Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
"Hispanic" is a term invented by the Nixon administration covering anyone from Spain, Central America or South America. It is not a pleasing term to many people from these countries.
The word Hispanic comes from the Hispania region. When the Roman Empire ruled over the Iberian Peninsula (modern day Spain and Portugal) they called it Hispania. The term Hispanic wasn't officially used by the US government until the 1970's. Before that Hispanics were called "Spanish-Americans". In its most broad sense, Hispanic simply means people of either Spanish or Portuguese decent including the people of the American countries they colonized.
It's a pretty nebulous term used differently depending on the region and often just the person. It's more of a general language-centered, cultural classification than anything.
The overwhelming majority of Hispanics consider themselves caucasian if you twist their arms hard enough. Some Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Panamanians, Venezuelans, Cubans, etc, would beg to differ. But i doubt that it would be anymore than a quarter of the total Hispanic population at large who wouldn't consider themselves white.
The Hispanic thing is pretty nebulous. Still though, that's been my argument about whites becoming a minority in the coming decades. It's nonsense. The Hispanic community, through intermarriage will become thoroughly caucasian after a few generations.
The US Census treats race and ethnicity separately.
The Census uses 'Hispanic' to denote people with origins in Spain and Latin America.
Approximately 1/2 of Hispanics in the US are classified as White.
Right. I am half Cuban and half regular ol' American (a mutt, basically). I am white. My culture is that of a white American person. But my ethnicity is partly Hispanic due to my father's side of the family. However, I was not raised by my biological father and do not know much of the culture or history of Cuba.
There is a major difference between race, culture and ethnicity.
In its most broad sense, Hispanic simply means people of either Spanish or Portuguese decent including the people of the American countries they colonized.
The proper term of Brazilians and Portuguese are "Lusitanics." I am of Portuguese background (half), my father is from Portugal. Had he been from Spain, a couple hundred miles east of where he was born, I would have no student loans right now, because I'd have qualified for Hispanic minority scholarships! Imagine that, lol!
The overwhelming majority of Hispanics consider themselves caucasian if you twist their arms hard enough. Some Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Panamanians, Venezuelans, Cubans, etc, would beg to differ.
The Mexicans in America by and large would most aptly be described as Mestizos. Most Dominicans, Mulattos. Cubans in Miami, mostly white, but Cuban representation on the actual island is mostly mixed and black. Argentinians, almost universally white. Peruvians, almost all straight up Indian or Mestizo.
Latin America is very diverse as a region. I actually never understood why being a "Hispanic" entitled someone automatically to the "minority" status? ETHNIC minority, MAYBE (MAYBE, cause some Hispanics trace their lineage right back to Europe).
Quote:
Originally Posted by desertdetroiter
The Hispanic thing is pretty nebulous. Still though, that's been my argument about whites becoming a minority in the coming decades. It's nonsense. The Hispanic community, through intermarriage will become thoroughly caucasian after a few generations.
I think it will be more common for "white people" in America to look more like Mediterranean white people 200 years from now than the Scotch-Irish/German "white people" appearance today, and for black people to also change typical phenotypically.
Some hispanic cultural groups as a whole are more open to intermarriage than others.
The proper term of Brazilians and Portuguese are "Lusitanics." I am of Portuguese background (half), my father is from Portugal. Had he been from Spain, a couple hundred miles east of where he was born, I would have no student loans right now, because I'd have qualified for Hispanic minority scholarships! Imagine that, lol!
Like I said - in it's most general sense. I also said it's a very nebulous term used differently by different people.
Whether people of Portuguese decent or people from Brazil are Hispanic is not a cut-and-dry matter. I've met Brazilians in the US who consider themselves Hispanic and Brazilians who don't.
To further that point (confusion about Portuguese decent and Hispanic), not even the US Federal Government can agree.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines "Hispanic or Latino" as "a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race" whereas the U.S. Department of Transportation defines Hispanic as "persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American, or others Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin, regardless of race."
With Hispanics, people will usually just classify them based on the eyebal test....if a person looks as if they have a mixed racial heritage (ie a mestizo or mulatto look ) they will be classified by people who see them as "Hispanic". If they look "White" they are classified as White or if they look "Black" they will be classified as "Black".
I know quite a few "Hispanics" who have African ancestry (light brown to very dark) some of them didn't realize that they were "Black" until they stepped onto American soil because Americans tend to use the "One Drop Rule" of determining "Blackness".
I also know quite a few Hispanics who no one would ever know that they had any ancestry other than European. Some of them proudly embrace their diverse heritage while others want to only be considered "White".
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
