Why do Americans think Hispanic is a race?

Question

It's funny that America is the ONLY place that places Hispanic as a race. If you look at the demographics at a Spanish-speaking country you will see them say white xx%, black xx%, mulatto/mixed xx%, asian xx%.
Spanish people conquered Latin America. Spain is in Europe. Ethnic people from Spain are white. British and the French conquered North America. British and French people are white. When whites and indigenous Indians mix, they are called mestizo. When blacks and whites mix, they're mulatto. And so and so forth. So WHY did the government feel the need to add a "race" that's not even a race?"Hispanics" can come in ANY race. Most Dominicans are mulatto, most Mexicans are mestizo, most Argentinians are white. Since when did LANGUAGE denote race? There was a huge article talking about how silly it sounded that "Latinos overtake Blacks as next minority"seeing as there are MANY Afro-Latins that look NO different than African Americans. Hispanic as an ETHNICITY, sure! Race? Get educated

Answer 1

Being a white hispanic, I completely agree with you.

I am from Argentina and just like most of our population I am white.

I live here in the US and I get so tired of people telling me that I am not white just because I am from a Latin country.

And then filling in the circle about my race on those tests we have to take at school. I just circle both. But if I were to circle one, I would circle WHITE. Hispanic is an ethinicity, not a race.

I even tell them that my family came to Argentina from Germany, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, Italy, and Syria and they still don't beleive I am white.

What makes me really mad is when white americans that are darker skinned that me tell me that I am not white but they are.

I hope this clears things for everyone.

Answer 2

I am from Spain I thought we were Caucasians until I arrived to the USA. They told me I am Hispanic???? Of course I toll them the immigration that they should go to the school, of course not in the USA but in Europe.i left the country after my vacations.
By the way why the labelled me this way.. I am so white that I look like white bear
Will never return to a country of so much confusing.

Answer 3

Race is an artificial political concept.

In early 20th century America, Irish people were considered a "race" seeperate and distinct from English and Scottish decended White Americans.

In mid 20th century Europe, Jews, Russians, Gypsies and Poles were considered different "races" than Germans, even though they were all European White people.

In the German case, there were families where one brother was declared "German" while the other was declared "Polish" - even though they had the same father and mother!

In South Africa in the 1940's, some people who came from families that had had a lot of White/Black intermarriage dring the 19th century were considered "Colored" - while other people were legally declared "European"!

It was pretty damned arbitrary who got declared European and who got to be Colored - they actually had people in the South African goverment who's JOB it was to figure out what race you were!

They actually had special combs - if your hair was too thick, you got declared Colored! If your hair was thin, you were European!

Like the Nazis in Poland, the South African government had cases where some family members were declared European while their cousins and half brothers were called Colored!

In America, anybody with any measurable African ancestry is considered Black. In places like Cuba, Brazil or the Dominican Republic, people with obvious visible African ancestry are considered "Mulatto" or even "White" because they have a tiny amount of White ancestry.

By American standards, the majority of Cubans and almost all Dominicans are Black (but God help you if you tell that to a Cuban or a Dominican who had a White great-grandfather - they'll have a fit!!!)

In the Dominican Republic, really dark skinned Black Dominicans are considered "Haitian" even though they were born and raised in RD, speak Spanish and have Hispanic last names!!!

As you can see, "race" is an arbitrary political concept.

It has no bearing on biology or genetics - it's a totally man made invention dreamed up by racists!

So, by the present political standards in America, there are 6 "races" - White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, Pacific Islander.

Those catagories are pretty damned arbitrary and have no basis in science. Filipinos are considered Asian, even though they are culturally Hispanic and they live on a Pacific Island (so they could just as easily be declared Hispanic or Pacific Islander)

Bottom line, don't get mad because you're considered to be the same race as a Black Dominican, a Chinese Cuban, an Indian Mexican and a White Argentinian!

It's just a political classification!

But I've got to ask you, could it possibly be that you're upset because you don't want to be identified with darker skinned Hispanics (I know that a LOT of lightskinned Hispanics can be really "color struck" and get really upset if you link them with other, darker skinned, Latinos!)

Answer 4

Because they are thought it since kids. The media that should educate is the bigger brainwashing machine. All the Hispanics that appear on movies or TV series in the US fit the stereotype. But anyone that can think for itself would realise that Hispanic is not a race.

Answer 5

They use that because they group people with spanish blood in them and speak spanish. I know hispanic is not a race, but how else would u group them? they're would be too many. the US uses hispanic as a race because it is easy. Black latinos might look like african americans, but they have different blood and raised in a different culture. Just so you know, not all blacks come from africa...therefore they are not all "african-american"

Answer 6

Hey man, amen to that. I think it's great that someone took the time to point this out, I've been wondering the same thing for ages. Since when does the government get to create a "race" based on spoken language? Meh, anyways, kudos for being smart. ;)

Answer 7

you make a good point, but it's a bit too complicated for gov't. Hispanic relates not just to race but to language and culture.

Answer 8

Actually, the government DOES note the distinction between race and ethnicity. Because Hispanics can be of any race, the government census states that they should first denote their race, then their ethnicity.

Before you say "get educated," I suggest you read the following document regarding Racial and Ethnic Classifications from the U.S. Census bureau http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/racefactcb.html

Answer 9

Because we are stupid, VERY STUPID. I work in retail, trust me, I know just how wstupid we are!! We are the biggest group of close minded @$$holes in the world....hehehe, As for me, people are people, i don't look at people and say "oh they must be _______"... I LOVE EVERYONE, except stupid people lol

Answer 10

Americans like to create categories for people to make them "others" so that create such a small niche for themselves.