Introduction
To begin with, it should be stated that the matters of racism, or as it is also called “color blind racism”, are often regarded as the strong tendency in treating the immigrants from Latin America countries. Originally, the problem of immigration from Latin America is one of the burning issues, which migration policy faces: thus, this policy is mostly oriented at regulating the issues of overseas migration, while Mexican immigrants often have to cross some shallow river or just a line, painted on the ground. In the light of this fact, it should be stated that the issues of illegal migrants are faced rather often by the immigration office, as the USA is the only country in the world which is contiguous with the Third World country.
Treatment of Hotel Workers in the LAX Area
First, there is strong necessity to emphasize that the attitude towards Latinos in the USA can not be regarded as favorable and welcoming. As for the hotel workers, it should be stated that hotel workers are often treated as just technical personnel, and some people even do not mention them, until political issues are not touched upon. In the light of this fact, there is strong necessity to mention that treatment of hotel workers by the citizens of the USA depends mostly on the type of a hotel, its popularity and quality of the work, which immigrants perform. Consequently, people mostly do not mention whether Latino or European chambermaid tidies up a room or makes a bed.
Originally, as Huntington stated, Mexicans and Latinos do not assimilate, nevertheless, they unite and create their own diasporas and communities, preserving their language, culture, etc. Thus, it is forecasted that the English speaking core of the American population will soon share its positions with the Spanish speaking people: “On all the possible dimensions, Mexican immigration is fundamentally different. These differences combine to make the assimilation of Mexicans into U.S. culture and society much more difficult than it was for previous immigrants. Particularly striking in contrast to previous immigrants is the failure of third- and fourth generation people of Mexican origin to approximate U.S. norms in education, economic status, and inter-marriage rates.” (Huntington 2004) Originally, Huntington bases all his considerations on the cultural differences and failure to assimilate, while all the other immigrants were subjected to assimilation. In the light of this fact, there is strong necessity to emphasize that the main fear is the cultural impact, which may cause conflicts and essential changes in the cultural image of the Country. The fact is that, these fears explain the issues of color-blind racism, clarifying why people do not treat Latinos favorably, while North Americans tolerate immigrants from other countries. Edward Telles (2006), in his turn, explains that Huntington does not clearly realize the assimilation process, and claims that Hispanic immigrants are also subjected to assimilation, while Huntington does not see the results of their assimilation: “He seems to prefer the early-twentieth-century ideas of assimilation, which stressed a white Anglo-Saxon and Protestant core. However, this assumption of a WASP essence in American culture gave way to the idea of a melting pot by the 1960s if not earlier, and more recently the concept of a changing American mainstream has gained currency.” Taking this notion into account, there is strong necessity to mention that the necessary conditions for the assimilation of the Hispanic immigrants are not supported by the government and the society. Hotel workers, in their turn, are regarded to be on their proper place, as citizens are always attempting to find a higher-class job, with higher income. Latinos hotel workers just aim not to be deported, and agree to do any job in a hotel in order the chief manager or owner of the hotel did not attract the Immigration Neutralization Service. In spite of the fact that these workers (immigrants) often behave quietly, sometimes, they struggle for their rights. Thus, The Los Angeles Times (Quinones, 2006), states the following fact: “on the day that hundreds of thousands of Latinos marched through downtown Los Angeles for immigrant rights, he had no idea it was happening until he turned on the TV. The majority of blacks sided with Latinos and Asians in supporting bilingual education, had it not been overturned in court, would have denied benefits to illegal immigrants. Yet many say they also feel an acute sense of encroachment and at times competition from the newcomers.” On the one hand, immigrants in general, and Hispanic hotel workers in particular have the opportunity to defend their rights, however, on the other hand, the attitude towards them becomes watchful (especially from the side of INS and racists).
Hispanics just can not feel themselves like at home, as they are employed at low-paid jobs, everything is made to complicate their living. Thus, “The Awful Truth Deportation” reveals the clear statement that only non-European nationalities are subjected to discrimination, including legislative issues, while the example with the British guy reveals that the Europeans (white Christians, to be more exact) are not so severely pursued by the Immigration Neutralization Service.
Taking into consideration the issues of treatment the Hispanic immigrants as the hotel and restaurant workers, it should be stated that US citizens are obliged to care them, as they fill the sphere of services, which is filled only by immigrants, and which does not attract Americans because of awful working conditions and law salaries. Surely, all the immigrants can not be deported out of the country, and new people will arrive at the places of those who were deported. Still, only Hispanic and African immigrants are treated as the people of the second sort: they live in the places which do not correspond the basic rules of safety and hygiene, they place the jobs which are dangerous, low paid and violate the basic labor laws.
Theoretical Approaches
Originally, immigrants are not regarded as a people, who aim to serve the good of the USA. They are regarded as the newcomers, who wish to earn their own living and in no way to promote the development of the country. Because of the notion that they are not the citizens of the country, they can not be the patriots of this country, consequently, they are not interested to serve its good. From this point of view, it should be stated that some researchers, following the notions of color-blind racism, claim that immigrants could promote terrorism. It is explained on an imagined example with an Arab terrorist and some Hispanic worker, who is employed at an airport. If this terrorist offers $ 10,000 to this worker and asks him to hide a gun somewhere in a plane, the worker will not put his hand to the heart and refuse, as he needs money, and $10,000 is an essential sum for him. Thus, it should be stated that this Hispanic immigrant is an accomplice in a terroristic act. Surely, this is just a supposition, nevertheless, it is based on logical considerations.
This situation of suspect and hatred towards immigrants has aggravated after the occasions of September the 11th. Bender (2003) states the following notion on this issue: “Racial profiling aimed at Latinas/os and African Americans has long been used by some law enforcement officials in immigration enforcement, the war on drugs, and in traffic stops. Before September 11, political progress was evident in the campaign against racial profiling in police traffic stops. Community groups were negotiating with local police and, at the national level, President Bush and Attorney General Ashcroft had publicly condemned racial profiling in traffic stops”.
Another point of view, which is sometimes followed by the social researchers, is the concept of proletarians and exploiters. Originally, this concept is described in the communist manifesto, and Marxist theory, which this manifesto is based upon. Originally, the notion of borgoise and proletarians is similar to the position of Hispanic and African immigrants and citizens. Marx, in communist manifesto claimed the following: “The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. It has left remaining no other nexus between man and man than naked self-interest, than callous “cash payment” for exploitation, veiled by religious and political illusions, it has substituted naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation Constant revolutionizing of production, uninterrupted disturbance of all social conditions, everlasting uncertainty and agitation distinguish the bourgeois epoch from all earlier ones All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind.” (Meyer, 2001). In the light of this fact, it should be emphasized that the attitude towards immigrants from Latin America is like the attitude towards proletarians. This notion is explained by the fact that immigrants, like proletarians, perform the jobs, which will not be performed by citizens (bourgeoisie), as these are the jobs in the sphere of services like waiters, chambermaids, janitors, service station attendant etc.
Another theoretical approach, which may be used for the analysis of the attitude towards Hispanic immigrants is the theory of inequality by Rousseau. According to his considerations in the “Discourse on the Origins of Inequality”, the fact, that humans are not equal is covered in the following notion: “The first man who, having fenced in a piece of land, said “This is mine,” and found people naive enough to believe him, that man was the true founder of civil society. From how many crimes, wars, and murders, from how many horrors and misfortunes might not any one have saved mankind, by pulling up the stakes, or filling up the ditch.” (Rousseau, 1999) In the light of this fact, it should be stated that the origins of society and law paved the way for distribution of power to the wealthy, which shattered the principles of natural rights. As man continued to grow his needs and his thirst for more materials and wisdom, grow as well. Rousseau’s excerpt delves into the development of class antagonism, sexism, morality, law, and corruption that led to inequalities in the pursuit of property. He does not directly address man’ relationship to technology in the state of nature and civil society, but implies it throughout the writings.
Another notion that should be emphasized is the issue of colorblind racism. Originally, this is the notion, which incorporates the considerations of Marxist theory and Rousseau’s Origins of Inequality. The fact is that, this concept is regarded to be less blatant form of racial discrimination, nevertheless, it becomes increasingly powerful nowadays, even more powerful than racism in its pure form was influential in the previous century. Since the Public rights act of 1960 prohibited any racial discrimination, based on the color of the skin, colorblind discrimination has gained its popularity. Formally, there is no discrimination, and everyone is put in the similar conditions, nevertheless, Hispanic and African immigrants do not have all the opportunities then citizens as European newcomers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is strong necessity to mention that the matters of attitude towards hotel workers and other immigrants, engaged in the sphere of services in no way depends on the personal characteristics of a human, nevertheless, there are several theories, which explain the issues of possible inequality. The fact is that, the attitude towards these people may be explained by the Proletarian-Exploiter notion, or by Rousseau Discourse on Inequality. The notion of colorblind racism incorporates the features of both theories.
From the point of view of national security, immigrants are often regarded as accomplices of terrorists.
References
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Bender, S. Sight, Sound, and Stereotype: The War on Terrorism and Its Consequences for Latinas/os. Oregon School of Law. 2003.
Bonilla-Silva, E. Racism without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in the United States. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2003.
Huntington, S. The Hispanic Challenge. Foreignpolicy.com. 2004.
Joppke, Christian. Immigration and the Nation-State: The United States, Germany, and Great Britain. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Meyer, Alfred G. Marxism since the Communist Manifesto. Washington, DC: Service Center for Teachers of History, 2001.
Quinones, S. Migrants Find a Gold Rush in New Orleans. Los Angeles Times, 2006.
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