Hispanics are becoming a larger and more prominent part
of the American polyglot. Their numbers have been bolstered by
high birth rates and a remarkable shift in immigration patterns
since World War II, with Latinos making up more than 11 percent
of the U.S. population, a proportion that is projected to grow
to one in four by 2050. They will outnumber non-Hispanic blacks
by 2005, laying claim to the title of America's largest minority
group.
Hispanics, however, are not the monolithic minority sometimes
portrayed in the media. In reality, the Hispanic community is
both more and less successful, and more and less important, than
popular opinion or prejudice might suggest. It is a vibrant community
to be sure, and many--probably most--members are carving their
niche in the nation's middle class, just as other ethnic immigrants
did before them. Others, however, are struggling to get into
the working class. -Dick Kirschten, NATIONAL
JOURNAL
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