOD!

I didn't ask to be white; in fact, nobody asked to be any color.

Race is not something chosen or accomplished - it just is.

I don't see why I should be proud; nor do I see why other people should be proud of something as arbitrary as skin color.

Pride in accomplishment is something else entirely. And these accomplishments can certainly be and sometimes are somehow tied to race. For instance - the Civil Rights movement and the equity gained as a result is something to be proud of - it is a specific accompishment.

But, in my opinion, being proud to be a color is just dumb. As is being ashamed to be a color. Both are rediculous.

My .02 ...

M.

NAZTY97 · 12-07-04, 04:04 PM

Whipimpin'... here's another take on pride / proud... if you are from or within an ethnicity that has traditionally felt "inferior" by the long lasting effects of inequality and social conditioning,... it's a mentality issue of associating failure, or exclusion simply by ethnicity,.. not the skin color itself. If you look at the article, it was showing how latino's associated certian negatives to the identity of being latino,.. not darkskin, or of physical attributes, however, the mindset attribues are the motives for gravitation to something that was perceived more positive.

I am proud to be who and what I am despite the lack of choice in the matter,... and I know some people growing up who wished they could be other things than what they were. It's like being short,... some people look at that as bad,... while others make the most of it, and hold their head high, regardless of whether or not, society finds any beauty in that, women choose not to date men shorter than them, or sports tells them they cannot compete due to the lack of height.... it's mental, not surface level physiological differences.

EmeraldLexuSC3 · 12-07-04, 05:02 PM

If they are integrating their race to white, then it's a matter of time before they integrate their cultural language to "Spanglish"!

mmarshall · 12-08-04, 05:11 PM

Technically, the Hispanics that have not intermarried over the years with the Central and South American Indians are probably more Caucasian than anything else....they can trace their ancesery to Spain. Those who have Indian blood in their history may technically be part Asian or Mongoloid. It is commonly accepted by historians and anthropoligists that Native Americans originally came across to Alaska from Siberia and then moved south. Pure-blooded Indians even today have much in common with the Asian Mongloid race .....long straight black hair, slightly slanted / folded eyes, minimal beards, and high cheekbones.

SCRUFFDOGG · 12-28-04, 12:20 PM

I don't see the need for racial labeling at all but this was my experience when registering my kids for school in Texas, my wife is Spanish and i'm white. Her and my daughter have light brown skin, dark hair and eyes, my son an I have blonde hair, white skin, and blue eyes. We checked White for both their races, the administrator told us that our daughter was hispanic and we needed to check the appropriate box, I stood my son next to her and said "what is he then, because they have the same mother and father", my wife gets very upset by this because they base it on appearance more than anything else and she takes offense to being called Latino or Hispanic. But why do we need these labels anyway?

mmarshall · 12-30-04, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCRUFFDOGG

I don't see the need for racial labeling at all but this was my experience when registering my kids for school in Texas. But why do we need these labels anyway?

You probably had to go through this nonsense because the school systems get so many Federal and State dollars based on the make-up of the students. It is an idiotic system, IMO......but in many areas we're stuck with it.

1SICKLEX · 12-30-04, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarshall

You probably had to go through this nonsense because the school systems get so many Federal and State dollars based on the make-up of the students. It is an idiotic system, IMO......but in many areas we're stuck with it.

Exactly. There are tons of minority grants. "Other" gets nothing.

ebruce2 · 01-06-05, 01:03 PM

whipimpin, I think NAZTY is really hitting on something here in reference to "race pride" . To me this idea represents not the amount of melanin in one's skin, but rather the achievements of one's ancestors. They have in many ways paved the way for us to be where we are today. I certainly take pride in that fact. I also take pride in my own accomplishments. I feel that I am showing them respect in some small way by living the best life I can. Heck, everyone in the continental US originates from another land, and each line of ancestry has fascinating stories behind it. People should be proud of their heritage...bottom line.

NAZTY97 · 01-06-05, 01:16 PM

And First Prize goes to Ebruce2!!! That's exactly what I was alluding to,.... I think every race, whether majority or minority should have pride in what accomplishments have been achieved by their ethnicity micro / macro, to which is a contribution to the global community. I think there were different races / cultures for a reason,... diversity being one, and in those differences, qualities, etc that could be shared with one another to make each other co-depenedent on each in the big picture. Not the idea that one is better than any other, but just as important, despite difference.

4th of July celebrated by the US,... but we must thank the chinese for fireworks.....( they invented those )

videcormeum · 01-06-05, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebruce2

whipimpin, I think NAZTY is really hitting on something here in reference to "race pride" .

Heck, everyone in the continental US originates from another land, and each line of ancestry has fascinating stories behind it.

Most Americans have ties to either Europe or Africa - but some, those who weren't killed off for being "savages" actually originate from within the United States' borders. You may have forgotten about them - most of America routinely does.

Being partially Native American, I understand this sort of pride you talk about - but getting hung up on the fact that our government committed genocide against a native population (some of whom were my ancestors; I'm related to Chief Little Turtle) - accomplishes nothing. And it's this to which I was alluding in my posts. Our history is vast and compelling and should never be forgotten. But it should never hinder progress.

That said, I too believe that culture and diversity should be celebrated and enjoyed. But never implemented as a divisive wedge among people.

M.

ebruce2 · 01-06-05, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Most Americans have ties to either Europe or Africa - but some, those who weren't killed off for being "savages" actually originate from within the United States' borders. You may have forgotten about them - most of America routinely does.

Not at all, my friend. Actually I'm very aware of what went on and the impact of the US government's attempted genocide of Native Americans. It's one of the saddest stories in American history if you ask me. I guess what I should have said was "IF you go back far enough in history, everyone is from another continent ". As was stated earlierby mmarshall, Mongoloid peoples from Asia were the FIRST to inhabit this continent as far as I know. Didn't they get here by means of a then land bridge through Alaska?