At this time in the United States the divide between Hispanic/Latinos and whites is so wide because of the raging social and racial tensions that have been brought on by the media, news outlets, celebrities, and politicians. With the new president Donald Trump in office it is no secret that Hispanics and Latinos have been the target of much racial profiling, hate, and discrimination. Now of all times it is paramount to be united as a nation that has a backbone built on immigrants and come together for making decisions best for all. I grew up amongst both communities, White and Hispanic/Latino, up through adulthood and was able to learn and incorporate aspects of both cultures into my own life. This benefited me by making me a more cultured member of society. I believe now as a result of that I can accurately portray and deliver appropriately the beneficial features of both cultures to the nation, Whites, and Hispanics/Latinos. Through evaluating the differences among language, educational success, fertility, social and political values, income, and overall happiness between the two races, it becomes apparent just what each culture and the other, and us as a nation, can benefit and learn from, making closing the divide possible.

Since elementary, I was growing up being exposed to Mexican culture. This was because I was often at the houses and residences of my Hispanic friends. I almost spent more time amongst this other culture and race than my own. I picked up on the Spanish language, Mexican culture, foreign music, social customs, and more. I grew up being exposed to both cultures and being active among both races. I established and maintained strong relationships with my Hispanic counterparts up through adulthood. I had a best girl friend, Julissa, and boyfriend for 3 years, Eric. 

For the longest time, I used to not have a stance. Hispanics and Whites, they are different. What could change that? Who could change that? Is there even anything that needed changing? Although I was always curious about this other culture I had spent so much time around, I felt indifferent that there needed to be any change. They were their own community and we were ours. I could leave well enough alone, or so I thought.

Senior year of highschool, barely 17. The internet and social media is flooded with news or popular jokes on the upcoming presidential election. But, amidst the laughs I noticed there seemed to be a growing divide between all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons. I saw this apparent at my school and through reading the opinions of others online. Tensions particularly were high between Whites and Hispanics. Just as often as I would see someone being accused of being a racist, I would see another being accused of being an illegal. As if the divide between Hispanics and Whites was not big enough, the election brought on an outrageous amount of hostility, it seemed, from both sides. 

The new president, Donald Trump, and his policies are known to be favored amongst conservative whites and that often clashes with Hispanic/Latinos political views. This played a big part causing the racial divide that was being exhibited by both races socially. Because Hispanic/Latinos are a race that includes Mexicans, they are the center of a certain controversy on whether or not illegal immigration into this country is okay, moral, and permissible. This is only one of many controversies that have grown in attention-gathering after Trump announced his run for the presidency. The most recent election of the president of the United States has acted as fuel for the growing racial divide amongst Hispanics/Latinos, Whites, Blacks, and Native Americans.

A division among cultures that live in such close proximity, i.e., the border between the United States and Mexico, is dangerous for the future of relations among the two groups of people. If the two cultures could share more in common and learn from each other’s cultural features, relationships among the two could be inspiring, economically beneficial, socially enlightening, and advantageous for both cultures in almost all aspects. Exploring the two’s cultural similarities and differences is where to start. I will be evaluating many of the differences  between the two cultures and why they are important. This includes, language, educational success, fertility, social and political values, income, and overall happiness. Then, I will explain how these differences can be accepted, changed, embraced, or incorporated in a way such that the division between Whites and Hispanics/Latinos is lessened. 

The most obvious difference between both Hispanics/Latinos and Whites, also the one that often causes the biggest barrier, is the language. Unfortunately, the education system has failed students in the United States in terms of creating a proficiency for speaking basic Spanish. According to Richard Brecht, who oversees the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Study of Language, less than 1 percent of American adults today are proficient in a foreign language that they studied in a U.S. classroom. This is notable because according to the National Survey of Foreign Language Teaching in U.S. Schools, in 2008, 93% of all high schools in the country offered foreign languages. Knowing this, it is appropriate to call for a better and more rigorous curriculum in schools for language classes, especially Spanish. 

Even more of a reason to instill a more of a requirement for the learning of Spanish is schools is because it is well known that Hispanics/Latinos make up a large percentage of the United States next to Whites. In fact, according to the 2010 Census, more than half of the growth in the total population of the United States between 2000 and 2010 was due to the increase in the Hispanic population. This proves how the influx of immigrants from Spanish speaking countries is only growing. As this trend continues to rise, eventually there will be more Spanish speakers in the United States than English speakers. Therefore, assuming this, it is in the Whites best interest and the interest of this nation to become proficient in Spanish. 

Why should Whites and other natural born citizens carry the burden? Why not require of immigrants to test proficient in English before being granted their citizenship? First off, Hispanics/Latinos are already being tested on their English simply by living here in the United States. In an attempt to assimilate into a whole other country, they are essentially being forced to speak and use English in their daily lives. This would be necessary for them if they want to communicate to others outside of their community, find employment, enroll in higher education, or simply fully embrace the American way of life. Secondly, calling for reform of the education system, for example like changing the curriculum in secondary schools, is an easier approach to closing the language barrier than to attempt at immigration policy reform. But, to be clear neither race should be required to learn the other’s language. Forcing one and not the other or both to carry the weight of learning a new language would not be agreeable or principled, which would not sponsor feelings of equality that are needed to help aide the divide between Hispanics/Latinos and Whites. 

Although education reform is a sound and plausible strategy, how much good can it do? This question is raised because another difference between Whites and Hispanics/Latinos is the differences in educational success. Only up until the last decade has the Hispanic high school dropout rate declined with college enrollment increasing. Even though Hispanics now are getting more post-secondary education than ever before, Hispanics are still lacking behind Whites, Asians, and Blacks when it comes to obtaining a 4-year college degree. In a 2014 National Journal poll, 66% of Hispanics who got a job or entered the military directly after high school cited the need to help support their family as a reason for not enrolling in college, compared with 39% of whites. This is one example of Hispanics exhibiting an importance of family over higher education and, therefore, success and money. 

One factor that definitely needs to be taken into account in terms of Hispanic/Latino dropout rates due to familial obligation is the fertility rates. Minority babies are now the majority among the nations infants, according the new Census Bureau Population Estimate. Hispanics fertility rate was estimated in 2012 to be 2.19. Meanwhile, Whites coming in at 1.76. Compared to other groups, Whites are having fewer children relative to other groups. With this information, the bureau estimated that non-Hispanic whites will cease to be the majority group by 2044.

Because Hispanics are facing the challenge of supporting their families instead of attending higher education institutions, many and their families are facing economic difficulty. According to the Pew Research Center, by comparison, only 15% of Hispanics have a bachelor’s degree or higher while for Whites it is 44%. With no degree, these persons are only able to obtain jobs that require minimum schooling and minimum experience. Jobs like these usually pay low. With a low pay grade comes a low standard of living. Generations of immigrants face the struggle to overcome a low standard of living because of the almost cyclical event of having to leave school to take care of their families. For Whites and Hispanics/Latinos to close the pay gap and also the standard of living gap, there needs to be stress on how important obtaining a degree from higher education institutions is for the success of the individual, family, and future generations of immigrant-descended families. 

As the United States would have it, the higher the income, the higher level of happiness one has. The Pew Research Center connects the two. The Center states that in 2011 the median income of a Hispanic household is $39,000. This income rate places Hispanics, in theory, to be around 33% very happy but not above 40%. For the actual percentage of happiness Huffington Post adds that in 2011 only three in ten Hispanic-Americans in 2011 are very happy, only 28%. Especially if it is a matter of happiness, Hispanic/Latinos can absorb this information to be beneficial for their future generations. 

Not only are there cultural differences that need compromising but there are social and political differences that play a big role in the divisions amongst the both races. For example, Whites seem to be much more tolerant when it comes to views on same-sex marriage and abortion. More than about half of Hispanics (53%) say abortion should be illegal across the board while only 40% say it should be legal. For whites over 57% say abortion should be legal.  For same-sex marriage views, only 46% of Hispanics/Latinos in 2013 expressed favor.  As for whites, over 57% supported same-sex marriage. More Whites than Hispanics/Latinos support abortion and same-sex marriage. This supports the idea that Whites are more politically and socially tolerant compared to Hispanics and Latinos. 

While Whites need to focus more on allowing for an easier assimilation of Hispanic/Latinos in the United States, one way by making an effort to learn their language, Hispanics and Latinos need to prioritize education over fertility in order to achieve a higher standard of living for future generations, and work on being more open-minded and tolerant. When it comes to political and social views, oftentimes there cannot be any change made. This is because these types of views are exposed and believed in since an infant age, i.e., being raised a Catholic or being raised a Christian. Asking someone to change their religious beliefs would be going against their first amendment, that is the freedom of religion. The opening of minds is something that seems to just take time. This is apparent in the rising change of favor amongst the general public of the United States. As the generations and years go on, more and more liberal views are supported. To be clear, there is no need for someone to change their views. In the United States a person has the freedom to think how they like. People and their views can coexist in peace. It is up until the views infringe on the right of others of the views make that person who owns them act negatively towards others that a divide is created. The first step towards making all this work and changing one’s behaviors for the greater good of the nation is changing one’s attitude.

 Attitudes have the power to control people. Before any change for good can come forth, attitudes of both sides of both cultures and races need to change. Attitudes need to be positive and tolerant. A person’s attitude towards something starts with their opinion. If someone is racist against a certain people, they are much less likely to have a tolerant attitude towards working together with people of that community. 

A good way to gauge the attitudes of one person of one race towards another person of another race is to know their attitudes towards racial principles. According to  “The Real Record on Racial Attitudes,” by authors Lawrence D. Bobo of Harvard; Camille Z. Charles of the University of Pennsylvania; Maria Krysan of the University of Illinois, Chicago; and Alicia D. Simmons of Stanford, there is data to support the idea that the segregationist sentiment has not entirely gone away. In 2008 a proportion of whites nationwide, 28%, still supported an individual homeowner’s right to discriminate selling a home on the bases of race. This can be an indication that there are still high negative attitudes from whites toward inclusion of other races. 

These prejudiced feelings are sponsored by things like xenophobia or the fear of change. If we can get to Americans in the school system early on, in the lowest education levels possible, to be taught that cooperation with another person of a different color or background is not just nothing to be afraid of but also necessary for the country as a whole to excel in all fields, than the future citizens of the United States’ attitudes can change. This idea was practically impossible almost seventy to two-hundred years ago when racial segregation was the practice among American schools. Now that the United States is working towards achieving a better standard of life and equality for all racial backgrounds this idea is much more achievable than it was in the past. The nation’s future is it’s children. By raising the children to think more open-mindedly on their neighbors, this will sponsor adults of a better ethic necessary to lessen the divide.   

I propose having every level of government, city, state, and federal to sponsor and advocate for the lessening of the divide between the two races and races overall and forcing schools in their curriculums for elementary through high to heavily include and highlight the good aspects and features of each races’ cultures. I believe this will instill within the future adults of the nation a pride for their heritage and their neighbors heritages. Hispanics/Latinos and Whites have many cultural differences that divide them but ones that both can incorporate into their own culture in order to become more cultured themselves as individuals, become more sensitive to the problems and difficulties another race faces, and overall improve their own social practices, norms, and achieve the unity needed. Although I do recognize it is a point made that making change or making sacrifices is burdensome, like having more enforce on the learning of Spanish in schools, these are examples of things necessary for the betterment of society. And another thing I recognize is that even though education reform cannot fix the entire problem, it is a place to start.  Both races have it in their best interest to learn from one another’s cultures and incorporate it into their own for the betterment of society and for the future of the nation.  
