The Still Changing Face Of A 1/3 Minority America

Even as the largest minority group in America at just over 44 million, Hispanics represent less than 15% of the total population. However, they accounted for 50% of US population growth from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006. In all but nine states, the population of whites under age 15 has declined, while nationally, our Hispanic school age population surged by 21%.

The headlines today point out that America's minority population has reached 100 milllion, a third of our population. But the real story of recent growth is beneath the headlines and left out of some stories altogether. Experts have already predicted that America's current minorities will be in the majority by 2050 and, given current trends, it's only a function of time before America becomes predominantly Hispanic.

The white population has shrunk in 16 states this decade, including California, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

The El Paso Times points to the differences current trends will bring about and suggests no change in immigration will reverse it, as so much of the increase is attributable to much higher birth rates among Hispanics as opposed to any other groups, particularly whites.

Out of the 300 million people in the United States, about one in three is now a member of some minority group -- a distinctive demographic change that experts say influences everything, including the food Americans eat, the clothes we wear and the music we listen to.

She added that increases in Hispanic population are likely to continue despite any changes to immigration policy, as Hispanics exponentially grow their numbers through a high rate of birth.

The Houston Chronicle on line is celebrating as Houston appears to represent the future face of America as a whole. There's no indication if article author Lori Rodriguez is related to the individual she quotes. I take it it's sort of a Smith, or Jones thing in Houston, now. ; )

With newcomers in tow, national immigration expert Nestor Rodriguez, of the University of Houston, has toured the city's most dazzlingly diverse pockets for the past decade. His message for visitors always is the same: "Look closely, because this is America's future."

But while one in every three Americans now is a minority, whites, with 66 percent of the population, accounted only for less than a fifth, or 18 percent, of the growth.

"The U.S. has the highest fertility rate of any developing country, with 2.1 children per women. That's because we do immigration right," said Texas A&M University sociology professor Dudley L. Poston Jr.

Whites are not in the majority in Hawaii, New Mexico, California and Texas and even in states where they remain a declining majority, demographics point to a surge in minority voters. Also, California and Texas together are home to 33% of the nation's entire minority population.

In Nevada, where the share of whites has declined to 59 percent from 66 percent since 2000, the voting-age population has soared 25 percent, with minorities accounting for 63 percent of that increase.

The Washington Post points out that DC may soon no longer be a majority-Black city. They cite whites and gentrification as the primary reason.

The 14 percent increase in non-Hispanic white District residents and 6 percent decrease in blacks from 2000 to 2006 are probably the result of the gentrification of once-affordable city neighborhoods, demographers said.

But that isn't what's talking place in state after state throughout the country. Minnesota, Indiana and North Carolina, as with most of the country, is changing due to Hispanic immigration and birth rates.

Hispanics are fanning out to more states across the nation, creating a sharp contrast between their predominantly young numbers and those of an aging white society, according to census population estimates out today.

Hispanics remain the largest minority group, at 44.3 million, and accounted for almost half the nation's growth of 2.9 million from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006. As Hispanics settle in areas where whites are aging and fewer are being born, they're transforming classrooms, workplaces and entire communities.

The non-Hispanic white school-age population grew 4 percent since 2000, while the number of Hispanic school-age kids surged 21 percent. The white under-15 population declined in all but nine states since 2000.

More from the New York Times:

As a result of immigration and higher birthrates among many newcomers, the number of Hispanics grew by 3.4 percent nationwide and Asians by 3.2 percent. Meanwhile, the black population rose by 1.3 percent, and that of non-Hispanic whites by 0.3 percent. (The number of American Indians and Alaska Natives increased by 1 percent, and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders by 1.7 percent.)

Comments

[Alexander from Macedonia]

In my country of Macedonia, we have similar problem: the Albanian minority (first of which immigrated here from neighbouring Albania cca 200 years ago, while the most recent Albanian immigrants came from Kosovo in the last 60 years) reached more than 1/4 of the total population. In 2001 some Albanian militia groups started a rebellion against the Government of Macedonia, althogh that very Government had 1/4 of Albanian ministers! The war ended within 7 months, having small number of victims (less than 200 on both sides). With the Peace agreement Macedonia was forced to use the Albanian language everywhere in the Government institutions (previously it was used in education and in courts with translators), to legalise their illegaly organized University, and the most important laws must be carried out with the majority votes of the Albanian parliamentary members (who often use this "Badinterian majority" principle as a blackmail to the Government).

The behavior of Hispanics in USA (and Canada, too) is very similar to the behavior of Albanians in Macedonia: they illegally immigrate and have high birth rate, they often seek opportunity in criminal activities, they reject the official language of the country where they immigrate/are born, they "clear" whole neighborhoods of other-than-them population... The difference, for now, is that Hispanic don't have their OWN POLITICAL PARTIES, as Albanians do in Macedonia. The bipartism will keep America "SAFE" until Hispanics reach 25%..... and furhtermore they can't be ignored as a population "outside" the Government; meaning that Hispanic-nationalistic party may ruin the bipartistic system of the USA, making that party a major player in the politics, alongside with Republicans and Democrats. It seems that Hispanic-nationalists will eventually REPLACE DEMOCRATS as the second party in the USA, as the Democrats today significantly rely on their votes!

[seekeronos]

Don't forget mandatory euthanasia for everyone over 60, as the SSA system cavitates from having wayyyyy too many seniors to take care of, and the lower-income population bases of Hispanics are unable (or unwilling: tax evasion) to support them.

The thing about Christianity as hate speech scares the tar out of me, as that bill is presently about to be passed to Bush for signing. I pray he vetoes it.

[Leatherneck]

The whole point is to change America, and it's culture. Third world poor pouring into this country is what the State Separtment wants. It helps to create the largest social welfare state know to man.

The reason they bred like rabbits is they are told it is a sin to use a condom.

No, this country is marked for death. Illegal immagration is but one attack. Allowing so many muslims into this country is another. Throw is Homo marriage, killing babies, and Christianty as hate speech, then BAM!, you got yourself a European style country.

[Phoenix]

Maybe they'll assimilate enough that having large families will go the way of whites who enjoy working, making money, and having fewer children. The 'need' in poorly developed countries to have large families is gone for us and has been for decades. Who's to say Hispanics won't adopt that mindset once they settle in and realize a large family is not a necessary asset as it might be in a poor country. Culture.....it does its work quietly sometimes.

[nowingker]

Don't hold your breath for Mexico to get its shit together and start 'luring' the illegals back over the border.

The Hispanic population largely mirrors that of previous immigrant populations, they come here, settle down, learn English, make good assimilate into the culture and become mainstream within 2-3 generations.

I don't think they can be compared to the African American community which has mired itself in a self perpetuating victimhood situation by failing to take responsibility for anything beyond slavery, this is why they have been left behind by EVERY immigrant group that has arrived in this country since the 1900's up to and including the new Pakistani and arab immigrants.

However, personally, I'm not too keen to be a minority group in my own country.

[southdakotaboy]

We have always had a very different relationship with the Latin American community as apposed to any other group in the US because of their ability to travel by land back to thier native countries. Eveyone seems to think that we are going to be overwhelmed by this avalanch of hispanic immigration. We will not be. Why? Because there will come a point when the other Latin American countries get it together and it becomes more lucrative for the Hispanic population to move back south. Huge parts of Mexico are becoming depopulated, you go outside of the major cities and Mexico's country side is dissappearing.
The Hispanic population is defintely going to shake up American politics, but they will not allow themseleves to be taken for granted by one party or another like the African Americans have by the Dems.

[seekeronos]

It's the Réconquista, Aztlan style.

What currently floors me in terms of seeing a Mexican flag hanging in superior position to an American flag in my local Wal-Mart may be the norm in a few more years.

And if my dire predictions about the coming balkanization of America bear true because of a failure of the GOP to rein in the maddening rate at which Hispanics are pouring into this country, expect the SW of the USA to become part of the new "Imperio Aztlan" (Aztlan Empire).

The white race shall also quickly become a minority race in its own land, unless we start making some babies PDQ.

[seekeronos]

It's the Réconquista, Aztlan style.

What currently floors me in terms of seeing a Mexican flag hanging in superior position to an American flag in my local Wal-Mart may be the norm in a few more years.

And if my dire predictions about the coming balkanization of America bear true because of a failure of the GOP to rein in the maddening rate at which Hispanics are pouring into this country, expect the SW of the USA to become part of the new "Imperio Aztlan" (Aztlan Empire).

The white race shall also quickly become a minority race in its own land, unless we start making some babies PDQ.