As you should also know, immigration has become a huge issue in American politics in the last few months. A law in Arizona allows police officers to demand immigration papers from any person suspected of any crime--and President Obama, among others, believes that the law will lead to racist, anti-immigrant arrests. A group of political activists called the Tea Party often make anti-immigrant statements.
With all this activity, you might think that Hispanics--the usual target of anti-immigrant rage--would want to vote in November. But, according to an article in the Times today, "only 51 percent of Latino registered voters said they would absolutely go to the polls, compared with 70 percent of all registered voters."
Some people believe that Hispanics are especially fed up with the political process:
Matt A. Barreto, a political science professor at the University of Washington who is a pollster for Latino Decisions, a research group, said, “Latinos feel that on many of their key issues, promises were made and not delivered on” by the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats.
Latinos strongly supported Mr. Obama in 2008, so they do not have the enthusiasm of opposition that his detractors do. “It’s much easier to raise enthusiasm about kicking people out,” Mr. Barreto said.But others are trying hard to get Hispanics out to vote:
But Tomas Robles, a student at Arizona State, was so enraged by the law, which would require the police to ask people they stopped about their immigration status if they suspected them to be here illegally, that he registered 12 of his family members to vote, and joined other activists here in a door-to-door campaign that signed up more than 20,000 Latinos.
“For the first time, I felt it was time for me to get involved,” Mr. Robles said. He was surprised to find that while some Latinos were as fired up as he was, others slammed the door in his face. With the registration deadline past, the new focus is on motivating voters to actually vote.What do you think? Are you surprised by this trend? If you could, would you vote in November? Why or why not? Do you think your adult family members will vote? Why or why not? What would you want your political representatives to do for you?
Well I think everyone has the rights to vote. Even if there is any type of problems. I'm not surprise cause its how everyone is feeling. And if they want to vote because voting is not to force people. I think that adults maybe will vote not all because as it says " HISPANICS DONT VOTE". Also, if I can vote I would becaus i never exprised it. And I want to feel what is voting. What i would want them to do is help our comminuty. Provided good things for people that dont have homes or anything else.Finally, I want them to do the best they can to help students that need more benefits for school. - Jaileen <3
ReplyDeleteVia e-mail, Larissa offers some powerful commentary:
ReplyDeleteI think Hispanic do not feel like voting for the elections in New York State for governor, attorney general, and senator because as the article said Promise was not made and not delivered. For the Hispanics they feel that even though they would vote, promises would not be accomplish and I think that the Hispanics would assume each candidate would do the same and not accomplish their promises. Another reason is the law of Arizona what they did to the immigrants. They humiliated them by stopping them for papers, arresting them if they think there immigrants, Mistreating them, and etc. So why would Hispanics would vote?
To all this mistreating and promises that has not be made.