What Does Hispanic Heritage Month Mean to Me? Not Much

[Jeanfromfillmore]

This is what Ibegone has been posting about, that “Hispanic/Latinos” are so completely different from country to country; but the media wants everyone to think they’re one big homogenous group.
I knew a woman from Puerto Rico that would get so angry is someone called her a Mexican. Most people from other than Mexico get really angry if someone calls them a Mexican, because they consider Mexico and Mexicans way below them and their culture. It has only been since the “we are against the “??? Gov. White Man, Cutting of ???” attitude that many of those people from countries other than Mexico have stood together with Mexicans. But give it a little more time and you’ll see them start to eat each other.

Opinion: What Does Hispanic Heritage Month Mean to Me? Not Much
The yearly celebration known as Hispanic Heritage Month is well under way and I guess I should be embarrassed to say that I don’t really care too much for it. But I am not.
I mean, for all intents and purposes, I am Hispanic – or at least that’s what I’ve been told since I arrived in the land of opportunity 24 years ago. So why wouldn’t I be proud to celebrate my heritage, right?
For starters, I take issue with the word Hispanic. I really don’t even know what it means. And I know I’m not the only “Hispanic” who feels that way. The debate on what we should be called is alive and well and, while I feel a bit more comfortable with the term Latina, the truth is it doesn’t really encompass all of me.
Secondly, because I don’t identify with the term Hispanic, I’m not really sure about the whole heritage thing, either. I feel absolutely no connection to some of the things celebrated during this month.
To me, my heritage is very clear: I am Peruvian. I was born in the land of the Incas, ceviche and an ice-cold Pacific Ocean. I know a lot about other Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, because I love traveling and I love history. But their heritage is not my heritage.
I guess my biggest problem with Hispanic Heritage Month is the idea that we can all be lumped into one neat little category (Hispanic) and be given one month (from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) to celebrate our supposed heritage.
As a result, Hispanic Heritage Month is not celebrated in my household. I celebrate my heritage every single day in big and small ways: when I cook Peruvian food for my children, when I tell them the legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo (the founders of the Inca empire), when I sing them the Peruvian versions of many well-known nursery rhymes and when I take them back to my homeland so they can see, taste, hear, smell and feel (part of) their heritage in real time.

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Hispanic Leadership Network Targets New Mexico, Swing States
The economy and education are hot topics this weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the self-described center-right Hispanic Leadership Network (HLN) is holding its regional conference.
With President Obama's popularity among Latino voters slipping of late, GOP leaders say there is opportunity to make some inroads.
During the 2008 presidential election, then-candidate Obama was credited for bringing a record number of Latinos to the polls. Recent polling, however, shows the president's approval rating among Latinos in decline.
Analysts point to the economy as part of the problem, with the unemployment rate in this group running about three points higher than the national average.
HLN held its inaugural conference in Florida in January. For the fall session, group leaders say they chose New Mexico for the southwestern regional conference for a couple of reasons, but one in particular: New Mexico elected the first Hispanic female governor in American history.
She is also a Republican. When she spoke to Fox News, Governor Susana Martínez pointed out that she was elected in a state where registered Republicans are outnumbered three to one.
Political watchers say if the incumbent cannot hold onto the key swing states of Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Florida in 2012, he'll be in trouble. All four states have large Hispanic populations.
HLN, a non-profit organization funded by the conservative American Action Network, is chaired by former Minnesota Senator, Republican Norm Coleman.
While in New Mexico covering the conference, Fox News talked to political operatives on both sides of the aisle about the Latino vote.
Norm Coleman/Former Minnesota Senator (R)
"They're pro jobs, they're pro family, pro America. And so this is an effort to outreach the conservative principles, talk to Hispanics, listen. Listen, and ultimately, I think, build a grassroots movement that will result in folks who share these values, providing direction for our cities, for our states and for our country."
Gov. Susana Martinez / (R) NM
"I think what's important for us as the GOP is to make sure that we are having sincere and very honest and open dialogue and conversations with the voter, the Hispanic voter. Not just the rhetoric, and that's the thing I think that people are tired of. They're tired of hearing the rhetoric and they want to make sure that the message you give in the Hispanic community is going to be the very same message that you give in any other community."
Javier Gonzales/NM Democratic Party Chair
"The policies...of the Republican party...they're so contrary to the Hispanic values. Hispanic values are all about people taking care of our families, taking care of one another. This is just a bunch of bull. When it comes down to what "they care about" it is themselves. They will turn their backs on the neighbor if there isn't enough to go around. Just go to where they get the "freebees" and you'll see them get in line two hours early just to make sure they "get theirs" before their neighbor gets there. Sure they'll share if there's plenty, but when things get scarce, they'll grab and fight to get their hands on it first. That's already starting to happen.And you have a Republican Congress and you have Republican governors, like Susana Martínez, and Governor [Brian] Sandoval in Nevada who are acting and playing out Republican policies that are contrary to those values of the Hispanic family, which is that we've got to care for each other , we have to make sure elderly are cared for, we have to make sure our kids have access to affordable education."
Professor Gabriel Sánchez/University of New Mexico
"I would look at it as turnout being the key issue. My view is, it's not like Latino voters are going to go scrambling to the Republican party in large numbers. It's really a question of, will the same number of Latinos turn out in 2012. Keep in mind we had a huge increase from '08 to 2012; about 10.2 million Latinos voted in that election. If we don't see anywhere near that number this time around, that's a problem for President Obama."

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