Latinos on the rise

These are, it seems, especially exciting times to be Latino. Once seen as one of the poor relations of the globe – apart from producing world-class soccer players (or footballers if you will) and some pretty tasty lady models – Latino land is making itself and its people heard on other fronts of late.

Pope Francis — bigger than Jesus.

The most obvious and celebrated of these has been the election of Argentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or now known simply as Pope Francis, as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. 

Not only is he the first Latino to take up this position – it’s not important that Argentina is seen by many as the most European country in this part of the world – but he’s the first from all of the Americas as well as the first from the Southern Hemisphere.

Now, as momentous an occasion as it has been made out to be, perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised considering that South America is home to what’s believed to be almost 300 million Catholics, making it the most Rome-led region on the planet (how that actually manifests itself is something different as we’ve documented before – see http://bit.ly/13VtSAZ). 

When you take that into account, it makes sense that there should be a South American native holding the top job at the Vatican – although, you’re right, sense and the Catholic Church don’t always go hand in hand.

As outwardly important that religion appears to be for many Latinos, perhaps the biggest and most significant rise of this varied group of people can be seen to the north of their homeland – North America to be precise.

As was the case for the Irish Catholic immigrants in the same part of the world up until the early part of the last century, the Latinos/Hispanics in North America, more specifically the USA,* have been looked upon with suspicion and mistrust from the United State’s founding fathers, the WASPs and,** ironically enough, many Irish and Jewish Americans who are now very much part of the country’s fabric.

The discrimination towards them might not have been as obvious as it was to other groups in previous eras, but it certainly has existed.

That, though, is rapidly changing. The similarities with the Irish Americans’ transition from social outcasts to big players in the political and economic worlds are apparent.

Crucial vote. (Picture from ivn.us)

By sheer force of numbers alone the Hispanic vote is something the traditional power holders in the States can no longer ignore – they are due to be the largest voting bloc come the next US presidential election in 2016. 

That’s just counting the documented or ‘legals’ – should some sort of a solution for the undocumented/‘illegals’ be found during President Obama’s final tenure, the numbers of Latino-origin residents in the country would rise considerably. It’s widely accepted that they make up the bulk of the estimated 11 million undocumented in the USA.

As much as we like to think differently, the politicians, or at least their advisers, aren’t stupid. Many US immigrants vote Democrat, so if the Obama administration can fix the undocumented problem, this should ensure that trend is enhanced for some time to come.

Even the traditionally inward-looking Republicans are doing their bit to find favour among the Hispanics. 

The party’s official response to Obama’s State of the Union address earlier this year was given by the Cuban American Florida senator Marco Rubio, with his speech in both English and Spanish. Indeed, Rubio is tipped by many to be a future presidential candidate for the Republicans. A Republican Latino version of JFK perhaps?

It’s not, however, just the power of numbers that have aided the Latino/Hispanic rise. They’ve also shown themselves to be more than capable of mixing it with the best that the US has to offer. 

The typical image of the Spanish speaking cleaner or nanny or general labourer isn’t fitting the narrative as easy as before. No, they’re becoming high-rollers. Again, like the Irish Americans, through hard work and perseverance they are becoming more and more accepted into US society.

The WASPs et al. fears that Hispanics would dilute the vibrant, strong work-ethic culture that made the USA the self-proclaimed greatest country on the planet are being unfounded.  

Pitbull — also bigger than Jesus it seems. (Image from Pitbull's website.)

In fact, from a Colombian American perspective – as we alluded to in ‘Colombia’s dissenters’ (see http://bit.ly/13X1AXb) – many of these immigrants adapt to the prevailing culture pretty well and actually thrive in it. 

Yes, they bring their own Latino colour just as the Irish have ‘greened’ up the place, especially around St Patrick’s Day, but they also bring an appetite for work and success – qualities the first European settlers in North America prided themselves on.

So while the Latino stock is rising outside of their original homeland, what about things inside? Being such a diverse land with many different countries, it’s not something that can be easily summed up. 

However, while many from the Western world may be flocking to the place to escape the ‘misery’ of their lives in the rat-race, a large number of ambitious Latinos still look to leave their homeland to ‘better’ themselves.

In similarity again with the Irish, a good number of Latinos still believe they have a better chance of realising their potential outside of their birthplace. That may be steadily changing, though.

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*For a more detailed account of the terms 'Latino' and 'Hispanic', see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans

**WASPs - 'White Anglo-Saxon Protestants' for any of you who were wondering.

Colombia and Ireland — a tale of two old Catholic countries

One of the connections that can be made between Colombia and Ireland is the significant influence the Catholic Church has had on the two countries. Now, while this can be seen as a similarity, how that Roman authority manifested itself in both states has been quite different.

It’s true to say that, these days, the Church’s power is very much on the wane in the two republics, perhaps much more so in Ireland than Colombia based on what we’ve seen and who we’ve spoken to here in the latter location. 

However, after dominating for so long, the residue of its long reign remains pretty strong in the minds of those brought up with its teachings.

Sure just showing up for religious events is all that's needed, right?

In terms of how Catholic each state has been, it could be said that in the last 20 years or so, in an Irish context anyway, we’ve been outwardly drifting away from Rome yet inwardly staying quite close to the Church’s beliefs and morals. 

From our experiences here in Colombia, the opposite appears to be the case. Outwardly, many profess to be ‘strong Catholics’, yet in reality, their day-to-day practices betray this.

What we’re really getting at here are attitudes to relationships and, perhaps more appropriately in this regard, sex. It has been well documented – mocked even – the traditional Irish reluctance to just talk about sex let alone see it as something enjoyable/recreational. 

Sex before marriage, in line with Catholic thinking, was a big no, no. It should be used as a means to procreate, no more, no less, within a secure family unit. 

You don’t have to go back too long in Ireland’s past to find a time when the local priest – and by extension, the Catholic Church – was one of the most respected individuals in the community. His line on a host of issues, including sex, took precedence over many others.

In this context, considering most "Fathers'" lack of practical knowledge in the whole sex area (let’s leave all the abuse scandals out of this for now) an awkwardness, embarrassment even, on the subject permeated through Irish society. 

The effects of this may be losing significance in 21st-century Ireland but it’s true to state that, for some, the old uneasiness about love-making remains.

Contrast this with Colombia. As alluded to above, numerous people here – and we’re talking specifically about those in their early 20s up to their late 30s – speak and superficially act a good Catholic game, something you’re less inclined to find among those in the same age bracket in Ireland. 

Basically, they are regular churchgoers and bless themselves all the time with that double or treble sign of the cross manoeuvre followed by kissing their thumb or something like that. It certainly looks the part, as if they mean it.

Just missing the 'ours' Mr & Mrs Brady.

Yet, their attitudes to premarital sex – thankfully, many might say – are far more liberal, free-spirited if you will. 

No doubt they are aware of Rome’s line on the subject but because, perhaps, it just doesn’t seem to make natural sense to them, they overlook it. It could be seen as one good instance where the Colombian tendency not to stick to the "rules" is beneficial.

Expanding into relationships in general, the number of ‘mine, yours and ours’ Catholic/Christian families here in Colombia seems to be, anecdotally speaking, practically the norm. That is a family where the mother has a child/children from a different relationship (the mine), as does her husband (yours) while they also have offspring that they created together (ours). 

Then, of course, you still have plenty of single-mother families where the father provides support – if he does at all – from a distance while he also caters for the other children he has with other women. You can be hard-pressed to find a family where both parents are in their first marriage and any children they have are "products" of both.

We’re not saying that the traditional family unit is all that exists in Ireland – of course not. But in general, an Irish husband and wife do appear to be more reluctant to go their separate ways, especially when there are children involved, compared to Colombians – in a number of cases that’s often to the detriment of all involved. Sometimes it’s better for mind and body to realise the game is up.

'Father knows best, my child.'

So two old Catholic countries they may be, but how that association has shaped their social development has been quite different. 

It could be argued that the Irish tendency to maintain the traditional family unit is better for society in general.

However, our traditional awkwardness, if you will, of the whole sex area has had mixed results. 

In one, perhaps positive, sense, it may have seen us take a more considered approach regarding whom we jumped into bed with – it may have, that is. In another way, for some, the art was practically demonised. Not too healthy for mind and body that.

Issues and problems are bound to arise when you take counsel from those who know relatively little about the subject area in question. 

As many Colombians have learned, sometimes it’s best to go with your natural instincts.

*For related articles, see: "'Mi Amor' - or perhaps not?" http://bit.ly/NsJyB5 & 'Strength in Belief' http://bit.ly/OPvJBC