Issue Of The Week XIV: The Changing Face of Racial Discrimination: Hispanics As The Dominant Minority In The USA – A New Application Of Power-Threat Theory

Media's impact on personal views is stronger now than it has ever been. In regards to how we as Americans view Hispanics the media is shaping a lot of our views. I live in Texas and here there is a great number of Hispanics who live here, so I have my own personal opinion on how I view them because I interact with them on a daily basis. Whereas my opinion is very different from say someone up north thinks about Hispanics because fewer live up north. Now this is where the media plays its role as convincers, say people who don't interact with Hispanics turn on the news and all they see is turmoil about integration and how many Hispanics are being deported because they are illegal immigrants. Now thats where the media is playing its part convincing people that everything they see about Hispanics is wrong and this is where we are getting this discrimination from. And it has been this way for years even back in the day when slavery existed, peoples minds being shaped by the local and national newspapers. The media takes a little situation and blows it up 100x bigger than what it should of been in the first place. We cant tell people to not believe the news because some people have it made up in their mind that what the news says goes. People just need to take the time to learn about different cultures, race, and ethicists before they start judging one.

I agree with the people who brought up that discrimination was a part of our society long before the modern media arrived. The media only brought the attention on discrimination to another level. The media may further some of the discrimination that is present in today’s world, but let’s not forget the racism and discrimination we had before television and radio came along. I believe that we should all form our opinions about people individually and not based on race. The tendency of many Americans today is to group people into categories based on their race, and then they think that if one person of a particular race is a certain way, then everyone in that race must be that way. No matter how hard we look, we can’t see the heart and soul of a person through their skin color. We must actually learn about them, by having conversations with them and getting to know them. As someone pointed out before, it seems the more we talk about our differences in the media, the more racism and discrimination occurs. I think the only way to move past this is to think of everyone as an individual and to learn about each other from the inside out, not the other way around.

I grew up in Chicago and moved to Texas to attend school. One of the most distinct differences in making that move is the difference in the views on race and culture. In my high school the minorities were the majority. Moving here it is hard to go a day without hearing some sort of racial stereotype being thrown out there. I also think it is very interesting that this article brings up the media aspect of this topic. While I completely agree that the media has a strong influence on the views and stereotypes of a culture or the way they put it as “media plays a critical role in fostering generally negative portraits of Latinos,” however I think there is something to say about media catering to this culture as well. Everywhere you go and most products you buy have their media printed in English and Spanish from instructions to ingredients to signs in commercial locations. If this article is saying that media is causing this racial tiff in our society could we not also say that it is being hypocritical?

Discrimination was here before media was. Discrimination was the reason America was found, but that doesn't mean the media doesn't influence us today. The media is all we seem to know now a days, that it is the way some people keep up with society. Coming from an ethnic background, Latinos are very looked down upon, and it is because we are looked as what we portray in movies. As a minority, I strive to overcome any statistic that is put in front of me.I do want to be "one of them"--as in I am not just someone that you see in the movies or on the streets, I am an individual who has achieved goals and is making something of myself. And as Blalock said, Latinos are replacing Blacks in the community, that can be portrayed as negative, which causes up even more drama. That just puts 2 minority groups in a bad spot because the media does make these groups seem like such a negative impact in our society.

The media is influencial in America. They have the ability to portray what ever they desire for us to feel and think in the way they present their information to us. We need to remain open-minded when we read, listen to or watch the media's releases. They are able to draw us in just as an actor or writer can. We are all created equal. We are all deserving of the same chances and it is up to us to choose. I do understand that it is harder for some than for others because of society and the hardships that are faced, but it is not impossible to change. It is free will.

In my opinion, I agree with the author when he describes the incredible amount of power and influence that the media holds in America. The media is able to knowingly distort the facts and easily sway the opinions of people. Although the media did not cause discrimination by any means, it has only highlighted it and made it even more obvious to people. The issue of illegal immigration is a controversial topic and Americans are constantly being bombarded with coverage on it from the media. There are always reports of illegal Hispanics being arrested and taken back over the border. This causes people to associate Hispanics as people who are sneaky and trying to scheme their way over into America, which results in negative feelings toward them. The media has so much power in America because we have allowed it to become that way. Our nation is highly centered around technology and many people automatically take what the news report says as fact, when it might not entirely truthful. The media chooses to focus on the negative actions of some Hispanics and people start applying that label to all Hispanics. Media furthers the unflattering stereotypes and gives people the "justification" for more discrimination. I was surprised to learn from the article that there are "nearly 1500 immigrants who legally enter the USA every day" because I was also under the impression that the illegal immigrants far outweighed the legal. This notion of mine was based on my own ignorance and decision to believe exactly what the media tells me. The only way that America is going to be able to overcome the discrimination is if people stop focusing so much on what the media tells us and start thinking for ourselves. People are believing the negative stories because they have not spent time with the people who they perceive to be different from them. In order to overcome racism, than it is important to judge people individually and not lump them all into the same negative category.

As one minority group surpasses another, it seems that they begin to recieve the hate that was reserved for the other minority groups. While some of the hate comes "naturally", it is also amplified by how the media portrays members of the group. Thus, the media can be compared to nuclear energy; it is a powerful force, which can be used for good or evil. Unfortunately, in the case of ethnic groups, it tends to be used in less favorable ways, which may warp people's perceptions of ethnic groups.

I feel that it is definitely the easiest thing to simply blame the media for discrimination and in truth no one would blame the media if the idea of them being at fault wasn't partially true. These racial groups are portrayed in different ways that make them seem "inferior." To suggest that the Latino population is taking over as the leading minority group in the race for unskilled labor is putting a classification on people that the world should really do without.

Ideally we want to be in a country that doesn't classify by race and has no "real" minority. There will always be a minority population but there should not be a race to see which is the best minority. Of course the ideal world is far from a reality we can ensure but its definitely something we should strive for.

As Mexicans rise to meet the demands as the fastest, largest rising minority groups, the media will continue to portray the Mexican population as a proscribed minority group. The continued media portrayal that this group has infiltrated a preexisting society by entering illegally has caused others to view the Mexican population as intruders’ in a foreign land. The media’s perception that Mexicans arrive illegally in droves to steal, possess and conquer a prosperous land; subject Mexican minorities in the United States to live a as the rejected member of society. The vast realization that Mexicans arrive in the United States to seek prosperity wherever it may be found gives that media a concrete subjection to use as a means to keep the Mexican population from truly being accepted as members of the American Society. As Mexicans arise and continue to grow in numbers, society will continue to attribute laws and or barriers to keep the Mexican population at a distance. Yet, as the Mexican population continues to grow the conquest and the determination to make America their home will continue to inspire those looking to enter.

What I find most interesting in discussions such as this one is this: the creation of an invisible entity which we term "the media." I find it astonishing that a society as advanced as ours appears to be entirely unable to assume responsibility for anything. When discussing the media, people often neglect the fact that we are the media: We fuel the media, we decide what stories the media tells, we create that which we so willingly subjugate. My confusion now grows larger considering that the very nature of the media is a reflection of its observers, NOT a manipulative tool for public opinion. If we assume this to be true, than the argument pertaining to media mentioned above is rendered void. Perhaps rather than fixating our blame upon an unidentifiable subject, we should assume responsibility and come to terms with the fact that we create our own public opinion. The foundational nature of opinion is one that bubbles from underneath, not one that is imposed from above.

I agree that the media has an effect on the views people have towards the Latino population. The last paragraph of the conclusion is very true in that the media portrays the majority of the Latino population as either being illegal in their admittance into the United States or not having the ability to speak the English language, or both in most cases. This is a highly discriminating act, and is primarily based upon the findings of a sample group that they have found. It is definitely not representative of the entire Latino race. The media both in entertainment and serious fashions portrays these false assumptions to the general public daily through all kinds of mass media. These media references cause us to develop stereotypes and discriminate against the Latino race. We often do not further investigate as to whether the Latino race is actually as the media portrays them to be, but rather just go with what they say. We need to be careful of the stereotypes that we form about people if we do not really know that what we are basing it on is absolutely true. I think it all comes back to the fact that we should not be quick to judge or discriminate against anyone regardless of their race or background, and if we are going to say things we should be absolutely sure we are truthful in our words.

I agree to the fullest with the author of the article saying that the media is a giant influence in the United States. I think that for the most part Americans thoughts are born from what is portrayed in the media. However, no matter whether media is present or not discrimination will continue to exist. Discrimination is so prevalent in the state of Texas. I even see it fairly regularly even though I go to a “Christian” university. Discrimination is present everywhere in America.

I'm inclined to agree that there will be some hostile attitudes between the African American and Latino races, but these negative attitudes are more prone to show up in the bigger cities where job seeking is more competitive. Keeping myself around a variety of all different races, I've heard the different perspectives that are associated with skin color and jobs. There's a general stigma attached to both of these minority groups and it's that stigma that will eventually ignite the hostility. This article mentions media and the role the media plays in this whole mess. Once more, I completely agree that anything the media puts out should be scrutinized and analyzed because they are trained to word issues in a way that will get people to participate in a society's concern. One of their best characteristics is that they can take a very small act and turn it into something very grandiose, leaving only a tenth of the story to be true. If the audience is aware of this trickery, then why worry what the media says? Simply because (as human nature wold have it) we are primal beings and we feed off of conflict. Everyone wants to be the winner.

Hubert Blalock's theory is something that I agree with. Wealth is something that everyone is after so the bigger the population, the more people there are to compete with for money. I don't think that since hispanics are becoming the largest minority they will replace African Americans as far as hostility with white people goes. I think that they will just add to the hostility that some white people may have. However, I do agree with the hostility building because of the competition for unskilled jobs, but my hope is that that will push all African Americans to strive for better jobs. There are many stereotypes that media has formed when it comes to hispanic people, but I have lived in an area that was predominantly hispanic so all of my views aren't from what the media has shown me.

I agree that the media does play a huge part in the public view of any racial group. For those who don't encounter a variety of races on a daily basis, the media often times end up filling in the blanks. As the conclusion mentioned, many times Latinos are often seen as strictly illegal immigrants who are unable to speak English. This obviously is not the case, but extensive media coverage about immigration reform and tv shows involving racial stereotypes can often lead people to these beliefs. I think Blalock makes a reasonable point when speaking of a power struggle among the largest minorities in America. Minorities can many times be at odds with each other due to pursuance of similar careers and other economic or social opportunities. Along with that, politics can also be involved. In America, the loudest and most abundant voices are often heard. With more Latinos entering the country, their desires are more likely to be met than those of other minorities who hold a more sparse population in the country. It will be interesting to see what is to come in the future as far as politics in relation to minorities are concerned.

I feel that this article has a lot of truth in it. I personally have noticed a rise in the Hispanic population in the town I grew up in. As the years went by I noticed that the Hispanic community would continue to grow year by year, and they were not just illegal. There was a large group of Hispanics that actually came from lots of money in Mexico. They had come to America because they felt that the American schools would be better for their children. The media did have a lot to say about this growth in the Hispanic community and they always put their cameras on the poor and illegal. It was very rare to see them look at all parts of the issue. I believe that through media a lot of the friction is caused. There are lots of people that would have never noticed or cared about the so called “infestation” that the media portrayed. We all have to learn to adapt to the environment that we are in, and if that means becoming a little more understanding of the Hispanic community, so that we can all live in peace, than that is what we need to do.

I spent a large part of my childhood in Houston, TX and was therefore surrounded my many minorities, especially the Hispanic minority. I went to school with many Hispanic students and my church even offered a service in Spanish through the Spanish ministry. Many came for better jobs, security, and education. Most of the Hispanic people that I knew were legal, though many of them knew illegal immigrants. However, every time the media covers a story on the rising Hispanic population they tend to focus on the illegal immigrants, not the legal ones and therefore, people tend to think of all Hispanics as illegal, which is totally false. However, this view that society has towards Hispanics has caused the formation of many stereotypes and discriminations, which I find to be sad and unfair for the Hispanic peoples of the United States.

Relative to the last " Issue of the week" many Hispanics are illegal, and the numbers are just increasing. Until we find a way to legally accept them into the U.S. animosities toward the Hispanics will only grow. The number of a minority or majority, to me, is not the problem here. It is an attitude. There are many unfair things happening and people can't find a way to fix them, so they develop animosity or hatred toward a group for lack of a better solution.

I believe that there is a lot of truth to Hubert Blalock’s power-threat theory in that racial discrimination in this country is indeed changing. The fact that the media portrays the number of illegal immigrants in this country incorrectly is one concern, but not the only one. There is some truth to the claims that animosity toward Latinos by both the white majority and the black minority populations may be more intense than contemporary white-black relations. This is because, though the media may exaggerate the numbers, many Latinos in the US do not speak English.
I am from south Texas, and live in a city with many Hispanic individuals. The cultural differences are appreciated where I am from, but the lack of ability to communicate has caused many issues for the people in my hometown. Although I do not agree with it, it is easy for me to understand where the animosity can stem from. Trying to buy groceries and not being able to communicate with your cashier is rather frustrating. Though the media exaggerates, there are tensions between English speakers and those who speak only their native languages that cannot be ignored. If the Hispanic minority group is growing, then I believe we can expect to see larger issues and moments of hostility between the Hispanic minority and both the black minority and the white majority.

Whether the numbers of illegal immigrants is exaggerated or not by the media, there is definitely hostility towards this minority group. Sadly, illegal immigrants are mainly focused on and so Americans have stereotyped all Hispanics as being illegal. People fear immigrants taking their jobs and other opportunities, causing them to be unable to provide for their families. Violence against Hispanics has only grown over the years and has yet to decrease at all. That we are so willing to discriminate against people is sad and it is disturbing that the media is helping us do it.

I believe that many Americans do not realize the power we place in the media. Most people take what the media says as fact. But the truth is the media is skewed to support the viewpoints of those that financially support that branch of the media. The other day I was listening to the radio where it talked about some crime that had occurred in Dallas, and the person was described and then there was a short pause and it was followed up with he was Muslim. Why was there a need to specify that? I have never heard someone acknowledge someone's religion when they were talking about a protestant.
I think the media wants us to focus on ingroup and outgroups. They look for an us versus them image that will allow for them to get higher ratings. I know where I grew up (in Florida) many people discriminated against Latinos and Mexicans. And I was not really given any positive images, but when I came out to college and got to meet some Mexicans and Latinos I discovered that they are not much different than myself. They just want to better their life through a successful career. The media makes it out to be like they are some hostile group and that allows for people to justify them being inferior.
I think that racism is something that is taught through the constant exposure to people's expectations for people of certain groups to do "x" and other groups to do "y". Discrimination is used by people who feel that there is some sort of competition between groups to justify the rivalry.

The media certainly does have a large effect on what we believe. Many people, (myself included) sometimes forget that the news media is slanted. Because it is produced by humans, the choice of stories, wording, presentation all adds up to a bias of some sort. Especially today. However, the media doesn't include just the news. television shows and other outlets for media can influence us as well. In crime shows, there are often mixed racial relationship within the "good guy" category. But, when you look at the "bad guys", which is what we focus on, you see African Americans as well as Latinos portrayed as gangsters or in some cases illegals. The media puts these images in our line of sight because these ideas sell. What we choose to do with it after that is up to us. We can choose to focus on the "bad guy" or we can look at the "good guy" character and see some positive aspects as well.

I can't understand why people discriminate amonst each other. We are all equal, their should be some kind of commong ground to this notation. For example, some would argue that rap music is the culprit for the promotion of violence, but how can you allow one particular group to take the blame for something that is universal toward other form of identities as well. Movies I think that some people arent attacking the theme, but yet shooting the messengers based on their color and origins.All i'm saying is that their are other forms of media that plays even a bigger role in such behavior such as Movies. There are some western movies that illustrate severe violence, why should one form be allowed to suffer more for suomthing. Another example would be a cop pulling some one over based on the type of rims they have on their car and the color of the person driving the car. While the cop is harassing that person they could be serving their time effectively by catching someone who is actually doing a crime. This is unfair treatment and should not be tolerated. People should take into consideration the emotional appeals this implement amongst others.This type of behavior should be despised of and many should learn from this rude behavior.

Living in Texas, an area largely populated by Latinos, both legal and illegal, it is extremely easy to become fearful of the proposed Hispanic threat. However it does make sense that the media can play a huge role in enlarging the fear. We resort to the media for everything from celebrity gossip to political productions. The role that the media has played in fostering general negative portraits of Latinos is leading to a disgraceful discrimination. People are now finding it much too easy to stereotype Hispanics as a whole. Police generated racial profiling is now even bigger a problem due to this Hispanic threat. Now on what is claimed to be a “routine” traffic stop if you even look “too” Hispanic you are asked to show documentation to prove citizenship. Does this not somehow over step the boundary of the right to privacy? People deserve equality. Equality should not be altered because of fear, especially fear that has been provoked by the institution of mass media. Media far too often plays Muslims, Latinos, or African Americans as the antagonist to a storyline. Unavoidably, ratings of these episodes are high, promoting the ongoing cycle of minorities playing adversary. But maybe just maybe when a precedent is set against the frequency of such roles, there will be a better opportunity for equality and a chance for the absence of fear.

There is no doubt that the media plays a huge role in supporting, sometimes involuntarily, the racial discrimination of certain minority groups. With the growing population of Hispanics in the United States it is only natural that they would now receive the brute force of the media’s attention, as the media likes to focus on what is new and different. Certainly through the portrayal of Hispanics as various stereotypes the media has contributed to the racial discrimination of Hispanics. However, the key word there in contributed. The media is not the originator of Hispanic discrimination nor the only source that should receive blame. Discrimination starts with the people, and so it is only when the people change their ways of thinking that the media will follow.