Today’s quote comes to us from Alvaro Corral, who is an assistant political science professor at the University Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Asst. Prof Corral, noting how many Latino voters have switched from Democrat to Republican in the last few years, sees it this way:
“There is a moment where a threshold is crossed. Where people are like, ‘maybe it’s safe for me to come out as a Republican. I will face less social ostracization. Enough people in my social circles will agree with me.’”
I take that to mean that, in his view (a view I completely agree with), a great many Latino voters have, for some time, already been wondering why they and their friends/families were voting Democrat. But since Latinos are “supposed to vote Democrat”, they feld their vote was a second-nature given. A fait accompli. To jump ship and say “I’m voting Republican” meant moving outside of the approved circles. Being one of “those people”, not one of “us”. It meant setting yourself apart; not being a member of the “club”; risking possible social ostracism, etc.
But now that they hear, read and see that Latino voters – a lot of them – have changed parties, and Latino Republicans are winning elective office? Suddenly the stigma of moving in this direction either is minimized or ceases to exist. Now it is acceptable. You’re not one of “those people”; more and more, you’re one of “us”. You can say it out loud without fear of being treated like an alien being.
I award Alvaro Corral Quote Of The Day honors -not just for recognizing this reality, but also for articulating it so well.
