Stop the Hate!

As the world and more notably the United States becomes tabbed as a ‘melting pot’ of ethnic diversity, the gap between love and hate either widens or narrows. As the diversity in the United States changes, unfortunately so does the hate within a culture especially in smaller towns. To paint a realistic picture of how Latinos are treated in the rural, small towns around the United States we travel back in time to Shenandoah, Pennsylvania where a young engaged man was beaten to death for being Mexican.

Luis Ramirez, an undocumented Mexican immigrant was supposed to be married to his wife and live out a life of happiness and joy however; he never received that chance because a small group of high school football players ended his world before it even got started. With the young men not only physically assaulted Ramirez, but verbally degraded him by screaming ethnic and racial slurs while punching and kicking him. Despite what most would call a savage and unruly beating, the young men who committed the crime where bright, community oriented boys who were top-notch students.

Many psychologists and doctors attribute racial and ethnic discrimination to the young parents and grandparents. From an early age these boys were likely exposed to such racial prejudice or witness other hate crimes that helped to influence these crimes. From 2003 to 2007, anti-Latino crimes were up an astonishing 40%. The question is frequently asked why Mexicans and Latinos are the most targeted race of people for hate crimes and the answer is commonly shaped on how people perceive the Latinos.

The news is often flooded with stories featuring border control or Mexicans jumping the border to illegally enter the United States. While hear they receive or take jobs from people who are ‘rightful’ citizens and thus cause greater unemployment, etc. With such shows as Spikes DEA, CBS’s Criminal Minds and numerous others that shine a glaring light on racial issues, it commonly throws fuel on the fire. Moving forward, it is inevitable that the government needs to address this issue in a more definitive manner, especially now that President Barack Obama is trying to justify letting in an enormous amount of Arabs that is only fueling more separation within ethnic groups. Hopefully, peace will prevail in the end and we can all look past skin color, religion and unfamiliar characteristics.