In the modern societies, inequality appears to remain a challenge despite the fact that the ideal of equality has long been proclaimed. As stated by Ginsberg et al., the diversity of the American nation has been increasing together with its historical development (17). As a result, the racial diversity of the modern US is notable, with the Hispanic population reaching 16% in 2010 (Ginsberg et al. 17). At the same time, as stated by Ginsberg et al., even nowadays, the race does appear to “matter” when it should not (195). An example is the fact that Hispanic people are very likely to be incarcerated (22% of the imprisoned in the US are Hispanic) despite the fact that they are obviously a racial minority (136). We live in a diverse society, and the implications of discrimination are immense, which is why this topic was chosen for the essay.
The website of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is devoted to a particular aspect of inequality: racial discrimination. The League was created in 1929 which makes it the oldest organization with the mission of promoting racial equality (“LULAC History” par. 1). This goal is supposed to be achieved by protecting and advancing the rights of the Hispanic population of the US and improving their conditions and opportunities (“Frequently Asked Questions” par. 2, 8).
According to Ginsberg et al., the Hispanic population used to be discriminated until the 1970s (20). It is obvious that the role of LULAC before that date was crucial: the Hispanic were a vulnerable group that did not enjoy the equality of opportunity (“LULAC History” par. 2). As stated by Ginsberg et al., for example, LULAC contributed to the increase in the education opportunities equality and worked to eliminate school segregation (181). However, even after the official acceptance of Hispanic people as citizens with the full access to the civil rights and liberties, LULAC is still essential for the promotion of racial equality.
Nowadays, LULAC’s efforts to promote racial equality include but are not limited to the investigation of the cases of discrimination; encouragement of the active participation of the Hispanic population in voting; monitoring and supporting or opposing the new and revised legislation that can affect equality. Apart from that, LULAC creates and participates in the creation and funding of various Hispanic organizations that offer educational programs (including English learning and patient awareness programs), housing and healthcare opportunities, legal support, and other aid. LULAC is also famous for its college scholarships (“2015-2016 LULAC National Policy Platform” par. 1-62).
In general, the League believes that educational opportunities are the key to equality promotion. Similarly, LULAC regularly provides updates on relevant news and significant historical data. For example, the section titled “Civil Rights” includes articles covering the life and death of Herman Badillo (an outstanding Latino politician: the first Member of Congress from Puerto Rico) and the recent case of Daren Wilson (the officer who had shot an unarmed black youngster) (par. 4-7).
To sum up, the efforts of LULAC are primarily directed at the elimination of the Hispanic Americans discrimination, but they are also an example of fighting against the discrimination of any kind. The website of the League is definitely useful for learning about the politics of America.
First of all, it provides the information concerning the past and current state of the equality and civil rights protection in the US. Also, it serves to indicate that issues that the US faces nowadays, primarily from the point of view of racial discrimination, but other aspects are also covered, for example, in the National Policy Platform. The League and its site remind us of the ideal of equality, define and promote it, work to achieve it, and indicate the fact that there is still much to be done to build a society that is based on equality and respect for liberty. These two ideals, as described by Ginsberg et al., are the cornerstones of American politics, which makes the website related to the book and suitable for American politics studies (24-30).
Works Cited
“2015-2016 LULAC National Policy Platform.” LULAC. 2016. Web.
“Civil Rights.” LULAC. 2016. Web.
“Frequently Asked Questions.” LULAC. 2016. Web.
Ginsberg, Benjamin, Theodore Lowi, Margaret Weir, Caroline Tolbert, and Robert Spitzer. We the People. 9th ed. New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2012. Print.
“LULAC History.” LULAC. 2016. Web.