The White Latinos

Not too long ago we learned that in Hawaii citizens of Asian descent outnumber white-skinned folks. New Mexico has a Latino plurality (Latinos are the largest group but not a majority). This week demographers informed us that Latinos outnumber whites in California. They reached that conclusion by counting white Latinos with Spanish names as Latinos and not counting them as whites. That's a little weird. But racial categories are flawed at their base.

Dividing people by the color of their skin is like dividing people into groups based on the shapes of their little toes. We are one species.

In Mexico about 5% of the population has a genetic background that is entirely European. Of course not all California Latinos came from Mexico.  Some have come from Argentina, where roughly 85% of the Latino population is of European descent.  Some immigrants have come from Spain.

Many Latinos from Argentina have Italian names. Maybe they weren't counted. 

In other  words, demographers have made a deliberate category mistake. They have contrasted people with Latino names, many of whom are genetically European or part-European, with people who are also genetically European or part-European but do not speak fluent Spanish.  Heck, I have known Latinos who don't speak Spanish but have Latino last names, which seems to be what matters to demographers. If I changed my name to Jaime Gonzales, I would be counted as Latino.

Why did demographers do this?

In assigning motives to people I don't know, I'd do well to be positive. I don't believe that demographers make their pronouncements in an attempt to encourage racism or Donald Trumpery.  By saying that Latinos outnumber whites, demographers are probably hoping to reinforce the respect Latinos deserve. I'm of Irish descent and Peruvians invented the potato. You know where I stand.