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New Alliance
Should the American Jewish community do more to express solidarity with the Latino population?
Seems like the natural successor to the civil rights movement. It appears the US is on the verge of a crippling backlash against the Latino population here. Thoughts?
4 Responses to “New Alliance”
While naturally everyone is free to help whomever they see fit, I see considerable differences between the old civil rights fight and solidarity with the Latino population. First off, let’s be clear; by solidarity with the Latino population one usually means solidarity with the illegal Latino population. The legal latino population probably has issues as well, and a large proportion (though not all) would be sympathetic with the illegals, but has the same basic issues as any other immigrant group.
That said, I think there’s a large difference between illegal immigrants (of any sort, but since the subject is Latinos, let’s leave it there) and African Americans.
African Americans, originally, were brought to this country by force. They had no choice in the matter. Latinos CHOOSE to cross our borders. No one is forcing them. True, conditions are hard in their countries, but they are also hard for those who, with almost saint-like patience, go through the hoops to get in legally.
African Americans were held down by laws that made the color of their skin a barrier to almost everything. They couldn’t live in certain places, they were condemned to the worst schools and kept out of full democratic participation, despite being full fledged United States citizens who had been contributing to the country for generations. Latinos are held down by laws only in the sense that we all are. They have to obey them, if they don’t, there are consequences. A legal Latino has the same rights as a legal Swede. Likewise, an illegal Latino has the same lack of rights as an illegal Swede. We are talking about people who have been here for less than a generation, who didn’t respect our laws coming in, who, though they don’t fully benefit, do partially benefit from services (schools, emergency medical care, security etc.) payed by taxes they do not contribute to.
I do appreciate that there are reasons people come into the country. I also understand that, when weighing respect towards the laws of a nation you do not know against a better life for your family, you give a s@#€t about the laws. What I don’t get is the defending and facilitating of these practices by Americans, thereby disrespecting the efforts of those that obeyed the law, even though it was difficult.
I find the what the concept of “solidarity” means to the Jewish community. I know it does not mean that Jewish children will be attending schools with large number of Hispanics. I know that it does not mean that Jewish families will be living in neighborhoods with large numbers of Hispanics. I know that it does not mean that Jewish owned and operated firms will not be hiring large number of Hispanics. I know that it does not mean that Hispanics will be running in the same social ciricle as the Jewish community. I know that it does not mean that Hispanics will be participating in the same career fields that are now heavily Jewish.
So what does solidarity mean exactly?
First of all, while Lynx’s points are well taken to a degree, there has been a significant amount of state sponsored anti-Latino (qua Latino) legislation throughout American history, including widespread segregation throughout the American Southwest (with the accompanying variety of vicious racist stereotypes enforced). Mendez v. Westminster (filed by Mexican-Americans in California with support from the Black, Jewish, and Japanese communities, among others), decided in 1947 by the 9th circuit, is often considered the Latino Brown v. Board. So while anti-Latino discrimination is often subsumed under the more widely known anti-Black discrimination, it is still pretty horrific and was widely supported by governmental apparatuses.
As to superdestroyer, I’m doubtful that there will be a widespread push for housing integration (that’s always been the toughest nut to crack for anti-racism advocates like myself). But given that Jews are the only White ethnic group to support affirmative action, I do not think that you’re justified in saying that Jewish solidarity will not extend to Latinos working the same firms and industries as Jews, hired by Jews, or operating in the same social circles as Jews. Indeed, that seems like the natural upshot of our support for affirmative action. And of course, policy matters important to the Latino community (including, but not limited to, AA, immigration reform, harsher condemnation of anti-Latino bigotry, and better school services in Latino areas) would be easy areas for Jewish support to oome into play.
“Should the American Jewish community do more to express solidarity with the Latino population?”
Only if they feel solidarity for the Latino population.
This has been another shameless plagiarism of the popular series ‘simple answers to simple questions’.