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Local Latinos Weigh in on Presidential Politicsby Caroline StaufferHampton Roads Hispanics offer a wide range of opinions when it comes to politics, though most agree that immigration is an important campaign issue. Luis Rivera, a real estate agent from Puerto Rico, declined to say which presidential candidate he supports. As to which candidate other local Latinos support, Rivera says it depends on who you talk to. Many church-going Hispanics in the area support a republican candidacy emphasizing traditional family unit values, he says, while he knows of many Latina women supporting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and young Hispanics embracing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and his call for change. Rivera believes the opinions shown in the Hampton Roads Hispanic population are representative of variety in the national demographic. "Our opinions are as varied as the rest of the population's, even on the undocumented issue," he said. State Chapter President of the National Latino Peace Officer's Association Lenny Reyes, who works for the Virginia Beach Police, said improving community relations is the issue most important to him, though he declined to say which candidate he supports. "We must have better relations within the community - in all demographics," he said. As for an issue specific to Latinos, Reyes prioritizes inclusion. "Just because you are Hispanic doesn't mean you are an illegal alien," he said. "The Community has felt that this area is anti-Hispanic… the rhetoric needs to be toned down," he continued. Alicia Fernandez-Bobulinski, co-founder of the Making a Difference Foundation, supported Sen. Clinton until a week before the Feb. 12 primary election. Believing in the need for a new start and impressed that an Obama campaign manager had reached out to her, she shifted her support to the junior senator from Illinois. Fernandez-Bobulinski, who was born in Mexico, described immigration, global warming, health and the global economy as equally crucial issues that must be addressed by the next President of the United States. Fernandez-Bobulinski is a member of the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission and says it is important that the next President "understand the multi-tiered structure of the 'illegal immigration issue.'" She believes that immigrants living in the country "are part of our national fabric," and that while not everyone wants to become a citizen, "people want to do things as legally as possible." "The illegal immigration issue is going to define us as a nation - our morals," Fernandez-Bobulinski said. "Unfortunately, some TV heads have skewed and dehumanized the issue by inciting fear and anger." Fernandez-Bobulinski says the issues Hispanics consider to be important in the election may depend on how long they have been in the United States. "Latinos who have been here for a long time might be more aware of global issues," she said. Rivera expressed concern about a political division he sees emerging within the Hispanic community. Though Rivera is Puerto Rican and did not have to obtain a green card to come to the U.S. mainland, he feels united with Latinos who do face obstacles to legal immigration. "My heart goes out to many Latinos… we speak the same language and share the same concerns." Rivera sees a rift occurring within the Hispanic population over the immigration issue. "I don't like my people breaking up into different camps," he said. "I can see different rhetoric that's coming out. Some of it is very pro-immigration in the sense that they are willing to say and do what they can to support undocumented immigrants, while others say national security concerns outweigh protecting the rights of immigrants." Reyes, on the other hand, sees the immigration issue as one that could unify the Hispanic community politically across differences in class and education level. "The Hispanic community is not galvanized around one candidate," he said, "but anyone that starts on that soapbox of anti-immigrant rhetoric will pay in the polls." Pollsters and analysts have traditionally given Sen. Clinton an advantage in bringing home Hispanic votes. In California, she won 67 percent of Latino voters in the Democratic primary, according to exit polls published by CNN. In the Feb. 12 Virginia primary, Sen. Obama won the Latino vote outright, earning 54 percent of votes cast in the Democratic primary. Latinos accounted for five percent of Democratic primary voters, and two percent of Republican primary voters in Virginia according to exit polls. This is the first of an occasional series examining political thought within the Hampton Roads Hispanic Community. Results - Feb. 12 Presidential Primary Elections Ron Paul www.ronpaul2008.com Feb. 12 Presidential Primary Elections Ron Paul www.ronpaul2008.com
For a complete list of Voter Rights and responsibilities, please see http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Voter_Information/Voter_Rights_Responsibilities.html |
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