Right now before I get started on work, I’m listening to Trump, the Republicans, and Democrats discussing DACA. I was listening to the live streaming from KTSA, which for the most part is a conservative yet accepting radio station. I say accepting because when people hear conservative, they think bigoted, ignorant, racist, and I can say from experience not all are like that. Just like not all liberals are bat shit crazy!
Nonetheless, there may be other places to hear that conference live. I know it was on CNN as well, and there may be an audio recording of it too. I will admit that I don’t care about DACA really. It doesn’t personally concern me, but as a nation, I understand the importance of it. Many of these children, even in many Texas cities, and towns, don’t know that they’re DACA. And many didn’t know they were DACA until they got older and started to do things that required social security numbers, and birth certificates. Like trying to get a driver’s license, applying for college, applying for a job, it was then many found out that they weren’t legal.
From listening to the live streaming of the Republicans, Democrats and Trump, they all want a common ground. They all want to work together to have something. Trump is in full support of DACA if they can also strengthen the border wall, and I agree with that. And a journalist…I think that’s the guy who was talking said, “many of these people on DACA can help with that because some of them know the lingo, know the land“.
But Democrats are focused way too much on illegals than they are for minority Americans. Yes, it is true, African American unemployment is at a low. The unemployment rate for African Americans is 6.6 as of December 2017, and African American women have an unemployment rate of 5.8. Over all, those between 16-19 years of age, it’s 22.9. Yeah that’s not bad compared to other years including 2016.
However, there are still issues facing the African American community such as police brutality that many feel is happening within their communities. Now, I don’t really support Black Lives Matter, but it’s still important to bring forth these concerns and discuss them. Believe it or not, but police brutality and lack of training, and easy dismissal allows for police to behave badly, poorly, and corruptly. These issues aren’t being discussed. We also have strong numbers of black men being sent to prison for minor drug problems such as weed. And what’s worst, a Kentucky law maker is pulling in on this stereotype by claiming blacks respond the worst to drugs because it’s in their genetics. There are numerous other issues: single family homes, lack of education among black men, gang violence. Just last month, a lesbian couple and their kids were killed. And we still have trans women of color who are subjected to violence and death. Last month another black trans woman was found murdered by a construction site. Before her on December 1st, another black trans woman was found dead in an Oklahoma hotel. I may be critical of the trans movement as I am of a lot of movements, but I don’t goat past the facts when it comes to black people and violence.
Latin Americans often face the same problem as African Americans but just like the African American community, the Latin community also sees a low unemployment rate of 4.8 as of September 2017. And as of October 2016, the Hispanic drop out rate in regards to high school is at a low as more and more students are graduating! This is good news. However, let’s not forget that gang violence also control many Hispanic communities in low economics situations. There’s also underage pregnancy.
When I was in middle school, I had classes where there were pregnant girls in my class. Many as young as 12, and they were all Hispanic. Years later, MTV would do that show 16 & Pregnant and I remembered thinking, ‘shit…try doing a show called I’m 14 and On My Second Baby’. It’s difficult to explain why these young Latin American girls get pregnant but it could be because of rape, incest, strict Catholic teachings; whatever it is, the problem isn’t really being discussed.
DACA is important to many but I don’t think they should be the priority; but it could be argued that if they keep getting pushed back then it will never be solved. True, this is why there needs to be better organization and better communication. Like Trump said, if we can work together, we’ll be able to get a lot of shit done.