How+Does+the+Majority+Understand+the+New+Minority?+ZMAA

//__**Reaching the Mountaintop**__//

The article was produced by ESPN and it talks about two black coaches winning a super bowl title. The two coaches were Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy. They are two of the first black coaches to win super bowl titles in the NFL. This was a historical moment in American sports history. The end of the article talks about how this was Dr. King's view of reaching the mountaintop.



““**The Devils Highway”** is a name that has set out to illuminate on notion: bad medicine.” That is exactly what it did for the twenty-six men that set out for The United States from Mexico. As the book goes through each persons journey to The United States it tells why they are leaving and what they are leaving behind. The future of a wife; children and their grandchildren is something that most of the twenty-six mean have in common.

As the twenty-six leave Mexico they seem to think that the only thing in their was is the border control, everything is going smoothly until their guide takes a wrong turn and they have walking deeper into the desert. Things turn for the worse when the men start running out of water. Eventually as the men drop off one by one they make a deal with their “trust worthy” guide. By this time most of the men are gone or have wondered off in a different direction looking for water or any sign of civilization. The men that are left are eventually found by the U.S. border patrol and they are taken to the hospital.

Overall I like this book because it takes the normal American behind the issues of border control and gives you the perceptive of what the Latinos face.

**// Crossing Over  //** **by Ruben Martinez** Summary: Both the United States have been greatly affected and influenced by illegal and legal immigration. Whether citizens of either country realize it or not, the two nations are deeply connected. Most illegal immigrants that enter the United States seek work in order to send back to their hometowns and families back in Mexico. Many of these same illegal immigrants return home and often bring many aspects of popular culture in the United States back to Mexico, such as American-style dress, music, technology, and other characteristics. Ruben Martinez gives the town of Cherán, Mexico as an example of this cultural blending in his book, // Crossing Over //. Immigrants bring back these modern, American objects and characteristics back to the very traditional town of Cherán. Most of the residents there have one foot in Pre-Columbian Mexico and another in the future. The economy of Cherán is almost entirely based on migrant income from the United States. Immigration is the key to keep Cherán moving forward in a modern future. Without these returning migrants that bring aspects of modernity as well as money back home, Cherán would not be able to sustain itself in the global community. Relationships within the family have also been affected through this mixing of cultures and modernity. More children are expected to get an education instead of working as soon as they are physically capable. Migrant women in the United States are not expected to marry as soon as they are in Cherán, they are not as condemned for living with their boyfriends before marriage as they would be in Cherán, and they are allowed to drive cars in the United States and are not expected to wear the traditional rebozos. There is also the possibility of retirement for the elderly in the United States which does not exist in Cherán. The United States has also been impacted by immigrants. Martinez uses the town of Norwalk, Wisconsin to best illustrate this. Before migrant workers, was an average Anglo-American town in the Midwest. Slowly, illegal and legal migrant workers began to trickle into the town, working at the local meat plant. These few migrant workers brought family members and friends that also worked at the meat plant and eventually, a substantial Mexican community developed in Norwalk. The Anglo residents of Norwalk had to adjust accordingly, but there were and have been a few conflicts due to the demographic changes. There has been a rise in interracial relationships in the town and more than a few children born from these relationships. This has caused tension in the community especially since not all of these couples marry and some of the Mexican fathers tend to leave and return to Mexico or move to another town in the United States for better wages. On the other hand, there has also been a number of accepting individuals in Norwalk that have seen this change as an opportunity. Entrepreneurs are now catering to Mexican consumers by adding Hispanic foods and goods to their stores or are opening stores that solely appeal to the Mexican community. Hispanic immigrants are not like previous groups immigrants entering the United States. Many of these immigrants keep aspects of their culture and incorporate it in to the community, as is seen in the town of Norwalk. But there has also been a great effect and cultural change on Hispanic migrants that has transcended into their hometowns. It is much simpler for migrants to travel from the United States to their home country, causing cultural and social change in both countries and communities. This has made it very difficult to determine how the United States will appear and be affected in the future as this trend continues.

Article Summary
 * "Latino religion in US" **

With Latinos the new biggest minority there are a lot of changes in the nation. One of those changes is in religion. 70% of Latinos are Catholic and 23% are Protestant or “other Christian.” This shows that there is a large increase in the Catholic religion. The article states, ‘” Mexico is one of the largest Catholic countries in the world, and it has a vast and rich tradition in the Church,’ Espinosa said.” With Mexico one of the largest Catholic countries, and more and more Latinos coming to America this is affect the religion in the country. One thing that sticks out with the Mexico immigration is that it is different than any other immigration period. Every other immigration period slowly died. If you look at the potato famine and Acadian expulsion both of them slowly died down. The difference with this immigration period is that it just keeps growing and shows no signs of slowing down.