BECAUSE of the great promise of equal opportunity, immigrants have flooded our shores and borders ever since the ink dried on the Constitution. We have long harbored the huddles masses and taken pride in our melting pot culture. This difficult integration has worked because fifth-generation and first-generation Americans are bound not by blood but by ideology.
However, today the issue of immigration is dividing even the monolithic Republican Party. Of course a society cannot function if its laws don't command respect, but at some point policymakers must realize the inevitability of Latino immigration and focus on encouraging a harmonious, productive society.
With all the recent talk about illegal immigration, it is unfortunately understandable how ome Americans could think that a Latino underclass should either legally pluck oranges from our trees or go home. But under this mindset a whole group of people are reduced to a capitalist cost and benefits argument. My recent trip to Florida, however, provided a glimpse into the future of this country -- a future in which Latino immigrants are no longer relegated to second-class status, but play an active, positive role in their communities.
My trip forced me to confront the dehumanization of Latino immigrants in national discourse. In Virginia my only experience with Latino immigrants was with the waiters and waitresses serving enchiladas at a local restaurant. Givien this situation, it is a small wonder many Americans talk about Latinos with such condescension. But in Florida I often felt like I was part of a minority. It was not simply the greater proportion of Latinos -- it was the change in roles and relationships Latinos had to the rest of society in Florida, compared to other parts of the country. Latinos were no longer only serving me. They were customers dining next to me. They were shopping at the same boutiques. Half the radio stations were in Spanish (luckily Shakira's music crosses cultural lines).The important thing to notice is that the American meritocracy is still working in Florida. Hispanics own around one-fifth of business firms in the Sunshine State, according to the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The smartest and hardest-working people in this country should succeed and this seems to be holding true for many Florida residents, regardless of background.
Florida has Latinos not only as a source of labor but also as valued members of its culture. Radio stations blast Latino hip hop. Signs abound promoting a South American culture festival. Southern Florida provides a portal into the future America should pursue. Latinos are not only the ones changing sheets -- they're checking into the hotels. With a purchasing power nearing $700 billion, businesses and political parties commit suicide by not reaching out to Latinos in the United States. Latinos have a family-oriented culture and do not let their children suffer from prideful indolence. The political party that welcomes this constituency will have a formidable advantage in every single election in the future.
As our plane touched down on the return flight to Richmond, I heard a woman rapidly talking on her cell phone in Spanish. At first I had the insular thought, "this woman should speak English, she's in the United States." Then my pragmatic nature kicked in, reminding me that I should just learn Spanish and profit from the ability to work better with millions in the country. But these cold thoughts embarrassed me when I heard the same woman thanking a man in English for helping her with her baggage. This woman reminds us that we should move past our stereotypes, our nativist fears, and accept our future not with a sigh of resignation but with a confidence to face the challenge of ensuring that the next generation will lead prosperous lives in the global economy.
Who knows, Latino competition in this country might force Americans to work hard and develop the skills that businesses actually want instead of guilting big buisness about outsourcing. Regardless, Americans discussing immigration policy should remember that it affects the lives of real people, real people who are remarkably similar to everyone else in this country who still chases the American Dream.
Marta Cook is a Cavalier Daily Opinion columnist. She can be reached at mcook@cavalierdaily.com.
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