First I would like to discuss the usage of the term "Hispanic." As someone who immigrated from Cuba I am considered Hispanic. The interesting thing is that this word was never used while I was growing up in Cuba. I was known as someone who was first generation Cuban having Spanish parents (that is, from Spain). At my private Catholic school for girls, I was taught by Dominican sisters who believed in a strong liberal arts education for women. Early in life, I learned that my race was Caucasian (white) and my ancestry was Spanish (from colonizer Spain). I was never even called "Latina".
The term 'Hispanic' has been chosen by politicians to attract votes from a group of certain ethnic origin. Just like with Blacks, politicians like to identify ethnic minorities as a voting bloc. It is probably due to both ignorance and arrogance. As someone born in Cuba into a European family, raised in a conservative environment, attending Catholic schools, and having had a solid liberal arts education, I have absolutely nothing in common with the illegal aliens who cross the border. Anyone wishing to take this comment as racist, go ahead. However, be advised that the worst form of racism comes from the liberal democrats who are so condescending as to believe all Hispanics are equally ignorant and poor, and so needing of their support and guidance.
Most Americans of Cuban descent are conservative (exceptions can be found among the most recent immigration groups) Why? Three very important factors:
They experienced Marxist tyranny while in Cuba under the Castro regime. Believe me, once you do, you can never forget it.
Many own small businesses and understand it is the capitalist system that makes them succeed.
They were raised in a conservative environment where God and family were important. Therefore, these Americans of Cuban descent tend to be pro-life and against gay marriage. They also respect the constitution and the laws of their adopted country.
What exactly do Americans of Cuban descent have in common with the illegal immigrants who demand rights while they knowingly broke our country's law? What do we have in common with people who raise the Mexican flag above the American flag? What do we have in common with the liberal radical leftists of La Raza? What do we have in common with the pro communists wearing the Che tee shirts? What do we have in common with the pro-choice and Pro Gay Marriage groups? It is insulting to all decent Americans of Spanish ethnicity to be stereotyped and treated as just another group-think minority.
As for the recently floated proposal on yet another "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" bill, what are Republicans really trying to prove? It seems to be an obsession with the establishment Republicans to prove they are not racist! To begin with, I repeat: Hispanic is not a Race; it is about ethnicity. Those people from Latin America who speak Spanish come in different colors---------they belong to the same races or a mixture of them. There is NO HISPANIC RACE. Second, no matter what a Republican politician does for Hispanics, these liberal groups will never vote for a Republican. We did not lose the 2012 Election because of the Hispanic vote. We lost the election because the GOP establishment insisted on a "moderate" candidate instead of a conservative. This legislation, if passed, will only help the Democratic Party cement power for many years to come.
The Republican establishment thinks this time it has the perfect weapon in Senator Marco Rubio as the leader of the latest immigration proposal. Senator Rubio was never a Tea Party candidate, but a “compassionate conservative Republican” (Bush style) candidate. Marco Rubio was encouraged and supported by Governor Jeb Bush to run for the Senate against a very unpopular Republican, Charlie Crist. The Tea Party, of course, rallied on Rubio’s side to defeat the traitor Charlie Crist. And every Republican in Florida knows how strongly Governor Jeb Bush feels on amnesty for illegal Hispanics.
Senator Marco Rubio tells us we need to do something about our illegal aliens. Why? He tells us doing nothing is giving them amnesty. The Senator is very eloquent and charming but don't let him fool you. How is this amnesty if they are considered illegal and could be sent home? I think we should look out for the benefit of our country because we are not responsible for people from other countries. We need to implement the following:
Border Security-------------Build the Fence!
Enforcement of our current laws
Stop the welfare benefits for illegal aliens
Fix legal immigration
Senator Marco Rubio is very naive to think he can do business with Democrats, particularly people like Senator Schumer, Senator Durbin, and Senator Menendez. In addition, he should realize that "We the People" do not trust our government. Rubio's emphasis that the border must be secured first is a child's dream. As soon as the law is passed and they become legalized, nothing will stop the Democrats for getting them to become citizens.
And last I want to remind everyone that Marco Rubio is of Cuban descent but has had a very different experience growing up that most of us who immigrated from Cuba after Fidel Castro took over our Island. Marco Rubio was born and raised in the USA. His parents immigrated from Cuba before Castro took over. Senator Rubio never had any experience with communism or tyrannical governments. His naiveté shows on how he trusts not just government, but his leftist colleagues in the Senate and the Marxist in the White House.
Elvira Fernandez Hasty was born in La Habana, Cuba, to immigrants from Spain. She attended a private Catholic school for women, French Dominicans School, until the age of fifteen. At that time, the Castro regime militia invaded her home one night in order to question her 20 year old sister, Rose, about her involvement in “counter-revolution” at the University. After some months of anguish, my father arranged for Rose to obtain diplomatic protection from the country of Honduras, and the decision was also made to send me away before confiscation of private schools by the communist government. My sister flew to Honduras under the protection of the Ambassador on January 24, 1961, while I left the country for Florida the next day via the Pedro Pan organization that was formed to protect Cuban children from Marxist indoctrination.
After finishing high school in Florida and working at an electric company billing department, Elvira continued her studies at St. Mary College in Kansas. She graduated cum laude with a BS in Chemistry and later received her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana, IL. Dr. Hasty spent twenty years in college teaching and research, becoming Associate Professor of Chemistry and Chairperson at Mundelein College in Chicago.
In 1997, Elvira and her husband James, moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where she currently resides. She has been politically active since then, first in the Republican Party and lately in her own conservative organization, Ponte Vedra Conservative Women, a group of conservative women concerned about the future of our country. We are united by our common desire to preserve our Constitution, the principles of our Founding Fathers, and our Judeo/Christian values.
