Latinos Are Not One Thing

(Gage Skidmore)

By Fermina Alcantara

I won’t sound particularly intelligent or scholarly while expressing my discontent with the Republican party’s shameless scheming to win the Latino vote– just annoyed.

Dear Gov. Romney and Other Ignorant Politicians:

Please stop your shallow attempts to appeal to Latino voters. Contrary to what you may believe, we are not a gullible, lesser intelligent bunch resembling Cantiflas or La India Maria. Language barriers are not a reflection of intelligence. Since English is the dominant language, non-English speakers are regarded by some (perhaps many) Americans as dumber beings. This, I concluded after years of closely observing the way some handle communicating with people of different cultures who either don’t speak or haven’t mastered the English language.

In turn, whenever I listen to politicians delivering their message in poorly spoken Spanish, I cringe and am offended by their lame and ineffective approach to seduce Latino voters. These superficial, insincere tactics of relating are beyond obvious. Listening to Gov. Romney’s son, Craig Romney, edit Obama’s famous slogan from “Si se puede”(yes we can) to “Como se puede” (how can we?) sounded gimmicking. He also spoke about his time abroad in Chile. But his experience of immersion in a rich foreign culture has no bearing on the policies and issues regarding Latinos in the United States.

Another scheme is to throw in a Latino name. The name of the game is “pick a name, any [Spanish] name.” Take Senator Marco Rubio, the GOP’s preferred puppet for capturing the Latino vote. The party seems to think that a name and compelling immigrant story suffice when choosing a poster boy to lure Latinos. Forget substance. This is where the Republicans should take notice of how the Democratic party is wooing Latinos.

During their convention, up-and-coming Democratic rising star, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, was dynamic and relatable. But he wasn’t relatable by virtue of a name. His words were not rhetoric. He gave a moving account of what many immigrants– Latinos and others — experience and why they come to the United States: for a better life for their families. Hard work and important family values is a universal theme that is a valid basis to earn a Latino vote, he poignantly explained. It is this “package” that is effective and not offensive when trying to court Latinos.

Just because you say, “Buenos dias,” doesn’t mean we will cast our vote for you. You must present us solid policies that benefit our communities.