Reason for Latinos’ Isolation, Lack of Skills in Orange County

The article, “Survey: Lack of Skills Shuts Out O.C. Latinos” (Jan. 31), compelled me to respond. Your subtitle should have the word prejudice instead of language as the reason for isolation. Unless we eliminate prejudice against Spanish-speaking people, nothing is going to change--not in Orange County or in any of the bordering states.

I am a member of the Latino population in Orange County. However, I am what is called an invisible minority, i.e., I speak perfect English as well as Spanish. I am fair, slim and have green eyes, and I am fairly well educated.

But not a week goes by without my hearing ugly, racist things about those “Mexicans.” Of course, the offenders are not aware that I am a member of that ethnic group. It hurts a lot.

Mexicans are blamed for everything from drugs to gangs to traffic congestion. Yes, traffic congestion! I heard a woman clerk at our local drugstore blaming the traffic situation in Orange County on those “foreigners.” I asked her where she is from (she has a pronounced accent), and she said she is British but has been here since 1948. I told her that many of these “foreigners” have probably been here for 200 years. She was totally embarrassed, to say the least.

Racism is so strong in Huntington Beach among young people that my son does not even want to admit that he is of Hispanic heritage. He has an English surname, so he hides behind it. I have discussed this with him many times, and his answer is that there are so many ugly things said out there about Hispanics he doesn’t know how to deal with it. He said, “Mom, I would be fighting every day of my life if I would try to say something in their favor.”

Children given reason to feel positive about themselves will grow up to be healthy adults, but if the racism that is so prevalent in Orange County continues, these children will grow up feeling inferior--and inferiority breeds low self-esteem, and, in turn, low self-esteem breeds lack of motivation . . . and on, and on, and on.

CANDIDA

Huntington Beach

Editor’s note: It is not our policy to withhold names on letters, but we did so in this case because of special circumstances.