Racial Discrimination And Hispanics In The United States

In case of the United States, racial discrimination is a reality in the lives of Native Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, Latinos and other immigrant groups. In spite of significant growth in racial and ethnic diversity over the past several decades, racial minority groups like the Hispanics still continue to struggle for full acceptance and equal opportunity.

Among these, Hispanics or Latin Americans constitute 12.5 percent of the US population. However, Hispanics have always been considered as a minority group of population that have often been viewed as a monolithic community. Hispanics are continued to be discriminated persistently at workplaces, in seeking accommodation and gaining other public services. According to a report released on Human Rights Record of the United States, one in every three Hispanics in America does not have a health insurance. Even the poverty rate among Hispanics is 21.9 percent in comparison with non-Hispanic Whites, where the rate if 8.6 percent. People belonging to Hispanic and other minority communities are least respected, offered worst services and lack affordable housing. Even the loans offered to the individuals belonging to Hispanic community are charged with higher interest rates.

According to the racial discrimination act, it is illegal to discriminate people in the areas of public life on the basis of their race. These areas include employment, housing accommodation, real estate buying, and provision of goods and services, accessing public places, using public transportation services and in advertising. Under this act, even an offensive or abusive behavior or language that is based on racial vilification is prohibited.