1.
Assignment: Hispanic American
Diversity
·
Resources: Racial and Ethnic Groups, the University Library, and the Internet
·
Write a 1,050- to
1,400-word research paper in which you identify the linguistic, political,
social, economic, religious, and familial conventions or statuses of four
Hispanic groups living in the United
States
·
Dedicate an equal portion of
your paper to each Hispanic group.
·
Conclude your essay by summarizing major differences
and commonalties apparent among the groups.
·
Format your paper according to APA standards.
·
Post your paper
as an attachment.
Racial
and Ethnic Groups
Axia
College ETH125 Week 7
Mexican
Americans
Most
Mexican Americans speak Spanish at home but also are fluent in English, which
allows them to integrate into the American population.
Mexican
Americans have been legally labeled as “white” on documents which allowed them
to vote, run for office, or even serve on all-white military units. However socially they were not, there were
differences with medical services being denied by war veterans, wages with
“white wages” versus “Mexican wages”, and until the 1960s could not legally
marry African or Asian Americans.
American
born Mexicans are enjoying higher wages and some becoming more middle and upper
class citizens, as apart for their ancestors who were generally lower class
with lower paying skill jobs. Mexican
Americans tend to separate themselves from the larger Anglo American groups
throughout history of the southwestern states.
Illegal
immigrants have made up a significant portion of the demand for cheap labor,
with their fear of deportation.
Most
Mexican Americans are Roman Catholic and are very strong believers, believing
in several superstitions that are passed down from generation to
generation. Religion plays a large part
of most festival occasions as with ‘the day of the dead’. This holiday focuses on gatherings of family
and friends to pray for and remember individuals who have passed.
Mexican
Americans enjoy strong family ties, often living in the same dwelling with
several generations. This is mostly done
due to housing issues or to consolidate multiple incomes. This also allows them to pass on culture and
heritage to the younger generations from the older generations that stay at
home while the middle generation works.
Puerto
Ricans
Most
Puerto Ricans can speak both English and Spanish equally well. Their language is a strong indicator of their
ties to their home country. Lively hand
and facial gestures are prominent when speaking for the Puerto Ricans since
hand and body language are important forms of communication.
Even
being the second largest white Hispanics in the United States, they are still
not considered by the American government to be full US citizens. The first
Puerto Rican to be elected office was in New York in 1937, to the New York
State Assembly’s office. With help from
the government of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico’s Department of Labor was
established along with the Migration Division and The Department of Puerto
Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA).
Chicago’s
Division Street was christened “Paseo Boricua” in 1995 and installed two Puerto
Rican flags. That neighborhood
transformed into a vibrant Latino community and became a place where Puerto
Ricans could not only call their own but a place where they could go to learn
about their heritage.
Puerto
Rico has become a haven for individuals dissatisfied with the economic
opportunity in the United States, and to a lesser degree, Scotland and
Ireland. Farmers from those countries
fled due to changing governments and violent revolutions. Puerto Rico has also become home to some
individuals from the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
Most
Puerto Rican’s are Catholic with smaller percentages being Protestants or non
religious.
Puerto
Ricans are generally very hospitable and with handshakes for strangers and hugs
with kisses for family members or friends.
Family is a big influence in the Puerto Rican culture. It is not uncommon to find extended families
joining together for dinner on any normal nights like most Americans do for
only Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Cuban
Americans
The
national language in Cuba is Spanish. Many
Cubans born in the United States are more likely to be English speakers with
little understanding of Spanish. There
is some mix with those born in Cuba and migrated to the United States. They seem to have developed fluency with
English and Spanish.
Most
Cuban Americans are reputed to be conservative politically and generally vote
Republican in elections driven mostly by the Marxist regime of Cuba. Cuban
Americans have formed an organization called Cuban American National Foundation
(CANF) which is dedicated to shaping U.S. policy toward Cuba and ridding Cuba
of Castro.
The
social aspect of Cuba has changed dramatically in the last hundred years,
basically settling into a socialist republic under Castro’s reign. The biggest immigration of Cubans to American
is due to this tight socialist regime, many attempting to swim from Cuba to
America which prompted Clinton to institute his ‘wet feet, dry feet’
policy. Any Cuban found in the water
would be taken back to Cuba or a third country.
Any Cuban who made it to land would be granted refuge.
The
economy of Cuba is generally weak, relying mostly on the export of sugar. The fall of the Soviet Union put Castro’s
Cuba in dire economic straits due to the loss of its most important trading
partner and supporter.
Despite
American media coverage indicating Santeria to be most prominent religion of
the island cultures, most Cubans are actually Roman Catholic or
nonreligious. The non religious
individuals become this way due to the bias of the government of Cuba. Since moving to the United States Cubans have
become much more diverse in the religious formations.
Family
is very important element for Cuban Americans.
However the Cuban American family is different in some ways from Cuban
families. There is a stronger parental
control over the children’s lives and more emphasis on non-nuclear
relationships with a stronger patriarchic influence than in Cuban American
families.
South
Americans
Each
country speaks a different language that isn’t necessarily Spanish
South
America has free market policies and has adopted a new political organization
known as Union of South American Nations.
Their main objectives are to establish free movement between nations,
economic development, common defense policies and elimination of tariffs.
South
Americans distinguish themselves socially by color gradient or how dark or
light their skin is. Mestizo Hondurans,
mulatto Colombians, African Panamanians
Most South
American countries have high interest rates and investments remain low. Exporting goods and natural resources are
their main source of income with Brazil leading the way in total exporting
amounts. The economic gap between poor
and rich is also larger than most continents.
Predominately
Roman Catholic, South American people have immersed their religion into every
aspect of their lives.
Family
is one of the single most important roles for the South American. Everything from social to religion to work
revolves around the familial status.
Commonalities
and Differences
The
most prominent commonality among the four groups is language. Most all speak Spanish with the exception of
some countries in South America. And
most individuals that were born in America can speak English as well. All groups have strong family ties which tie
also into their religion and culture which seems to be quite similar.
Some
differences seem to be the circumstances for coming to America and some
different challenges with assimilating into American culture. Puerto Ricans seem to have made the best
adjustment while also keeping to their own culture and heritage. They have kept themselves apart and adapted
evenly. Mexicans seem to have taken the
most abuse by America with lower wages and immigrant status. While Cuban and South Americans are usually
fleeing oppression and seek refuge or asylum in the United States.
References
Buffington, S (2010) “Cuban Americans” located at www.everyculture.com,
Retrieved Jan 2009
Rivera, M (2009) “Puerto Rico” located at
welcome.topuertorico.org, Retrieved Jan 2009
Wikipedia, (2010) “Cuban American”; “South
American”; “Puerto Ricans in the United States”; “Mexican American”; “Day of
the Dead” located at en.wikipedia.org, Retrieved Jan 2009
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