The Distinguishing Aspects of Hispanic Culture - Essay Example

What are the distinguishing aspects of Hispanic culture which affect political behaviour in the US after Obama? Identify and describe some reasons for such change. Introduction Culture has been defined by House et al. (1997) to be normative systems that make up model patterns of psychological properties that are shared among the members of a group. These members may also share the same attitudes, behaviours and beliefs that have been passed down across generations. They may also have the same motives, assumptions, values, social identities and may perceive certain phenomena to have the same meaning. In this paper, the writer would like to pinpoint the different aspects of Hispanic culture and how it could possibly influence political decisions made in the United States today. The Census Bureau of the United States has defined individuals who are of Hispanic origin as those individuals who live in the United States, but state their origins as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American. The same definition has been utilized by small business organizations all over the country as well as many federal, state and municipal agencies. This is needed by the mentioned organizations when it comes to awarding contracts to businesses owned by individuals from minority groups (US Census Bureau, 2001). As of this writing, the record for the number of Hispanic nationals residing in the United States has come up to 33 million, therefore making around 12 percent of the entire US population. It has been predicted that the numbers would increase to over 50 million by the year 2020 (US Census Bureau, 2001). According to Mendoza (1989), the Hispanic community is becoming increasingly acculturated. The process of ‘acculturation’ refers to the process of the integration of ethnic minorities into the mainstream culture of their environment. There has been research implying that acculturation has the tendency to reduce the feelings of inadequacy and helps minorities to feel a part of their ethnic group and the mainstream culture (La Fromboise et al., 1993). In the Hispanic population, acculturation has become more and more prevalent and despite this, there are still some cultural traits that Hispanic individuals possess, which in turn come into conflict with American culture. Lee et al (2006) has mentioned that cultural differences plays a part in affecting the organizational goals and objectives of an administration. The enormous changes in demographics within the 21st century has meant that postmodernism became one of the main players in the 2008 presidential elections. According to Sanchez & Fernandez (1993), Hispanic identity has been defined as the level to which individuals identify with Hispanic culture. Identity on the other hand, has been identified to be a major influence on an individual’s way of thinking, emotions and behaviour. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Hispanic population in the United States has surpassed the African-American population as the largest minority ethnic group in the country. In a US Census Bureau that took place in 2003, it was noted that the national median income level for Hispanic households came up to $34, 241. This amount only had a difference of $ 15,000 less than other individuals who were non-Hispanic. It was also noted that 11 percent of Hispanic families were below the poverty level, which was double the figure of their white counterparts. Moreover, there was also the issue of the number of Hispanics who remained uninsured (estimated to be around 32 percent. These numbers suggest that the Hispanic community in the United States is struggling, and it has been reported that such struggles have been taken advantage of by the Democrat party (Rodriguez, 2009). The Hispanic Culture and their Values The Hispanic minority ethnic group places significant importance on close family ties (1984). These family ties would refer to the entire clan of relatives-from uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews and grandparents. Placing such importance on family ties has lead to harmonious social relationships. Knowing this, President Barrack Obama gave a proclamation on September 15 2009, naming the date as ‘National Hispanic Heritage Month,’ noting that the values shared by Hispanics- love of the family, faith in God and hard work, are also the values shared by the Americans. Obama also thanked the Hispanic community for contributing to the development of the country, by sharing their creativity and service towards the benefit of the entire American community. In the business industry, Obama has recognized the contribution of the Hispanic community in helping serve non-profit organizations, educational institutions and other social causes (The Americano, 2009) Given these factors, it is beneficial for the entire American community to align their goals with the goals held by the Hispanic group. This can be done by focusing on family security in terms of education for instance, and other family oriented programs. In order to improve political behaviour in the United States, it seems advisable then to focus on education and religion, in order to establish good relationships between the political administration and the Hispanic community (Romero, 2004). According to Kagan (1977), the Hispanic community is also one that values cooperation as well. Earlier this year, Obama was reported to have won 36 percent of the Hispanic community’s votes, and he was also reported to be aiming for the same result in 2012. However, it has been said that if Obama really wants to win the votes of the entire Hispanic community, there are two issues that have to be addressed. The first has to do with immigration reform and how Obama handles his first Supreme Court nomination (Martin, 2009). Hispanics and Religion Most of the Hispanics individuals that make up the community are Roman Catholic. In fact, 90 percent of all Hispanics are of this religion. However, recent years have shown the proliferation of other religions in the United States. However, the fact that most Hispanics are religious means that the church and its teachings influence their values, behaviours, family life and community affairs. The Roman Catholic religion and the devout Hispanic followers also imply the number of celebrations and holidays that take place each year in several areas all around the world. In the United States, many celebrations of the Catholic Church are acknowledged by the government and made into holidays However, the Hispanic community have other holidays such as Easter and the Three Kings’ Day, in addition to the usual Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day holidays (Ohio State University Fact Sheet, 2009). The major cultural elements that characterize Latin American cultures are centralist traditions with regards to religion and the government which are the basis of Hispanic culture. In the past, religion has played a significant part in the governments of the Hispanic community (Ohio State University Fact Sheet, 2009). Hispanics and Employment There have been issues with regards to Hispanics and the large unemployment rate. The global economic crisis has meant that the minority group is included among the other minority groups where unemployment is being felt the most. According to reports, the unemployed consist of 9.3 white people, 15.6 blacks and 12.7 Hispanics (Dickson, 2009). What with the immigration issues facing the Hispanic community, in addition to the unemployment problem, calls for the Obama administration to implement programs to alleviate the situation. Hispanics have also been known to not be self-employed for the most part, as compared to other non-Hispanic individuals. This has been a significant issue to consider because being self-employed leads to economic efficiency and economic equity when it comes to opportunities. First and foremost, the existence of government programs in the United States are intended to increase business ownership among individuals who belong to minority groups. These come in the form of loans and set-asides. For the record, self-employment levels among the Hispanic group suggest inefficiency in the absence of market interventions. It is also an important factor when considering the labour market success of the minority group concerned (Fairlie, 2004). In the past, there has been the problem of stereotypes of ethnic minority groups that have affected the employment of individuals who belong to ethnic minority groups. However, recent demographics in the US labour force have undergone major changes. Industries all over the country are beginning to realize the importance of the participation of the Hispanic community, in addition to other ethnic minority groups to meet their labour needs (Baas et al., 2001). In an attempt to change such stereotypes brought about by racial differences, Obama attempted and succeeded in appointing a large number of Hispanic professionals to high level administration positions In fact, it has been seen that an estimate of 14 percent of Obama’s workforce consist of Hispanic individuals. This move was very much welcomed by the Hispanic community because it has been previously known that members of this ethnic minority group have been underrepresented in the past (Kuznia, 2009). In President Barack Obama’s website, it was mentioned that Obama intends to raise the minimum wages of economically challenged individuals, as well as providing support for low-income families. In order to do this, he has supported and continues to support funding for job training programs. In addition, capital needed for starting businesses by individuals from ethnic minority groups such as the Hispanic peoples has also been addressed. He has also promised to protect both Social Security and Home Ownership for Latinos. Furthermore, since most Latinos are not able to gain access to all benefits provided to their white Non-Hispanic counterparts, Obama has also promised to provide access to banking services for individuals from this community (BarackObama.com). Hispanics and Immigration There is also the problem of Hispanic immigration, which the Hispanic community has been counting on Obama to tackle. What with the increasing numbers of Latin-American peoples deciding to reside in the United States, the government has been blamed for not having a comprehensive immigration plan. There are a number of reasons why plan to overhaul the immigration system has not come into full force yet. In 2007, attempts were made to address immigration issues, but the plan failed due to conflicting interests between the Republicans and the Democrats. According to Yahoo News (2009), Republicans, if given the right to address the problem could alienate the Hispanic community, resulting in widespread protests. On the other hand, Democrats have to risk keeping the hopes up of millions of Hispanic families, since there is a risk of the plan not following through, or being delayed. In other words, a future fight in the Congress has been predicted. Based on the views of the critics, the Hispanic community shall judge Obama by how he chooses to address the immigration reform issue (Yahoo News, 2009). Hispanics and Health There have also been reports of the Hispanic community with regards to their health. In a journal entry by Bzostek et al. (2007), Hispanics have reported themselves to be less healthy than their white counterparts. This was reported despite statistics showing that Hispanic individuals are less likely to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes (Morales et al., 2002). On the contrary, they are the ones who are likely to follow a high fiber and high protein diet, and are also likely to engage in physical activity to keep healthy, as compared to other nationalities residing in the United States (Morales et al, 2002). One of the explanations for this kind of view is that Hispanics may view certain health levels in a different manner than other patients from other cultural backgrounds. Secondly, the assessments that Hispanics may have when it comes to their health status may cause an impact on their decision making processes, especially when it comes to health care utilization and other behaviours related to the subject. In other words, the more that they assess their health status to be poor, the more they would be likely to seek health care or self medicate themselves. This kind of view towards the health care system could mean significant implications towards reforms regarding America’s healthcare system. If Obama is serious about garnering the votes of the Hispanic community for his re-election in 2012, the health care system is something that has to be addressed. Knowing that a large number of Hispanics are uninsured especially when it comes to their health, President Obama passed the health insurance reform bill in the first week of November 2009 (Philstar.com, 2009) HIV has also been an issue that requires great attention. The Hispanic community of course, is not spared from suffering the consequences of contracting the disease. On the National HIV Testing Day on June 27 2009, he had pledged to ‘develop and implement a comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS)’ that intends to reduce the incidence of the spread of the HIV virus. He intends to do this by increasing the nation’s access to healthcare, and ‘reducing HIV-related health disparities.’ The strategy also aims to increase awareness in the entire country, as well as investing enough time, effort and financial resources to preventing the disease and treating it. Reports have shown that the disease is especially prevalent among the gay and bisexual community, among African-Americans and the Hispanic community (WhiteHouse.gov, 2009). Hispanics and Education According to Solis & Dabour (2006), Hispanics have lower rates of college and university enrolment and attendance as compared to their white counterparts. In fact, reports released in 2002 revealed that 29.4 percent of Caucasian non-Hispanics were able to receive a bachelor’s degree, while a mere 11.1 percent of the statistics consisted of Hispanic graduates (Ramirez & de la Cruz, 2002). According to Astin (1975), there are a number of existing factors as to why there may be an imbalance of school attendance. These are namely differences in family backgrounds, previous schooling experience, individual and institutional commitment and the integration into the college or university of the students’ choice, with regards to their academics and social abilities. As part of Obama’s strategy to win the hearts of the Hispanic community, it has been suggested that the rest of the non-Hispanic community in the United States be made to speak Spanish. Polls have agreed that the majority of Americans want English to be the official language of the country and most of them also disagree that Spanish should be a compulsory second language. According to the polls, 83 percent of Americans agree that English should be the dominant language in the country, while a measly 26 percent feel that Americans should be able to speak two languages. Thus, Obama’s statements have received some criticism from American citizens all over the country. Despite the fact that Obama has conceded that immigrants residing in the United States should learn English, the reality is that many of them do not. In fact, in the Hispanic community, only 52 percent are able to speak English and 28 percent of these immigrants speak only Spanish while they are working (Schlafly, 2008). Hispanics and Politics Both the conservatives’ party and the Hispanic community share common beliefs and values, particularly when it comes to their faith in the Christian religion, the right to life, the family and the ethic towards work. Since, as was mentioned earlier, the Hispanic community is heavily influenced by religion to guide them towards their views in the political arena, politicians would benefit in gathering the support of this minority group by reaching out to Hispanic pastors or priests who will not only be able to help a political candidate seal his/her win, but also provide a clearer picture when it comes to the politician’s moral and civic positions (Rodriguez, 2009). Hispanic groups have been appealing to the Obama administration to restore full food stamp benefits to Hispanics who are legal immigrants. In addition, they have also appealed to the government to establish a national voter identification program that prevents older Hispanic individuals from casting their votes for the election. There have also been appeals to extend sick leave benefits for all workers, implement rules for small business organization to provide health care coverage for their workers, establish benefits for Medicare providers, assist homeowners to retain their property and ensure that Hispanic households are assisted from going bankrupt and having to sell their properties and assets (Juventud, 2009). Conclusion Clearly, the Hispanic community makes up a large percentage of the population of the United States. Since the Hispanic community is an ethnic minority group, it is expected that they would have less advantages as compared to their other non-Hispanic counterparts. Schools for instance, and the health care system, are all not providing individuals of Hispanic ethnicity with the opportunities and the help that they deserve. However, since Obama became the President of the United States, there have been some changes to try and improve the situation of these minority groups. Health insurance reform bills have been passed, Hispanic individuals are now put in administrative positions and the like. There have also been promises of improving the lives of millions of Hispanics by providing them access to basic benefits such as banking, housing and such. However, such promises have yet to be addressed fully. The writer feels however, that despite Obama’s attempt to try and alleviate the situation felt by the Hispanic community, there are still some flaws that would make any American resident feel doubtful. Based on the literature gathered, it has been seen how some changes suggested by the Obama administration may have been for the purpose of gathering more Hispanic votes for Obama’s re-election in 2012. Although it may be too early to tell if the administration is implementing reforms for their own electoral benefit, this writer hopes that all the concerns of the Hispanic community and all other American residents are addressed before 2012. 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