Culture Clash: Established Latinos and New Immigrants
If ever political consultants wanted a demonstration of the differences between various groups beneath the Hispanic surname umbrella, today’s Arizona Republic has a classic example:
Dressed in a white housedress embroidered with bright flowers, Martha Ruiz stands on her front lawn and points across a central Phoenix street to people whom she considers a nuisance: immigrant neighbors.
They don’t control their pets and little children, and let them run all over the neighborhood and into her yard, she says. They crank that ranchera music so loud “the whole neighborhood has to listen.”
Wearing a designer belt and gold rosary, Mexican immigrant José Gutierrez describes his problem: “racisto Latinos Americanos,” or racist American Latinos. They should be happy for the immigrants who are living the American dream. Instead, “they are jealous of the people who come here for jobs, homes and cars,” the 28-year-old said.
Think about it: Hispanic surname, same country of origin, but a very different culture. I’m not sure whether Ruiz and Gutierrez are voters, but lots of voters exist which are just like them. Democrats need to understand that we need to have the right message and medium for both Ruiz and Gutierrez and that it won’t be the same for each.
October 20th, 2005 at 11:44 am
[…] There’s not even much chance of a Mexican-American voting bloc, let alone a Latino voting bloc. Look at Martha Ruiz and José Gutierrez. Their political interests are likely to be very different. […]