BY EDWARD
Puerto Rican migration to the United States during the 1950-60’s is very similar to that of Mexicans in current society. During this time, Puerto Ricans were the new immigration wave and were crammed into inner cities and were forced to the bottom of the totem pole as poor Mexicans who have migrated to this country in today’s society. According to the U.S. Census of 2000, Mexicans made up 58% of Hispanic population. This shows that from 2000 till present day, Mexicans have become the wave of immigrants to migrate to this country. “The critical social and economic situation of the Island drove many to the mainland in search of jobs and better living conditions; the expanding American postwar economy provided the jobs in services, manufacturing, and agriculture that attracted Islanders to the United States.”(The Puerto Rican Journey Revisited pg. 194). Compared to that of today’s immigrants, Puerto Ricans left their country for essentially the same reason Mexicans are leaving theirs today. Mexico has had corruption within their government and that in itself has made life in Mexico harder for the poor. In the film “The Sixth Section”, it is shown that Mexicans also contribute to their home country. For example, the men in the Union gave back to their homeland by making a baseball stadium, having a local ambulance and electricity. The Puerto Ricans in a way did a similar thing when giving back to their community. Puerto Ricans tried to create a foundation as they had established in their home country. The Puerto Ricans do this because they learn to embrace family and the power of unity just like the Mexicans. Many of these immigrants (Puerto Rican and Mexican) come to this country in search for a new life for themselves and their families. The Census shows this because back in the 1940s Puerto Ricans were the main Hispanic group in the United States but today it is now the Mexicans and both groups have gone through a similar experience when they came to the United States. My argument is that both Puerto Ricans and Mexicans(Latino/as) have become a big part of the population of Hispanics but they have also gone through similar experiences which shows the struggle of the immigrants.
While I find nothing in this post inaccurate, lets not forget that even though thousands of Mexican immigrants are coming to America yearly; there were even more that lived here. One can't forget that the lines that currently define the borders of the US weren't always such and so you must take into account that our nation has a FIRM tradition of Latin American influence. That being said, the facts in this essay were well strung together and I'm glad that Carribean cultures are getting some recognition because lately we've focused mainly on Mexican immigration. There are also Panamanians, Guatemalans, Colombians and many many others so we can not forget that Latin America is more than Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. All around a good post
ReplyDeleteI like the post because of the comparison you used. I mean, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans have been compared and it's not like I've never compared them, but either way, it's still interesting to have another's point of view. Some of it is commonsensical,it still is a good post.
ReplyDeleteYour post is very valid and comprehensive. I agree with Anna, the comparison between both Puerto Ricans and Mexicans is very interesting in this context. However, as we discussed in class, while the Mexicans gave back to their community, it wasn't always viewed as a positive thing for their hometowns. Do you think that this issue is also prevalent in the Puerto Rican communities?
ReplyDeleteDon't you think the Puerto Ricans of the post WWII/Cold War era can also be compared to the Mexicans of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo? There were Puerto Ricans here before the 1960s trying to get jobs but this wave was less fortunate because there were less jobs available. Also, I think a big reason why the population of Latinos is 58% Mexican is because Mexicans were here even before the Treaty of Guadalupe way back in the day
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