In a recent LA Times article, the author asserts that racism per se, is not what is shaping the Latino vote preference; it’s a 16 year head start. I agree. Sort of.
You can read the full article here: www.latimes.com
The cynic in me says this is true and like development throughout Latin America, it’s just plain silly to expect anyone to catch up. I mean, does anyone really think that introducing some new and improved marketplace infrastructure is really going to level the playing field in Latin America? Likewise, does anyone really think that Obama’s campaign headquarters can come up with anything that will battle 16 years of life in the public eye or, um, 16 years of political experience?
However, reflecting on the author’s assertion, I see a deeper issue at play. First of all, by now, most people (I think) are familiar with the argument that race is a social construction. It is our belief in the concept that gives it strength and perpetuates the divisions it creates. The fact that we’re discussing whether or not Obama’s wins or non-wins have to do with race means that racism is still rampant, no matter what we believe. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t be part of the conversation. After all, no one is pinning wins for either candidate based on shoe size or hair color. Why? Because those things are irrelevant in the discussion of who or what makes a better President of the United States. Personally, I think it shows how far behind we are that we are discussing someone as a better candidate or not based on the color of their skin or the categorization of their gender.
When are we going to get past race? How about gender?
One thing is certain, Clinton has been funneling more money into Spanish advertising than Obama and like one of our recent blog posts claims (bravenewfilms.org the Clinton camp knows how to personalize communication with its supporters. Certainly, this is one of the by-products of being around the political block more often.
Can Obama catch up? Yes, he can. Let’s not forget that there are a lot of people out there aching for something new and different. In January 27% of Latinos had no opinion on Obama. That’s almost ONE THIRD! To follow through with the author’s assertion, the Clintons have been after the Latino vote since 1992.
Echoing the words of Obama’s Super Tuesday speech, “let’s go to work.” It’s time to step on that path to the Latino vote that the Clintons have so nicely started and change the opinion of Latino voters from no opinion to some opinion. Yes, we can. We can, and we must, reach all those – Latinos and non-Latinos alike – who don’t vote because they think their vote doesn’t count. We must reach out to those who don’t vote because they don’t understand what is at stake. We must reach all those who think it’s hopeless and we’re all doomed anyway. We must all take a moment to educate those around us and help bring the political discussion to the forefront of our discussions not just on Super Tuesday but everyday. As a society, we need to stop worrying about the status of Britney’s custody or who else has recently purchased a brand new baby from an economically challenged country.
No, it’s not a black thing. Now is the time to act. Yes, we can change society’s perception of politics as something that happens out there or is handled by them and bring it back down to the people, right where it belongs.
