The Significance of Equality to the Latino Community
Althea Gonzalez – of the Buncombe County Medical Society’s Interpreter Network; de la Red de Intérpretes de la Sociedad Médica de Buncombe
By Althea Gonzalez
It is a privilege to be asked to write about this topic, especially since this month’s issue honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I am a first generation American, born in Miami of Cuban parents. Yet, I am but one Latina in a wide world that includes Latinos from at least 20 different nations including those who were born here in the U.S. Even with my heritage, I can only guess at what “equality” means to the entire Spanish-speaking world.
However, it is from this perspective that I can contribute to this discussion. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” One might think the meaning of equality is obvious; that it has a similar, straightforward definition not just for all Latinos, but all U.S. residents. Still, when we look at the synonyms for “equal” (sameness, justice, fairness, and impartiality) we see differences - just as we see differences within the Latino community. Do
all Latinos want to be the same? Definitely not! Most Spanish-speakers
didn’t even know they were Latino (or the oft-used “Hispanic”) until
they came to the United States. They were (and still are) proud of
their distinct, national heritage – such as Puerto Rican, Colombian, or
Mexican. Imagine all English-speakers grouped together as “Anglos”:
British, Australians, South Africans, Irish, and Americans all lumped
into one set. Can you feel the tension? That is exactly what happens to
our Latino community.
Moreover,
national heritage is not the only distinction between Latinos. There
are Black Latinos, Indian Latinos, and Asian Latinos. In many countries
different racial and ethnic backgrounds are as common as they are here
in the States. Furthermore, just because you hail from Latin America
doesn’t mean you speak Spanish. There are many languages “south of the
border.” Whether it is heritage, national identity, or a unique
culture, are all Latinos the same? No way! While we Latinos
may not want to be viewed as one, we do want to be treated with
justice, respect, and dignity - the same as all other human beings.
Shakespeare wrote, “If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us,
do we not laugh?” We are simply individuals seeking to fulfill the same
basic needs that all humans desire and deserve: life, liberty, the
pursuit of happiness, loving families, freedom from harm, and an
opportunity to make a difference while earning a living. Yet, in the
United States, there are huge obstacles to achieving these fundamental
rights and truths. Our outdated
immigration laws are broken. Rather than serve individuals, they favor
specific nations and certainly carry little benefit for current or
future residents. A few months ago one of my family members left his
native Cuba where he couldn’t make enough money to feed his family.
When he arrived in the U.S. he was immediately welcomed with Medicaid,
Work First, other social services and a pathway to citizenship. What’s fair
about this situation while another Latino leaves his native country
(Mexico), where he cannot make enough money to feed his family, and
upon entering the U.S., is incarcerated, stripped of his rights, and
forcibly deported? “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice
everywhere”. These words of Dr. King’s reinforce the fact that we are a
global community and our immigration policies should reflect this. What is fair
about the child, who arrives in North Carolina at the age of two,
completes twelve years of school, graduates with honors, applies to
college and finds she is an “out-of-state resident”, requiring her to
pay six times the tuition of her fellow classmates? Later, hoping to
become a doctor she cannot apply to medical school because she is
denied a social security card. However, a foreign medical student can
be accepted into a U.S. residency program, receive a social security
number and be seeing patients in a very short while. To compound the
unfairness, some lawmakers are actually considering changing the
Constitution and repealing birthright citizenship which allows every
baby born in the United States to be considered an American citizen - a
historic right that has been granted to many famous Americans such as
Civil War Admiral David Farragut and former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca. What is
impartial about a selective American memory which forgets that all of
its citizens are either immigrants or descendants of immigrants? What
is impartial about embracing English immigrants throughout our history
while discriminating against German immigrants in the 18th century,
isolating Italian immigrants in the 19th century, imprisoning Japanese
immigrants in the 20th century, and inflaming hatred against Mexican
immigrants in the 21st? And let us not forget hundreds of years of
discrimination experienced by enslaved African immigrants. True
impartiality would recognize immigrants and their children who
contributed to the richness of our country. Germans like Henry
Kissinger and Dwight D. Eisenhower, Italians like Dan Marino and
Rudolph Giuliani, Japanese such as Yoko Ono and Kristi Yamaguchi,
Mexicans like Carlos Santana and Oscar de la Hoya and Africans like
Oprah Winfrey, Colin Powell and of course, Martin Luther King, Jr. At this point in
its long history of marginalizing its residents based on national
origin or the color of their skin, the United States seems to have the
Latino population squarely in its sights. If our nation truly
represents the lofty ideals of fairness, justice, and impartiality; if
this rich country actually believes in providing all people with
dignity, respect, and opportunity, then now is the time to step up to
the plate and declare that while everyone is different, everyone is
equal. Montesquieu wrote, “The love of democracy is that of equality.” Martin Luther
King Jr.’s words inspire people of all races and nations. “God is not
merely interested in the freedom of brown men, yellow men, red men and
black men. He is interested in the freedom of the whole human race.” My people, mi
gente, like all people came to this land looking for the American dream
and equality is an essential component of that dream. The values of
America and the values of Martin Luther King Jr. are the values of my
people.
